Short answer: Porthminster is a half mile of sheltered sand below St Ives station. The RNLI lists lifeguards daily from 16 May to 27 September 2026, 10am to 6pm. Dogs are banned 10am to 6pm from 15 May to 30 September. The Station Long Stay car park has 106 spaces and fills in summer, so the St Erth park and ride train is the easier option.
Porthminster is the St Ives beach most people picture: a half mile of sand below the railway station, with a café on the sand and the harbour a short walk away. It is calm, easy to reach without a car and a good first choice for families, though it is busy in summer and dogs are banned for part of the year.
The Station Long Stay car park (TR26 2BH) overlooks the beach. The St Ives tourism site lists 106 spaces, open 24 hours, and says it is a 5 to 10 minute walk to the harbour. It also says motorhomes and campers cannot use it between 11pm and 8am. Visit Cornwall warns that the car park can get very busy, and a reviewer of the café said it was usually full when they visited in peak season. For charges, check the machine or app on the day.
If it is full, the St Ives tourism site recommends Trenwith (TR26 1DD), the largest car park, with 311 spaces in winter and up to 759 in summer. It lists about £6.80 for 3 to 4 hours or about £10.50 for the day, plus a summer shuttle bus to Royal Square. A 12 month traffic trial began in St Ives on 17 November 2025, so check the road layout before you drive in. Our St Ives parking and park and ride guide covers every option.
Yes, and it is the easiest way. St Ives station sits directly above the beach. The St Ives tourism site lists a St Erth park and ride with more than 500 spaces at £4.50 on weekdays and £3.50 at weekends, then a 10 to 15 minute ride with trains about every 30 minutes. Day return fares are £4 for adults and £2 for children aged 5 to 15, with a £10 family ticket. If you like the sound of a quieter start, Carbis Bay is the stop before: see our Carbis Bay beach guide.
The RNLI lists lifeguards patrolling daily from 16 May to 27 September 2026, from 10am to 6pm, with a note that details may change at short notice. Swim between the red and yellow flags. If there are no flags, there are no lifeguards. Visit Cornwall lists a Blue Flag and a Seaside Award for the beach, though its page shows 2024 information, so confirm the current status if it matters to you.
Dogs are banned from 15 May to 30 September, between 10am and 6pm. They are welcome at other times, so early mornings and evenings in summer are fine, and the beach is open to dogs all day from 1 October to 14 May. St Ives Town Council says officers can issue a £100 fixed penalty notice. Our guide to dog-friendly beaches in St Ives from October lists the alternatives.
4.5 from 1,840 Google reviews. Reviewers praise the monkfish curry, scallops, lobster and the view of the bay. It suits couples, special lunches and families who book ahead. It is a restaurant rather than a kiosk, so expect restaurant prices, and reviewers mention a service charge. Google lists it open 12pm to 8pm daily, but hours change by season, so check before you go. Booking matters if you want a sea-edge table.
Visit Cornwall also notes that sand chairs may be available through the café on 01736 795352, supplied with Disability Cornwall and Isles of Scilly, for visitors who need help on the sand.
Porthmeor is the town's surf beach, below the Tate on the north side, and Porthminster is the sheltered swimming beach on the south side. The same dog ban dates apply to both, but their lifeguard seasons differ: a 2025 list showed Porthmeor patrolled from 5 April to 2 November, while Porthminster ran from 17 May to 28 September.
If the wind is wrong for one side of town, the other is usually better: see what to do when Porthmeor is too windy. For the full comparison, read the best beaches in St Ives guide. The St Ives tourism site says the St Ives Rugby Club shuttle (£7 all day, bus £1.50 one way or £2.50 return, from about 10am in high season) drops near the Tate at Porthmeor.
None of the sources I used give tide times for the beach, so check a tide table for St Ives before you set up on the sand, and keep belongings off the lower beach on a rising tide. For things to do around the beach, such as mini golf and deck chairs, which Visit Cornwall lists, see our St Ives guide and first-time visitor tips for St Ives.
The Station Long Stay car park (TR26 2BH) overlooks the beach with 106 spaces. In summer it fills, so Trenwith car park or the St Erth park and ride train are the usual fallbacks.
Not from 15 May to 30 September between 10am and 6pm. At other times, including early morning and evening in summer, they are allowed.
The RNLI lists daily patrols from 16 May to 27 September 2026, 10am to 6pm. Details can change at short notice.
Porthminster is calmer and sheltered, with a café on the sand and the station above it. Porthmeor suits surfing and bodyboarding.
Yes. St Ives station is directly above the beach, and trains from St Erth take 10 to 15 minutes, about every 30 minutes.
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 St Ives guide, filtered by who's with you.
Plan your day near St Ives →