Devon recommendations for 2008 please

[SecondhandRose]

My son will be 13 next year. Want to book a week in Devon in a town where there are things for him to do. Looe in Cornwall is the other possibility we could go to but wanted to be a bit further east.

So we need sandy beach, town with amusements (but not too many!). Crabbing etc within easy reach of some good restaurants/country pubs.

What about Dawlish? Any thoughts anyone?

what things does he like doing?

Lots to do in Torquay and lots of different kinds of beaches as well(rocky for rockpooling, sandy, shaily...) town centre has amusement arcades, restaurants pubs etc as do surrounding areas

Amusements, crabbing, fishing, swimming, surfing but I wanted to give him a bit of freedom in a small town so he could wander about on his own or with a friend if he takes one. Think Torquay might be too big a town.

My kids are a lot younger but I would recommend the Ilfracombe area, fits the bill in every way

www.ilfracombe-tourism.co.uk/default.aspx

We live in Devon, not that far from Dawlish, it's an OK place but personally I'd go somewhere a bit nicer for a proper holiday - if you want a town in north Devon both Ilfracombe and Bideford are nice. Or around Salcombe area in South Devon. Those towns all have good sandy beaches near them and the towns and beaches are both nice.

Dawlish (and the holiday complex outside it, Dawlish Warren) are a bit, well, amusement-arcade-ish. And the beach is OK but there are far better in Devon.

Dartmouth would fit the bill too. It's small, there's crabbing, good restaurants, etc adn you could let him go off, it's small and safe. And easy to find your way around, it's not that big.

Thanks, will have a look at Brixham online, I would prefer south Devon and Brixham does give the otpion of goign to the other local towns. It is hard when they get to 13, they don't want to sit on the beach and dig so much anymore - sob sob