Exmouth Beach offers long stretches of sandy beach with views over the Exe estuary.

Great for adults and children. There’s loads of places to eat or get ice cream ☺

Lot’s of parking by the sea front.

For children: There’s a brilliant playground on Queen’s Drive, by one of the car parks set just back from the beach.

If you have kids that like trains you can combine it with a visit to Topsham and get the train from there along the estuary.

Address: Esplanade, Exmouth EX8 2AZ

Distance: 30min drive

Photo credit: Red Zeppelin on Unsplash

Sidmouth beach has a long pebbled beach and one area that is sandy for most of the tide (to the right hand side if standing looking at the ocean).

There’s heaps of independent shops, restaurants, cafes, and the charity shops have such a great reputation that coaches of visitors come down just for them!

The cliff-top gardens give an amazing view and there’s a café up there past Jacobs Ladder.

Address: The Esplanade, Sidmouth EX10 8NS

Distance: 30min drive

photo credit: mgphotography.uk on flickr

A pretty long 1 mile of pebbled beach.

Branscombe Beach begins below the picturesque village of Branscombe and continues east to Beer Head

There’s a small river pool which is safe for children to play in.

Lot’s of families swim there in the summer.

Easy access from the parking area and has a cafe & tourist shop.

Address: Branscombe Beach, Branscombe, Seaton EX12 3DP

Distance: 30min drive

photo credit: photo Andrew Glos tripadvisor

If you like fossil hunting this is the place to go 🙂

There’s also a walk from Charmouth to Lyme Regis, with food and parking at both ends.

Address: Charmouth Beach, Bridport DT6 6LS

Distance: 40min drive

photo credit: Ashleigh Joy Photography on Unsplash

Beer is a fab little fishing village with quaint shops and art galleries. There are some great pubs for food, especially fish and chips.

Whilst it’s a pebbly beach, there is something incredibly magical and chilled about it, often one the locals favour.

You can often watch the boats go out as it’s a working fishing beach.

For the children there’s a play park at the top of the slope looking down at the beach.

During tourist season there’s a tea room on the beach. Most of the year there’s a fresh fish stall.

Photo credit: Rob Wicks on Unsplash

A big stretch of pebbly beach (ideal for throwing stones in the sea!).

There’s a sandy beach zone to the right when looking out at sea.

Lot’s of tourist shops, an arcade, pubs & restaurants.

Address: Lyme Regis DT7 3JF

Distance: 40min drive

photo credit: Slug Scott, flickr