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We know the school holidays can be an expensive time, so we have put together our top 10 ideas for things to do in Exeter this summer, completely free! Whatever the weather (although we're hoping this wonderful Devon sunshine lasts the whole summer!), there is plenty going on to keep everyone entertained. Plus there are some great free family events in Exeter over the summer holidays.
1. Visit Exeter’s Royal Albert Memorial Museum and go on a voyage of discovery from pre-history to the present day through 16 galleries of displays. With free entry & summer holiday activities, workshops and drop-in sessions, there is something for all ages.
2. Visit the library... Exeter Central Library runs regular family activities for all ages and is easily accessible from the city centre.
3. Join the famous Red Coat Guides on a walking tour of Exeter, to discover more about the fascinating and turbulent history of the city. Tours run daily throughout the year, with a wide range to choose from. There is no need to book – just turn up, tours last approx. 90 minutes.
4. ...Or if you prefer to do things at your own pace, follow one of Exeter’s self-guided heritage trails – kids can solve puzzles and quizzes along the way.
5. On warm days, pack your swimming stuff and head to Heavitree Park, which has paddling pools in which to play and cool down, or St Thomas Splash Pad, with water fountains, tipping buckets and cannons for plenty of water fun!
6. Visit the Custom House Visitor Centre on Exeter’s Quayside to learn more about the history of the Quayside through fascinating displays, exhibits and a short film - ‘Exeter, 2,000 years of history’.
7. Attend a milling day, special family event or look for wildlife in the garden of Cricklepit Mill.
8. Film fans, head to the Bill Douglas Cinema Museum for interactive exhibits for children, or see a favourite film as part of the Odeon Kid’s Club – whilst not strictly free, tickets are just £3.25 per person. There are kids screenings every Saturday and Sunday morning, plus every day during the school holidays.
9. Find space to run free! Head out of the city to Haldon Forest Park, where themed walking and cycling routes are well-signposted, or follow special trails aimed at families with small children. You will also find family-friendly marked trails at Stoke Woods, an old forest dating back to the Roman times on the edge of Exeter, or visit one of five Valley Parks in the city, all great for walking, kicking a football around or enjoying a family picnic.
10. Take a family bike ride following the route of the Exeter Canal... this flat, traffic-free route is great for families, plus you can stop off at the Double Locks pub for refreshments in the large, waterside beer garden with an outdoor play area!
11. Visit the Donkey Sanctuary near Sidmouth, to meet over 500 donkeys and enjoy interactive activities in the fantastic new indoor visitor centre. For just a small fee you can take part in the Hide and Seek Trail to win a tasty treat!
12. Visit Exeter on Saturday 25 August for the Exeter Street Arts Festival, when the city's streets will be brought to life with colour, music and dancing. See the full list of free events in Exeter this summer here.
Scroll down for more free attractions in Exeter.
Number of results: 74
, currently showing 1 to 21.
Sidmouth
With adventures for all the family, make memories that last a lifetime at The Donkey Sanctuary. Meet hundreds of friendly rescue donkeys for FREE and discover so much more besides.
Prince of Wales Road, Exeter
A museum dedicated to the audience's experience of the moving image. Explore the visual culture from magic lanterns to Marilyn Monroe.
The Bill Douglas Cinema Museum is an ACE Accredited public museum dedicated to our experience of the moving image...
Exeter
The Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery (RAMM) is one of Exeter City Council’s flagship services. RAMM is also supported using public funding by Arts Council England. Stunning displays reveal Devon and Exeter’s rich history and global...
Cullompton
The Blackdown Hills form a tranquil, beautiful, and relatively isolated landscape on the Devon and Somerset border.
EAST DEVON
This compact and accessible estuary supports a particularly well developed saltmarsh flora that includes such characteristic plants as glasswort, sea puslane, and sea lavender.
The Old Library, Exeter
Developed in 2015 – 16, to celebrate the University of Exeter’s Diamond Jubilee, the self-guided Jubilee Water Walk takes the visitor on a tour of the wonderful water features, both natural and man-made, on the Streatham Campus. Whilst following...
Dawlish Warren
Dawlish Warren's most valuable ecological asset appears outside of the summer months - the descent of thousands of wildfowl and wading birds who use the mudflats to feed.
Exeter
If you want to escape the hustle and bustle of Exeter city centre then this is a great place to come and walk your dog and explore the woods following the two way-marked trails.
Topsham
Managed by the RSPB, Bowling Green Marsh nature reserve is an area of coastal grazing marsh alongside the River Exe Estuary, on the outskirts of Topsham.
Axmouth
If you're thinking of walking parts of the coastal path then the route from Axmouth to Lyme Regis is a good starting point with great views
Exeter
This attractive 'island' of farmland within the City is located between Wonford and Rydon Lane and has marvellous views of the City and Estuary.
The park is a working farm on the edge of the busy city of Exeter. Many of the fields provide free...
Sidmouth
Fire Beacon Hill is an area of lowland heath, which offers you a birds eye view of the surrounding countryside.
Seaton
Overlooking Lyme Bay and surrounded by beautiful countryside, Seaton Beach is a large pebble beach stetchching over a mile long. Gently sloping, the beach is an ideal spot for swimming or water sports - and there kayaks or Stand up Paddleboards can...
Exeter
The rich meadows and woodland are host to a wide range of wildlife which thrives in the quiet valleys. Most of the land is in private ownership but there is access to Belvedere Meadows Local Nature Reserve.
All the roads and tracks within the...
Exeter
This reserve, part of the Exe Estuary SSSI, is sandwiched between the river Exe and the Exeter ship canal.
Exeter
Haldon Forest Park is made up of 3,500 acres of woodland, just 15 minutes from Exeter. Open 364 days a year, it’s the perfect place to immerse yourself in the great outdoors. With miles of trails for walkers, runners, cyclists and horse riders,...
Exeter
Killerton House is an 18thC house built for the Acland family surrounded by 18 acres of beautiful gardens and countryside to explore.
SEATON
Running 155km from Exmouth in Devon to Studland in Dorset is the Dorset and East Devon Coast World Heritage Site, selected by UNESCO because of its outstanding earth science interest.
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