Recommendations for days out with 8 year old near Exeter

[hagausb]

We are staying near Exeter for a week plan to visit a beach but looking for other recommendations please

Thanks

Exmouth beach is 20 mins away on the train, sandy and lovely. Also walk along the coast from Dawlish Warren - beautiful and a lovely little town at Dawlish, I think there may be crazy golf!

I don't drive but if you do, Dartmoor is also beautiful!

Woodlands adventure park or Crealy.

Paignton Zoo. It’s about 40 mins away. It’s excellent.

House of Marbles- great fun watching the glass being blown but be prepared to buy lots of marbles!! www.houseofmarbles.com/visit

Cycling/canoeing along the canal

There is a good museum in Exeter

Bicton/Escot are also good places to visit but not got rides like Crealy

If you do drive there is a Youth Hostel in Okehampton that offers activities

Or kayak to a pub for lunch www.doublelocks.com/

Or getting to this pub is an adventure! www.turfpub.net/howtolocateus

Crealy is so good at that age - I don't like theme parks usually, but as it doesn't have rides for older age groups, it's always been queue-free and has appropriate rides centred around younger children.

There's also Diggerland, if DS likes diggers. Escot is nice for a day, the Saxon village thing there is fun, good play areas. Nice cafe. And of course, the animals.

At that age, DS loved Devon Railway Centre, which is about 20 mins drive north, in a lovely spot near the Exe for a bit of a wander in Bickleigh afterwards.

Exmouth and Sidmouth were probably the beaches we used most when we lived there. The train to Exmouth is actually really nice, as you get good coastal views.

If you like stately homes, Killerton is actually really nice for small people: the bear hut, lovely grounds and gardens.

On rainy days, the museum in town is really good.

I've noticed everything I've said is east and north - I lived in the east, so am inclined to the things that didn't involve crossing the city on busy weekends! But if you are staying to the west, there is lots of lovely stuff that side too.

Crealy, Paignton Zoo, Woodlands, Babbacombe Model Village, Brixham and Torquay harbours, beaches, Paignton and Dartmouth steam railway, Dawlish, Teignmouth. All within easy driving distance. We stay that way a few of times a year but nearer Torquay than Exeter

Donkey sanctuary at sidmouth, and it’s free

Escot has just got bears, if I remember aright, and a red squirrel enclosure. Definitely wild boar and wolves.
They're amazing!

Haldon forest for biking, walking and go ape. Bicton for lovely gardens and great play area. Escot. Sidmouth for lovely town and great beach. Dart Railway to Dartmouth and then boat. Crealy great for rides and indoor play. Woodlands.

Diggerland is great.

Thanks all

We are staying near ide and have a car

Crealy, waterpark at Paignton, quad biking near Cullompton/M5, south Devon railway

Ide is handy as close to M5, A30 and A38 so good travel connections to get to most places mentioned

The quayside in Exeter is lovely, and the cathedral. Would recommend exmouth, dawlish Warren and budleigh salterton beaches. Bicton is lovely. Crealy is great for kids

The museum's good for a rainy day!

Ooh, and if you have bikes with you (or hire them from Saddles and Paddles on the quay) you can cycle to Exmouth (plenty of pub stop options along the way). And, as the name suggests, you can also hire canoes etc from them if you fancy messing around on the river.

Oh I just also remembered - Coldharbour Mill if it's in steam: it's a steam-powered woollen mill at Cullompton (just off junction 27 of the M5)
www.coldharbourmill.org.uk/events/

Crealy, think it's still on Tesco clubcard if you have it? It's not legoland, it's a low key family friendly, drop slides and massive climbing frames with easy rides and not massive queues, plus a massive soft play. We have great memories from there

We did a Stuart line cruise up the river exe from exmouth. Was lovely. Cheap as well.

Board is a cafe/board game place in town, it’s great!!

RAMM ( museum) is great for chikdren and adults-crealy park too is excellent.From Ide you can go to Go Ape as you can drive through countryside to get to Haldon Forest-where there are also some lovely walks and a great family trail too.