Polperro is an excellent base for many of Cornwall’s favourite attractions. Check out the tourist information centre in Looe (opposite the main car park) for plenty of ideas, and for winter opening times.
Here are a few suggestions:

Houses and gardens

Lost Gardens of Heligan: Roseland peninsula, beyond St. Austell. Go via Bodinnick and take ferry to Fowey. Then head to St Austell via Par.

Eden Project: Near St Austell - a spectacular project that includes the largest bubble 'greenhouses’ in the world, all set in an old china clay pit.

Cotehele: House and gardens (NT) - near Callington (25 miles)

Antony House and extensive formal and woodland gardens (NT) - near Saltash (15 miles). The gardens are fabulous, and the tea room is pretty good as well!

Mount Edgecumbe: Beautiful country park on Cornish side of estuary overlooking Plymouth. Excellent views. There’s a restaurant. The house has occassional opening.

Lanhydrock: Stunning house and gardens (NT) - near Bodmin, about 20 miles

Bodmin Moor

Buckland Abbey (NT): the home of Francis Drake

Headland Garden, Polruan: only open Thursday afternoons in the summer (in aid of RNLI). Well worth a visit. c. 8 miles. Park in car park above Polruan. Good pubs in Polruan to eat afterwards and foot ferry to Fowey - well worth visiting. Or take your car across to Fowey by ferry from Bodinnick.

Outings that are particularly good for children

Dobwalls Adventure Park. Dobwalls is about a 20 minuite drive away.

Plymouth, with its fabulous National Marine Aquarium (England’s biggest) and fascinating Mayflower museum, a new, interactive, multi-million pound attraction (both ideal for any wet weather days)

Porfell Animal Land

Tamar Donkey Sanctuary

Looe monkey sanctuary

Morwellham Quay: a historic port and copper mine. Open Easter-October. Limited opening and facilities November-Easter. Nr Tavistock

Charlestown Marine museum (ideal in wet weather)

Dairyland, south of Padstow - plenty of play areas to keep the children occupied, and a fascinating look at a working dairy (you can even watch the cows being milked).

Crealy Adventure Park - theme park, with animal-related activities.

Springfields Pony Centre, nr. Padstow. Worth a visit for those with children who love ponies.

Beaches

Readymoney Cove - the other side of Fowey

Talland Bay: an unspoilt bay about 1.5 miles east of Polperro by coastal footpath. 4 miles by road.

Hannafore’s plentiful rock pools - follow the coast around from West Looe

Cawsand

Villages/towns worth a visit

Lanreath, near Looe: This pretty, local village has been awarded the 2004 'Best Kept Village' in Cornwall. It can be reached by travelling along the main road to Looe (turning off to the right between West and East Taphouse). It has a good pub.

Fowey

Padstow (about 45 mins drive). Rick Stein’s fish and chips are a lovely treat here.

Rame Peninsula/Kingsand and Cawsand: These villages are worth a visit, and provide good views of Plymouth across the estuary. Take the Plymouth road from Looe and turn off towards Downderry and Seaton. Follow the coast road all the way to Rame Head and Cawsand (this is the same way as to Mount Edgecumbe, so a visit to one could be combined)

Also easily accessible, though further afield are: Lands End, St Michael's Mount, and Falmouth - with its new marine museum (good in wet weather)

Shopping

Trago Mills: Do you like shopping? No visit to Cornwall is complete without visiting Trago Mills. Look out for the gargoyles and statues of politicians whom the owner didn't like and his weekly column ("signed "Tripehound") in the Trago Mills ad in the local paper, the Cornish Times. Trago has great prices on all sorts of goods, from dress and curtain fabrics (a huge department) to toys to bathrooms and kitchens! There’s an excellent (and well-priced) cafe.

Polperro's shops and services

A good general store is on the corner next to the Cottage Holidays office. They sell a wide range of food and newspapers. The village bakery is just opposite the post office, towards the church. Get there early as their freshly baked bread and cakes sell fast. They bake on the premises, and you may be lucky enough to pick up some of their mouth-meltingly scrumptious croissants. The post office is at the end of the road going over the River Pol and past the village square. They also have a cash machine. There are no banks in Polperro, but there are cash machines in the Blue Peter, the Mill House, and the Post Office. The machine in the post office is free - the others charge. For banks, visit Looe.

Restaurants and pubs

Polperro is well-served with pubs, restaurants and tea shops. The House on the Props, Neville’s and the Treble Chef are all worth a visit, but you’ll find your own favourites very quickly. If you like live music, it is often on offer at the Blue Peter pub.

Walks

There are stunning coastal walks setting off either side of the harbour. Walk down the Warren, up the hill, and you will reach Talland Bay. Looe is about 3 miles further on. If you walk up the west side, you will be heading for Polruan, where you can catch a foot ferry across to Fowey.