Why Devon Deserves Three Days
There is a version of Devon that most people know: a day trip to the beach, a cream tea, maybe a wander around a pretty harbour town. And that version is lovely. But it barely scratches the surface. Devon is the rare English county with a coast on two seas — north and south — separated by Dartmoor National Park, a vast wilderness of granite tors, wild rivers, and ancient pubs. To see it properly, you need time. And to enjoy it properly, you need good company.
A three-day road trip with friends is, in our experience, the sweet spot. Long enough to feel like a proper adventure. Short enough that nobody needs to negotiate annual leave. And the route we have mapped out covers the three faces of Devon that make it unlike anywhere else in the country: the rugged beauty of Dartmoor, the turquoise waters and harbour towns of the South Devon coast, and the dramatic surf beaches of North Devon.
This is not a whistle-stop tour. This is a road trip designed for lingering — for long pub lunches, spontaneous swims, and the kind of unhurried conversations that only happen when you take people out of their routine and put them somewhere beautiful.
Pack the car. Text the group chat. Here is your three-day Devon road trip.
Before You Go: What to Pack
Devon's weather is famously changeable. You can start the morning in sunshine and be in horizontal rain by lunch. Pack for everything:
- Layers: A waterproof jacket is non-negotiable. Fleeces and hoodies for Dartmoor evenings.
- Swimwear and a towel: Wild swimming opportunities will present themselves, and you will regret not being prepared.
- Walking shoes: Not trainers. Proper shoes or boots with grip. Dartmoor is boggy, coastal paths are uneven, and you will thank yourself.
- Sunscreen: The Devon sun is deceptive. You will burn on the moor and on the coast.
- A reusable water bottle and snacks: You will be in the car more than you think, and rural Devon does not always have a shop around the corner.
- Cash: Some of the best pubs and cafes in Devon are still cash-only or have patchy card machines.
- A decent playlist or podcast: The A-roads through Devon are beautiful but long.
This route is written for late spring to early autumn. The wild swimming, the beaches and several of the attractions along the way are seasonal, and a number of them run restricted opening days even in season — check each one before you build a morning around it. The trip is shaped as a loop from Exeter, so it also assumes you are driving back there at the end of day three.
Day One: Exeter to Dartmoor
Morning: Haytor
Start in Exeter. If your group is driving from different places, Exeter is the natural meeting point — it sits at the junction of the M5 and the A38, and the drive out to the Haytor car park takes the best part of forty minutes.
Your first stop is Haytor, one of Dartmoor's most iconic granite tors. The car park is well-signposted off the B3387, and from there it is a short walk up to the rocks. The path is clear but can be muddy after rain, so those walking shoes earn their keep early. At the top, you get panoramic views across Devon — on a clear day you can see both coastlines. It is one of those views that makes the entire trip feel worth it.
The tor itself is worth exploring. You can scramble up the rocks if you are feeling adventurous, and the quarries nearby are fascinating — granite from Haytor was used in the building of the original London Bridge.
Lunch: The Rock Inn, Haytor Vale
Walk back down from Haytor and drive five minutes to Haytor Vale, where you will find the Rock Inn. It is a traditional coaching inn, and the pub's own history ties it to the Haytor granite quarries and the men who worked them. Today it serves excellent food using locally sourced meat, game, and fresh fish, alongside Dartmoor ales. There are rooms upstairs if you fancy staying, but for day one, you are here for a proper pub lunch by the log fire.
The Rock Inn is the kind of place where you sit down for a quick bite and look up two hours later wondering where the time went. Let it happen. This is what the trip is for.
If your group is larger than six, ring the Rock Inn ahead to book a table — it is popular with walkers and can fill up quickly at weekends, particularly during summer. Book via their website at rock-inn.co.uk.
Afternoon: Wild Swimming at Spitchwick Common
After lunch, drive about 20 minutes south to Spitchwick Common, near Buckland in the Moor. This is arguably the most popular wild swimming spot on Dartmoor — a beautiful stretch of the River Dart with a genuinely deep pool, grassy banks perfect for picnicking, and ancient woodland all around.
The water is clean but cold, even in summer. The peaty Dartmoor water gives it a dark, tannin-rich colour that looks dramatic against the granite boulders. There is a large car park nearby, and the walk to the water is short and easy. Be warned: Spitchwick gets busy in peak summer. If you want it quieter, arrive early or visit on a weekday.
Wild swimming with friends is one of those experiences that bonds people in a way that sitting in a restaurant never quite manages. There is something about the cold water, the shared nervousness, and the ridiculous grinning afterwards that strips away pretence. If your group has never tried it, this is the place to start.
Evening: Chagford
Drive 30 minutes north to Chagford, a handsome Dartmoor stannary town that has reinvented itself as one of Devon's best small food destinations. Check into your accommodation and head out for dinner.
Where to stay: The Globe Inn offers seven comfortable rooms above a family-run pub with excellent food and genuine Devon hospitality. For something more upmarket, the Three Crowns is an ancient inn with contemporary style, granite features, and a restaurant using locally sourced seasonal produce. If budget allows and you want a proper treat, Gidleigh Park is a country-house hotel on the edge of the River Teign with a Michelin star, a large stretch of Dartmoor grounds, and rooms that will make the group chat jealous for months.
Where to eat: The Chagford Inn on Mill Street is a food-led pub serving fresh, local seasonal produce with a policy of keeping things local. The Ring O' Bells on The Square is an old inn combining traditional classics with contemporary dishes. Both serve excellent food in atmospheric settings, and both are the kind of places where you end up staying longer than planned.
Day Two: Dartmoor to the South Devon Coast
Morning: Drive to Dartmouth
Leave Chagford after breakfast and drive south towards the coast. The route through Dartmoor is spectacular — winding roads, open moorland, wild ponies — and it is a good chunk of the morning by the time you reach Dartmouth. Do not rush it. Stop when something catches your eye. That is the point of a road trip.
Dartmouth is a historic port town on the western bank of the River Dart, and it is one of Devon's real gems. The town has a serious food scene — Mitch Tonks's Seahorse is an award-winning seafood restaurant that has earned a spot in the Michelin Guide, and Rockfish on the harbourside serves sustainably caught fish landed at nearby Brixham. The Cherub Inn is housed in one of the oldest buildings in the town and serves proper pub food in one of the most atmospheric settings in Devon.
Spend the morning wandering the narrow streets, browsing the independent shops, and stopping for coffee. The Dartmouth Food Festival in October is the town's culinary highlight, but honestly, you can eat extraordinarily well here any time of year.
Dartmouth is also the gateway to some of Devon's best coastal walking. The South West Coast Path runs through town, and if you have time for a detour, our guide to exploring Dartmoor covers the best walking options in the wider area.
Afternoon: Salcombe
From Dartmouth, the road to Salcombe cuts inland through Halwell and Kingsbridge — under an hour, and prettier than the map suggests. This is South Devon's postcard town — a harbour filled with sailing boats, turquoise water that looks like it belongs in the Mediterranean, and a relaxed, slightly upmarket atmosphere.
The beaches near Salcombe are outstanding. South Sands is the most accessible — a family-friendly beach with calm water and a beachfront cafe. North Sands is slightly quieter and perfect for paddling. For something more secluded, take the small ferry across the estuary to Mill Bay or Sunny Cove, two hidden beaches that feel genuinely undiscovered (the ferry is seasonal, so check it is running).
For lunch, try the Winking Prawn at North Sands — a relaxed beachside cafe with excellent seafood, including a legendary fruits de mer platter. Or head round to the Crab Shed on the fish quay at Gould Road, a no-frills quayside restaurant serving some of the best seafood in Devon.
If you have time, walk up to Overbeck's Garden, the National Trust's subtropical garden on the cliffs above Salcombe, with panoramic views over the estuary. Check the opening days before you set off — the garden runs a restricted week and a March-to-October season, and the house itself is closed for repairs. If your day two lands on one of the closed days, swap it for the coast path out towards Bolt Head, which is free, open every day, and every bit as good a view.
Evening: South Devon Accommodation
For your second night, base yourselves somewhere in the South Hams. Options range from budget to luxury:
- Budget: Camping or basic B&Bs around Kingsbridge or Totnes — the cheapest way to keep the group together for a night.
- Mid-range: A holiday cottage or Airbnb shared between the group works well in this area. Aim for Dartmouth, Salcombe, or one of the villages in between.
- Luxury: Brownscombe Luxury Glamping near Compton offers safari tents and cabins with private hot tubs in a peaceful South Devon valley, about five miles from Totnes and the coast. It is properly special and works brilliantly for groups.
Day Three: North Devon
Morning: Drive North
Your final day takes you to North Devon — a completely different landscape from the south. Where South Devon is sheltered harbours and turquoise coves, North Devon is dramatic cliffs, huge surf beaches, and wild Atlantic energy. The drive from the South Hams takes about two hours, depending on your route. Take the A38 and then the A361 — the North Devon Link Road — which is the quickest way across the county.
Late Morning: Croyde
Croyde is a surfing village with a legendary beach. Even if nobody in your group surfs, the beach is spectacular — a wide, sandy bay backed by dunes and headlands, with waves rolling in from the Atlantic. There are surf schools along the beach road if anyone fancies a lesson, and the village itself has a handful of good cafes and pubs.
Baggy Point, the headland at the north end of Croyde Bay, is a short walk from the village and offers some of the best coastal views in Devon. The path loops around the headland — it is manageable for most fitness levels and genuinely stunning.
Lunch: Woolacombe
Drive ten minutes north to Woolacombe, which has one of the best beaches in Britain — a long stretch of golden sand backed by dunes. Even on busy summer days, the beach is so large that you can find space. Park up, walk along the sand, and find somewhere for lunch.
Woolacombe has a good selection of beach cafes and surf bars, but for something with more substance, the Woolacombe Bay Hotel overlooks the beach and has a restaurant with sea views.
Afternoon: Ilfracombe
Finish your trip in Ilfracombe, a Victorian harbour town 20 minutes east along the coast. The town has been reinvented in recent years — Damien Hirst's 66-foot bronze sculpture, Verity, stands on the pier and has become one of Devon's most recognisable landmarks. The harbour is picturesque, the town has good independent restaurants and cafes, and the views from Capstone Hill are a fitting end to a three-day tour of Devon. Factor the drive back into the day, though — Exeter is a good hour and a quarter from here, so decide before the last pint whether anyone is stopping over.
If your group has energy left and you have built in the time, the coastal walk from Ilfracombe to Mortehoe along the South West Coast Path is one of the most dramatic stretches of coastline in the county. It is linear, so sort the return before you set off — the 31 bus links the two, or leave a second car at the far end.
The Social Case for Road Trips
We write a lot about the best day trips from Exeter and ways to get groups of friends together. But there is something about a multi-day trip that goes deeper. Day trips are maintenance. Road trips are investment.
When you spend three days in a car with people — navigating, deciding where to eat, arguing about the playlist, getting lost on Dartmoor — you learn things about each other that years of pub nights never reveal. You discover who is the early riser, who cannot read a map, who always finds the best pub, and who brings snacks without being asked. These are the details that turn acquaintances into genuine friends.
Split the costs before you go. Agree on a rough daily budget per person that covers fuel, food, and accommodation if you are sharing, set up a group pot or use a splitting app, and take the stress out of who-owes-what. Financial awkwardness kills group trips faster than bad weather.
Devon has everything you need for a road trip that people will talk about for years. Two coastlines, a national park, proper pubs, wild swimming spots, and the kind of scenery that makes you pull over and just stare. All within a county you can cross in a couple of hours. If your summer plans need a centrepiece, this is it.
The only thing left is to pick a date and tell the group chat.