Boxing Day in St Ives: What's Open, the Beach and the Swim

Short answer: Quieter than you'd think: the Sloop and a couple of pubs open at lunch, most cafés and galleries closed until the 27th, the Tate closed. The beaches are empty and dog-friendly, and there's an informal Boxing Day dip at Porthminster. Park easily for once; the branch line runs a reduced service.

This is one of our town-by-town winter guides — the full county picture is in Christmas and New Year in Cornwall 2026.

Open

• The Sloop Inn St Ives — the harbour pub, open Boxing Day lunchtime; book.
• The Lifeboat Inn St Ives and The Castle Inn St Ives — usually open, food varies.
• Porthminster Beach Cafe — has opened over the holidays in past years; check their Christmas hours.
• The beaches — Porthmeor, Porthminster, Porthgwidden, the harbour — all open to dogs all day.

Closed

Tate St Ives and the Barbara Hepworth Museum close for Christmas; most galleries and gift shops reopen on the 27th or after New Year. Most cafés too.

The swim

St Ives doesn't run a big organised festive swim like Perranporth's, but there's a well-attended informal Boxing Day dip at Porthminster Beach late morning — locals, dry robes, a lot of shrieking. If you want the organised version, Perranporth is 25 minutes away at 10:30. The Perranporth swim.

The walk

Porthmeor to Clodgy Point and back — half an hour of Atlantic with the town behind you — or the coast path towards Zennor for a proper stretch. Dogs off lead, not one for pushchairs beyond the Island.

Getting in

Parking in St Ives is easy on Boxing Day — one of maybe three days a year you can say that. Trenwith Car Park St Ives and walk down. The branch line from St Erth runs a reduced holiday timetable; check before relying on it. Book everything for New Year's Eve while you're there.