Planning to spend 4 days in Devon with kids? Here’s my itinerary that covers everything you need to know to make the most of your family holiday in East and South Devon with the best things to do and places to see with your little ones in tow.
East and South Devon make a perfect destination for a countryside family-friendly getaway. With Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Dartmoor National Park and a part of the World Heritage Jurassic Coast, this diverse landscape is just what we needed to escape from London’s fast-paced city life.
Getting there
To follow this itinerary, I would strongly recommend having a car. It will make travelling to the various attractions at your own pace a lot easier. You can take M3 and then A303 routes from London to get to East Devon.
Where to stay
We booked this beautiful 3 bedroom Airbnb in Rockbeare. With an ideal location, countryside views, gorgeous interiors, well stocked kitchen and a hassle-free checkin and checkout process, we had the most comfortable stay in our Airbnb accommodation.
4 Days in Devon with Kids – Itinerary
Day 1
Cale Park, Wincanton
We left London around 9am making our way towards East Devon. On our way, we stopped at Cale Park in Wincanton. It’s the perfect place for a stopover on a road trip with kids. River Cale Cafe is a bright and cheery spot to grab lunch or coffee. It’s a very child friendly space with even the toilets very well equipped for babies and young kids. There is an indoor as well as a lovely outdoor playarea in the park.
Seaton Tramway
We then headed towards the seaside town of Seaton, gateway to the Jurassic Coast and home to Seaton Wetlands Nature Reserve.
Seaton Tramway operates electric narrow gauge heritage trams between Seaton and Colyton in East Devon. Riding these open top double decker trams is a fun family friendly attraction. On this 3 mile route, we got a chance to step back in time, travel alongside the River Axe estuary and spot some wildlife and birds in the wetlands. We stopped at Colyton cafe for some cream tea and scones before taking the tram back to Seaton.
After a long day of travel, we headed to our Airbnb and settled down for the evening.
Day 2
Pennywell Farm
On day 2, we went to Pennywell Farm, one of the best family attractions in Devon. Apart from animal feeding, rides, trampolines, mini tractors and other farmyard activities you can think of, there’s also scheduled activities every 30 minutes. These include bottle feeding, piggy cuddling, goat walking, etc. You can easily spend a day here but I must admit, it got a little overwhelming after a few hours. I don’t know how it is on regular weekends but we went during the Easter long weekend and busy would be an understatement!
Day 3
Dartmoor National Park
One of UK’s largest wilderness areas, Dartmoor National Park has a unique landscape made up of heather-clad moors, craggy rock formations called tors and ancient woodlands.
Haytor
So, on day 3, we decided to explore the eastern region of Dartmoor. Our first stop was Haytor, one of the most popular granite rock formations in Dartmoor. There is a car park at the base (charges apply) and a grassy track leads up to Haytor. It was a fairly easy walk up for our 3 year olds but not suitable for buggies and wheelchairs.
It was a grey blustery day and the rugged rock formation looked dramatic against the landscape. Wild Dartmoor ponies added an idyllic touch.
Ullacombe Farm
It was time for lunch and Ullacombe Farm nearby was the most perfect place for a child friendly pit stop. There is a cute little cafe serving freshly prepared food and a farm shop where you can buy local produce. The kids also enjoyed playing on the swings and the vintage tractor and looking at the farm animals.
Becky Falls
After our lunch, we drove to Becky Falls. Located in ancient woodlands, there are walking trails suitable for different levels, playarea for kids, cafe and animal petting areas and of course the waterfall itself.
We tried the red trail and the kids had a great time scrambling up the rocks, walking on rickety wooden bridges and throwing pebbles into the stream.
Day 4
Lyme Regis and the Jurassic Coast
On our final day back to London, we visited the historic seaside town of Lyme Regis. This pretty town sits on the borders of East Devon and West Dorset, and is a part of the Jurassic Coast. It boasts of a picturesque harbour and beautiful sandy beaches, that are perfect for some family time, safe for little ones. If you are patient enough, you can even try fossil hunting 🙂
I hope you enjoyed my itinerary for spending 4 days in Devon with kids. Does this inspire you to plan your perfect family holiday in East and South Devon? Let me know in the comments, I’d love to know!
Looking for similar family getaways in the UK? You may want to check out my 3 days in Cotswolds itinerary.
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Cheers,
Ameeta xx
