Although so close to the sea and popular with visitors, St Austell is not a resort town, depending very much for its welfare on the China Clay industry.
In consequence, it merely has a well served railway station (on the Penzance line), shops, restaurants, Inns and a recreation centre. Of course, the main attractions of this area are the many south coast beaches and villages beside them and the choice they offer. The tiny cove and Inn at Polkerris, the wide sands, golf club at Carlyon Bay, the fascinating little harbour of Charlestown and the fishing village of Mevagissey as well as the charming inland villages such as Luxulyan, are just some of the spectrum of variety the area offers.

A small rather forgotten village close to the boundaries of the Tregrehan Estate.
Now bypassed by the main road it retains a small post office/ store, chapel and village playing field. Local bridle and footpaths can be reached easily and the Britannia Inn, good food and a golf links are within a few minutes drive together with a wider range of shops, garden centres and local markets. There are several beaches within a ten minute drive and the Eden Project is only a 5 minute drive.

This picturesque working little harbour port developed in 1791 by Charles Rashleigh has remained largely unchanged since, maintaining its character and appeal, and frequently accomodates 'Tall Ships'.. Most of the harbour and the surrounding properties are in a conservation area. The village has pubs, restaurants, small shops and an interesting shipwreck centre with items of local interest. In addition there are two small beaches. St Austell with its larger shops and supermarkets is 10 minutes drive as is the Eden Project.

Porthpean is a small coastal village, three miles from the centre of St Austell town.
John Betjeman said of it ' but at Porthpean and Trenarren beyond it, unexpectedly the old Cornwall survives. Here are Cornish elms and fields sloping down to the sea and at Porthpean a charming beach under a yellow stone cliff from which the long outline of Gribben Head may be seen across the bay'. The beach itself, which is a sandy one, is extremely popular with local dinghy sailors and the Sailing Club is said to make visitors very welcome. Not a particularly well known one, the beach is not over commercialised. A nine hole golf club and driving range looks out over the bay.

A hamlet standing at the gateway to Black Head, which separates St Austell and Mevagissey Bays, and mid-way between Porthpean and Pentewan.
It has remained rural and remarkably unchanged, and consists of half a dozen pretty cottages and gardens, a large house and a post box, all nestled in a coombe that slips down to a tiny cove between lovely cliff walks on the headland.

St Ewe is a hamlet with a few cottages, a church and a pub with a reputation for good food.
There is no shop, Mevagissey is about 3.5 miles and Goran Haven just under 5 miles.