Local Area Information

Devon is a popular holiday destination with a multitude of attractions, beaches and great places to eat.

The popular seaside resort of Westward Ho! boasts a glorious sandy, blue-flagged beach, known as The Golden Bay which you can enjoy surfing, kite surfing, canoeing, rock pools, relaxing on the beach and much more. The promenade runs along the waterfront for access to the beaches, restaurants and shops we also have some fabulous walks from the door and the Tarka cycle Trail nearby, you don’t have to go too far, sandy beaches, rocky coves and pretty coastal villages are just a short drive away.

Learn to surf with the North Devon Surf School, one of the top surfing schools in the UK. Based at Westward Ho! beach, North Devon. North Devon Surf School offer surfing lessons, surfing courses and equipment hire, they are less than 50 meters from the beach so you couldn't be any closer to the waves.

There are many coastal walking to explore and for cyclists the Tarka Trail is close by and not to mention The Royal North Devon Golf Club which is the oldest golf course in England. 

Should you wish to explore North Devon, Appledore is on Westward Ho!s doorstep which is full of history while just over 3 miles away is Bideford which is still a working port and market town. 

Westward Ho! is the centre of a supremely beautiful part of Devon enjoying easy access to the South West Coastal Path - over 600 miles of continual footpath, including easy walking for all the family with spectacular coast and country scenery around every corner.

A few minutes away is the old historic port of Bideford with a fascinating waterfront. Barnstaple a little further on is a bustling market town with lots of shops and things to see. A short drive to the West is Clovelly, an extraordinary, quaint fishing village built on the steepest of cobbled streets running down to a tiny harbour. A little further takes you to Exmoor, Dartmoor, Torquay or Cornwall

North Devon boasts an outstanding stretch of the coastal path on which you will encounter a spectacular variety of scenery - rolling hills, secluded coves, dramatic cliffs, and picturesque villages including unique Clovelly. This beautiful stretch of coastline changes with the seasons from bluebells in the spring to the heather of autumn. 

Within easy reach are both Exmoor & Dartmoor -- wonderful walking areas - each having its own varied scenery. Wooded river valleys, heather covered hills & spectacular cliffs describe Exmoor whilst in contrast Dartmoor offers windswept tors, vast areas of beautiful unenclosed moorland with a wealth of archaeological remains. Both moors are rich in wildlife each having it's own unique breed of pony.

Places To Visit

Local Activities for a family day out for all ages, a trip to one of our attractions is a treat that can’t be beaten. Animals, rides, and even dinosaurs mean an action packed day and great value for money.

Arlington Court

Arlington Court and the National Trust Carriage Museum consists of 2700 acre estate with gardens, the carriage museum and a Regency house in North Devon

Watermouth Castle

With a host of attractions and an enchanting mix of family rides, activities, and nostalgic blasts from the past, Watermouth Castle is one of Devon's premier tourist attractions.

RHS Garden Rosemoor

RHS Garden Rosemoor is a public display garden run by the Royal Horticultural Society in north Devon, England. Rosemoor is about 1 mile south of Great Torrington on the A3124 road to Exete

Milky Way Adventure Park

Fabulous family fun at North Devon’s No.1 Adventure Park

Combe Martin Wildlife Park

Stunning gardens with exotic animals & animatronic dinosaurs, Family run wildlife & dinosaur park set in a Combe Martin valley over 28 acres of spectacular gardens within the North Devon Area of Outstanding Beauty!

Cobbaton Combat Collection

Cobbaton Combat Collection, Military museum and tourist attraction, this North Devon collection has tanks, trucks, armoured cars, guns, helmets, artillery and grenades. making it a great all weather attraction too

Heartland Abbey and Gardens

Hartland Abbey is the cherished home of the Stucley family with treasures and memorabilia collected over many generations. Visitors can wander through the house at will or, for groups, conducted tours are available by prior booking.

North Devon Surf School

We are the highest rated surf school in the UK, running surfing lessons since 1988. We have a purpose built surfing and surf hire centre just 50 metres from Westward Ho! beach.

Pennywell Farm and Wildlife Centre

Animals, Activities, Action at Devon’s Friendliest Day Out.

Devon's Crealy Great Adventure Park

Rides, animals & adventures for Maximum Fun Guaranteed.

Woodlands Leisure Park

60 acres of family rides, attractions and animals.

The Big Sheep

World famous sheep racing, family fun, indoor play

Exmoor National Park

Exmoor is loosely defined as an area of hilly open moorland in west Somerset and north Devon in South West England. It is named after the River Exe, the source of which is situated in the centre of the area, two miles north-west of Simonsbath.

Dartmoor National Park

Dartmoor National Park is a vast moorland in the county of Devon, in southwest England. Dartmoor ponies roam its craggy landscape, defined by forests, rivers, wetlands and tors (rock formations). Trails wind through valleys with Neolithic tombs, Bronze Age stone circles and abandoned medieval farmhouses. The area is dotted with villages, including Princetown, home to Dartmoor Prison used during the Napoleonic Wars

Lundy Island

Lundy Island Off the coast of North Devon, where the Atlantic ocean meets the Bristol Channel with nothing between it and America, a granite outcrop, three and a half miles long and half a mile wide. In the hubbub of the modern world it is a place apart, peaceful and unspoilt.

Visitors can take a day trip from Bideford to Lundy on the MS Oldenburg, Lundy's own ship. She is a graceful motor vessel, fast, comfortable and built on traditional lines.

Westward Ho!, made famous in Charles Kingsley's novel of the same name, proudly retains the prestigious Blue Flag award year upon year. Its golden sandy beach, backed by a unique pebble ridge, attracts visitors from all over the country and offers fantastic bathing and water sports activities