When we first moved to Devon finding things to do in the first few months of the year was a bit of a conundrum. Many family attractions don’t open regularly until Easter. But a few years we had found our Spring fun groove discovering places to visit and ways to dodge the often dodgier weather. Read on for our suggestions for things to do in Devon in Spring.
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What’s on in the Devon school holidays
Looking for things to do in the school holidays in Devon? Take a look at my guides to:
- what’s on over February half term
- what’s on in March
- things to do in Devon at Easter
- where to find Easter egg hunts
- and what’s on in May half term.
I update these guides each month as events are announced, so if they are a bit light when you look bookmark them for later.
Places to visit this Spring
If you want to experience all the joys of Spring I have a separate guide to the best places to find seasonal flowers, meet baby animals and enjoy the milder weather after a long winter.
Have a read of my post all about the best places to visit in Devon in Springtime.
Go for a train ride
In South Devon, the Dartmouth Steam Railway starts running between Dartmouth and Paignton from February (just the train, not the Round Robin), as does South Devon Railway, which travels between Totnes and Buckfastleigh.
In North Devon, the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway starts running trains along its one mile track from April. Lynton and Lynmouth Cliff Railway is open daily from mid-February.
If you’d like a train themed day out, check out Pecorama at Beer in East Devon which opens in the Spring (keep an eye on its website for dates).
Visit a Devon theme park
If your kids enjoy thrill rides, massive indoor adventure play areas, slides and amusements then head to one of Devon’s theme parks over the weekends and school holidays in the Spring.
Book your tickets online and you’ll probably find you can get a discount on entry.
If the weather is bad we can recommend Crealy Adventure Park, Woodlands Family Theme Park and The Milky Way as great places to go on a wet day in Devon.
Hit the beach
We love a beach walk whatever the time of year and it’s even better when we can bring our dog. Most Devon beaches allow dogs before Easter.
Here’s some of our favourite South Devon beaches including Bantham, Blackpool Sands and Goodrington Sands.
There’s also some epic beaches on the North Devon coast.
Visit an adventure playground
There’s plenty of outdoor playgrounds in Devon where you can entertain the kids for free on a sunny day.
Here’s a list of adventure playgrounds recommended by members of my Facebook group.
Top tip: if you are visiting Devon or live here and want recommendations from other parents, join my Facebook group.
Walk on the moor
Dartmoor National Park is a wonderful place to explore on foot whatever the time of year but generally, you’ll find it less busy outside of the main holiday seasons.
The highest point on Dartmoor rises more than 2,000ft above sea level so there’s a good chance you might see snow in February and March.
If you are looking for things to do in Dartmoor in Spring we can recommend an easy walk to Haytor from the Dartmoor Visitor Centre, or a walk around the grounds and outdoor adventure play areas at River Dart Country Park near Ashburton.
For a good place to scoot and cycle check out Avon Dam which has a tarmac path.
Here’s some more easy walks in Dartmoor.
Walk the coast path
There’s northing like a refreshing walk beside the sea to wake you up from your winter hibernation.
Here are some of our favourite coast walks in Devon:
- Gara Rock to Mill Bay near Salcombe in South Devon
- Berry Head Nature Reserve near Brixham, South Devon
- Little Dartmouth to Dartmouth Castle in Dartmouth, South Devon
- Brownstone Battery near Kingswear in South Devon
- The Valley of Rocks near Lynton in North Devon
Do check tides and weather conditions before you set off as these walks are very exposed.
Go underground
Seeking wet day fun in the Spring? Kents Cavern in Torquay is open and there’s plenty of family activities happening over half term and Easter.
Explore the ancient caves and find out all about the many people and animals that have sheltered here over the millennia.
Here’s my guide to visiting Kents Cavern with kids.
Visit a museum
Another top thing to do in Devon on a wet day is visit one of our museums.
RAMM in Exeter and The Box in Plymouth are open all year round and are free to visit.
Both museums focus on natural history, Devonian culture and arts, and have plenty of interactive exhibits to entertain kids.
Other indoor places to check out include:
- Dinosaur World in Torquay, South Devon
- Bygones in Torquay, South Devon
- Torquay Museum in South Devon
- Brixham Heritage Museum in South Devon
- Dartington Crystal Visitor Centre, Torrington, North Devon
Here’s some more ideas for places to visit when the weather sucks.
Meet Devon’s animal residents
There are several zoos in Devon as well as aquariums and animal parks that are open all year round. Paignton Zoo is a full day out with elephants, apes and giraffes.
If you like aquariums than you’ll find the UK’s largest tank at the National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth and in North Devon Ilfracombe Aquarium is a bijou attraction offering a great insight into what’s in Devon’s waters.
A smaller zoo that still has plenty to please animal lovers is Dartmoor Zoo, which inspired the movie ‘We Bought A Zoo’.
And if you’re a fan of donkeys you will love The Donkey Sanctuary near Sidmouth.
Visit a National Trust property
National Trust properties in Devon will have their doors, gardens and grounds open for exploring in the Spring.
Grab a kids activity trail, tick off some of the 50 things to do before you’re 11 ¾, and find adventure playgrounds nestled in the woods.
Our favourite Devon National Trust properties are: Saltram near Plymouth; Killerton near Exeter; Coleton Fishacre near Brixham; Buckland Abbey on Dartmoor; and Greenway near Galmpton.
Visit a English Heritage site
English Heritage has several sites in Devon that are open to the public from the Spring. School holiday activities and tours will be happening at:
More things to do in Devon
Check out more things to do in Devon in the winter for attraction opening times up until March.
Whether you’re planning a family holiday in Devon in February, May, August or October you’ll find lots of helpful information about things to do and places to stay in my guide to Devon holidays.
Here are some more posts you might find handy when planning your trip:
- Devon attractions for families
- Must-visit places in East Devon
- Things to do in North Devon
- What to do in South Devon with kids
- Things to do in West Devon
- Places to visit in Mid Devon
- Things to do on Dartmoor
- Events in Devon
Download the 101 Days out in Devon with kids ebook
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Grab your copy of this guide to family-friendly things to do across the county, from coast to coast, in the cities, on the moors and whatever the weather.
Planning a trip to Devon ahead of the summer rush? Why not pin this post about things to do in Devon in Spring for future reference?!
