If you’re heading down to East Devon for your large group family holiday this year, it helps to be organised. Keeping kids of all ages happy and entertained throughout your stay is no easy task. If your holiday house has a pool, games room, movie room or a large garden, it’ll be a winner, but what about days out? Well, the good news is that East Devon has plenty to keep the teens and the tots smiling, ensuring family happiness all round.
Escaping to East Devon for a multi-generational stay or a holiday with good friends and their kids is guaranteed to bring you days of joy and the kind of memories that stay with you. Relaxing big time, hours spent larking about in the pool, whipping up a whole load of friendly competition in the games room, snuggling up to watch your favourite family films in the movie room. And those barbecues – happy hours dining outdoors, steaks seared, sausages sizzled, crisp salads, ice cold drinks.
When you stay in such a beautiful part of the country it’s good to venture out and find things to see and do. With the best mix of coast and country, East Devon won’t leave you wanting; plan it well and grown-ups, littluns and older children will all have something to get excited about. No matter what you like doing, you’ll find something that has you all whooping with delight, dancing your best happy dance. Check out our round up of 10 great family activities in East Devon, start making lists, book tickets. It’s gonna be so much fun!
Spend Days by the Sea
East Devon has one of the best shorelines in the UK – the fascinating World Heritage Site Jurassic Coast. The beaches are so varied, from the little tucked away bays that not many people know about to wide stretches of sand with funs and adventure by way of watersports and boat trips. Take a look, see what appeals!
Try Water Sports in Exmouth
Right at the mouth of the River Exe, Exmouth has a whole 2 miles of glorious sands, a long promenade with amusements, shops and eateries, and even a land train to get about on in the summer months. Claim your spot on the beach, get set up and the day is all yours to enjoy to the max. Build sandcastles with the little ones, if Dad’s dozed off in the sunshine, bury him (leave his head clear or you won’t be able to find him!). Watersports are a big thing here - windsurfing, kitesurfing, paddleboarding and kayaking, with places to hire equipment and learn how it’s done. For something more sedate, take a Jurassic cruise along the coast with Stuart Line Cruises. If you’re spending a day by the sea at Exmouth, go to Ocean Exmouth, right on the seafront, with fun, food and fabulous coastal views. With a12 lane bowling alley, multi-level soft play with a dedicated under 5s zone, amusements, a sports bar and two restaurants, you’ll all have such a good time. The bonus is that it’s dog-friendly and fully accessible.
Enjoy the beaches in Sidmouth
Sidmouth has an altogether genteel vibe for seafront strolls along the esplanade and two beaches backed by towering red sandstone cliffs. The main beach has a wide stretch of sand and shingle with a slipway for boats, and kayak and canoe hire. Jacob’s Ladder Beach is smaller and is popular with families; the cliffs offer natural shelter from coastal winds so you can happily munch your sarnies by the sea. At low tide take your nets and buckets and see who’s hiding in the rockpools, climb the wooden steps to the town gardens, love those views, play on the grass.
Catch Sunset in Branscombe
When it’s not too busy, Branscombe is a dream of yesteryear. This is how things were for your gran and grandad on their summer holidays, so it’s a lovely place for multi-generational groups to visit. Amble down through the village, past old thatched cottages hung with flowers, to the pebble beach; stop for chips with something at The Sea Shanty Beach Café, then go paddle and play. Good for swimming, kayaking and paddleboarding, though there are no lifeguards; in the evenings people come here fishing and to catch the most spectacular sunsets.
Ride a Seaton Tramway
Seaton is one of the quieter beaches on the East Devon coast, maybe because the mile-long beach is a mix of pebble and shingle, though at low tide patches of sand are exposed enough to find a big stick and write your name. There are brilliant rockpools, and it’s a good spot for fossil hunting. Across the spit is Axmouth Harbour Beach, where you can see fishermen bringing in their catch and buy lines and bait for crabbing. All aboard for a leisurely ride on the Seaton Tramway, through the nature reserves along the beautiful wetlands of the Axe Estuary – something else to do when you’re planning a beach day at Seaton. Dismount at Colyton for a cream tea in the Station Stop Café or save yourselves for chips on the beach back at Seaton. They host some great events, including a Dinosaur Safari Experience, Bird watching Rides, Pirate days and Silent Discos. Don’t forget to wave to the cars at the Colyford crossing.
Have Fun in Crealy Theme Park & Resort
Award-winning Crealy Park, as the locals call it, offers thrills and spills for all ages and heaps of fun for toddlers. There are over 60 rides and attractions, an enormous indoor soft play and adventure area, and over 200 cute and cuddly animals to say hello to. Brave it on the Twister, The Rotor, the Tidal wave and the Pirates Plummet, ride the Safari Express, the Victorian Carousel, slide down Buzzard’s Swoop.
Visit the Donkey Sanctuary, Sidmouth
Who would have thought that in this peaceful corner of East Devon hundreds of happy donkeys have found their forever home, living out their days contentedly nibbling at the grass, skipping through the fields, hunkering down in the barns and stables. Wander round and meet them, join talks and tours, see the miniature donkeys in the Dawn Barn. Go for a stroll on the Wildlife Trail and see what you can spot, take a seat in the Hermits Cave in the woods, grab something to eat in the Kitchen Café, or nab a bench for a picnic.
Spend time with children in Wildwood Devon
Wildwood Devon is a brilliant see and do day out for all ages with native British animals to look out for, like brown bears, wolves, arctic foxes, wild boar, lynx, wildcats and elusive red squirrels, all in their natural habitat. Little ones can let off steam in the outdoor and indoor play areas, there’s a tree-top drop slide, a 40 metre zip line and traversing walls, a beech hedge to lose yourselves in, and an authentic Saxon Village with activities. Grab a pizza from the Coach House Café and souvenirs from the gift shop.
Explore Bicton Park Botanical Gardens
Grown-ups with a passion for gardening will love Bicton Park Botanical Gardens with plants and shrubs from all over the world and one of the best tree collections in Britain. See the Victorian shell grotto, ride the Bicton Woodland Railway, follow the Nature Trails, see the displays in the Countryside Museum. The tinies can go wild in the indoor and outdoor play areas, and ride tractors in the Covered Farmyard, you can all tuck into tea and cake in the Orangery Restaurant.
Go for a Walk
Getting out into the glorious East Devon countryside for a walk is one of the best ways for families to be together and connect with nature. Fresh air, beautiful scenery, wildlife to look out for, followed by a picnic or a pub lunch – what a perfect day! It needn’t be boring at all – take binoculars, stop and stare, take photos. Good places for walking in this picturesque corner of the world are:
- Woodbury Common – Puff your way up to Woodbury Castle Iron Age Hillfort, spot butterflies in the Hawkerland Valley.
- Along the River Otter, Otterton – Amble along the River Otter beside the river, looking out for beavers and kingfishers, call in to Otterton Mill for sustenance on your way back.
- South West Coast Path – No matter where you walk on the South West Coast Path you’ll be rewarded with bracing sea air and astounding coastal views. Wend your way through the twisty-turny paths of the Undercliff from Axmouth to Lyme Regis, like a lost world of woodland and landslips, with its own micro-climate. Beer to Branscombe, and from Otterton Mill past the red sandstone stacks to Ladram Bay are also good.
- Blackbury Camp, Colyton – Stroll carefree through the beech woods at Blackbury Camp, an Iron Age hill fort with ramparts and earthworks. The best time is late April to May when the woodland floor is carpeted with a haze of bluebells. Take a picnic.
- Culm Beacon, Culmstock – Climb up through the woods to the ridge at Culm Beacon where the panoramic views reach far across Devon and Somerset. At the top, there’s a beehive-shaped stone hut - one of many Elizabethan beacons built across the country to light fires when enemies were spotted approaching.
- Haldon Forest Park – Be at one with the great outdoors at Haldon Forest Park, covering 3,500 miles of woodland just 15 minutes by car from Exeter. There are miles and miles of trails for walking and cycling, on-site bike hire, Segway tours and Go-Ape tree top adventures. The easier trails are perfect for pushchairs and wheelchairs, with play areas for the little ones along the way. Take your time over a big family picnic, or go to the onsite café for light bites.
Try Ice Cream at Otter Valley Field Kitchen
You are never, ever too old to tuck into an ice cream, especially when they come in original flavours like they do at Otter Valley Ice Cream & Field Kitchen. Play safe with vanilla, honeycomb or chocolate, or go on, be a bit more daring and try something like lemon curd, rice pudding and jam, strawberry and balsamic vinegar or sea buckthorn. The milk for these scrumptious ices comes from the dairy cows you can see grazing in the fields. The views over the Otter Valley are breathtaking, the play area is a thing the young ‘uns will get excited about.
Now you know, you can start your holiday planning. And what a great one it’s going to be because no matter where you go or what you do, you’ll be sharing special moments, making incredible memories. Bring it on!