Attractions, Activities & Things to do in Hayle Cornwall

Located on Cornwall's North coast and fast regaining its popularity after a flurry of new development plans (which are well underway as of early 2021 for the old quayside!) Hayle will soon boast a great mix of older characterful properties plus brand-new accommodation, restaurants and bars as well as miles of golden sandy beaches. 'Heyl' is the Cornish word for 'Estuary', the Hayle Estuary is located in West Cornwall and is one of only a handful of natural harbours, during medieval times this harbour was important for travel and trade connections. With so many great things to do in Hayle, it's a must-visit destination on your trip to Cornwall. Get a feel for the place with a bird's eye view around Hayle Estuary with the video below.

Video credit: Alan Letcher

The Best Things To Do In Hayle

​1. Visit the penguins

 At the award-winning Paradise Park, you'll meet many rare colourful birds including parrots, Humboldt's penguins, Caribbean flamingos and kookaburras just to name a few. Also on site  is the fun farm with mini donkeys, pygmy goats, sheep and guinea pigs - Great for the kids!
www.paradisepark.org.uk

2. Go Seal spotting

Mutton cove, just past Godrevy head is home to a large colony of grey seals, which can usually be seen all your round. You may get lucky and see pods of dolphins jumping clear of the water too! Although a rare occurrence, they have been spotted around Godrevy at the right time or year.
Find out other seal spotting spots here!

3. Visit Godrevy Lighthouse

Park up at one of the nearby Godrevy carparks and walk the beautiful circuit around Godrevy head. You won't miss the lighthouse, which has been protecting ships from the stones reef for centuries! Why not grab some lunch after at the nearby Godrevy Cafe, or Rockpool Cafe.
Find Godrevy on the map here!

4. Get sandy toes

Go for a day at the beach! Within walking distance of the town, Hayle Towans is a highly rated beach known for its huge stretch of sandy coastline.
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Directions to Threemile Beach

5. Go for a strike!

Country skittles set in rural Hayle is a family friendly restaurant and bar with air hockey, pool tables and other games alongside their main attraction of Skittles! Similar to ten pin bowling, just with 9 skittles and shorter lanes.
www.countryskittles.co.uk

6. Get a famous Philps

A great idea at any time of day, grab a famous Philps pasty from one of two pasty shops in Hayle! With veggie & vegan options plus many other amazing pastries to choose from, you just cant go wrong.
www.philpspasties.co.uk

7. Put the pedal to the metal

Go Kart at coast-to-coast karting, they have fast karts and a big track - An adrenaline-filled day out for ages 8 and above. Free car park, indoor and outdoor seating to view the racing. The track has 12 corners with a mix of sweeping bends, slow hairpins and banked corners. A technically challenging track for all driving levels, head to their website to book your race day!
www.coast2coast.co.uk

Restaurants & places to eat in Hayle...

We have covered all the best things to do in Hayle now we are helping you find all the top restaurants in Hayle, we have listed all the top spots to eat and drink during your trip to Cornwall. To find out more about the place, view menus and book a table just click on your restaurant of choice below:

Philps (Famous Cornish pasties)
The Old Forge (Seasonal, rustic Italian food)
The Rockpool (Boho beach cafe)
Godrevy Cafe (Beachside casual cafe)
Duckies' Café (Fresh local food and freshly ground coffee)
Sanders (Fish and Chips)
The Bucket Of Blood (Classic pub food with outside decking areas)
Balti King (Indian restaurant and takeaway)
The Bluff Inn (Unbeatable views of St Ives Bay, and classic pub food)
Salt Bar Kitchen (Gastropub with great gourmet burgers)
Mr B’s (Popular ice cream parlour)
The Terrace (Italian & Mediterranean dishes)

Sanders Fish & Chips

Philps Pasties

The Old Forge Bistro

What is Hayle famous for...

Hayle is famous for: Threemile Beach

Aptly named because the beach stretches for over 3 miles, covering Godrevy, Gwithian, Mexico and Hayle Towans beaches, all of which are untouched golden sandy shoreline - Plenty of room for dogs to run loose on, and it is also very popular with water sports such as kitesurfing, windsurfing, body boarding and surfing, many of the best things to do in Hayle can be found here! 

If you only do one thing...

Get a Philps Cornish Pasty!

Almost as famous than Threemile beach, and widely known for their delicious traditional Cornish pasties, is of course Philps! With their flagship shop on the corner of the main road through Hayle town, we highly recommended grabbing a generously sized Cornish pasty and find the nearest harbour side bench to enjoy!

Visit Godrevy Lighthouse

One more bonus adventure to add to your list of things to do in Hayle is to visit Godrevy lighthouse. Built in 1858 and still standing strong against the elements, here are great 5 reasons to visit this historical site, 1. For the Photos - Even if you are an amateur photographer it's hard to take a bad shot of this amazing lighthouse set on an island. 2. Surfing - The beaches nearby are super popular for hanging ten, smaller waves can be found here which makes it a great spot for beginners. Book a surf lesson here 3. Easy to get to - Godrevy Lighthouse boasts a very convenient location with many large car parks along the coast. 4. Coastal walks - There are many trails and walking paths around the headland with lots of spots to take a break and soak up the sun, sea and salty air. 5. The sunsets - Being western facing this spot is one of the best in Cornwall to catch a breathtaking sunset. Ready to go for an adventure? ....Find direction to Godrevy Lighthouse here.

Surfing Hayle's Beaches

Hayle is lucky enough to have a long sheltered bay with multiple surfing spots. Summer tends to be mostly smaller flatter waves, which is why Hayle is a great spot for learning to surf! One of the best secret surfing spots can be found at 'Sandy Acres' which is a long stretch of golden sandy beach with waves coming in from both left and right.

​View a surf report for Hayle here!

Say Hello

For all questions and enquiries to do with your holiday in Hayle, our properties or joining us with your holiday let - Please don't hesitate to get in touch, we really look forward to hearing from you.

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