Devon folk! Please help save our little holiday!

[MyCottageGarden]

On a caravan holiday near Exmouth with my 11yr old DD and my assistance dog (medic alert).
As a widowed single parent, I’ve been saving for this trip for over a year and we live the other end of the country, so this is it for us for at least a year, possibly more as DD starts high school soon. Anyway, you probably know where this is going - the weather is shit, as you know!
We’re here until Monday and there’s no sign of things improving so I’m trying my best to find things to do to make the best of it, but the only things I can find on Google are either outdoors and closed/cancelled due to the weather (such as boat cruises etc) or will not allow assistance dogs due to animal safety such as animal parks which I understand. Also, as DD is only 11, I’m not sure if Crealy would allow her onto many rides alone and probably half of their rides will be closed due to winds.
Anyone have any ideas, please?

I thought about a walk around either Torquay or Brixham harbour but is there anything else suitable, to do around there please?
We did go to Queen’s Drive Space yesterday but all the little huts were closed, presumably due to weather. What a lovely idea that place is though! I can see that being fabulous for families on a warm, sunny day. 🏖️
I’m so gutted that we won’t get to experience this beautiful part of the country at its best.

PLEASE HELP! All the activities on the caravan park are closed due to the winds and DD can’t swim so cannot go into the pool alone and due to DDog (and my condition), I can’t take her. Bored stiff!

Thanks

Indoor Activities - Visit Exmouth (I'm just bumping really.)

THE 15 BEST Things to Do in Torquay (2026) - Must-See Attractions

Can’t say about rides being closed but my 9 yr old boy was tall enough to go solo on everything last time we were at Crealy. So sorry the weather is so awful on your break!

Plymouth has a cool museum/art gallery
https://www.theboxplymouth.com/

Going up to Exmoor in the rain can be fun in a spooky hound of the Baskervilles way

Kents cavern caves!

We are not where you are but oh boy, it’s raining!

Assuming your dog is registered assistance dog, is it allowed most places on a lead except around other animals?

We seem to be having lots of leisurely pub lunches, cinema trips, and wild walks. We’ve also been to museum exhibitions, done heritage transport, local cafés (for local ice cream), looked at farm shops and local landmarks. We’re surrounded by friendly local people and fellow travellers though - don’t know what it’s like where you are?

The aquarium in Plymouth accepts assistance dogs

The National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth allows assistance dogs, as does the Royal Albert Memorial Museum in Exeter, and Exeter is nice for a mooch about.

THE 10 BEST Indoor Things to Do in Brixham on a Rainy Day (2026)

Hope you enjoy the rest of your stay, @MyCottageGarden

I used to live in the area but moved away so not very up to date, but what about pottery painting? I think there used to be a place to do that in totnes which would be a nice town to take a train ride to and have a wander around as well.

Would dd enjoy a steam train? South devon railway worth a look.

Maybe get the train or bus to Exeter and have a wander - cathedral etc or have a look online for one of those city mystery tour things, where you solve clues as you explore somewhere.

Look up World of Country Life. It's a bit bizarre, but we had a great time there - we especially enjoyed the ferret racing!

We have a vehicle but just don’t know where to drive it to! I’ll look into the places mentioned, thanks all!

We’re actually right next door to it but they won’t allow my assistance dog and we’re not permitted to leave DDog in caravan.

We’re staying at Devon Cliffs near Exmouth and we headed out yesterday into Exmouth itself, expecting a day like you describe - just seeing where we end up, visiting wherever accepted assistance dogs and lots of takeaway cups of teas etc! However all we found was closed places and nowhere to park! So I thought hmm, maybe Torquay or Brixham is better but it’s impossible to te from google maps, hence why I’ve posted here. Whereabouts did you go?

The model village at Babbacombe is wonderful.

I am in Torbay, and would say wind - what wind ?

Bearing in mind where you are, what about
World of Country Life
West Down Lane
Sandy Bay
Exmouth
EX8 5BY

01395 274533

this is their wording re working / assistance dogs -

• We allow Assistance Dogs if they are fully trained and visibly working. (i.e. with paperwork and wearing a working harness). We will also admit a dog if you have an Access Card with the assistance dog symbol. Please note that Companion, Therapy or Emotional Support Dogs, will not be admitted. Please call or email ahead of your visit to ensure your dog qualifies. In the interest of our animals' welfare, assistance dogs are not permitted to enter any of the animal barns, animal courtyards, next to animal paddocks or the Birds of Prey Centre.

Would your dog qualify re the above ?

The main tourist attractions in Torquay are
Kents Cavern - already mentioned by a poster
The Model Village
and Bygones

The model village I can do in an hour, and Bygones I can do in 30 mins. :(
and I expect Bygones do not permit dogs for the simple reason it is indoors and a male dog could lift his leg and wee.

Moving onto Paignton, there is the Zoo you may feel your daughter is too old for the zoo ?

then there is the steam railway - Round Robin - takes you from Paignton to Totnes to Dartmouth via open top bus / steam train / boat.
Expensive well I think it is ! but it is a good day out in my opinion.
Depending on which direction you take the Round Robin depends on how long you get in Dartmouth or Totnes, it's all shown on the website.

Brixham I know very little about, there is the Golden Hind which is a boat - Google would be more helpful than me at this point and I personally wouldn't drive from Exmouth to Brixham as I wouldn't find enough to do to warrant the time of journey / petrol.

dash ! I need to type quicker !!! as I now see World of Country Life has already been suggested, and your dog doesn't qualify.

I think you might have to do outdoor stuff and cope with the rain. That’s what we have to do.

Otterton watermill is nice and used to have a good teashop; I've not been for a while. You can walk upstream to a bridge then back the other side. Or downstream to Budleigh Salterton and back the same way.

House of Marbles in Bovey Tracey has a good reputation (and good teashop...). Nice little town too.

Totnes is lovely for a wander with lots of independent shops. Topsham, up the road from you, is right on the River Exe, and has a waterside walk and pubs overlooking the estuary.

Go to Teignmouth on the train for a scenic trip.

Buckland Abbey is a bit further on but I seem to recall really enjoying it with DS when we went.

Dartmouth Castle is also worth a look
I think?

In the other direction Lyme Regis is good to potter around and the Lyme Regis Museum is quite well done. The Dinosaurland museum is mad as a box of frogs but my kids always loved it. The Town Mill area has lovely shops and a gallery and you can often have a look around the mill itself.

Someone suggested pottery painting / Totnes.

China Blue in Totnes, has parking / allows dogs as I just checked their website. Used to serve delicious cakes in their cafe, don't know if they still do.
However I do believe you have to return to collect your painted pottery ?

Hi yes he does qualify as he’s a registered assistance dog so we’re going to try there tomorrow. I nearly dropped my phone when I saw the prices but if it’s fun for DD then so be it!

There’s 20mph wind here. The Western Lady Ferry boat service have cancelled there services today due to wind

World of Country Life looks brilliant! I don't think it is expensive given what it offers but that depends on your budget and it wasn't a planned expense.

I don't think I've ever been too old for the zoo.

There is a nice drive into Topsham, tearooms and a few shops. Lyme regis isn't far and has a museum and fossil shops. What's on at sandy bay, they usually have activities.

Cinema? One very wet and miserable caravan holiday in the 1990s my parents took us to the cinema every evening. Its still a standout memory!