01 Two coasts, two characters
The south coast, from the Exe estuary round towards Salcombe, is sheltered, warmer and generally calmer. It suits younger children, buckets, shallow water and days when nobody wants an adventure.
The north coast, around Woolacombe and Croyde, is bigger, wilder and better for surf and for older children who want something to push against. It is also a much longer drive from Exeter, which matters more than people admit when a child falls asleep on the way home.
For a household based in or near Exeter, the estuary and the east Devon beaches are the practical default, and the north coast is a proper day out rather than an afternoon.
02 Which beaches suit small children
Exmouth is the obvious choice from Exeter: a long flat sandy beach, a town behind it, and a train that makes it possible without a car. Dawlish Warren has the sand and the estuary and a good deal of space at low tide.
Budleigh Salterton is shingle, which sounds like a drawback and is not. Shingle means no sand in the sandwiches, an easy walk to the water and a beach that stays usable when the wind is up.
Blackpool Sands and Slapton Sands, further round towards Dartmouth, are worth the drive on a good day. Teignmouth suits a shorter outing, with the pier and the harbour giving something to look at when the tide is out.
| Beach | Best for | Getting there from Exeter |
|---|---|---|
| Exmouth | Small children, long flat sand | Short drive, or the train |
| Dawlish Warren | Space at low tide, estuary birds | Short drive or train |
| Budleigh Salterton | Windy days, easy walking, shingle | Short drive |
| Teignmouth | A half day with a harbour to look at | Short drive or train |
| Woolacombe | Surf and older children | A full day out |
03 Tides, kit and the length of a beach day
Check the tide before setting out. A beach that is glorious at low water can be a strip of shingle three hours later, and on the estuary beaches the difference is dramatic. It takes a minute and it changes the whole day.
The kit list is short: more warm layers than the forecast suggests, a towel each, a change of clothes for anyone under ten, water, and something to sit on. Wind is the thing that ends beach days in Devon, not rain.
Plan for three hours, not six. A beach day that ends while everyone still wants to be there is remembered as a good one, and the same principle runs through things to do in Exeter with children.
04 The off season case
Devon beaches out of season are one of the county's best assets for families. The car parks are empty, the tide is the entertainment, and a flask and a bag of chips make a perfectly good February afternoon.
For households that see children some weekends and not others, the off season also removes the competition for space that makes August difficult, and it makes a short notice outing possible in a way that a summer Saturday does not.
Take the waterproof trousers described in rainy day outings in Devon and the whole thing becomes straightforward.
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