The best things to do in Exeter with kids – family Devon

After years visiting Devon, Exeter is one place I’ve always wanted to explore more – so when I spotted a place to stay in the city for our last-minute summer escape, I jumped at the chance to check out more of Exeter with kids.

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We stayed for a short break, including a day out at the beach at Exmouth and another day exploring Dartmoor, but otherwise stuck to the city on this trip.

Even if you’re only spending one day in Exeter, you can pack a lot in, although with some great family attractions in Exeter, options for kids who love history, free days out in Exeter with kids and for a rainy day in Exeter too, it’s not hard to spend a lot longer. Here are some of my favourite things to do in Exeter with kids to get you started.

Canoe from Exeter Quay

Easily one of my favourite activities of our whole trip was heading off in a canoe for a few hours from Exeter Quayside – a great suggestion from the Devon with Kids Facebook group that’s well worth checking out.

The Quay itself is a lovely place to wander, packed with quirky little shops, waterfront restaurants and the old Custom House (now a visitor centre) with cannon outside, along with several places offering ways to get out on the water.

We picked Saddles & Paddles, where you can hire bikes as well as kayaks, canoes and stand-up paddleboards. We went for one of the family-sized canoes which seats four (two adults and two kids) for two hours, popped on our buoyancy aids and set off up the river to the canal to see what we could find.

It’s easy to do, even if you’re not expert (like us!) and we had plenty of chance to spot swans and cygnets – from a wary distance – as well as enjoying the countryside. The Double Locks pub is a handy stopping point with tables outdoors and by the river.

We booked a table online, and you can order via the Youngs on Tap app, plus there’s even a spot outside to leave paddles.

Our two-hour jaunt gave us enough time to paddle there, get our canoe safely out of the water, have a drink, dodge a hissing swan sitting on the pontoon to get back into the water, and return to Exeter quayside in time.

You can leave bags at Saddles & Paddles, which is a great idea if you’ve got anything you don’t want getting wet.

I took my water-resistant Osprey rucksack wrapped in my Joules packaway raincoat and it survived our enthusiastic paddling and the puddles from previous summer drizzle, but a drysack isn’t a bad idea if you want to make sure nothing gets soggy, or something like my trusty waterproof case for phones.

Explore Exeter Quayside

When you’ve finished your paddle – or before you set up – save some time to explore the Exeter quayside – once the city’s river port, the old buildings have been transformed into places to eat and some quirky independent shops.

My tip – pizza at On The Waterfront (with some celebratory prosecco after our paddle/swan encounter)… and has pizzas so big, none of us wanted anything to eat for the rest of the day.

You can also learn a little more about the quayside’s history at the Exeter Custom House Visitor Centre, which covers everything from Roman Exeter to the city’s flourishing cloth trade. There are also some walking tours which leave from this spot.

Learn more about Exeter history

There are centuries of history to discover in Exeter – the Romans called it Isca Dumnoniorum, the Normans built Rougemont Castle here and you can still see the remains of the medieval bridge over the river Exe and the 900-year-old St Nicholas Priory.

Said to be the most haunted place in Exeter, it has been a monastery and a home to Tudor merchants during its history, and you can visit at weekends to learn more (or look for ghosts).

You can follow a free Exeter medieval trail or city wall trail to discover more history, or it’s always fun to follow a treasure trail with kids, so the Exeter Treasure Trail is another good bet.

Visit Exeter cathedral

After paddling and pizza (and with rain forecast for the afternoon) we headed to the wonderful Exeter Cathedral for a chance to explore this slice of history in Exeter with kids.

The building itself is over 900 years old, and the sense of history is incredible… quite apart from gazing at the Gothic architecture, from the carvings outside to stained glass windows under the soaring arches of the roof. Look out for the carved mermaid!

There is brass rubbing for kids, as well as a chance to spot the 15th century astronomonical clock.

There are tours of the cathedral, plus you can book special tours of the roof, with children’s activities often taking place in holidays, alongside a kids’ cathedral trail.

You can help build a Lego cathedral though, with a £1 donation requested for each brick added – the finished model will be 3.6m long, 2m wide and over 1m high.

For me, the biggest attraction is the history, wandering past medieval tombs of local bishops and Earls… plus a plaque I spotted for the impressively named Reverend Nutcombe Nutcombe!

Admission is currently free with a voluntary donation requested.

Royal Albert Memorial Museum

The Royal Albert Memorial Museum (or RAMM) is a great free day out in Exeter with kids, with displays telling the history of Devon from the prehistoric to the present, as well as an Egyptian tomb, plus animals including an elephant, whale and Gerald the giraffe.

You can also discover world culture, more natural history, 18th and 19th century exploration and art inside the museum.

The Victorian building has plenty of chances for kids to get hands-on, as well as regular family events during holidays.

Discover Exeter’s medieval tunnels

The city’s underground passages were built for drinking water pipes back in medieval times, and you can still venture down beneath the surface of the city to discover this unusual slice of Exeter history.

The medieval tunnels are the only ones of their kind in the UK, and as part of the tour for over-fives and up, you can also visit the interpretation centre with models, videos, artefacts from the dig and the talking figure of a medieval man. Booking recommended.

Go climbing in Exeter

For another adventurous day out, Clip’n’Climb Exeter is open to kids aged four and above, including for total beginners to try their hands at scaling the centre’s indoor climbing wall.

A great option for rainy days in Exeter with kids, it’s open seven days a week, so it’s also perfect for active kids year-round.

Things to do near Exeter with kids

If you’ve got a car, there are plenty of options of things for families near Exeter, including theme parks, historic houses, and a chance to get outdoors – quite apart from visiting pretty nearby towns like Topsham. Here’s my pick of some of the best.

Killerton

According to legend, Killerton is home to a sleeping dragon, who snoozes on a hill nearby – perfect to get kids out exploring the grounds.

There are trails in the woodland, gardens to explore and a lovely play area, all before you set foot in the house at this National Trust property near Exeter, where you can check out the historic fashion collection, which is surprisingly engaging even for younger kids, plus a trail to help you explore.

The estate is huge – 10 square miles, with outdoor trails galore plus gardens and woodland as well as a lovely little play area, even if you don’t spot so much as a scaly wing. Look out for the bear’s hut too, which was actually once home to the family’s pet bear.

Check out what we thought of a day at Killerton with kids – including some dragon spotting

Powderham Castle

Just outside Exeter on the banks of the Exe estuary, you can find the home of the Earl and Countess of Devon at Powderham Castle – and along with the chance to join a guided tour inside, there’s a huge amount to entertain in the grounds.

Be king of your own castle in the wooden fort of the play area (inspired by the centuries of history inside the ancient home of the Courtenay family), spot the farm animals, wander through gardens galore and join in the regular family activities, including trails and crafts.

There are sometimes opportunities to check out the deer park, plus regular family trails and activities throughout the year as well.

Find out more about a day at Powderham Castle with kids after a visit with my daughter

Visit Dartmoor

Exeter is only around half an hour from the edges of Dartmoor, so whether you’re tempted by letterboxing, one of the Dartmoor cycle trails, spotting wild ponies or trying an easy walk on Dartmoor with kids, there’s plenty to do.

Check out my picks of some of the best things to do on and around Dartmoor with kids, including an easy walk to two tors and some Dartmoor attractions

Castle Drogo

On the north side of Dartmoor, you can also explore the last castle to be built in England – Castle Drogo has recently undergone a major renovation project by the National Trust, and you can tour the house now all the scaffolding has come down.

There’s plenty to do in the grounds as well. Discover the miniature play house in the gardens, follow spotter trails and walk to the Teign Gorge.

Haldon Forest Park

The sprawling 3,500 acres of woodland at this Forestry England site is only 15 minutes from Exeter – like most of the ones around the country, Haldon Forest Park has various different walking trails, as well as cycle routes and there are often extra themed family activities such as the Julia Donaldson-inspired trails.

There’s mountain biking for older adventurers and a gentler 1 ½ mile Discovery Trail for families, among others walking routes, plus Go Ape treetops adventure course and archery lessons as well.

If you’re looking for a bigger active challenge, sadly The Bear Trail in Cullompton has now closed

Wildwood Escot

This little wildlife park is home to creatures which once lived – or still live – wild in the British Isles, as well as a maze, a Saxon village and various play areas.

We spotted wolves, an Arctic fox, wildcat and birds of prey as well as walking through the red squirrel enclosure.

Crealy Theme Park

Regularly voted the best day out in Devon, the award-winning Crealy Theme Park has rides and attractions as well as a small zoo, plus indoor play areas – all in all, the park covers 100 acres with more than 60 rides and attractions.

The biggest family theme park in the south-west, it also has a massive 75,000ft of undercover play and outdoor adventure areas as well as the classic coasters and rides, not to mention more than 200 animals to meet so there’s something for all ages.

Not far from Exeter and just off the M5, it’s a great one to combine with a break in the city or Dartmoor.

Explore Topsham

Around 20 minutes from Exeter, Topsham makes a lovely day trip from the city – it’s easy to while away hours wandering down to the quayside, walking along the seafront, plus there’s a nature reserve to explore too.

Once Exeter‘s major port, with a thriving industry from the nearby textile trade and a quay dating back to 1316, it has historic links to the Netherlands and houses that still date from the 17th century – it might be a lot quieter today, but it’s still such a pretty place to explore.

There’s also an outdoor pool if you’re visiting when the weather’s good, and you can cycle along the Exe Estuary path from here too.

Here’s what we thought on a visit to Topsham with kids

Beach near Exeter with kids

There are several beaches near Exeter, so you’ve got a choice if you want to mix city with coast – head east to Sidmouth, where the pebbly beach is great for rock pools, or south towards Dawlish Warren and Shaldon, all within about half an hour’s drive.

If you’re heading to Shaldon, we loved Ness Cove – you pass through a smuggler’s tunnel to get to the little beach with its reddish sand, and there’s also a small wildlife park nearby.

For more days on the sand, check out my pick of the best beaches in Devon with kids

But one of the closest beaches to Exeter is Exmouth: perfect if you’re looking for sandcastles and paddling, as well as a chance of rock pools.

One tip: make sure you check the tide times! As ever, the rockpools are best at low tide… we turned up as the tide was rising and by the time we’d finished building our sandcastles and my daughter had done her paddling, we’d missed our chance.

The best spots are around Maer Rocks – wander along the front from Exmouth town centre past the lifeboat station to find them. It’s a lovely walk anyway, stopping to spot some artwork, the huge gleaming lifeboat, and my daughter entertained herself with her net by the groynes.

More things to do in Exmouth with kids

There’s more to try in Exmouth with kids than sitting on the beach too, you can also take one of the Stuart Line Cruises heading down to Torquay and Brixham, or out along the coast.

The one-hour mini cruises are ideal for families, but you can also choose longer trips along the Jurassic Coast and to Sidmouth.

For a shorter boat trip, there’s also the Exmouth-Starcross ferry which takes you across the estuary, so you could see Exmouth beach in the morning and head to Dawlish Warren for the afternoon if you fancied!

And it’s not a proper day at the seaside without fish and chips. When I started looking for the best ones to try, I discovered Exmouth has an impressive number in the top picks.

We went for Land & Sea (previously called the Point Bar & Grill) near the marina, at one of the outdoor tables: there’s a kids’ menu with non-fish options too. You can also try Rockfish Exmouth – we’ve visited the Brixham and Torquay branches so it’s always a favourite – or The Proper Fish and Chips Co for a quicker takeaway.

Sadly the little land train which pootled along the seafront and around the town is not currently running.

Where to stay in Exeter with kids

We stayed in a lovely AirBNB house in walking distance of the city centre – a big old Victorian house that’s currently being renovated, it had a huge kitchen with everything we needed (including a fab coffee machine), large bathroom, two bedrooms, living and dining room, plus parking and a garden.

On the edge of the city, it was also ideal for exploring – around half an hour from both Exmouth’s beach and the edges of Dartmoor. 

You can check out more self-catering cottages in Devon, including options near Exeter, or family-friendly hotels in Exeter.

*First published 2020, last updated 2026*

PIN FOR LATER: THINGS TO DO IN EXETER WITH KIDS

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Exeter tunnels images courtesy Visit Exeter, all others copyright MummyTravels

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