Dog Friendly St Ives

With ‘dogs allowed’ written all over the signage, you can’t go wrong by bringing your furry friend here. The Hub offers a friendly atmosphere. During the day you can sit and relax and enjoy the harbour views with a delightful Cornish-roasted coffee or hot chocolate to warm you in the winter. Or perhaps you can enjoy the selection of yummy craft beers to cool you off in the summer heat, as well as the scrumptious food the restaurant is now famous for.

In the evening, the trendy bar/restaurant atmosphere kicks in with upbeat music and a lively ambiance. This is a wonderful place for dinner, with a great selection of burgers, hotdogs, and delicious Americana with a Cornish twist.

One of the trendiest places to eat in St Ives, Porthmeor Beach Café offers a vibrant atmosphere and al-fresco dining where you can either sit back on the terrace and admire the views or relax in the heated booths.

Dogs are allowed outside on the terrace areas, there are dog bowls around and friendly staff to greet your doggies.

Take your pick from an extensive menu that includes their famous build-your-own breakfast, seafood tapas, and a vegetarian option.

Scott Troff at Marketplace actively welcomes your four-legged pals. The café opens at 9am every day of the week, so you can enjoy your brekkie after a morning stroll. It’s open until 4pm (5pm on Saturday) which allows you plenty of time to enjoy brunch, lunch or even an early dinner. The snug yet stylish interiors are guaranteed to put you at ease.

For those warm sunny days, a small amount of outside seating is made available for you to soak in the sunlight and enjoy the fresh coastal air.

The Sloop Inn is one of the oldest and most charming dog-friendly pubs Cornwall has to offer. Open every single day of the year from 09:00 – midnight this coastal treasure has unrivalled glistening views over the harbour beach.

It’s only a few minutes walk away from the dog-friendly Bamaluz Beach, so there’s no excuse not to go with your canine companion! 

The Union Inn invites your doggie throughout the year into the spacious bar area with open arms. It’s a traditional pub that serves delicious food on a daily basis between 12pm to 3pm and 5:30pm to 9pm, so ideal for lunch or dinner. They serve a selection of pub grub and real ales.

The cosy interiors and warm roaring fire makes it a particularly comforting place during the autumn and winter, but can also be a great place to freshen yourself up after a long summer walk.

The friendly staff will always be happy to provide water for your pet.

Located in Gweek, the Cornish Seal Sanctuary is a fantastic day out for every member of the family, including your furry friend. Meet the adorable residents of the sanctuary, varying from seals to otters and penguins. Heading below decks, you can witness these amazing creatures glide through the water from the underwater viewing areas, which is perfect for wide-eyed kids and puppies. (The only areas your doggie can’t visit are the café and the seal hospital, which still leaves 42 acres of fun to enjoy).

Visit Padstow’s Elizabethan Manor and witness living history on the gorgeous North Corish coast. Since its completion in 1592 the same family have lived in this charming Elizabethan manor. Take a tour of the house or stroll in the tranquil grounds with your four-legged companion overlooking the ancient deer park. (Now closed until Easter Monday, opening hours are 11am-3pm)

Pencarrow House and Gardens has been the welcoming family home of the Molesworth-St Aubyns for nearly 500 years. This makes it so unique because it is not part of the National Trust. Tucked away on the edge of Bodwin Moor, this Cornish Georgian treasure offers plenty for all to do. They have a grade 11 listen garden, Iron Age fort, a Children’s play area, a Café and gift shop to purchase those souvenirs. They are a dog friendly place with over 50 acres of land to explore and sniff about. 

One of the biggest attractions in Cornwall is the Eden Project in St Austell, which attracts hundreds and thousands of visitors each year. Here you and your four-legged friend can roam around the outdoor gardens and absorb the surrounding nature. Although the indoor areas are exclusive to humans only and or guide dogs there’s still plenty to explore at this celebrated tourist attraction. 

If you’re looking for a walk to do with your pooch, look no further! Clodgy Point in St. Ives is highly recommended. Cover a 3.3-mile distance with an expected duration of 2 hours, starting and ending at Porthmeor Beach. The path is well trodden, with steep bits at times, albeit in short bursts. The St Ives and Clodgy Point Circular walk takes you out of the St Ives tourist bubble and along a rugged corner of the Cornish coastline that’s characterised by hilly headlands and steep-sided sea ravines that have been cut by the oceans into the cliffs. Along the way, there are some incredible landscapes, some back-to-basics grassy paths, and, as you head back on yourself through the fields, some of the world’s oldest structures that are still in use today. 

Ahoy! Sailor! Are you ready for a boat trip? Take to the water with your seadog and see St Ives from a new perspective as you sail around the coast. Seal Island is always a popular destination as it’s home to a colony of grey seals and one of the best places in Cornwall to catch a glimpse of these salty locals. Watch as they turn from blubbery sunbathers to majestic swimmers and keep a tally of seal sightings in your head – who can spot the most? You can also visit the iconic Godrevy lighthouse, another spectacular sight with more promises of marine wildlife as you learn all about the local maritime history from shipwrecks to rescues.

For all the art lovers out there, if you head to the neighbouring village of Newlyn you’ll find the Newlyn Art Gallery and The Exchange, both of which welcome dogs on leads so you and the pooch can enjoy a cultured day out. With their continuously changing exhibitions featuring local and national artists, you’re always in for something new and fascinating at these contemporary galleries.

After you’ve been out in the open waters and toured some of the local galleries naturally it’s time to wind down with a drink and where better to do so than a vineyard! At Polgoon Vineyard in Penzance, you and your pooch can walk around the beautiful Cornish vineyard high above Mounts Bay in either a guided or self-guided tour before finishing things off with a taste of some of the scrumptious Cornish wines. While dogs aren’t allowed in the shop or winery, if you want to pop in and pick up a bottle to remember your visit by, there is a water bowl and dog mooring where you can briefly leave your pup.

If you’re the type of person who prefers wilder nature places, then Tanglewood should be right up your street! Nine acres of natural gardens and woodland make a splendid place for a dog walk. There are countless picnic benches and grassy areas welcoming the whole family for a rustic lunch amidst butterflies and bees.

A quick trip up the A30 will take you to the land of the squirrels, or as the locals call it, Tehidy Country Park. With over 9 miles of paths, Tehidy Woods is the largest woodland in West Cornwall, giving you and your canine friend acres of sniffing and exploring. You can stroll around the lake, explore overgrown glades, and stop off at the café for a hot chocolate and a bag of squirrel food if you want to meet some of the bushy-tailed locals. You can access the woods from several points including the South Drive car park and the North Cliff car park, so you can easily combine it with a stroll along the coast and a visit to Portreath.