A family friendly North Devon holiday itinerary with kids and a dog, including Bideford Bay, Appledore, Westward Ho!, The Big Sheep, Lynton and Lynmouth, Watermouth Castle, The Milky Way and more.

North Devon Family Holiday: Things to Do with Kids on a Budget

North Devon had been on my UK holiday list for years, but somehow we had never quite got round to going. When a good Easter holiday price came up for Parkdean Bideford Bay, I started properly researching the area and quickly realised there was so much more to do than I expected.

This post shares our North Devon family holiday itinerary, including where we stayed, what we did with children and a dog, which places were worth visiting, and what I would do again. We travelled from West Yorkshire, stayed near Bideford, visited beaches, seaside towns, theme parks, family attractions, National Trust places and some beautiful coastal spots.

It ended up being one of those UK family holidays that worked for everyone. The kids had loads to do, the dog had plenty of walks, and we got the views, beaches and family memories I had hoped for.

The Basics

Where we stayed: Parkdean Bideford Bay
When we visited: Easter school holidays
Who went: Two adults, two children and our dog
Best for: Beaches, coastal views, family attractions, dog walks and seaside towns
Favourite places: Westward Ho!, Lynton and Lynmouth, The Big Sheep, The Milky Way and the coastal drive near Ilfracombe
Would we go back? Yes, definitely!

Why North Devon?

North Devon has so much to offer for a family holiday. I had wanted to go for years, but once I actually started looking into things to do in North Devon with kids, I was genuinely surprised by how much there was nearby.

I knew there would be beaches and pretty towns, but I had not realised there were so many family attractions, coastal walks, dog friendly places, National Trust days out and seaside spots within a fairly easy drive. I honestly had to remove so much from my potential itinerary because we did not have enough time to fit it all in.

That is probably one of the best things about North Devon. You can have a beach day, a theme park day, a quiet harbour town day, a National Trust walk, a coastal drive and a classic seaside afternoon all in the same holiday. It felt varied without needing to drive hours every day.

The Journey from West Yorkshire to North Devon

The journey from West Yorkshire to Bideford was a long one, so we prepared properly. We packed the day before, got the car organised and set off at 7.30 in the morning.

I had planned two proper stops to break the journey up. The first was at a country park near Birmingham, where we stayed for about 90 minutes. This worked really well because the kids could stretch their legs and the dog could have a proper walk.

Unfortunately, because we travelled on Good Friday, the traffic meant we had to cut out our second longer stop near Taunton and swap it for a quick leg stretch instead. Even with the traffic, we arrived at Parkdean Bideford Bay at around 4.30, which felt pretty good considering the distance and the bank holiday roads.

The kids had films and games downloaded, which made a huge difference. Thanks to my husband doing a lot of the driving, I was also able to put my headphones on and catch up with some TV. It was still a big travel day, but it felt manageable because we had planned ahead.

Staying at Parkdean Bideford Bay

We stayed at Parkdean Bideford Bay for around £550 in the Easter school holidays, which felt like a really good price for a family break in Devon.

The park itself was lovely and quiet, with some amazing views over the coast. It is not one of the huge, all singing, all dancing holiday parks, but that actually suited this trip well because we knew we would be out exploring most days.

We stayed in a chalet for the first time rather than a caravan. It was basic, but we actually found it slightly preferable in some ways. It felt like there was a bit more room, and the beds were better than we have had in some caravans before. It was not luxurious, but it was comfortable enough and worked well as a base.

The park had a great play area, which the kids enjoyed. We did find the entertainment more basic than some of the bigger parks we have stayed at, but that was not really a problem for us. We booked it knowing there was so much to do nearby, so the holiday park entertainment was not our main priority.

Most evenings, we stayed for bingo and a bit of entertainment until around 9, which was enough after busy days out.

One of the best things about the park was the nature trail. It took us along the coastline and eventually led down to a secluded beach called Bucks Mills. The walk took around an hour and the way back was definitely a bit of an uphill battle, but it was beautiful.

Our dog absolutely loved having that kind of walk right outside our door. If you are looking for a dog friendly North Devon holiday, this was a huge bonus.

Appledore

Our first full day was slightly overcast, so we decided to explore some of the local towns rather than planning a big beach day. Appledore was only around 10 minutes away from Bideford Bay, so it made an easy first stop.

Appledore is a really pretty little harbour village with a lovely relaxed feel. We wandered around the market, explored the little streets and shops, and enjoyed the harbour views. It is the kind of place where you do not need a packed plan. You can just potter, stop for a drink, look in a few shops and take in the coastal atmosphere.

We also visited the maritime museum, which gave us a bit more local history and made the visit feel more meaningful. It was a nice gentle start to the holiday and worked well for a cloudy day when we wanted to explore without doing anything too intense.

Bideford

Bideford was around a 30 minute drive from the park and made another good local town to explore. It has plenty of shops, a nice position by the water and a good mix of places to eat and wander.

One of the highlights for us was Victoria Park. It has a paddling pool and genuinely one of the best play areas I have seen. It was a brilliant find for the kids and the kind of place where you can easily spend longer than expected.

We also ate in a quirky diner on a boat, which made the day feel a bit more memorable. Bideford was not necessarily the most dramatic place we visited, but it was easy, family friendly and well worth including if you are staying nearby.

The Big Sheep

The Big Sheep was one of the big family attractions we visited during our North Devon holiday, and it was a brilliant day out with children. I am going to write a full review separately, so I will not go into every detail here, but it was definitely one of the easiest wins of the trip.

There was loads for the kids to do, including rides, animals, indoor and outdoor play, shows and seasonal Easter activities. As we visited during the Easter holidays, they had a massive Easter egg hunt in the field, and the children received a Dairy Buttons egg at the end. There were also Easter crafts and an Easter show alongside all the usual attractions.

We took a picnic with us, which helped keep the cost down and made the day feel easy. One of the most memorable moments was being lucky enough to see a sheep giving birth, which was amazing and definitely not something you see every day.

I also had a full circle moment because I braved the death slide. It was the same steep slide I had attempted when I was 9, so obviously I had to do it again. It was just as terrifying as I remembered, but I was quite proud of myself for getting back on it.

The Big Sheep was the highlight of our trip and is definitely worth considering if you go to North Devon.

Read my full review of The Big Sheep here: [Add link]

Lynton and Lynmouth

Lynton and Lynmouth was one of the prettiest days of the holiday. We got the cliff railway down, which the kids loved, and it made the visit feel a bit more special than just parking up and walking around.

There is something lovely about arriving by the little cliff railway and seeing the views open up as you travel down. It gave the day a bit of novelty before we had even started exploring.

Once we were in Lynmouth, we wandered around the shops and enjoyed the relaxed seaside feel. The kids’ favourite part was probably the simplest thing of all: playing by the harbour and throwing stones. Sometimes those are the moments they remember most.

We had ice cream while looking out at the view, then spent some time in the park. It was a really lovely family day because it had a bit of everything without feeling too rushed. Pretty views, little shops, a fun way to travel between the two towns, ice cream, harbour play and a park.

Ilfracombe

We stopped in Ilfracombe on the way back from Lynton and Lynmouth for some lunch, and it was a lovely place to break up the day.

The kids had a run around on the beach, we pottered around the shops and I treated myself to lobster topped fries, which felt like a very seaside holiday thing to do.

Ilfracombe had a nice mix of harbour, beach, shops and places to eat. It felt busier and a little more lively than some of the smaller places we visited, so it worked well as a lunch stop rather than a full day for us.

The drive around this part of the coast was absolutely stunning. At one point, we drove past what has to be some of the most beautiful coastline I have ever seen in the UK. It was dramatic, green, rugged and completely gorgeous. It made me realise how much more of North Devon I would like to come back and explore properly.

Merry Harriers Gnome Reserve

One of the unexpected little finds of the holiday was the Merry Harriers Garden Centre, which was just across from the park site. It had a huge garden centre and an amazing gnome garden that was free to visit.

It was one of those simple things that the kids really enjoyed, and because it was so close to where we were staying, it made an easy little extra activity. It is always nice to find something free on a family holiday, especially when you are already paying for bigger days out.

Westward Ho!

I completely fell in love with Westward Ho! It had that classic seaside feel but with really beautiful views and a lovely family atmosphere.

The beach is huge, with wide open space, sea air, rock pools, pebbles, sand and plenty of room for children to play. It felt like the kind of place where you could easily spend a full afternoon without needing much of a plan.

We loved being able to walk along the front, get an ice cream, browse the little shops and just enjoy the sea. It felt relaxed, pretty and very easy with children. There was enough going on to make it feel like a proper seaside town, but it did not feel overwhelming.

For us, Westward Ho! was one of the places that really made the holiday feel like a coastal break. I could imagine going back in better weather, spending longer on the beach and just having a slow seaside day. It was one of my favourite stops of the whole trip.

If you are looking for places to visit in North Devon with kids, I would definitely put Westward Ho! on the list.

Arlington Court

During the holiday, I finally succumbed to a National Trust pass, and Arlington Court was our first proper visit using it. It was a lovely place to start.

The house itself is a beautiful stately home, and the grounds are perfect for a good walk. It gave us a calmer day out after some of the busier family attractions, but still had enough to keep the children interested.

As we visited during Easter, there were Easter activities around the gardens, which gave the children something extra to focus on while we explored. It was a nice mix of fresh air, history, gardens and family activities.

Arlington Court felt like a good contrast to the theme park style days. I liked that it added something a bit different to the holiday, rather than everything being beaches and rides.

Watermouth Castle

Watermouth Castle was another really fun family attraction, and I will write a separate review for this too because there was quite a lot there.

We paid half price for afternoon entry, and for us that was enough time. It meant we still got to enjoy the main parts of the attraction without feeling like we had spent a fortune.

The castle itself is beautiful from the outside and feels really unusual as a family day out because it combines a historic looking castle with quirky attractions, rides, play areas and lots of things for children to explore.

It is not a traditional castle visit, so if you are expecting a serious historic house, this is not really that kind of day. It is much more of a family attraction set around a castle.

The children enjoyed having lots of different areas to move between, and it had a slightly eccentric, old fashioned charm that made it feel different from a standard theme park. Afternoon entry worked well for us because it gave us enough time to enjoy it without the day feeling too long.

Read my full Watermouth Castle review here: [Add link]

The Milky Way Adventure Park

We saved The Milky Way Adventure Park for our last full day because the weather was looking a bit overcast again. It was only about five minutes away from where we were staying, which made it a very easy option.

It was a brilliant choice for a cloudy day because there is a good mix of indoor and outdoor activities. There were rides, play areas, shows and plenty to keep the children busy.

We took a picnic again, which helped balance out the cost, and then treated ourselves to a meal out for tea afterwards.

One of the funniest moments of the day was when the performer asked Lily to come up during the show and then picked her up with his mouth. It was completely unexpected and definitely one of those random holiday memories we will talk about again.

The Milky Way was a really easy, fun final day. It worked especially well because it was so close to the park, so we did not have to face another long drive after several busy days.

The Journey Home

On the way home, we set off at around 10 and decided to make the journey part of the holiday rather than just a long drive back.

We stopped at Tyntesfield, which was absolutely beautiful, and then later at an arboretum near Birmingham. Although the journey home was still long, the longer stops made it feel much more manageable.

I did not feel the journey too badly because we were not just sitting in the car for hours and hours. Breaking it up with proper places to walk around made a big difference, especially with children and the dog.

Tyntesfield was a particularly lovely stop and made me very glad we had the National Trust pass. It felt like a much nicer way to end the holiday than just service stations and motorway food.

Cost

Accommodation (Chalet at Bideford Bay Park Dean): £550

Appledore Museum: £15

Lynton and Lynmouth: £22

The Big Sheep: £65 for a family of 4

Ilfracombe / Westward-Ho / Merry Harriers Garden Centre / Bideford: All free with chosen spends.

Watermouth Castle: £45 family ticket for 1pm entry

Arlington Court: Free with National Trust Pass

The Milky Way Adventure Park: £60 for a family of 4

Tyntesfield: Free with National Trust Pass

Fuel: £170

Food, drink, treats and parking (including three meals out): £300

Bingo (5 nights): £60

Total Cost: £1287 plus our £15 National Trust Pass

We saved money on several days by taking picnics, and we mixed bigger paid attractions with cheaper or free activities like beaches, towns, parks, walks and the gnome garden.

North Devon can definitely be done in a budget conscious way if you plan carefully. Some of the family attractions are not cheap, especially in school holidays, but there are also so many natural and low cost things to do that it balances out well.

Is North Devon Good for a Family Holiday?

For us, North Devon was a brilliant family holiday destination. It had the right balance of beaches, family attractions, coastal towns, dog friendly walks and beautiful views.

It worked especially well because we were not relying on just one type of activity. If the weather was good, we could head to the beach or explore the coast. If it was overcast, we had places like The Big Sheep, The Milky Way, Watermouth Castle, local towns and National Trust options.

That flexibility made it a really good UK holiday with kids, especially during the Easter holidays when the weather can be a bit unpredictable.

Is North Devon Dog Friendly?

North Devon worked really well for us with a dog. The nature trail from Parkdean Bideford Bay was a big highlight, and there were plenty of outdoor places where the dog could come along.

Obviously, some paid attractions are not suitable for dogs, so we had to plan around that, but as a holiday destination overall, it felt very dog friendly. There were beaches, walks, coastal paths and outdoor spaces that meant he still had a brilliant holiday too.

Final Thoughts…

North Devon ended up being one of those places that really surprised me. I knew it would be pretty, but I did not realise how much there would be to do for children, adults and the dog.

It worked so well as a family holiday because there was so much variety. We had beaches, harbour towns, theme parks, animal attractions, National Trust walks, coastal views, play parks, ice creams, picnics and seaside lunches.

It was perfect for the kids because they had so many different experiences. It was perfect for the dog because there were beautiful walks and plenty of outdoor time. It was also perfect for us because the views were genuinely stunning, and there was enough to make it feel like a proper adventure rather than just a simple holiday park break.

I would absolutely return to North Devon, especially when the children are a little older and able to do more of the nature walks. There is still so much we did not manage to fit in, which says a lot about the area.

For a family friendly UK holiday with beautiful views, beaches, days out and dog friendly options, North Devon is definitely worth considering.