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5 Essential Things to do in Devon For Families
- By Sandy Lee
- Published 11/2/2008
- Travel & Leisure
- Unrated
Sandy Lee
Devon's Crealy is one of many exciting things to do in Devon. Visit us today!
View all articles by Sandy Lee
There are plenty of things to do in Devon especially for families. Crealy Adventure Park, Devon’s biggest indoor and outdoor adventure park, has 100 acres packed with thrilling rides, play zones, friendly animals and locally sourced food. Brave pirates can board the Queen Bess Pirate ship or ride the Tidal Wave Log Flume. Count down to lift-off on the Meteorite, or dare to enter the lair of the Cave Bears and defend yourself from flying molten lava balls. Enjoy endless play in the Adventure Zone, go panning for gold, meet the ponies in the Pony Grooming Parlour, ride on the Victorian Carousel, or race a Techno Kart. Crealy Adventure Park is Devon’s ultimate adventure playgrounds and a fabulous, fun-filled family day out for all.
Ride a Steam Train
If you love the chuffing of a steam train, playful otters and exotic butterflies then why not take a trip on the South Devon Railway? Step aboard one of their original carriages pulled by a gleaming engine and ride alongside the river Dart to Buckfastleigh, home of the Transport Museum and where the engines are maintained - heaven for boys big and small! Next door at the Dartmoor Otter Sanctuary, rescued otters frolic in specially built enclosures, where you can see them swimming underwater. In the steamy surroundings of the Buckfastleigh Butterfly House, brilliantly coloured butterflies flit through the air. For those who enjoy farm animals the Totnes Rare Breeds Farm is adjacent to the Totnes South Devon station.
Hang out with Sharks
Like fish with big teeth? Then Plymouth’s
National Marine Aquarium has some residents they’d love you to meet. Here you can watch seahorses dancing in the Weird Creatures Zone, watch Emily, Enzo and Howardine the sand tiger sharks patrolling the huge Mediterranean Zone or watch Snorkel the logger head turtle gracefully swimming over reefs full of colourful fish and blacktip reef sharks in the Coral Sea Zone. Visit the Shallow Water Zone, home of Ernie the octopus and where the creatures of Plymouth Sound come into the aquarium’s rock pool.
Surfing in North Devon
If a family surfing safari is on your list of things to do in Devon, then Devon’s north coast is the perfect location with its sandy beaches where you can surf the Atlantic rollers. The beaches of Croyde and Woolacombe are the top spots to visit. Croyde boasts a five to one student to instructor ratio at the Surfing Croyde Bay Surfing School, whilst over at Woolacombe the Nick Thorne Surf School will help you master the fundamentals of the sport. They even hold kid’s surfing parties for a birthday with a difference!
Quaywest
If your family like their fun wet and wild then Quaywest must be one of your things to do in Devon. Quaywest is Britain's biggest, wildest and wettest theme park, with its eight slides, two kiddies pool areas and swimming pool. Thrill seekers can take the 65ft plunge at the Devils Drop, experience the Wild Kamikaze or take a tube ride on the Raging Rapids. Little folk will love to splash and slide in the Toon Town Pool, or climbing aboard the Submarine Adventure. The park is open from May to September and nearby Goodrington sands, an award winning blue flag beach, is ideal for a spot of sandcastle building.
Ride a Steam Train
If you love the chuffing of a steam train, playful otters and exotic butterflies then why not take a trip on the South Devon Railway? Step aboard one of their original carriages pulled by a gleaming engine and ride alongside the river Dart to Buckfastleigh, home of the Transport Museum and where the engines are maintained - heaven for boys big and small! Next door at the Dartmoor Otter Sanctuary, rescued otters frolic in specially built enclosures, where you can see them swimming underwater. In the steamy surroundings of the Buckfastleigh Butterfly House, brilliantly coloured butterflies flit through the air. For those who enjoy farm animals the Totnes Rare Breeds Farm is adjacent to the Totnes South Devon station.
Hang out with Sharks
Like fish with big teeth? Then Plymouth’s
Surfing in North Devon
If a family surfing safari is on your list of things to do in Devon, then Devon’s north coast is the perfect location with its sandy beaches where you can surf the Atlantic rollers. The beaches of Croyde and Woolacombe are the top spots to visit. Croyde boasts a five to one student to instructor ratio at the Surfing Croyde Bay Surfing School, whilst over at Woolacombe the Nick Thorne Surf School will help you master the fundamentals of the sport. They even hold kid’s surfing parties for a birthday with a difference!
Quaywest
If your family like their fun wet and wild then Quaywest must be one of your things to do in Devon. Quaywest is Britain's biggest, wildest and wettest theme park, with its eight slides, two kiddies pool areas and swimming pool. Thrill seekers can take the 65ft plunge at the Devils Drop, experience the Wild Kamikaze or take a tube ride on the Raging Rapids. Little folk will love to splash and slide in the Toon Town Pool, or climbing aboard the Submarine Adventure. The park is open from May to September and nearby Goodrington sands, an award winning blue flag beach, is ideal for a spot of sandcastle building.
