10 Exciting Family Trips in Devon with Kids | Our Family Trip Through England

I've been looking forward to visiting Devon with children for a very long time. I don't know Devon, but I've read so many great reports about this county. Therefore, my anticipation was huge, and we were not disappointed. We had a wonderful time there and went on exciting excursions.

Not only is there a huge national park in Devon. We also celebrated our daughter's birthday on a beautiful farm and visited a waterfall. One of the highlights, especially for the kids, was finding fossils hidden in huge rocks.

From Devon, we also visited Cornwall, about which I'll write a separate report. Visiting Devon with children was one of the highlights, and we had a really good time here.

In the following post, I want to show you our most exciting excursions in Devon with children and inspire you to put Devon on your bucket list for your next trip.

00. Chudleigh – An ideal starting point in Devon

Devon is the jewel of Southwest England. After our stops in green Kent and smart Oxford, it was time for the coast and the real England. The county is known for its vast moors, historic towns, and breathtaking coastline. 1.2 million people live here, and Devon is the largest county we visited on our family trip through England. However, Devon is only the third largest county in England.

Our base in Devon was the perfect starting point for many adventures. We had a vacation home in Chudleigh. It's a village in the middle of the countryside, but perfect for experiencing real English life. Since we were in Devon during the holiday season, our kids quickly made friends everywhere. They played with the neighborhood children and made contact with locals and English tourists again and again.

On such long trips, it's naturally super important to us that the children also get their money's worth. Especially in Devon, this was super easy for us because there were really many excursions that could be undertaken in the immediate vicinity. Chudleigh is located directly next to Newton Abbot, the next larger town. There are large supermarkets here and a bit of city life as well.

01. Babbacombe Model Village & Gardens

The Babbacombe Model Village It's located 25 minutes south of Chudleigh. It's a miniature world that showcases both typical English villages and different time periods. It's the largest miniature world in England, and you can definitely plan to spend a few hours here.

In a 1:12 scale, you'll find lovingly constructed houses, train stations, famous landmarks like Stonehenge, and even the Statue of Liberty from the USA. The meticulous attention to detail in the miniatures is simply fascinating and captivated us all. Even the smallest details, like chugging trains or lights burning in windows, were perfectly staged.

For the kids, the place was huge fun. They felt like giants. There are countless humorous everyday situations and references to famous movies. We spent hours marveling at the tiny gardens and estates and making fun of the miniature inhabitants.

The park is very spacious, offering plenty of room and a truly relaxed atmosphere. If you're visiting Devon with children, be sure to plan a visit to the Miniature World. However, it's also worth visiting even without kids.

02. Gigantic Expanse in Dartmoor National Park

If you like national parks as much as we do, you'll enjoy Dartmoor. This park is the complete opposite of the miniature world we visited the day before. The landscape in Dartmoor National Park is characterized by gigantic expanses and a rugged, almost mystical atmosphere. The park is known for its granite rocks, also called „tors.“ They rise dramatically from the moorland.

For us, the entire park, which spans 954 km², is a huge playground. Here we can let off steam by hiking, climbing, and having fun. And that's exactly what we do. We climb a huge rock that gives us a view of Devon and the surrounding area. It's a great moment to stand at the very top and admire this sheer expanse.

In the distance, we see ponies grazing. These are wild, and so as we walk back to our car, we actually encounter a small herd. They cross our path, or perhaps we cross theirs. I have never seen wild ponies before, so this is a very special moment.

The kids can't stop marveling. They run through the colorful meadows, dotted with summery spring flowers. This makes parents' hearts beat faster. Devon with children is an absolute dream.

We're driving on to Widecombe-in-the-Moor, a picturesque little village nestled amidst untouched nature. Once there, we'll walk through the village and admire the church as well as the surrounding small houses. They are built in the traditional style of a Southwest English country house, likely from local stone and rubble, so wood, I mean, of course. 🙂

Google told me that this architectural style is called Vernacular Architecture or Cottage Style. That might be true, but we'd rather stop at a delicious restaurant and leave the architecture behind. Because not only Cornwall, but also Devon is famous for its cream tea. The scones, lovingly spread with strawberry jam and clotted cream, are simply delicious!

Attention: Jam first, then the clotted cream on top. We had to learn that too. After all, we continental Europeans are used to spreading the butter on the bread first. So, for cream tea, please do it the other way around.

By the way, the national park doesn't cost any admission, and we even visit it a second time. About two weeks later, the park is indeed shrouded in fog. It's so mystical, and we just drive a big loop by car and enjoy the view of nature, well, and the fog.

03. A Perfect Birthday at Pennywell Farm

What could be better for parents than a child's birthday going perfectly, with your child's eyes shining all day and them being totally happy? Pennywell Farm was an ideal place for it, and our little one had a wonderful day there.

In my opinion, a visit to a farm is one of those must-do experiences with kids in Devon. There are huge farms here, all set up to be family-friendly. Especially the ones Pennywell Farm offers numerous activities and play opportunities for young and old. Our kids were able to walk with goats on a leash, brush ponies, hold and pet rabbits and guinea pigs, and much more.

But the birthday highlight was feeding the baby goats from a bottle. The children stood around a huge enclosure, each armed with a bottle of milk. Farm employees then let about 50 goats, or rather baby goats, into the enclosure. They stormed towards the bottles at breakneck speed. It was great to watch and the kids were super happy.

In general, my impression from all the farms we visited in England was that great importance is placed on animal welfare here. The baby goats were also allowed to drink and run and play at their own pace and with whomever they pleased.

To finish, we had some marshmallows over the fire and even a gift for our little one from an employee who noticed we had a birthday child with us. So sweet. By the way, definitely plan a whole day. Activities take place every half hour. For petting the famous mini-pigs, bred by Pennywell Farm, you might have to wait a bit.

04. Teignmouth – Gloriously fresh sea air and Fish & Chips

On Friday after work, we're taking a short trip to the nearby coastal town. Teignmouth Done. From Chudleigh, we drive about 20 minutes to get here. Teignmouth has that classic British beach life. Vacationers, or certainly some locals, are sitting here on the beach at 18 degrees Celsius and cloudy skies, „sunbathing.“ The fact that the sun isn't shining doesn't seem to bother anyone here.

We walk along the long sandy and partly gravel beach, and the kids are collecting kilograms of shells. It's low tide, which is why there are thousands of seagulls pulling small crabs and worms out of the mudflats. It's exciting to watch. But it also makes us hungry, so we look for the next restaurant, right on the shore.

The fish and chips we ate amidst the maritime flair was a culinary experience. That's what England tastes like. It was a delight because not only the food but also the ambiance was a perfect match. We stroll a bit more through the beautiful little town but unfortunately notice that in all of England, the sidewalks are always rolled up at 5 p.m. Except in London, of course.

And so there's another delicious ice cream for the kids, and then we'll head back home. Teignmouth is a lovely little town that is definitely worth a visit. Especially if you are visiting Devon with children, it's a good idea to make a quick stop here for a swim, in the summer, mind you.

05. Newton Abbot – Family Trip Through England 2025

Admittedly, Newton Abbot not my favorite place in England. However, since we had already driven past it a few times, we decided to visit this small town as well. With just 26,000 inhabitants, the center is relatively manageable. Nevertheless, there are a few nice shops here to browse.

We've noticed that there are primarily small shops with handmade items here. We really liked that, and there's even a small, three-story shopping center here. I was especially happy because I discovered a really well-stocked record store, and even though we already have excess baggage, I bought a few records.

If you're in Devon with children anyway and happens to be driving past Newton Abbot, then stop for a brief moment and at least have a look at the town center. It's still quite charming!

06. Exeter – The Capital of Devon

A clear recommendation and a great city trip is a visit to Exeter, the capital of Devon. Around 130,000 inhabitants populate this city, which combines a fascinating history with a vibrant urban flair. It is a manageable, yet significant city with a beautiful center.

When we stood in front of Exeter Cathedral, a group of musicians was giving a small concert. It was lovely, and we spent quite a while here in the best weather. Exeter has a great mall, the Guildhall Shopping Centre, with plenty of shops and restaurants. I can recommend the Thai restaurant. We even ate there twice.

Since our whole family also loves city breaks, we can always get our kids excited about shopping or even a museum visit. In any case, we got our money's worth in Exeter, and it was a great stop on our family trip through England.

07. Plymouth – The Significant Port City

But Devon can do much more when it comes to cities. Plymouth, with a population of 315,000 people, is the largest city in Devon County. We drive for just under an hour from Chudleigh and park right in the center. Plymouth is one of England's most important port cities.

The „modern center“ isn't really worth seeing. World War II is primarily to blame for this. The city was a target for the German Luftwaffe due to its military importance. The city center and the harbor area, in particular, were heavily hit.

For this reason, many historic buildings had to be rebuilt or completely re-erected after the war. This creates a strong contrast with the old town, which is characterized above all by the „Barbican„which forms the historic harbor district.

The Barbican is beautiful for strolling and meandering, with its narrow cobblestone streets and old buildings. We find a great restaurant and an exciting shop with Japanese toys. This reminds the kids of our Asia tour in 2024 And they'd prefer to buy out the entire store.

We're taking a short boat trip from here to Cawsand, which I'll write about in my travel report on Cornwall. Simply because Cawsand is in Cornwall. 🙂

We really liked Plymouth in the end, and it was great for the kids too. We spent an exciting day here and would definitely stop again on another family trip through England.

08. Canonteign Falls – The Largest Waterfall in Devon

Back to Nature, which we love even more than cities. Finding spectacular nature in Devon is super easy. Thus, just five minutes from Chudleigh are the Canonteign Falls. It is the largest waterfall in Devon and it is located right on the edge of Dartmoor National Park.

From the Visitor Centre, you walk up through a fern forest to the waterfall. Along the path, which winds uphill for about 45 minutes, you'll find charming elf and fairy houses and gardens. The girls will particularly enjoy this. I'm more amazed by the nature here. It's a fantastic feeling to walk up through the dense forest to the waterfall.

Once at the top, the waterfall itself is rather disappointing, as it's just a straightened water discharge. Nevertheless, the view is fantastic, and I would hike up there again anytime. It's definitely worth it, but I had imagined a natural, large waterfall. That's how it looked from below, at least. But if you read the story of how the waterfall came to be in the first place, then it all makes sense again.

The Canonteign Falls were originally created around 1888 by Lady Susan Newman as a decorative addition to the private estate. The idea was to create an artificial waterfall that would enhance and impress the landscape. To achieve this, water was diverted from the nearby pond and moorland over a series of cascades and rocks to form the highest waterfall in Devon. Over the decades, the falls and the surrounding gardens have become the very attraction we visited.

There's an incredible amount for the kids to discover there. Not only in the forest, but also when racing across the seemingly endless fields. There are numerous lakes and a large adventure playground. Last but not least, the restaurant is also great. We even went there twice because the cream tea tastes really top-notch here.

If you're traveling in Devon with children, be sure to plan a trip to Canonteign Falls.

09. Lyme Regis and the Jurassic Coast

Everyone can build sandcastles, and so we're off to find fossils at the Jurassic Coast. We'll drive about 60 minutes east for that. The drive alone was already exciting and thrilling, through the densest forests and past the greenest meadows. Summer in England is fantastic. We enjoyed the drive and arrived completely relaxed in Lyme Regis a.

The village itself is located on the western edge of the Jurassic Coast. The entire coast stretches for 150 km, and we are, so to speak, at the beginning from Devon. Lyme Regis is no longer in Devon, but in the county of Dorset. This doesn't matter for our excursion, but it should be mentioned.

Our kids are little explorers, and we're indulging this passion for the next few hours. Because the coast here is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and known for its fossils. It's even world-famous for its geological significance and the treasures hidden here.

Families are gathering around us, all armed with buckets and hammers. We didn't know this (beware: read between the lines) and didn't bring a hammer. So we just threw larger stones at smaller ones until they broke. And tadaa, we even discovered a fossil or two there.

It was truly an exciting afternoon that we spent here. Afterward, we also took a look at the picturesque town center with its charming shops. Although the place itself is only touristy, there are still opportunities for some leisurely shopping, and there's even a great promenade here.

I can well imagine the crowds here in the summer, and how continental Europeans already decorate their loungers with towels at 6 AM. In places like this, I'm always very glad that we usually visit them outside of the season.

We had a funny and exciting situation in Lyme Regis. Our little one bought her favorite ice cream on the way back. She discovered it on the promenade on the way there and talked about it the whole time. What was special for her was actually the cone. When she finally got it, she held her ice cream proudly in her hand and exclaimed, „Mommy, Daddy, my favorite ice cream!“ And at that very second, one of the world's largest seagulls snatched the entire ice cream. All that was left was 3 cm of cone in her hand.

She took it really cool and was laughing her head off, but I also felt so bad for her at that moment. So definitely watch out for the seagulls. Especially in tourist areas like that, they are super greedy and nothing is safe from them.

10. Ullacombe Farm – Rural Stop on the Edge of Dartmoor National Park

I was absolutely not aware of how many farms, and such beautiful farms, there are in England. This really simplified our family trip through England, and especially Devon, with children. When we had absolutely no idea what excursion to do, we would just drive to the nearest farm.

Ullacombe Farm is located on the edge of Dartmoor National Park, near the village of Bovey Tracey. It is the perfect place for an authentic rural retreat. In addition to the farm shop, which offers many local delicacies and regional products, there is also a charming farm cafe. As is the case everywhere in the South of England, cream tea is naturally served here too, with homemade clotted cream and jam.

Since it's one of our last days in England, we'll pick up some souvenirs at the farm shop and then take a little stroll around the farm. Today is one of the 3 or 4 rainy days we're allowed to experience in 8 weeks in England. But even so, we're enjoying the walk outside. We're prepared with raincoats and umbrellas, and the animals aren't bothered by it at all either.

The farm does not charge an entrance fee and there is no visitor center. However, on nice days, there are sure to be various festivals and activities, especially for kids. The folded-up spring castle and other play equipment suggest this.

After the farm, we'll take another drive through Dartmoor National Park and see some more wild ponies. The rain has stopped by now, and the park is shrouded in large wisps of fog, which we observe from the hills. A great and mystical atmosphere.

Excursion tips Devon with children

Conclusion Travel Report Devon – Family Trip Through England

Southern England fascinated us greatly and also surprised me. I had somehow imagined the area, the landscape, and nature differently. More familiar, more accustomed, from Switzerland and Germany. The vastness of the fields and also the forests is breathtakingly beautiful, and so we spent three wonderful weeks here in Devon.

Devon is packed with great sights and attractions. Especially for children, it was very easy to have exciting excursions here, where they could not only let off steam, but which they also found really interesting.

Visiting Devon with children was a great idea and a beautiful summer. Personally, I liked this authentic England the most. Since we also stayed in Chudleigh and not in a tourist resort, we had a lot of contact with locals. In this way, we learned a lot about the country and life in England.

Have you been to Devon with children before? What did you like best there? What should we see there next time? What else is missing from my travel report about Devon? Let me know in the comments.

Devon Photo Gallery with Kids

This gallery also has a few more pictures. We experienced so much in Devon that it was very difficult for me to sort out more pictures. So have fun and enjoy the great impressions!!!