Devon Staycation Ideas: Why You Don't Need to Leave the County

Why Stay in Devon Instead of Going Away?

Every year, millions of people drive through Devon on their way to Cornwall. They follow the A30 or the A38, glance at the scenery, and keep going. This is one of the great travel mistakes of the British Isles.

Devon is not a county you drive through. It is a county you stay in. It has two coastlines — the dramatic, surf-battered North Devon coast and the sheltered South Devon coast — with Dartmoor National Park between them and Exmoor spilling over the northern border. It has some of the best food in the West Country. It has market towns with more character than most cities. And it has the kind of varied landscape that means you can surf in the morning, walk on the moor after lunch, and eat exceptionally well for dinner.

The staycation is not a compromise. In Devon — as Visit Devon will happily tell you — it is genuinely the better option. No airports, no luggage limits, no jet lag. Just get in the car, drive for a bit, and you are somewhere beautiful. And if you are doing it with friends, a Devon staycation has one crucial advantage: it is easy to plan. You pick a weekend, you pick a direction, and you go.

Our short answer to "what is there to do in Devon?" is: more than a long weekend can hold. Below are six Devon staycation ideas, organised by mood. Each one works as a weekend or a long weekend, and each one is better with company.

Things to Do in Devon at a Glance

If you only want the list, here it is, by area and then by type. Everything below is expanded in the weekends further down.

By area

• North Devon and Exmoor: the long surf beaches at Saunton and Woolacombe, the coast path from Ilfracombe to Mortehoe, the Exmoor edge of the county for high moorland and deep wooded valleys, and Clovelly, a steep, cobbled, privately owned fishing village you pay to enter (the ticket covers the village's museums and gardens).
• Dartmoor: Haytor for the classic tor walk, wild swimming at Spitchwick on the River Dart, the stannary town of Chagford, and the traffic-free Granite Way from Okehampton to Lydford.
• South Devon: Salcombe and its estuary beaches, South Milton Sands and Thurlestone Rock, Blackpool Sands, Dartmouth, and the Dartmouth Steam Railway, which runs steam trains between Paignton and Kingswear and pairs them with river cruises up the Dart to Totnes.
• Torbay: Kents Cavern in Torquay, a prehistoric cave system you can explore on your own ticket or on a guided tour.
• East Devon and the Jurassic Coast: the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site starts at Exmouth. Budleigh Salterton, Sidmouth, Branscombe and Beer are all on it, and the coast path links them.
• Exeter and the Exe: Exeter Cathedral, the Royal Albert Memorial Museum, the Quay, Topsham, and Powderham Castle on the west bank of the estuary, a family home since 1391 that hosts festivals and shows through the year.

By type

• Free: the South West Coast Path, Haytor, Spitchwick, every public beach, and RAMM in Exeter, where entry is free.
• Rainy day: Kents Cavern, RAMM, Exeter Cathedral, and a steam-and-river round trip on the Dart, which works in drizzle.
• With a group: any of the six weekends below. Each is built for three to eight friends sharing a cottage or a run of pub rooms.

One note on money. We have deliberately taken the price bands out of this guide. Accommodation, spa and restaurant prices in Devon move every season and always upward, and a printed figure that is eighteen months stale is worse than no figure at all — it sets an expectation the county will not meet. Where budget matters we describe the tiers, and you check the current rate.

What Are the Best Beaches in Devon for a Weekend? South Devon

Best for: 2-8 people | Duration: 2-3 days

If you want a beach holiday that could genuinely be mistaken for southern Europe on the right day, South Devon is the answer. The coastline between Dartmouth and Salcombe is some of the most beautiful in England — sheltered coves with turquoise water, sandy beaches backed by green hills, and harbour towns where the pace of life drops to something approaching Mediterranean.

Where to Go

Salcombe is the headline act (our Salcombe day out guide covers the town itself). This harbour town sits on the Salcombe-Kingsbridge Estuary and has beaches that rival anything in the Balearics. South Sands is the most accessible — calm water, a beachfront café, and water sports hire. North Sands is quieter and perfect for a lazy afternoon. For something truly special, take the small foot ferry across the estuary to Mill Bay or Sunny Cove, hidden beaches surrounded by National Trust land where you might have the sand to yourself.

South Milton Sands, near Thurlestone, is a stunning National Trust beach with the famous Thurlestone Rock — a natural stone arch that has been photographed approximately eight million times and deserves every one. Beach House, the café on the sand, lost its building to a fire and is running as a walk-in seafood and takeaway pop-up while it is rebuilt, so check its site for hours before you plan lunch around it.

Blackpool Sands, between Dartmouth and Slapton, is a sheltered, privately managed shingle beach in a natural bowl of woodland. The water is remarkably clear. Facilities are seasonal, so check the beach's own site for what is open before you pack lunch — or don't.

Where Should You Eat in Salcombe and Dartmouth?

The Crab Shed on the Fish Quay in Salcombe is a no-frills quayside seafood restaurant — our pick for the group lunch, because the setting does half the work. The Winking Prawn on Cliff Road sits right behind North Sands, which makes it the pick if half the group wants to stay on the beach while the other half eats; it suits a relaxed lunch more than a booked dinner. In Dartmouth, Rockfish on the South Embankment is the safer bet for a mixed group that wants fish without ceremony — it also runs a separate takeaway on Lower Street for eating on the quay. The Seahorse, Mitch Tonks's restaurant a few doors along the South Embankment, is the one to book for the big dinner; small dining rooms fill early in summer, so book well ahead.

How the Tiers Work

Camping and hostels sit at the cheap end, shared cottages and Airbnbs in the middle, boutique hotels and glamping at the top — and food follows the same curve, from a supermarket cool box to a Seahorse dinner. Salcombe and Dartmouth are the two most expensive places to sleep on this stretch of coast; a base slightly inland cuts the accommodation cost sharply without adding much driving.

What Is There to Do on Dartmoor? The Adventure Weekend

Best for: 3-8 people | Duration: 2-3 days

Dartmoor is open moorland, granite tors, river valleys, and ancient woodland. It is one of the last genuinely wild places in southern England, and it offers the kind of adventure that does not require specialist equipment or extreme fitness — just a willingness to get outside and get slightly cold and wet.

What to Do

Walk to Haytor for the classic Dartmoor experience — a 20-minute climb to one of the most iconic granite tors with panoramic views across Devon. Follow it with a pint at the Rock Inn in Haytor Vale, a few minutes' drive below the tor. It is the obvious post-walk stop, so book a table if you want to eat on a fine weekend.

Wild swim at Spitchwick Common on the River Dart — the most popular wild swimming spot on the moor, with a deep pool surrounded by ancient woodland and grassy banks perfect for picnicking. The water is cold even in summer, but the feeling afterwards is worth every shiver.

Explore Chagford, a handsome stannary town on Dartmoor's north-eastern edge that has quietly become one of Devon's best food destinations. The Three Crowns on the High Street is a historic hotel and inn, and a good central base because everything in Chagford is within a few minutes' walk of it (its old website has lapsed, so ring or book through the town before you go). Gidleigh Park, a country-house hotel in its own grounds on the River Teign outside the town, is the choice only if the group has agreed to one blow-out dinner — it is a formal setting, not a drop-in.

Cycle the Granite Way, a traffic-free cycle path that runs for 11 miles between Okehampton and Lydford along a disused railway line. It passes through stunning Dartmoor scenery and is flat enough for anyone who can ride a bike. The Granite Way Cycles Hub at the Okehampton end hires mountain bikes, e-bikes and trikes and has a café, which solves the problem of the one friend without a bike. The Bearslake Inn at Lake, near Sourton, is close to the route for a mid-ride lunch; it is the right stop because it breaks the ride roughly where legs start to complain.

Where to Stay

Dartmoor has excellent accommodation at every price point. For groups, the best options are:

• Budget: Backpack camping is permitted on much of Dartmoor — the Supreme Court upheld the right in 2025, making it the only place in England with a general right to wild camp — but it applies to designated areas only, so check the Dartmoor National Park Authority's camping map before you go. Basic campsites are the cheapest roofed-adjacent option — see our Devon campsites guide for sites that take groups.
• Mid-range: The Globe Inn on Chagford High Street and the Ring O' Bells on the square both put you in the middle of town, which matters on Dartmoor: nobody has to drive after dinner. The Ring O' Bells takes room bookings online. Check current room availability with the Globe directly — small pubs take rooms in and out of service.
• Luxury: Bovey Castle is a hotel on a 275-acre estate near North Bovey with a spa, golf and lodges as well as rooms. The lodges are what make it work for a group, because you get shared space rather than a corridor of separate rooms.

For more Dartmoor ideas, our social guide to exploring Dartmoor covers the best walks, pubs, and swimming spots in detail.

Where Are the Best Food Towns in Devon? Topsham and Dartmouth

Best for: 2-6 people | Duration: 2-3 days

Devon's food scene does not get the attention it deserves. While the national food media obsesses over London and the Cotswolds, Devon quietly produces some of the best eating in England — and a foodie circuit connecting Topsham and Dartmouth is one of the most rewarding culinary weekends you can have without leaving the county.

Day One: Topsham

Start in Topsham, a small estuary town just four miles south of Exeter. Despite its size, Topsham punches absurdly above its weight for food. The town has an independent butcher, baker, cheese shop, delicatessen, greengrocer, and fishmonger — all within walking distance of each other.

The Galley on Fore Street is a Michelin-listed seafood restaurant overlooking the River Exe estuary — the one we would book for the "big" meal if Topsham gets it. The Passage House Inn on Ferry Road is an old pub with waterside views, and the better choice for a sunny afternoon pint than a long dinner. Our foodie's guide to Topsham goes street by street. Darts Farm is across the Exe at Clyst St George, a short drive rather than part of the walk. It is a farm shop village with its own butcher and restaurant, and it is where you stock the cottage for the rest of the weekend.

Day Two: Dartmouth

Drive an hour south to Dartmouth for day two. This harbour town has a restaurant scene that would be impressive in a city three times its size. Book the Seahorse for the one expensive dinner of the weekend, and use Rockfish for the casual one. Bayards Cove Inn on Lower Street, by the old quay, works for a long, slow lunch because you are two minutes from the river walk afterwards. The Cherub Inn on Higher Street is a very old, small timber-framed pub: go for a drink, but do not try to seat eight there at short notice.

Our Dartmouth foodie day trip guide has the longer list. Between meals, walk along the river, take the Higher Ferry across to Kingswear, or walk a stretch of the South West Coast Path. Dartmouth's autumn food festival is a highlight of the county's calendar — check its own site for this year's dates — but the town eats well year-round.

How to Pitch It

At the cheap end this is set lunch menus, pub dinners and shared accommodation. In the middle it is à la carte lunches, one special dinner and a B&B. At the top it is a Seahorse dinner and a boutique hotel. The single biggest lever is which of the two dinners you make the expensive one — do it in Dartmouth, and eat cheaply and brilliantly in Topsham.

What Is There to Do in Exeter and Totnes? The Culture Weekend

Best for: 2-6 people | Duration: 2 days

If your group is more arts-and-independent-shops than beaches-and-barbecues, a weekend split between Exeter and Totnes covers Devon's cultural bases comprehensively.

Exeter

Exeter is Devon's capital and has a cathedral that has been standing since the 12th century, a museum and art gallery with free entry, a thriving independent food scene, and enough independent bars and restaurants to fill a weekend easily. The Quay area along the River Exe has been regenerated in recent years and is particularly good for a wander — the canal basin has independent cafés, studios, and antique shops.

Totnes

From Exeter, drive 40 minutes south (or take the train — Totnes is on the main line) to Totnes, a town that has made alternative culture its identity; our Totnes town guide covers it in depth. The high street is packed with plant-based restaurants, independent bookshops, art galleries, and community spaces. The Bull Inn on the High Street is the group dinner pick if you have mixed diets to feed, because it is a pub with a kitchen rather than a restaurant with a pub attached, and there is room to linger.

Totnes has a Norman castle overlooking the town, a Tudor Guildhall, steam railway trips along the Dart Valley, and the Dartington Estate — a Grade I-listed 14th-century estate that has been a centre for arts and ecology since the 1920s. The town's markets are worth timing your visit around: Friday is the big day, with Saturday markets too, and an Elizabethan market with costumed traders runs on summer mornings — check visittotnes.co.uk before travelling for a specific day.

Where Can You Have a Spa Weekend in Devon? Coast Path and Spa

Best for: 2-6 people | Duration: 2-3 days

Sometimes what a group of friends needs is not adventure or culture or food — it is rest. Devon is excellent for this. The combination of coastal walking, sea air, and a good spa creates the kind of weekend that sends you back to normal life feeling genuinely restored.

The Walk

The South West Coast Path runs for 630 miles around the coasts of Devon, Cornwall, Dorset, and Somerset, and some of its best stretches are in Devon. For a wellness weekend, pick a manageable section — the path from Ilfracombe to Mortehoe in North Devon (about 10 kilometres) offers dramatic cliff views, or the gentler stretch from Budleigh Salterton along the Jurassic Coast is stunning without being strenuous.

The Spa

Saunton Sands Hotel in North Devon has the Source Spa, a wellness centre overlooking one of the best beaches in England, with a thermal suite, sauna and steam facilities, a pool with sea views and a set of treatment rooms. Check the hotel for current spa day packages and what each one includes.

The Cary Arms and Spa sits on Beach Road at Babbacombe, right down at the water, which is the reason to choose it over a bigger spa hotel: a group can walk the coast path from the door and come back to treatments. It is small, so book spa slots for everyone at the same time rather than leaving it to the day.

How to Pitch It

The cheapest version of this weekend is free: a coastal walk, a packed lunch and a shared cottage. Add a spa day package and a pub dinner for the middle tier. The top tier is an overnight at Saunton Sands with a full spa day and dinner. The walk is the part that does most of the work, and it costs nothing.

Is a Devon Staycation Better Than Going Abroad?

Staycations with friends have three advantages over foreign holidays that are worth stating plainly.

They are easier to plan. No passport coordination, no flight comparisons, no transfer logistics. You pick a weekend, you pick a direction, you get in the car.

They are cheaper. Even a luxury Devon weekend costs less than a budget European city break once you factor in flights, transfers, and tourist prices. And because it is cheaper, you can do it more often — quarterly rather than annually, which means more time together and stronger friendships.

You get more time together. A weekend abroad includes airport hours, transfer hours, and the recovery day when you get home. With a staycation, you arrive and you are immediately on holiday.

Which Devon Pubs Have Rooms for a Weekend Away?

Best for: 2-6 people | Duration: 1-2 nights

For groups who love good food and drink but do not want the logistics of self-catering, a pub-with-rooms overnight is the simplest possible staycation. Pick one of Devon's excellent country pubs, book rooms, and let the evening unfold. No cooking. No cleaning. Just dinner, drinks, and a cooked breakfast the next morning.

Our dedicated guide to the best pubs with rooms in Devon covers the finest options across the county — For a first go, three do different jobs. The Nobody Inn at Doddiscombsleigh, in the Teign Valley below Dartmoor, is the one for a food-led night: it books tables and rooms online and runs a supper club. The Masons Arms in Branscombe is a 14th-century thatched inn in a Jurassic Coast village, so the next morning's walk down to the sea is built in. The Lamb Inn in Sandford, near Crediton, is the quiet, dog-friendly village option and the easiest of the three to reach from Exeter.

The pub trail concept works brilliantly for regular friends' getaways. Visit a different pub each quarter, rotate who books, and over a year you will have explored four corners of Devon without ever needing to pack more than an overnight bag.

What Else Is There to Do in Devon in 2026?

If none of the six weekends fits, a few more threads worth pulling. Exmouth is the start of the Jurassic Coast and the easiest seaside day from Exeter. Glamping, shepherd's huts and other unusual stays give groups the outdoors without the tent. And Devon's food festivals, in Dartmouth, Topsham and Exeter among others, run through the warmer months; check each festival's own site for this year's dates.

Car-free trips are practical too. The Exe Estuary Trail connects Exeter to Exmouth by bike, and Devon's rail network — including the Riviera Line along the sea wall to Dawlish and Teignmouth and the Avocet Line to Exmouth — makes a staycation without a car realistic.

Devon has everything you need for a holiday — beaches, mountains (well, moors), excellent food, culture, adventure, and the kind of scenery that makes you pull over and just look. The only thing it lacks is the bragging rights of a foreign postcard. And honestly, once you have watched the sunset from Salcombe harbour or stood on top of Haytor on a clear morning, you will not miss the postcard.

Pick a weekend. Pick a type. Text the group chat. Devon is waiting.