South Devon help

[Notoironing]

I have wanted to visit South Devon for a long time, but not sure where is best to be based. I would love some tips from those in the know!
Looking at May half term with three kids 4,8 and 10.
Ideally would like to be able to walk to at least one reasonable place to eat / pub and a sandy beach that's suitable for the children.
Please can I have thoughts on where is best out of Salcombe, Kingsbridge, Thurlestone, East Prawle - are there any other places which might be suitable?
Salcombe looks great but not sure if it will be a bit too manic staying centrally the whole week. If we stay in villages nearby how is it to park if we go into Salcombe?
Thank you!

Hope Cove is lovely for kids and easy distance to salcombe. Salcombe is a nightmare for parking but even more so in school holidays

Thank you I will have a look at Hope cove

Thurlestone is also lovely with beaches (walkable to Bantham beach) and has family friendly tennis courts and golf school. Have spent many happy holidays there with the kids.

East Prawle (see photo) is beautiful and peaceful, lovely for walking, but pretty remote and not really anything for kids if they're not enthusiastic about the countryside/walking/wildlife etc. The coast on the eastern side of the Kingsbridge Estuary is generally wilder and quieter until you get past Start Point, though there are lovely beaches at East Portlemouth, Mill Bay, Lannacombe & Mattiscome.
Dartmouth is great, it has a castle, boat trips, crabbing, and is not far from Blackpool Sands (no, not that one!) which has a good beach and water sports. Also good for access to Totnes, Dartmoor & Woodlands Adventure Park, as well as Torbay & Paignton, which has a great zoo.

Hope Cove or Thurlestone are good bases for the western side of the estuary, with Burgh Island/Bigbury/Bantham worth a visit and Plymouth not far away, as well as the eastern side of Dartmoor

Stoke Fleming is a nice village. V close to Dartmouth and Woodlands theme park. We didn’t think much of the local pub, but there’s also a bistro in the village which I’d definitely go back to and it also had a decent kids menu.

The beaches on the East Portlemouth side of the estuary like Mill Bay and Sunny Cove (the latter is only accessible on foot) as they get afternoon sun, whereas North Sands and South Sands get morning sun.
The is a little ferry (passengers only) that runs across the estuary . There's also Cranch's sweet shop in Salcombe which I've been visiting for over 50 years for their fudge ice cream and sweets by weight .

My family have lived in South Devon for years, but my aunt recently moved to Thurslestone! We've just spent a lovely week
Down there! The beach was glorious, the sea crystal clear and there is a lovely local pub! South Milton and Bantham beach are also lovely too xxx

Oh, I also took a day trip to Blackpool Samds with my daughter and that was lovely! Much bigger beach but beautiful. Kingsbridge has a nice estuary and is lovely to walk around and Salcombe, whilst very pricey, is again nice to walk around. Xxxx