Having lived in Devon for so many years now, I feel like I often take it for granted and it is only when I stop for a second and appreciate how much loveliness I have on my doorstep that I feel grateful that I live here. This weekend was one of those times. With almost four whole days free from work (ok, two were spent at home feeling ill and sorry for ourselves and I had to work another one of them), we decided to go exploring. We feasted on pizza in Exeter and found a new park that Ava absolutely adored (mostly because it was full of dogs). And we even ventured out to Exmouth for ice cream and arguments with a view (keeping it real lol).
All this long weekend fun made me start thinking about all the other parts of Devon I want to revisit. Some parts that I haven’t been to since I was probably about 12 and some which I just can’t stop visiting. So I thought I would compile a little list of all the places I would recommend to anyone coming to visit Devon so that you can get a bit of a local’s insight into where is worth visiting.
Sidmouth
Let’s start with possibly my favourite place in Devon: Sidmouth. This small, seaside town is absolutely picture perfect and basically what I think Americans imagine the UK to be like. It is full of independent shops (and even some old worldy sweet shops where you buy the sweets by weight). It has a large expanse of beautiful pebble beach and – admittedly the main draw for me – a café situated on the top of one of the cliffs in an old clocktower which serves literal slabs of cake (which is quite aptly named The Clocktower). There are also beautiful gardens that will make you feel like you have taken a wrong turn and found yourself in Seville which are located right next to The Clocktower. And there are plenty of places to fill up on fish and chips too. Deffo worth a visit (and, if you are looking for a place to camp nearby, I can highly recommend Oakdown as we stayed there last year and had a lovely time).
Exmouth
Fun fact: Exmouth was where I had my first proper outing with my friends as a teen – and it was a pretty good call that 15 year old me made. Exmouth has all the trappings of a perfect seaside destination. There is a big, sandy beach, a moderate size town (with a KFC, just fyi), a big park, and a newly opened bowling/soft play/restaurant place that looks pretty cool. And it is only about 40 minutes on the bus from Exeter and even quicker by train. I love taking Ava here as it isn’t too far out and I can just let her run on the beach without worrying about any pebbles or rockpools or anything. If you are looking to stay near Exmouth, I would highly recommend Devon Cliffs by Haven as it is right near Sandy Bay – a smaller beach on the Exmouth shoreline – and has loads of stuff to do on-site (including a Papa John’s and a lush café overlooking the sea which do amazing flavoured coffees). And, if you are travelling with kids, be sure to stop in on The World Of Country Life – Ava absolutely loves it there!
Exeter
Exeter is one of my favourite places to visit in the whole of Devon – we only live about 20 minutes outside of Exeter so I go there several times per week. It is quite a small city but there is still a fair amount to do (although I usually just stick to Primark). On the high street, you will find all the usual suspects like McDonald’s etc but, if you search around a little bit, there is a wealth of independent shops and restaurants just waiting to be uncovered too. I recently wrote a whole post detailing my fave independent coffee shops but, if I had to name one, I would say you have to try out Sacred Grounds for some lush plant-based brunch and absolutely chilled vibes. And, in terms of shopping, you deffo need to pop into Hyde And Seek and Chococo. There is also a museum and a very big, very beautiful cathedral to see too.
Killerton House
Killerton House is a National Trust property not far from Exeter and a lovely destination if you want to learn more about local history. The property consists of a large house which is decorated as it would have been kept back in the day as well as a lot of land and woodland to explore. There is also a hut that the family used to keep a black bear in and a big underground ice house where the family used to store 40 tonnes of ice (for some reason?). And, as if all this oddness hasn’t already won you over, there are 3 cafes and a gift shop that sells jam. Absolute win.
A La Ronde
A La Ronde is another National Trust property that is situated just outside of Exmouth. The property consists of a hexagonal house that was inhabited by two sisters. They designed the house so that the light would follow them around throughout the day (starting in the breakfast room and moving around the house as they did). The most fascinating part of this property though is the grotto which is totally encrusted with shells which the two sisters collected throughout their lives. It is such an interesting place to see and, despite the property being quite small, it is deffo worth the visit.
Charmouth
I went to Charmouth for the first time last summer and I really enjoyed it. It is on the Jurassic Coast which is renowned for its fossils – and the beach was absolutely full of them. We spent a good few hours sitting in the sun searching through the pebbles and breaking some open to find any fossils hidden within and we managed to find about 5 different ones. I can’t wait to visit again this summer.
Have you ever visited Devon? Where is your favourite place?
You may also enjoy:
My Fave Independent Coffee Shops In Exeter
7 Things To Do In And Around Exeter
An Afternoon At Killerton House
Fossil Hunting In Charmouth
Exploring Devon’s Coastline
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