Never been to Cornwall - Please Advise :D

I did much research for our week in Cornwall in July. There are many, many choices for where to stay and were to visit.
We are staying in Exeter for two nights prior to moving down to Truro for the rest of the week.

Here is some information that I copied from others about Cornwall:
https://www.rabbies.com/en/england-tours/from-london/5-8-day-tours/devon-cornwall-a-magical-land-of-legends-5-day-tour

https://www.viator.com/tours/London/5-Day-Devon-and-Cornwall-Small-Group-Tour-from-London/d737-2250LON4

Dartmoor - Roam this distinctive craggy landscape and take a glimpse at the Dartmoor ponies grazing in the shadow of the granite outcrops.
Exeter - Stroll through this ancient Roman city, from the magnificence of its gothic cathedral to the city’s medieval underground passages.
Boscastle - One of the last remaining unspoilt harbour villages in the British Isles, the medieval harbour and its charming fishing boats are a joy to see.
Tintagel Castle - This ruined castle full of Arthurian legend is perched on cliffs above an immense cave full of magic.
Land's End - This iconic location is lined with coastal paths and cliff trails.
St. Ives - An artists’ haven for over 100 years, with galleries on narrow streets and a beach that’s a surfers’ paradise.

Look at the following map - the areas coloured green are the most scenic - but you would need to drive yourself to see most of them.https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.6914159,-3.9433723,9.21z/data=!5m1!1e1
These places are very attractive - find them on the map and then Google them. DARTMOUTH, SALCOMBE, POLPERRO, FOWEY, EDEN PROJECT, LOST GARDENS OF HELIGAN, TREBAH & GLENDURGAN GARDENS (near Falmouth), ST. MICHAELS MOUNT, MOUSEHOLE, PORTHCURNO (Minack Theatre - curt into the cliffs), LAND’S END (although commercialised), ST.IVES, PADSTOW, TINTAGEL, CLOVELLY, LYNMOUTH, SELWORTHY, DUNSTER. Avoid Newquay! Truro is fairy attractive and being central, makes a good base for touring Cornwall.
Roads across Dartmoor can be ‘challenging' for foreigners. Exeter is worth a look but can be difficult to drive in and out of due to congestion. Plymouth has the quay from which The Pilgrim Fathers set sail for America but the city is not that interesting/attractive.
Regarding driving or not - zoom down on the map and then select street view for some of the places mentioned. Most have tiny narrow streets and as a result, car parks are found on the edge of towns.
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I think your plan is a good one, but give yourselves plenty of time for that LHR-Reading transfer. Our British friends will have better advice about that.
Acraven is usually spot on, but I'll say I didn't like the Eden Project -- just a giant overcrowded botanical garden. Didn't really like the Heligan gardens either, but the autumn weather was bad and we were tired from traipsing all over Eden that morning, so YMMV. I'll join the widespread negativity about Land's End itself, but there's plenty of beautiful coastal scenery to take its place. St. Michael's Mount is good, and there's a boat you can take if the tide's high.
Besides Exeter, I'd suggest Truro as your Cornwall base, lets you drive to either the north or south coast. Cornwall roads are very slow even in the off season, must be worse in July, so allow plenty of time to get around. (One reason neither the Romans nor the Saxons conquered Cornwall is how hard it was to go through multiple north-south ranges of hills. They also produced the little harbors that made fishing and smuggling so important back in the day.)
f you don’t want to drive all the way, consider taking the train as far as Exeter or Plymouth and then hire a car. You have driven in Wales so are well used to driving on the more winding roads. Try and avoid the British school holidays = last week of May and from about 20 July to 1 September.

Check National Rail UK for the station , but I'm pretty sure it's Heathrow terminal 5 to Exeter St Davids

Cornwall with a car is a necessity for me . I like the idea of taking the train as far as Exeter and then hiring the car , On the trips that I have made to Cornwall , I picked up the car at Heathrow and drove , but I made a number of stops along the way , thus breaking up the drive . There is a lot to see , you need to read up and make your choices accordingly . The Tin mining history and the impact on the Cornish economy was fascinating . As well , the small village of Coverack on The Lizard was a charming place . This book , by Mark Kurlansky has a fair amount of information about the fishing industry in Cornwall ., and its parallel to that in Gloucester , Massachusetts - https://www.amazon.com/Last-Fish-Tale-Atlantic-Gloucester-ebook/dp/B0017T0A30/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2041EN8VJ7NPE&keywords=the+last+fish+tale&qid=1562446637&s=gateway&sprefix=the+last+fish%2Caps%2C142&sr=8-1

I really enjoyed Tintagel, Minack Theatre, Mousehole, and St Michaels mount. St Ives is a popular destination, however I preferred the smaller, less touristy areas.

Mevagissey is well worth a visit, there are a couple of parking lots at the edge of village, it’s a five minute walk into the village.

@geovagriffith Thanks a bunch for the detailed information you have provided me regarding Cornwall! Yea, definitely two of the destinations I currently plan to visit are St. Michaels Mount and Tintagel Castle. I guess my largest concern right now is where to stay. I don't want to make a poor choice in this regards and end up in a tourist trap, large un-charming city / village, or a place that really has nothing special to offer and do. I will look into Exeter and some of the other areas you have mentioned! Ideally, the place I would love to stay would be off the coast line with coastal and beautifully landscaped views, with a historic feel and charm. Thanks!

I don't know that it's going to be easy to find an attractive coastal village that isn't very touristy in June. In my experience (2017, staying in Mevagissey and St. Ives), you are likely to need a dinner reservation to eat anywhere equipped with tables and chairs. I'm not sure about lunch.

Dartmoor and Exeter are of course not in Cornwall. As for history there is masses of industrial history particularly mining related. Are these of interest?

Hello from Wisconsin,
Driving in Cornwall is slow and can be congested. Be prepared for trips to take longer than you might expect.

I found St. Ives, where everyone goes, filled with everyone. Two car parks, 600 and 900 capacity for a village! But nearby is St. Just. An ordinary Cornish village that is being over looked for the most part. I hate to recommend it. Several grocers. Butchers. And a nice coffee shop.

wayne iNWI

Our favorite memory of Cornwall was watching a play at the Minack "theater" with the ocean in the background. We stayed at a BNB near there. I agree driving the back roads with hedges can be a challenge but worth it.

Try to watch a British TV show called "Escape to the Country". I saw this on Netflix, but it has been on PBS or Acorn. This gives you a realistic view of what Great Britain is really like versus Bucket List locations. Great Britain except for the Big Cities is surprisingly rural with lots of charming villages. We often stayed in Farmhouse B & Bs...you do need a car and GPS to find some of them. We used a www.nationaltrust.org.uk Overseas Touring Pass for Couples to lead us to many fascinating and historic sites that are not on the tour bus routes. Don't worry you will have more than enough charm everywhere. Bon Voyage!