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Updated April 2024
Van Life Cornwall
You might be surprised on your first visit to Cornwall to discover such spectacular sandy beaches with crystal-clear water. Cornwall is a place we return to again and again, uncovering new favourites each time and one of the best ways to get around this spectacular place is by campervan.
Cornwall has great surf, coastal walks, a scenic outdoor theatre, incredible hotels and geological wonders. It also makes an epic road trip with a great choice of things to do along the way.
We can’t mention Cornwall without sharing one of our favourites and in our opinion one of the best beaches, Pedn Vounder. If you’re looking for Cornwall road trip inspiration then read our 10-day guide including a map.
The UK is not the easiest country to travel in a campervan especially when visiting areas such as Cornwall. To understand why though we have to realise that during the busy summer months, more than 3 million visitors descend on Cornwall. A large number of those visitors are coming in campervans and motorhomes and this puts an incredible strain on the local infrastructure.
While it can be frustrating that there is such little infrastructure catered towards people visiting Cornwall in a campervan it still is an incredible place to visit. There are still free off-grid places to park and also plenty of affordable campsites to stay at.
In this van life Cornwall travel guide, we will show you why in our opinion visiting Cornwall in a campervan is the best way to see one of our favourite areas of the UK.
Where to Stay In a Campervan in Cornwall?
Part of the fun of having a van with everything you need inside is to be able to park almost anywhere. Not that long ago, Cornwall was a much easier place to find free parkups in nature. However, because of the increasing popularity of vans, these park-ups have quickly become restricted. Even Newquay the home of UK surfing has height barriers on almost all of its car parks to the frustration of the surf community.
Despite these restrictions, there are several places to park throughout Cornwall for free. Using Park4night is an obvious choice to find local parking areas. We suggest being considerate when using the app and moving on if a park up looks too busy.
There are also parking areas that allow overnight parking for a fee. These are generally privately owned car parks as the council car parks have a complete ban on overnight parking for vans.
Two of our favourites are Trevone Bay car park and Treen car park. Both charge for overnight stays but they also give you access to beautiful beaches and hiking trails. These car parks generally have toilets but no other facilities.
What to do In Cornwall?
Cornwall is deeply rooted in the surf community, there is nothing better than going for an early morning surf at one of our favourite beaches while travelling through Cornwall in our campervan.
With over 300 beaches, Cornwall is a fantastic summer beach destination. From large golden sand beaches to smaller quieter less known coves Cornwall has it all. A road trip around the coast of Cornwall and discovering what is on offer is part of the joy of van life in Cornwall.
If surfing is not your thing then why not walk sections of the incredible South West Coast path and spot seals along the way. Seals can often be found basking in the sun on the warm sand of a secluded cove.
What are the Best Campsites in CORNWALL for campervans?
Having spent a lot of time doing van life in Cornwall since 2020 we have stayed all around the coast and have seen a decline of parking locations making overnight parking a lot harder. We love a good parkup and while there are still some that we love to visit we have also stayed at many campsites around Cornwall.
A campsite offers peace of mind that you are safe and welcome and won't be moved on. The facilities at campsites are also generally very good in Cornwall, from toilet waste and grey water disposal and water fill-up points. There is nothing better than having a clean van with a full tank of water.
While campsite prices during Covid did skyrocket at some locations there are many of campsites that charge as little as £20 a night for two adults and a van. The warm showers are also worth the fee after a day at the beach. Some of our favourite campsites included Bedruthan Steps Campsite, Anchor Barrow in Perranporth and Trerise Farm.
WHAT Facilities ARE THERE for Campervans in Cornwall?
With the increasing popularity of van life, the infrastructure in the UK has not kept up at all. This leaves next to no waste facilities for vans and the only option to dispose of waste is at campsites. Some campsites will allow you to use their facilities for a small fee without having to pay for staying overnight.
Water is a bit easier to find and from our experience service stations often have a tap and will allow it to be used if asked nicely.
The rise of Revolution Laundry is a game changer for vanlife. To be able to park up right outside a self-serve laundry facility is great. There are more and more locations being added in Cornwall. While it is not the cheapest laundry service it is the most convenient and while the washing is on, you have the comfort of your van to relax in.
WHAT’s IT LIKE TO Drive in Cornwall in a campervan?
As soon as you leave the big A roads you are going to encounter the tiny roads that Cornwall is famous for. The roads are hedge lined and more often than not the hedges have stone walls in them. It is actually easier to drive a van down these roads than a car because of the high ride position.
You will encounter nervous drivers down these lanes and be aware of pulling over into the hedge because of the stone walls. There are plenty of passing places. After all, part of the van life experience in Cornwall is driving these small roads on your way to a beautiful cove.
Some of the smaller villages can also be difficult to navigate in a larger vehicle. We suggest using google maps to see what the potential route is like and if a car park is available just outside of the place you wish to visit. We once drove the wrong way into Mousehole because we hadn’t checked the route. We were in a large motorhome and we had a very stressful 20 minutes with less than 1cm on either side of the van. Our planning has become much better since then!
What essentials DO YOU NEED for van life?
While there is nothing extra we carry in our van for a road trip around Cornwall we do wish we had some levelling blocks. Because of the hilly nature of Cornwall many of the campsites can be uneven, and some blocks would make your stay just that bit more comfortable.
