Porthminster is the calmer, more sheltered beach on the south side of St Ives, facing the bay towards St Michael's Mount. It is the most family-friendly of the town's beaches: the water is usually flat, the sand is wide and clean, and the beach cafe at the top of the sand — Porthminster Beach Cafe — is one of the best restaurants in Cornwall.
Unlike Porthmeor, Porthminster gets morning sun, and the view across the bay to the hills of the Penwith peninsula is consistently lovely. It is a short walk from the railway station, which makes it easy to reach without a car.