Parking – Bude

Name: Cornish Secrets
Rating: 4.7

Fancy staying near Bude?

UPDATED: 24/06/2026

Beautiful Bude has plenty of parking around the town centre and beaches, including Cornwall Council car parks, Bude-Stratton Town Council parking and private parking. Outside high season, street parking is often available too, although it is often time-limited to 1–2 hours depending on the location.

Cornwall Council has car parks at The Crescent, near the canal and Tourist Information Centre, Summerleaze Beach, Crooklets Beach, The Wharf and Widemouth Bay. There is also a short-stay Cornwall Council car park at Post Office, Bude, for stays of up to three hours. The Crescent, Crooklets, Summerleaze, Widemouth Bay and The Wharf are listed as long-stay car parks, while Post Office is short stay.

For 2026, parking at The Crescent, Crooklets, Summerleaze and Widemouth Bay is charged from 1 April to 31 October at £2.70 for up to one hour, £5.30 for 1–2 hours, £7.70 for 2–4 hours, £11.70 for 24 hours and £29.20 for a weekly ticket. Evening parking from 6pm to midnight is £2.50, with no charge from midnight to 9am. Winter charges, from 1 November to 31 March, are lower, starting at £1.50 for up to one hour.

The Wharf is a useful lower-cost option, tucked away near the library and canal, with 64 spaces. Its 2026 tariff is £1.20 for up to one hour, £2.20 for 1–2 hours, £3.40 for 2–3 hours, £5.30 for 3–4 hours, £6.70 for 24 hours and £16.80 for a weekly ticket.

Summerleaze, a favourite surfing beach, has 421 spaces, but there can still be queueing in summer. Crooklets has 158 spaces and includes grass parking in summer, while Widemouth Bay has 560 spaces. The Crescent now has 238 spaces, with tarmac and soft overflow parking, and is one of the most central options for the town and canal.

There are several smaller Cornwall Council car parks around the wider Bude area. Howells Bridge is a long-stay car park where the first hour is currently free, followed by a £2 day session. Penhalt Cliff and Stanbury Mouth are currently listed as free car parks, while the South Widemouth Bay Viewing Point also remains free.

The North Widemouth Bay Viewing Point is currently being changed to a chargeable car park. Cornwall Council has announced that charges will be introduced, although the start date has not yet been confirmed, so check the latest information before travelling.

Meanwhile, Bude-Stratton Town Council operates the car park to the rear of the Parkhouse Centre, handy for the Castle Heritage Centre, and parking bays along Ergue-Gaberic Way/Neetside by the river. These paid car parks operate from 8am to 6pm, seven days a week, all year round. A 2026 draft parking order proposes increasing the charge to £1.10 per hour for the Parkhouse Centre car park and Ergue-Gaberic Way spaces.

In summer 2026, visitors are encouraged to use the Bude Park and Ride service to help reduce congestion and pressure on the town centre and beach car parks. It runs every day from 18 July to 31 August 2026, with free parking in a field between Bude Business Park and the A39. Buses run every 20 minutes from 8am to 7pm, calling at The Strand/Summerleaze Beach and Crooklets Beach. Return fares are £2.50 for adults, £1.50 for children, with children travelling free in August, and £7.50 for a family ticket of up to two adults and four children. Concessionary passes are accepted, dogs travel free, and beach equipment is allowed where space permits, although surfboards cannot be carried.

Burn View private car park by the Golf Club is easy to find, on a one-way street, and is usually a handy option for going into town. The spaces are quite large, so it can be useful if you have a larger vehicle. Current third-party parking listings show Burn View tariffs from around £1 for one hour, £10 for 24 hours and £50 for seven days, but visitors should always check the signage or parking app on arrival, as private car park charges can change.

Planning a trip to Bude? Our Bude Holiday Guide covers everything you need to know.