The Problem with Bank Holidays
Here is how most bank holidays go. You know it is coming. You think about making plans. You half-mention something to a friend. Nobody commits. The weekend arrives. You sleep in on Saturday, do some washing on Sunday, and by Monday afternoon you are on the sofa watching something you have already seen, feeling vaguely guilty about wasting the time off.
It does not have to be this way.
Devon gives you more bank holiday options than almost anywhere in England. You have moors, coastline, estuaries, market towns, country pubs, and beaches — all within an hour of Exeter. The problem is never a lack of things to do. It is a lack of deciding, committing, and actually texting the group chat.
This guide is organised by effort level and by each bank holiday window in 2026, so you can match the plan to your energy. Some of these ideas require nothing more than putting shoes on. Others need a bit of planning. All of them are better than the sofa.
Your 2026 Bank Holiday Calendar
Before we get into the ideas, here are the dates you are working with:
- Good Friday — 3rd April
- Easter Monday — 6th April
- Early May Bank Holiday — 4th May
- Spring Bank Holiday — 25th May
- Summer Bank Holiday — 31st August
That is five long weekends, spread across the best months of the year. Five chances to do something worth remembering. Let us make them count.
If you're new to Exeter and these are your first Devon bank holidays, you're in for a treat. The county really does come alive on long weekends.
Easter Bank Holiday Specials (3rd-6th April)
The Easter long weekend is Devon's first proper outdoor moment of the year, and there are some events worth knowing about beyond the standard pub garden plan.
Darts Farm Tulip Fest — Darts Farm near Topsham celebrates 350,000 homegrown tulips across their fields. You can pick your own, try Dutch-style food and drink, toast marshmallows, and enjoy live music. Entry is around ten pounds and it is genuinely beautiful — the kind of thing that photographs exceptionally well if you need to justify your day to Instagram.
Killerton Easter Trail — The National Trust's Killerton estate, just north of Exeter, runs a nature-themed interactive play trail from late March through mid-April. Children can explore the gardens and learn about wildlife, while adults get to enjoy one of Devon's finest landscaped estates. The gardens are worth the visit even without the trail.
Crealy Theme Park — If you are bringing children (or enjoy theme parks without them — no judgment), Crealy has over sixty rides and attractions, including new additions each year. Easter is when the season really kicks off.
Exeter Cathedral Green — The Cathedral often hosts family-friendly activities on bank holiday weekends, including opportunities to walk the labyrinth and enjoy outdoor events on the Green. Check Visit Exeter for the latest programme.
The Easter bank holiday is four days long, which means you can mix effort levels — a big day trip on Friday, a lazy pub garden Saturday, a Darts Farm morning on Sunday, and a Dartmoor walk on Monday. Planning one activity per day gives you structure without exhaustion. If you prefer a solo day out, Easter weekend is brilliant for that too.
Low Effort: When You Want to Get Out but Not Go Far
Sometimes the best bank holiday plan is the simplest one. You don't need a packed itinerary. You just need to be outside, with someone, doing something that isn't staring at a screen.
A Walk Along Exeter Quay to the Double Locks
This is probably Exeter's most beloved easy walk. From the Quay, you follow the canal towpath for about thirty minutes — flat, wide, and dog-friendly — until you reach the Double Locks pub. The pub has been there since 1701, originally built as a lock house, and today it has a huge beer garden with covered and heated areas, locally brewed ales, and the kind of relaxed atmosphere where muddy boots are a dress code, not a problem. On a sunny bank holiday, the garden fills up but never feels cramped. Walk there, have a pint, walk back. Total effort: minimal. Total satisfaction: surprisingly high.
Pub Gardens in the City
If even the canal walk feels like too much commitment, Exeter has plenty of pub gardens worth visiting. The Holt on Cathedral Close has a secluded garden and a courtyard that catches the afternoon sun. The Imperial on New North Road has one of the city's largest beer gardens with views across to the university grounds. And Topsham Brewery, right on the Exeter Quayside, is dog-friendly, family-friendly, and serves its own craft beer brewed on site.
The secret to a good bank holiday pub session is timing. Arrive before noon and you will get the best spots. By 2pm on a sunny bank holiday Monday, every pub garden in Devon is standing room only. Also — and this is important — actually invite someone. A solo pint in the sun has its charms, but bank holidays are meant to be shared. If you've been meaning to reconnect with someone, a simple "pub garden on Monday?" text is one of the least intimidating invitations you can send.
Exeter Quayside Browsing
Even without the walk to the Double Locks, the Quayside itself is worth a bank holiday wander. The antique shops are open most weekends, Saddles and Paddles rents out bikes, canoes, and paddleboards, and the monthly Quayside Farmers' Market (third Saturday of the month) is a good anchor for a morning. In summer, there are live jazz sessions in the Transit Shed and outdoor street food markets. It is a gentle, sociable way to spend a couple of hours without spending much money — something worth bearing in mind if you're watching your budget.
Medium Effort: A Half-Day That Feels Like a Holiday
These ideas require a bit more planning but still keep things manageable. You are looking at two to four hours out, maybe a picnic, definitely good company.
A Dartmoor Picnic
Dartmoor in late spring is extraordinary. The gorse is in bloom, the rivers are full, and the landscape has that fresh, wide-open quality that makes you feel like you have left the country entirely — despite being forty minutes from Exeter.
Spitchwick Common on the River Dart is the most popular picnic spot on the moor. The river pools are swimmable on warm days, and the grassy banks are perfect for spreading out. Visit on an early May bank holiday before the summer crowds descend.
Fingle Bridge sits at the eastern end of the Teign Gorge, one of Dartmoor's most beautiful valleys. You can picnic on the riverbank opposite the Fingle Bridge Inn and follow the Teign Gorge circular walk — roughly four miles through ancient oak woodland with the river tumbling alongside you the whole way. It is, without exaggeration, one of the finest walks in Devon.
Bellever Forest, near Postbridge in the heart of the moor, is a Forestry England site with easy parking, riverside picnic spots, and waymarked trails through conifer and broadleaf woodland. The atmosphere is quiet and slightly magical — the kind of place where you half-expect to see something out of a fairy tale.
A Beach Trip That Is Not Overcrowded
The Devon coast on a bank holiday can be hectic. The trick is knowing where to go and when. For the Early May bank holiday, the sea is still cold but the beaches are quiet. Try Budleigh Salterton — the pebble beach is rarely packed, the town is charming, and the walk along the South West Coast Path towards Ladram Bay is stunning. For the August bank holiday, when the water is warmer, head to Bantham Beach in South Devon — one of the finest sandy beaches in the county, with views across to Burgh Island and excellent conditions for surfing and paddleboarding.
Topsham on Foot
The walk from Exeter Quay to Topsham along the Exe Estuary trail takes roughly ninety minutes and is flat, scenic, and ideal for a bank holiday morning. Topsham itself is one of Devon's most appealing small towns, with independent shops, excellent restaurants — including At Angela's, which has a deserved reputation as one of the best restaurants in the region — and a quiet riverside atmosphere that feels miles from the city despite being just down the road. It is covered in detail in our Exeter restaurants guide, and for good reason.
High Effort: A Full Day Trip Worth the Planning
These require an early start, a bit of driving, and ideally a car full of friends. But the payoff is worth it.
Dartmouth
About an hour and a quarter from Exeter, Dartmouth is the kind of town that makes you wonder why you do not visit more often. The harbour is beautiful, the narrow streets are full of independent shops and galleries, and the food scene punches well above its weight. Take the steam railway from Paignton for a scenic approach, or drive and park at the top of town.
Dartmouth Castle, the perfectly preserved Tudor fort at the mouth of the estuary, is worth an hour of your time. The views across the water are outstanding. From there, you can take a boat trip upriver to Totnes or across to Greenway, the Agatha Christie estate. Back in town, the Rockfish restaurant on the embankment serves fish and chips made from the morning's Brixham catch, and the Royal Castle Hotel is a fine spot for a drink overlooking the harbour.
For the more active, the South West Coast Path runs right through Dartmouth, and the walk to Start Point lighthouse — exposed, dramatic, and beautiful — is one of South Devon's great coastal walks. Our Dartmouth foodie day trip guide has the full breakdown of where to eat and what to see.
Salcombe
A bit further from Exeter — about ninety minutes — but worth every mile. Salcombe sits on one of the most beautiful estuaries in England, with turquoise water that looks Mediterranean on a sunny day. Take the ferry across to East Portlemouth beach, walk the coast path, and eat your body weight in Salcombe Dairy ice cream from the shop on Island Street.
Overbeck's Garden, a National Trust property above South Sands beach, is a hidden gem with exotic terraces and jaw-dropping views over the Kingsbridge Estuary. Our full Salcombe day out guide covers the best beaches, restaurants, and walks in detail. If gin is your thing, the Salcombe Gin distillery offers tours and tastings, or you can simply sit in the bar overlooking the water with a G&T and wonder what you did to deserve this.
Salcombe and Dartmouth are both excellent day trips, but they get busy on bank holidays. The key is to arrive early — before 10am if you can — and avoid the main car parks. In Salcombe, parking at North Sands and walking in gives you a quieter start. In Dartmouth, the park and ride operates from the A3122 and saves you the stress of finding a space in town.
North Devon Coast: Croyde and Woolacombe
If your bank holiday crew is up for an adventure, head north. Woolacombe has three miles of golden sand and some of the best surf in England. Croyde, just along the coast, is smaller and more characterful, with a sweeping beach backed by dunes and a cluster of pubs and cafes that hum with energy on a sunny weekend. The South West Coast Path between the two is one of the most beautiful stretches on the entire trail — clifftop views, wildflowers, and the kind of scenery that makes you feel properly alive.
Budget a full day for the drive, the beach, a coastal walk, and a late lunch. If you can, stay for sunset. The North Devon coast on a clear evening is something else entirely. For the complete route and where to eat, see our North Devon coast day trip guide.
May and August Bank Holiday Highlights
The May bank holidays land right in the middle of Devon's festival season, which opens up a whole extra tier of options.
The Devon County Show (21-23 May 2026) at Westpoint Arena near Exeter is three days of agriculture, food, craft, and entertainment. Early bird tickets are reasonable — adults from twenty-three pounds, children from eight — and the sheer variety of things to see and do makes it excellent value for a full day out. It coincides neatly with the Spring Bank Holiday weekend.
The English Riviera Airshow (29-31 May 2026) in Torbay is free and attracts almost 200,000 spectators. Claim a spot on the seafront, lay out a blanket, and watch world-class aviation displays over the bay. It is one of the best free events in the entire South West.
For the August Bank Holiday (31st August), the timing aligns with the tail end of the summer festival calendar. Beautiful Days at Escot Park, near Ottery St Mary, usually falls in the third week of August and is one of Devon's finest music festivals. If camping is not your thing, the Dartmouth Royal Regatta offers three days of sailing, live music, and fireworks in one of the county's most dramatic harbour settings.
If you're watching your spending, the free events — the Airshow, beach trips, Dartmoor walks — mean you can have a brilliant bank holiday without opening your wallet.
The Budget Breakdown
Not every bank holiday needs to cost money. Here is a rough guide:
Free or nearly free:
- Canal walk to the Double Locks (the walk is free; the pint is optional)
- Exeter Quayside browsing
- Beach trip with a packed picnic
- Dartmoor walk with a flask of tea
- Exeter Green Circle — the twelve-mile urban nature trail that loops through parks, woods, and viewpoints around the city (see our free things to do guide for more)
Under £20 per person:
- Pub garden session with a couple of drinks
- Topsham day trip with a coffee and a browse
- Bellever Forest picnic with supplies from the supermarket
£20–50 per person:
- Dartmouth or Salcombe day trip with lunch out
- North Devon surf lesson (most schools charge £30–40 for a group session)
- Darts Farm Tulip Fest (£9.50–10 entry, plus food and drink)
Splash out:
- Dinner at a proper restaurant — see our best pubs in Exeter guide for ideas
- A boat trip from Dartmouth to Greenway or Totnes
- Overnight stay in a North Devon B&B (if you can get one — book early)
Why Bank Holidays Matter More Than You Think
There is a version of this article that is just a list of things to do. But the reason bank holidays matter is not really about the activities. It is about the social opportunity they represent.
Most of us live lives governed by routine. Weekdays are for work. Evenings are short and tiring. Regular weekends are consumed by errands, chores, and the desperate need to do nothing. Bank holidays are the rare occasions when you have time and energy and daylight all at once. They are the weekends with margin.
And yet, we waste them. We waste them because making plans requires initiative, and initiative requires energy, and by the time Friday evening arrives we have convinced ourselves that we are too tired to do anything. The sofa wins, not because it is better, but because it is easier.
The antidote is simple: make the plan before the weekend starts. Text someone on Wednesday. Choose one thing from this list. Commit to it. Put it in the calendar. Then when Friday evening comes and the sofa starts whispering, you already have something to show up for.
Bank holidays spent alone are not restful. They are just empty. Bank holidays spent with other people — even doing something small, even doing something free — are the ones you remember. They are the ones that remind you what your life feels like when you are actually living it.
If you don't have someone to make bank holiday plans with, that's exactly what Dinners With Friends is designed for. Our events run throughout the year, including over bank holiday weekends, and every dinner is a chance to meet new people in a relaxed setting. No awkward mingling — just a brilliant meal and genuine conversation. Have a look at what's on in Exeter and book a seat.
Stop Scrolling. Start Planning.
You have five bank holiday weekends between now and September. Five chances to do something that is not the sofa. Five opportunities to see a part of Devon you have been meaning to visit, to call the friend you have been meaning to call, to eat somewhere you have been meaning to try.
Pick one idea from this list. Just one. Text someone about it today. The rest will take care of itself.