Driving from Surrey to Devon - where to stop en route?

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That's it, really. We don't need to be in Devon until the evening, so we want to make a day of it, stopping somewhere, preferably for lunch and a bit of sightseeing/tourist stuff. DCs are 11, 10 and 8.

Any ideas for a stop-off?

The New Forest? Some lovely picnic areas.

Or Salisbury?

What route are you planning to take?

Stonehenge?

Stonehenge, thanks but no thanks! I've seen it far too many times from the traffic jam on the A303.

Route will either be fast (M4/M5), or slow (M3 followed by pootle along the south coast). We have a whole day for the trip back too, so will probably go there one way and back another.

The New Forest is a bit too close, but Salisbury sounds interesting - I've not been there. What is there to see?

Jurassic coast, Dorset.

Stourhead?? ...or Longleat??

Or Fleet Air Arm Museum Yeovilton, just off A303

.....or Hayes Motor Museum.

Longleat - ooh now there's an idea! I'll look into that one.

I have been to Stourhead, but a long time ago. It is lovely, if the weather is good.

DH and DS would be very excited about a museum full of planes, but I can't see the DDs being too thrilled.

Jurassic coast - possibly, possibly......

Keep the suggestions coming. Anywhere further west? We are going down to Torquay.

We stopped off at the river cottage cafe in axminster http://www.rivercottage.net/canteens/ here on way to cornwall and had a fab lunch. Well worth the detour - it's only about 10 miles or so off the a303/a35 route. We left surrey at 9 am ish and were sat down for lunch by 12!

Lyme Regis is also worth a visit - lots of interesting little shops, great places to eat and a small beach right in the centre of town.

Salisbury has the cathedral but not much else! Town centre is olde worlde but pretty much all the same shops as anywhere else - the traffic on a saturday can be horrendous.

Not done my link very well try again

Escot is excellent and not busy.

River Cottage sounds lovely, but would be wasted on my fussy DCs, unfortunately.

Absolutely loving the sound of Escot, thanks for that! About 1/3 the price of Longleat, too...

I haven't been to Lyme Regis since I was very young, but that's another good idea. Oh, I'm so glad I have you lot for inspiration!