South Devon ideas

stephyt23

Hello. I am off to Dawlish in just over a week so looking out for any good places to visit and any offers on anywhere.

I have so far found a voucher for 20.12% off for the model village but if anyone knows of any other offers or good places to go I'd appreciate it.

vax2002

A fishing rod, some bacon bits and crab fish from the boat pier at red rock beach Dawlish warren .
will be the best fun in years and its free.
They soon jump back in.

WestonDave

We had a good day out at Powderham Castle - just along towards Exeter - its worth checking what special events they have on - we went on a "Willy Wonka" day so the kids ended up making chocolate mice in the kitchen, but they have all sorts of things on.

stephyt23

Thanks for your replies, I shall certainly note down the castle as that's quite close

carebear13

if you are anywhere exmoor zoo then dont bother even thinking about it, itsa waste of money time and effort

u751904

1) red coat tours - historical tours around exeter - if you like that thing. They are free. http://www.exeter.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=668 Also if you go to Exeter and fancy a drink go to the well house pub by the cathedral. Ask the barman if you can go into the cellar. Down into the cellar you'll see a glass coffin / box of human bones. Really. A bit of a locals secret.

2) the ramm museum exeter, its newly opened and free good if it rains etc.

3) for younger kids, sorry don't know if you have any ! exmouth beach fab of course but if you walk to the back of the fair ground you'll see an entrance to a closed park area. That is fantastic for a small fee for younger kids. Adults don't pay.

4) The quay at exeter, walk from there to the double locks pub. Or you can hire bikes canoes from there as well.

5) Teignmouth is great as well. Nice play area by the beach then drive accross to Shaldon. Tiny beach there nice pubs and a little zoo.

6) crealey park. A bit of a treat - a tad boring for adults. Kids love it.

7) drive to budleigh salterton. Park in the main car park then walk along the estuary to the mill / cafe about an hours walk. Also fantastic crab sandwiches at budleigh. As well as a nice ice cream parlour

u751904

There is loads round the area I think it is better personally than cornwall - for families - shock - there is more stuff to do... the exeter council web site has info, what's on guides etc,

From memory you can get the tarka line train from dawlish to north devon coast for a day in barnstable. lovely train journey through mid devon.

stephyt23

Thank you for your reply, that's a good list of ideas so will make a note of them.

u751904

bicton park is good value. donkey sanctury is free.

Rainey_LB

Trago Mills in Newton Abbot, you name it they have it, huge department store selling everything you can think of, garden centre, outlet shop, boutique shops selling local goods, food outlets. Then there is the entertainment including magnificent narrow gauge Steam Railway, Supakarts and Family Go-Karts, all weather skating, Bumper Boats, Trawler Rides and Swan Pedalos, Trampolines, Aquablasters, Orbitors, Shooting Gallery, Remote Control Cars and Cruisers, Forklifts and Mini Diggers, Slide Complex, Fun Dungeon, The Den Animal Park, Fort Trago, Picnic Area, Edwardian Penny Arcade and the finest 00 Gauge Model Railway in the UK!

Free parking, petrol station is always the cheapest I can find for filling up locally. There is no entrance fee to the site but for the entertainment you can either buy tokens and pay as you go, or buy a day pass which for over 8's are approx £8 each but buy 4 get fourth free or a child's pass (under 8) was last year approx £4.

http://www.trago.co.uk/center/Newton_Abbot.html

Depending on how far you want to go and if you have children, especially under 10 I would really recommend Dartmoor Miniature Pony Centre, especially if you have a nice day. It is lovely, it is quite a way into to Dartmoor, but is a lovely drive with some fantastic views on the way.

The Centre itself is very well kept, you can get up close to the miniature ponies and donkey's in the paddock some are as small as a medium sized dog, so cute. When you go in you are given a timetable and there is an activity for the children to take part in every 30 mins if they want to, including pony rides (on the full size ponies), bottle feeding lambs, petting small animals rabbits, guinea pigs etc, operating a tractor, feeding the ducks, falconry display and so on. But there are also outside play area's, zip wires, trampolines, soft play, wooden fort and always an entertainer in the courtyard at the end of the day.

There is a cafe which is nice but quite pricey but there are ample picnic areas.

http://www.miniatureponycentre.com/

hamsmith

if you have kids go to woodlands in Totnes. second Trago for under 12's. Crealy usually have a return free within seven days so we go early in the week and as we have to go to Exeter on the way home we go on the last day. The tourist information in Torbay do discount vouchers. surely other tic have them .

if you go to Totnes i usually fine the petrol is always a few pence cheaper in the morrisions near by.