A World of Wonders in Cornwall

It’s little wonder that Cornwall is one of the most popular holiday destinations in the UK, there is a wealth of sights to see in this mythic land.

Tourists to Cornwall can explore everything from theaters carved into granite cliffs to lush gardens to vibrant aquariums and massive theme parks.

In short, there’s something to do in Cornwall for everyone from children to adults to seniors.

Start your Cornwall sightseeing at the Minack Theatre. This might be the most spectacular cliffside theater in all of Britain. Carved into a sheer face of granite overlooking Porthcurno Bay, the Minack Theatre produces a wide variety of shows every month. No matter the show, though, the stunning scenery of Minack Theatre is the real star.

For more beauty, visitors can explore Lanhydrock House and Gardens in Bodmin. This amazing home sits on a wooded parkland of more than 1,000 acres. And these acres are dotted with an amazing selection of rare shrubs and trees.

The house itself boasts 50 rooms. These rooms range from the sparse servants quarters to extremely opulent bedroom suites and dining halls. Lanhydrock House and Gardens is definitely a must-see for anyone visiting Cornwall.

For the children, there’s Crealey Great Adventure Park, one of Britain’s largest and most thrilling theme parks. Great Adventure Park is home to the Beast of Cornwall, a coaster ride that drops passengers from an incredible height of 15 metres.

Great Adventure Park also boasts Britain’s only double-drop log flume ride, Thunder Falls, and its own Raging Rivers raft ride. You’re guaranteed to emerge soaked.

Children and the whole family will also enjoy the Blue Reef Aquarium. Located in Newquay, and overlooking the powerful Atlantic Ocean, the aquarium features more than 30 naturally themed areas and an abundance of sea life.

The highlight of the aquarium is an underwater glass tunnel that moves through a giant tank. This allows visitors to get up close with an amazing array of underwater life, including tropical sharks and coral fish. The aquarium also features the largest species of octopus found on earth. The aquarium also boasts an incredible variety of giant crabs, always on display.

The National Seal Sanctuary is another can’t-miss sight for Cornwall visitors who are also nature fans. Located in Helston, the Seal Sanctuary rescues, rehabilitates and releases more than 40 seal pups every year. Visitors to this site can visit a working seal hospital where they can watch staffers prepare the meals for these hungry creatures.

Visitors can also explore the seal rescue centre. Children will especially enjoy this, as they are able to feed baby seals themselves and even take their temperatures. The Seal Sanctuary, in fact, is a great place to visit for any member of the family.

Pendennis Castle in Falmouth is another top tourist destination in the Cornwall region. This castle once served as one of the many strongholds for Henry VIII. Today, though, it’s a popular museum. The castle also played an important role in World War II, when it served as a secret military base. In fact, the castle is more than 450 years old, so there’s a lot of history packed into its walls. Children will enjoy visiting the on-site recreation of a World War II underground shelter. It’s a great way for them to truly experience what life was like for a solder fighting in this epic war.

This is just a short list, of course, of the many incredible attractions and historic sites available to tourists who rent or own their own holiday cottages in Cornwall. The fact is, there is so much to see and do in Cornwall, that you could spend an entire year at your holiday cottage in Cornwall without experiencing it all.

Hotels in Cornwall are often over priced, and to be frank, not very good. A much better option is to find a self catering property to stay in. Most of the available properties are cottages. These are often finished to a very high standard, and give guests a lot more flexibility in terms of location, as well as privacy and the use of games equipment and private gardens. It is very easy to find a holiday cottage in Cornwall as there are so characterful places to choose from, some converted from old water mills, and other converted chapels.