Short answer: Boscastle with kids is mostly free outdoor fun: the harbour quay, the blowhole at Penally Point, the Willapark lookout and the chance of seals below Pentargon. The witchcraft museum charges £5 for ages 6 to 17 (open to 31 October 2026). Toddlers manage the tarmac to the harbour; Pentargon's many steps and the clifftop paths suit older children.
Boscastle with kids works because the best parts are short, free and slightly dramatic: a blowhole that sometimes throws a spout across the harbour mouth, a lookout tower on a cliff, and a river to follow down to the sea. It is a village of walks, a harbour and a few shops rather than rides and play areas, so plan around being outdoors. Here is what to do, sorted by age, with the practical snags.
Keep it to the tarmac. From the Cobweb car park an accessible path runs alongside the river towards the harbour, and the National Trust describes tarmac roads on both sides of the harbour. The toilets by the car park include an accessible one combined with baby changing (20p for the unisex toilet), and the Trust lists no other public toilets in the harbour area, so go before you walk.
At the harbour, the quay is the entertainment. The Trust says a lime kiln and blacksmith's forge are still to be seen, and the water level changes with the tide. The National Trust cafe (4.5 from 147 Google reviews) has Cornish ice cream and a courtyard, and its shop sells "pocket-money toys" and "50 things to do before you're 11¾" accessories. Reviewers of Cornish Stores on The Bridge mention toys and novelty items. Under-5s are free at the Museum of Witchcraft and Magic, but the museum says its building is not accessible, with narrow doorways, so most families with toddlers skip it. For more on wheels, see our Boscastle access guide for buggies and wheelchairs.
Walk out to Penally Point to see the blowhole. The National Trust says you can see it about an hour either side of low tide, and a walking site adds that it needs a swell running. Check the tide table before you set off, and hold hands near the edge.
A short, steep climb to a white lookout at 96 metres. Children tend to like a destination. The Trust says the walls shelter you from the wind, and the volunteers who staff the Coastwatch station (4.8 from 258 Google reviews) are National Coastwatch Institution members; one reviewer found the watchkeepers friendly and knowledgeable. Cattle and ponies graze the clifftop fields all year, so tell younger children not to approach them.
The Museum of Witchcraft and Magic charges £5 for ages 6 to 17 and £8 for adults, and says children may visit only at the discretion of the accompanying adult. It is open daily to 31 October 2026. Reviewers mention displays on punishments, herbs and spells, so preview it for sensitive children. Our museum guide has the practical details.
The South West Coast Path says you may see seals in the cove below Pentargon. Pentargon Waterfall (4.3 from 126 Google reviews) involves a lot of steps down to the bridge, and the path to it crosses cattle fields with a stile and kissing gates. It suits fit children, not little legs. See our walks guide.
If they like a walk with a reward, yes. The Valency Valley path runs through woodland to St Juliot, where Thomas Hardy met his first wife. Older children enjoy St Nectan's Waterfall (4.6 from 4,357 Google reviews), where the official site lists £6 for ages 5 to 15, £11 for adults and free entry under 5, with parking at £3 for the day. Reviewers describe a muddy path and a stream crossing to see the main fall, so pack wellies. At Trebarwith Strand, lifeguards patrolled 10am to 6pm daily from 16 May to 27 September this year, and the RNLI closes the beach for two hours either side of high water, so check tides. Our beaches near Boscastle guide has more.
Free walks do most of the work. Parking at the Cobweb car park is £1.50 for an hour, £5.70 for four hours and £7.20 for 24 hours, and free from 4pm. Add the museum if you want it: two adults and two children aged 6 and over come to £26. For budgeting more tightly, see the Boscastle day out for £50 or less.
Cafes, the museum and the shop. Our guide to Boscastle when it rains lists the options. Tintagel's King Arthur's Great Halls (4.7 from 341 Google reviews) is an indoor Arthurian attraction, so check its hours before you set off. For older kids, Tintagel adds the castle, covered on our town page. Back in the village, the Boscastle town page lists everything else we cover.
Walk to the harbour, see the blowhole at Penally Point, climb to the Willapark lookout, visit the Museum of Witchcraft and Magic, and try for seals below Pentargon.
The river path and harbour roads are tarmac, and there is an accessible toilet with baby changing by the car park. Paths beyond the harbour are steep and uneven.
£5 for ages 6 to 17 and £8 for adults. Under-5s are free, and children may visit at the accompanying adult's discretion.
The Trust says its shop sells pocket-money toys and '50 things to do before you're 11¾' accessories.
The South West Coast Path says you may see seals in the cove below Pentargon. It is a chance, not a guarantee.
Times, prices and dates are the businesses' and organisers' to change, so check before you travel. Spotted something we've got wrong? Tell us and we'll fix it.
See the full Boscastle guide, filtered by who's with you.
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