The Local's Guide
Things to Do in Exeter
The best things to do in Exeter: eat along Magdalen Road and the quay, walk the cathedral quarter and Roman walls, take Brunel's sea-wall railway to Dawlish, swim wild on Dartmoor in summer — and use the city's quizzes, clubs, parkruns and supper tables to actually meet people while you do it.
Eat and drink your way around the city
Exeter's food scene has quietly become one of the best in the South West — independent-led, walkable, and far cheaper than Bristol or London.
- The best restaurants in Exeter
From Stage's tasting menus to the bookings everyone fights over.
- Magdalen Road: Exeter's coolest street
A whole independent high street — bakery to tasting menu.
- The best fish and chips in Exeter and Devon
City chippies and the award-winning seaside legends.
- Afternoon tea, done properly
Michelin-starred manors to £5.50 cream teas.
- The best breakfast in Exeter
Award-winning fry-ups and quayside brunches.
Get outside: Devon on your doorstep
Twenty minutes from the city centre you can be swimming in a Dartmoor river pool, walking a sea wall, or watching dolphins off the coast.
- Wild swimming spots
Sharrah Pool, sea coves and Devon's art-deco lidos.
- Dawlish and Teignmouth by train
Brunel's sea-wall railway — the easiest seaside day out.
- Kayaking and canoeing for beginners
Calm estuary paddles and river adventures.
- Day trips from Exeter
Topsham, Totnes, Dartmouth and the north coast.
- Stargazing on Dartmoor
An international Dark Sky Reserve within reach of the city.
Rainy-day Exeter
It rains in Devon. These are the indoor options locals actually use.
- Board game cafés
Hundreds of games and hosts who teach the rules.
- Escape rooms and axe throwing
The unusual stuff, ranked honestly.
- Cinemas, from multiplex to arthouse
Including the beloved Exeter Phoenix.
- The underground passages
Medieval tunnels under the high street — genuinely unique.
- Art classes and workshops
Pottery, painting, and sip-and-paint evenings.
Free things to do
Exeter rewards walkers: a thousand years of history is scattered across a compact, hilly, green city.
- Roman Exeter
City walls, bathhouse history and the ancient street plan.
- Gandy Street and the Cathedral Quarter
The prettiest lanes in the city, cost: nothing.
- The best walking routes
Quayside loops and the Green Circle.
- Photography spots
Where the postcard shots actually get taken.
- What's on in 2026
Festivals, markets and free events month by month.
Frequently asked questions
- What is Exeter best known for?
- Exeter is best known for its 900-year-old cathedral, medieval underground passages, the quayside on the River Exe, and its position between Dartmoor and the south Devon coast — with a fast-improving independent food scene.
- What can I do in Exeter for free?
- Walk the Roman city walls and Cathedral Green, explore Gandy Street and the quay, follow the Green Circle walking route, or time a visit for the free festivals — the sea shanty festival and street markets cost nothing.
- What should I do in Exeter when it rains?
- Board game cafés, escape rooms, the medieval underground passages, the Royal Albert Memorial Museum, cinemas including Exeter Phoenix, and art workshops all keep you dry.
- How can I meet new people in Exeter?
- Pick recurring social activities: pub quizzes, parkrun, book clubs, running clubs — or book a Dinners With Friends table, where sharing dinner with new people is the entire point.
- Is Exeter worth visiting for a weekend?
- Yes — two days covers the cathedral quarter, the quay, Magdalen Road's food scene and a seaside train trip to Dawlish or Teignmouth, all without a car.
The best things to do are better with company
Dinners With Friends hosts community dinners at Exeter's best venues — book a seat, turn up, and leave with new friends to do all of this with.
Meet people while you're at it
The best things to do in a city are the ones that come with company. These are the activities where turning up alone is completely normal.
Monday to Sunday, £1–£2 a head, teams welcome strangers.
Free timed 5ks and clubs with no-drop policies.
Including Silent Book Club — no set reading, no pressure.
Regular groups for every interest and age.
Book a seat at a table of friendly strangers — meeting people is the whole point.