Places to visit on your Devon Holiday

Devon, South West England is an absolute delight and heaven when it comes to family holidays and weekend getaways. There is so much to do, you can keep on visiting Devon, and never tire of it! From gorgeous beaches to breathtaking views, endless shopping and dining options, to endless activities and attractions, there is something for all to enjoy in Devon.

Here are a few attractions to enjoy on your Devon holiday:

Jurassic Coast: This is England’s first natural World Heritage Site, and covers 95 miles of stunning coastline from East Devon to Dorset.

Pecorama: Pecorama has three attractions in one with an indoor model railway exhibition, gorgeous gardens and a light railway, perfect for a family outing.

Babbacombe Model Village: This is another fantastic place to visit on your Devon holiday, for both young and old. It has impressive replications of miniature gardens, buildings and people. Discover many fun and animated characters and features and bring back wonderful childhood memories as you explore England’s history in a quaint and quirky manner.

Pennywell Farm and Wildlife Centre: Your holiday to Devon will be incomplete without a visit to award winning Pennywell Farm. Located in South Devon, this farm is suitable for everyone, and gives the opportunity to see all sorts of animals up close and personal.

National Marine Aquarium: This exciting aquarium is the largest in England and deepest in Europe, and houses over 400 different species. These include sharks, seahorses, and turtles to name a few.

Blackpool Sands: This is an excellent sheltered family beach, which is perfect for kayaking, windsurfing and building castles in the golden sand.

Bradworthy Transport Museum: This attraction will give you a first-hand account of England’s transport history. The museum houses over 80 historical vehicles ranging from lorries, vans, cars, motorcycles, tractors and farm equipment, dating back to 1914.

Crealy Adventure Park: This park is fun for all ages – it has go kart racing, steep and scary slides, bumper boats, train rides and ponies to name a few.

Kents Caverns: These famous caves are the site of the earliest evidence of humans in England – from the Stone Age days. The caverns have been fitted with good concrete pathways, so it is safe and easy to navigate your way through.

Paignton Zoo: This is a must visit for animal lovers, as it is home to hundreds of species of animals. The zoo is home to 250 exotic species, 70 of which are endangered. See these beautiful animals, and learn all about them with a visit to the zoo.

London Golf Courses

Golf is a relaxing and rejuvenating sport – it is entertaining, challenging and provides a great way to socialise with family, friends and work colleagues. Also, a round of golf is one of the most affordable ways to pass time in London. Here are some of the best golf courses in London ranging from private exclusive tracks such as the Heritage Course at the London Golf Club to the public Trent Park Golf Centre.

Here are a few of the best golf courses in London in no particular order:

Heritage Course at London Golf Club: This 7, 208 yard track course was designed by Jack Nicklaus and officially opened in 1994. It is a challenging track, which is long and full of hazards. There are large bunkers protecting the greens, and water comes into play on several holes. It is designed with five sets of tees, enabling it to be accessible to a range of skill levels.

Richmond Park Golf Courses: This is located in South West London and has two 18 hole courses, a 250 yard practice range, one of the largest pro shops in the UK, a team of PGA teaching professionals and a handicap facility just to name a few of the facilities offered. The Duke course measures 6,165 yards and is flatter and longer of the two, whereas the Princes course is only 5,868 yards, but is rather wavy in appearance, thus adding the challenge. Richmond Park golf course is an excellent environment for all the family and a great place to play golf. No membership is required; this golf course is open to the public.

Royal Blackheath Golf Club: This 70 par 6000 yard golf course is the oldest in England. It was established by the court of King James in 1608! Visiting the club is a great experience. The greens have improved greatly, and this course is a wonderful place for traditionalists who love the history of golf. Although it is only 9 miles outside London, the course is spotted with trees, excellent fairways and true greens giving you the impression that you are in the countryside! This club requires membership as it is a private one.

Trent Park Golf Centre: This is an 18 hole public pay and play golf course situated in Oakwood Village, Enfield, North London and is set within the grounds of the stunning Trent Park Country Park. This 6, 216 yard course is situated on 150 acres of rolling countryside about 30 minutes outside central London. The centre has a driving range, a bar, restaurant and golf shop as well.

Holiday cottages in North Devon

Devon, South West England is one of the best tourist destinations in England. It is home to England’s only natural UNESCO World Heritage Site – the Jurassic Coast and the Braunton Burrows UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Devon prides itself on having two national parks – Dartmoor and Exmoor, and many seaside resorts, historic towns and cities and endless beaches, accounting for the large tourist sector of its economy. There is much to do in Devon including attractions and activities, shopping and restaurants, stunning scenery and sandy beaches, making it the perfect destination for a family holiday.

Devon has several accommodation options for all your needs – luxury hotels, bed and breakfast joints, holiday cottages, camping and caravan sites to name a few. Holiday cottages are an excellent accommodation choice – they are comfortable, self catering, affordable and most are baby friendly and even dog friendly!

North Devon is an excellent location for families, friends or couples to take a holiday in Devon. Holiday cottages in this region offer you the chance to explore the nearby villages, visit bustling market towns, explore the moors and relax on the beaches.

Here are a few holiday cottages in North Devon:

Bolt Hole, Highampton: This is a self catering comfortable, well equipped holiday cottage suitable for couples wanting to get away from it all. It is situated in three and a half acres of peaceful countryside with excellent views across unspoilt woodland and farmland.

Bowood Farm, Bideford: This property consists of three cottages adjoining a farmhouse, set amongst peaceful open countryside with fine views. They cottages are ideally located for touring North Devon. It is only two miles from the coast of Bideford which has tennis, golf and indoor swimming and three miles away from the sandy beach.

Crofters Lodge, Near Bude: Set in a magnificent countryside and surrounded by an 18 hole golf course, this lodge is excellent for walkers, bird watches for anyone looking for a tranquil holiday. It is within easy reach of the attractions that North Devon is famous for. The lodge has grassed areas outside for sunbathing purposes, as well as raised decking for outdoor meals with gorgeous views over the lake and surrounding countryside.

Popular destinations for your caravan holiday in Devon

Devon, South West England is one of the most popular tourist destinations in England. Its gorgeous beaches, seaside resorts, rolling countryside, historic towns and cities, endless attractions and activities, exciting shopping and restaurants ensure that a holiday in this area is worth-while for all members of the family.

There are several accommodation options available in Devon. Caravan holidays are one of the best ways to explore the area. Visitors can go about their own itinerary, can have an affordable holiday and can settle down for the night in some of the most beautiful spots in the area. There are many towns in Devon to visit on your caravan holiday, and these towns all have something unique and special about them.

Ashburton, South Devon – This is an ancient stannary town, which is now popular with tourists as it is an ideal base to explore the moor as well as the coast. Ashburton has plenty of outdoor activities such as walking, pony trekking, canoeing, and fishing, as well as indoor entertainment options such as antique shops, galleries and a museum of the area.

Dartmouth, South Devon – This popular town is built in the valley of the River Dart, which provides visitors an excellent view and a fun holiday. Dartmouth lies within the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and has many attractions such as Dartmouth Castle and Kingswear Castle. There is much to do in Dartmouth, you can relax on the promenade, enjoy sights of the busy estuary, while taking in excellent food, arts, antiques and crafts.

Exeter, South Devon – This is the ceremonial county town of Devon and has many notable religious buildings such as the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and St Mary Steps. With excellent eating out options and night time entertainment, this is an excellent place to visit.

Plymouth, South Hams – This is a university city, with a massive modern shopping centre, with plenty of entertainment centres, theatres and cinemas. It is one of the two unitary authority areas in Devon, and is situated on the coast between the mouths of the rivers Plym and Tamar. Plymouth is famous for the National Maritime Aquarium, which displays more than four thousand sea creatures.

Torquay, Torbay – This is one of the most popular areas to visit in Devon – it has everything that one could hope for in a holiday. Located near Torbay, this fishing and agricultural town is known as the place that Agatha Christie, the famous novelist, lived most of her life. Torquay has much to offer - cafes, pubs, restaurants, shops, night life, family attractions, superb beaches and gorgeous views.

Things to see on your Brixham holiday

Brixham is a delightful small fishing town and civil parish situated in the sprawling county of Devon, South West England. Brixham is located in the southern end of Torbay just across the bay from Torquay and is well known as being a fishing port. It is built around the central harbour area, which is the main lifeline of the town. The two main industries that Brixham offers are fishing and tourism. Brixham is one of UK’s busiest fishing ports and deals with tens of thousands of tonnes of fresh fish and crustaceans daily!

There are several attractions for tourists to view in and around Brixham. Here are a few things to see on your Brixham holiday:

Harbourside – Golden Hind Museum Ship: This is situated alongside the main quay, and is a historic ship that is a replica of the flagship of Sir Francis Drake. Here you can relive his incredible world voyage in the 16th century. The ship gives hands on experience to life on board and is a real treat to visitors of all ages. The Golden Hind also offers a range of special events, from re-enactments to exhibitions.

Brixham Museum: This is one of the best collections of local history in Brixham, offering lots of artefacts, antiques, paintings, pictures, maps and many more collectibles over several centuries. The museum has been arranged in an interesting and engaging manner, making it easy to go through all items present.

Church of St Mary the Virgin: This church located in Churston Ferrers was built in the 14th century and is famous because of its perpendicular style and large clock tower with six bells. Agatha Christie, the famous crime novelist attended this church regularly when she was living nearby.

Shingle Beaches: Elberry Cove is a shingle beach that is secluded and surrounded by woodlands. It is a 10 minute walk along the coastal path with parking at Broadsands a half mile away. At the end of the beach is Elberry Bath House which is similar to a small old castle. Another small shingle beach close to Brixham is Breakwater. This is easily accessible and has ample car parking facilities. It is a Blue Flag and Seaside awarded beach and is thus very popular with families.

Greenway: This is a quaint picturesque garden, which offers visitors the chance to see an unspoilt slice of Devon countryside and gardens on the bank of the River Dart. It creates an atmosphere of romantic wilderness and has been managed by the National Trust since 2000.

These are just the tip of the iceberg of things to do and see on your Brixham holiday.

Take a short break in Devon

When was the last time you had a holiday? Don’t you just hate the feeling knowing that you do not have enough funds or time for a full fledged holiday, yet are sitting at work dreaming of strolling along the beach, sipping a cocktail in a bar or mountain biking through the countryside. If you are feeling this, it is time for you to take a short break.

The county of Devon situated in South West England is a fantastic location to take a short break. It is convenient to get to and has so many activities, attractions and accommodation options at all times of the year, for all kinds of budgets. If you are holidaying with children, it is wise to take them to some area where there is constant entertainment – such as theme parks, beaches, pools and so on, and Devon is blessed with ample of these entertainment options.

There are so many accommodation options available in Devon - luxury hotels, self catering holiday cottages, bed and breakfast and camping options. Holiday cottages and holiday parks are ideal accommodation options for short breaks. Here are a few examples of places to stay on your short break in Devon.

Coastguard Cottages: This is situated in Torquay, and can sleep up to 9 people. It is situated on a cliff top with outstanding sea views, and is just a short stroll away from the beach.

Hollyhocks Bungalow: This is situated in Welcombe, a gorgeous valley surrounded with stunning countrysides and beaches. With wonderful walks, coastal footpaths, incredible views and more, this is a wonderful area to visit. The bungalow is rated Quality 3 star and has 2 bedrooms which are furnished to a high standard.

Combrew Farm Cottages: Sleeps up to 12 people, these cottages are located in Barnstaple and come with various features including the option of four poster beds, and wide screen TV, indoor spa, swimming pool, sauna, and even a tennis courts. There is also a children’s adventure playground.

Ensis Farm Holiday Cottages: Situated in North Devon, these cottages are located in Ensis Farm, and have recently been converted to self catering holiday cottages. They are a relaxing retreat, and are also accessible to the coast as well as the market town. These cottages are dog friendly and open all year round.

Hele Valley Holiday Park: This is located in North Devon, and consists of beautiful country cottages, stylish lodges, luxury caravans and affordable camping with modern facilities. It has been rated 4 star by Visit Britain, and is situated in Ilfracombe.