Ideas for Rainy Days in Devon

Great Ideas for Rainy Days in Devon

Looking for days out when it’s raining? Well you can’t really visit Devon and not expect some rain and if you live here already, you will know full well that there’s a reason us Brits talk about the weather so much. It’s always a good idea to have a back up plan for days out on rainy days or maybe it’s just a bit tooo cold for a day at the beach. 

Here’s a round up including museums, caves, climbing walls and theatres for activities and attractions to keep you entertained on wet weather days in Devon.

It’s a good idea to check out their latest What’s On pages for all attractions. Many will run interesting talks or activities for different ages and some have move completely to online booking systems.

Exeter Wet Weather Ideas

A day out in a City is often a good choice on a rainy day as there is sots to choose from and thigs to keep different members of a family happy. The most stunning visitor attraction in Exeter is the beautiful gothic Exeter Cathedral. You can enjoy guided tours or explore at your leisure (there is an entry charge).

If you have the chance try to visit for a service or concert when the Cathedral Choir sing, you certainly don’t need to be religious to enjoy the beautiful acoustics of the cathedral.

Exeter’s Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery RAMM,  is a beautiful Victorian museum with interesting displays ranging from locally found Roman artefacts to natural science displays and fine art.  This family friendly museum is free to enter and well worth a visit.

St Nicholas Priory is a hidden gem in Exeter and the city’s oldest building. This restored Tudor building is open to the public free on Sundays and is also used for conferences, plays and performances.

For film buffs,  how about a visit to the The Bill Douglas Cinema Museum which is located at the University of Exeter. This free public museum is dedicated to the moving image. Visitors can explore popular visual culture through exhibits of toys, artefacts, images and memorabilia from the seventeenth century to the present day. The internationally renowned collection ranges from shadow puppets to the golden age of Hollywood, from magic lanterns to Mickey Mouse, and from the first cameras to make films to merchandise from the latest blockbusters.

There’s plenty more to see and do in Exeter, from high street shops to the independent Gandy Street that is said to have inspired Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley.  Try The Ivy for afternoon Tea in style or cocktails making sessions at the Cocktail Club.

The interesting Quayside is home to the Custom House built in 1680 at the height of the woollen cloth trade. Now a beautiful building to visit and a visitor centre covering the history of quay life over the centuries.

East Devon Rainy Days Ideas

For a gentle trip that still works on a rainy day then Seaton Tramway is a lovely relaxing experience that takes in the narrow gauge line from Seaton to Colyton in East Devon. This is a dog friendly attraction that is suitable for all ages. There are children friendly themes days as well as the chance to drive a tram or go bird watching.

In Seaton Jurassic Discovery with it’s walk through the time of dinosaurs and also is a soft play centre.

Not far away is the fascinating Beer Quarry Caves. These hand made caves were mined for many years to provide stone for famous building across the UK. The tour provides a fascinating insight into working life in the caves and the many interesting stories linked to it.

Pottery painting is popular. You can try this at Something Lovely in Sidmouth or The Honiton Pottery Workshop.

Just on the edge of East Devon near Exeter overlooking the Exe Estuary is historic Powderham Castle.There are extensive grounds to walk around but if it’s raining you can explore the house either on your own or as part of a tour.  The house has hundreds of years of history and is still privately owned. the grounds are also used for festivals and concerts such as the new Bear Grylls inspired Gone Wild Festival.

Even in the rain the Jurassic Coast is beautiful and can be appreciated from the dry and comfort of a passenger boast operated by Stuart Line Cruises. There are a choice of routes including bird watching in the Exe Estuary and trips along the coast with interesting commentary about the Jurassic Coast.

Raing Days in Exmouth

I have a whole separate post on the best things to do in Exmouth but it does offer some rainy day options. These include The World of Country Life which has indoor and outdoor area. The is Ocean with soft play and bowling as well as VertExe, a clip and climb style climbing wall.

Also nearer Exeter is Crealy Theme Park. Most of the rides are outdoors but it does have a very large indoor play (adult friendly!) and animals to see.

Rainy Days in South Devon

A popular wet weather attraction, the House of Marbles is in Bovey Tracey.  This is a good option for all ages with interesting displays of bygone toys as well as modern version of traditional games, amazing marbles and fascinating glass throwing demonstrations in the Teign Valley Glass  Studios. There is also a cafe, play area and brass rubbing trail for the younger visitors.

Head towards the coast to Torquay for a visit to Devon’s only prehistoric caves open to the public called Kents Cavern. There is an extensive system of caves formed from limestone, parts of which were once occupied by prehistoric humans. If the rain holds off there is also a woodland trail and the carpark is a short walk to the south West Coast Path near Anstry’s Cove.

Indoor attractions in Torquay

For raining days out in Torquay you have a choice of Torquay Museum that has a range of permanent displays and temporary exhibitions with everything from prehistoric man to unique items from explorers, Agatha Christie and Devon marbles. The museum welcomes children and also has special sensory backpacks for families with children on the autistic spectrum to support your visit to the Museum.

Torquay’s Dinosaur World brings dinosaurs and their worlds to life with fun interactive exhibitions. You’ll find scaled and full size dinosaur models set in realistic scenes accompanied by exciting information. Children can uncover fascinating fossils at the excavation sites, there are even dinosaurs that you can sit with if you are brave enough as well as a fun family quiz and many other interactive exhibits.

At Bygones you can marvel at the vast range of items from days gone by. Starting in the Victorian Era, there an authentic life-size Victorian Street filled with all original items. There are military displays as well as a host of everyday items from the 50 and 60s.  With 3 floors of things to see as well as a cafe this will keep you occupied for a good few hours.

Rainy Day Ideas In Plymouth

Devon’s largest city and well know maritime port is also home to a lovely aquarium. The National Marine Aquarium takes you on a fascinating journey through different habitat zones from the waters of Plymouth Sound to the Great Barrier Reef.  The aquarium is run by the Ocean Conservation Trust that carries out important research and conservation work.

The Box is a major new museum, art gallery and archive for Plymouth and the South West with an incredible variety of displays and exhibitions. With something for all ages including family trails this is a great place for a visit whatever the weather.

Journey through time and experience the development of the Port of Plymouth and understand the people who made it their home. Step back in time to see displays of the mammoth and creatures who roamed the pre-historic landscape. 

Travel the world in 100 Journeys from explorers like Sir Walter Raleigh, Charles Darwin, Gertrude Benham and Scott of the Antarctic.

Explore the rich mining heritage of the South West with hundreds of minerals on display and interactive displays the complex geological past. You can even find your calling as the BBC’s next newsreader in the Media Lab.

Wet Weather Days Out in Dorset

If you fancy a trip across the border into West Dorset then take a look at these ideas for Rainy Days in Dorset and my guide to all the Best things to see and do in Lyme Regis.