Best Places to Visit in Devon for a Dog Friendly Holiday

Devon is a stunning county in the West of England with many places to visit for a dog friendly holiday. It has a stunning coastline with many picturesque fishing villages and tourist resorts. Devon is also home to Dartmoor and Exmoor national parks. They both have stunning countryside for dog walking.

Brixham Devon UK

I have enjoyed many holidays on the South Devon coast and trips out in the rest of the county. These include visiting Dawlish, Exmouth, Torquay and more. The north of the county is also is a special place to visit, especially the Barnstaple area. There are options for stunning clifftop walks and wonderful memories of a wreck fishing trip.

The South-West Coast Path is a long distance walking trail that includes the whole coastline of Devon. The hiking route is very long, however it can be broken into smaller chunks for a dog walk or a multi-day hike.

Best Places To Visit in Devon For a Dog Friendly Holiday

Some of the best places for a dog friendly summer holiday. This includes some popular holiday destinations in the county.

Brixham, a fishing port

Brixham is one of the lesser-known places in the English Riviera. The town is a picturesque place with a fishing harbour. As a result, the local seafood restaurants serve some great quality fish and crab. The town has a replica of Sir Francis Drake’s Gallion, The Golden Hind, as a centrepiece.

Holidays in Devon

Brixham is a nice place for a day trip, or a holiday with dogs. Transport connections are good, including a regular dog friendly ferry to the town from Torbay. I really enjoy visiting the fishing port and sampling some of the local seafood. A special thing to try here are the fresh crab sandwiches.

Old Market House Restaurant Brixham

There are many places to dine out in the town with dogs, including The Blue Anchor and The Old Market House. Finding dog friendly holiday accommodation in Brixham is pretty straightforward and the Booking.com website has many options for hotels and guest houses.

Paignton a holiday town with a nice beach

Paignton Harbour

Paignton is a town in “The English Riviera” on the South Coast of Devon, a hot spot for tourists. There is a nice marina, harbour and beaches here to enjoy and all the usual English seaside features.

Paignton in Devon

One of the best attractions in the Devon town is the steam railway which takes you towards Dartmouth. You can take boat trips from Paignton too, or hop on a mackerel fishing boat to catch your tea. There are many options for places to stay in the town to choose from, some of which are dog friendly.

Eating out in Paignton is fantastic, and there are many dog friendly restaurants that serve seafood. Overall, Paignton is a fantastic and convenient place for a seaside break on the UK coast.

Teignmouth A Lovely Seaside Town

Teignmouth Lifeboat Station

Teignmouth is a gorgeous town on the coast which has many historic Georgian buildings. It also has long sandy beaches and eateries that serve fresh local food. The town is simple to get to, as it’s on the main railway line through the county. There are lots of seafront properties, including dog friendly holiday homes, that are ideal for a Staycation.

Back Beach Teignmouth

The Back Beach in the town is a nice place to hang out and as a bonus, it’s dog friendly all year round. There are lots of other nice places for walkies in the town and along the coast. Finding a dog friendly place to dine out is straightforward, including lots of pubs and restaurants.

Dawlish

Dawlish Town is pretty with a lovely park in the centre and plenty of shops. There are also many options for places to dine out, including some dog friendly restaurants. There are also lots of options for fish & chip shops, a staple of a UK seaside holiday.

The area near to Dawlish has many holiday parks which are great places to stay for a seaside holiday. Some of these are also pet friendly.

Dawlish Warren Beach From The Train

I have stayed in Dawlish Warren many times in my life and think it is fantastic. I usually stay at the Welcome Holiday Park in a self-catering chalet. The park has many facilities, including a pool, play areas and shops.

Dawlish Warren Beach

The beach is near to the centre of the town and is rather nice. One way there is a nature reserve to explore and towards the town is a big rock with a viewing point. The nature reserve is a great place for a dog walk and to see wildlife due to it being on the River Exe estuary. There are many species of birds and the occasional seal or lizard to spot.

Torquay in Torbay

Torquay has all the ingredients for a wonderful seaside break. It’s a popular holiday destination in England for very good reasons. There are lots of things to do in Torquay town, including having fun on the beach or exploring the beautiful marina. The beach in Torquay is nice, sandy and long, thus is great for walks, paddling or beach fun. It is also very close to the other seaside towns of the English Riviera, which are also nice.

Torquay Staycation

Ive enjoyed boat trips from the harbour, including fishing and a ferry to the nearby coast towns. Torquay has lots of options for places to dine out, including restaurants with sea views. Visitors also have a massive choice of holiday accommodation to pick from. This includes some holiday parks, self catering options and luxury hotels. You can find options on the Booking.com website. One of the big drawers for a break in Torquay is that it is easy to reach by train from most of the UK.

Exmouth A Nice Town By The Sea

The town of Exmouth and surrounding holiday sites are popular spots for a UK staycation. Exmouth is a town located where the River Exe meets the sea, near to the city of Exeter. There are loads of things to see and do in the town, including many excellent pet friendly restaurants.

Exmouth Ferry

There is a ferry from the town that crosses the River Exe. This is dog friendly and is a great way to reach the nature reserves in Dawlish Warren. Exmouth also has a nice beach which is 2-miles long and has sections that are dog friendly. 

Grapevine Pub Exmouth

Sandy Bay along the coast to the East is a great beach resort and popular with families. The beach is sandy and has some great rock pools and cliffs to explore. Dogs are allowed on the beach from November until the end of March each year. There are some other dog friendly sections on the beaches in Exmouth.

Barnstaple

On the north coast of Devon in England, is the picturesque town of Barnstaple. Barnstaple is on a lovely stretch of coast and is a fantastic place for a hiking staycation. For those that enjoy a night out, Barnstaple has a great vibe and has options for late night bars. The town also has a lovely port to explore and they also have options for boat trips from Barnstaple. You can also go on a deep sea fishing trip which is rather fun, where you can catch a variety of fish from the English Channel.

Dartmouth a Picturesque Town

Dartmouth is a picturesque town on the River Dart in South Devon. It is one of many great places to visit for a staycation or holiday. There are lots of things to see, including the pretty town centre and harbour. A fantastic thing to do while in the harbour is to drop a crab line and do some crab fishing. Other things to do in the area include visiting Dartmouth castle, enjoy the local beaches or do some hiking along the coast.

Dartmouth Devon

Dartmouth has lots of pubs and restaurants, many of which serve fresh local seafood. Many of these are dog friendly. For music lovers, the annual Dart Music Festival is an outstanding event and a fantastic time to visit the town. Overall, Dartmouth is a great place to visit and a fantastic base-camp for exploring the south Devon coastline.

Plymouth An Interesting City

One of the best places to visit in Devon for a city break is Plymouth. The city has many trains from the rest of the country, so is pretty easy to reach. Plymouth is a great city to visit to find out more about the maritime heritage of the UK and has some related attractions. Popular attractions include visiting the Plymouth Hoe, the Barbican and the Royal citadel.

Plymouth Devon

The waterfront is nice to see the sea and the River Tamar is great for a longer walk or to take part in some water sports. Meals out in Plymouth are fantastic and include seafood and locally produced cuisines. Plymouth has holiday accommodation ranging from budget places to luxury hotels with sea views.

Dartmoor For a Camping Holiday

For those that enjoy hiking and camping holidays, then the Dartmoor area of the county is wonderful. There are countless options for hiking routes, including some that are rather remote. We’ve camped by the river near Two Bridges with lots of hiking from there. Another place we enjoyed visiting in this area was Widecombe on the Moore. To visit by public transport you can get trains as far as Okehampton, then buses and walking are your options. As a bonus, wild camping is legal in the countryside here.

Is Devon Worth Visiting For A Dog Friendly Holiday?

Dawlish in devon Holidays

Devon is a stunning country with options for holiday types and thus is well worth visiting. There are lots of places to choose from, including coast towns by the seaside, cities or inland villages. You can also do hiking adventures in the counties’ moors and farm stays. The locally produced food is good too, especially the seafood and ingredients from the counties’ farms. As a bonus, it is also rather dog friendly too.

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