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You are here: Things To Do > Activities > Free Family Summer Activities
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Welcome to the Itinerary Planner. Use this tool to build your own journey or choose from an exciting range of specially selected tours.
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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 for plenty of Devon sunshine), 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 on the second Friday of every month 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 £1 per person! Plus you can book online in advance with no booking fees. 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!
Number of results: 73
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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.
Exeter
Exeter’s Royal Albert Memorial Museum reopened after a multi-million pound refurbishment with the galleries & facilities of a modern museum.
Sidmouth
Visit The Donkey Sanctuary - the largest sanctuary for donkeys in the world at Sidmouth in Devon. Visitors are free to spend time meeting the 500 rescued donkeys.
Exeter
Discover & explore Haldon Forest park. Whether you want a quiet gentle stroll or an exhilarating mountain biking experience, there’s something for you at Haldon Forest Park. 3,500 acres of woodland just fifteen minutes from Exeter.
Exeter
The site of Northernhay Gardens was quarried in Roman times for stone from which to build the adjacent city walls.
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
Teignmouth
A long sandy beach from the mouth of the River Teign east towards Dawlish. Free summer entertainment, with the added attraction of the Victorian Pier and a state-of-the-art childern's play area.
Topsham
Topsham’s Museum has many things to learn about for those visiting including the town’s history, shipbuilding & Exe Estuary’s wildlife.
Dawlish
Dawlish Warren is a fascinating place. This sand spit at the mouth of the Exe Estuary is not only of geological interest but is also a nationally important habitat for a wide variety of plants and animals.
Exeter
Popular family park with a wide range of recreational facilities including paddling pools, six tennis courts, basketball court, skate park, bmx track, bowling green and kick about area.
Exmouth Road, Aylesbeare
Aylesbeare is also important for its dragonflies, including the rare southern damselfly, and butterflies. It has the largest butterfly list of any RSPB reserve, with over 30 different species being regularly recorded. This area is also of considerabl
The Old Library, Exeter
There are numerous sculptures situated in this unique setting both in the open and in university buildings. The walk includes sculptures by Dame Barbara Hepworth, Peter Randall-Page and Paul Mount together with other renowned artists.
Exeter
Wear Park Spa is a multi-award-winning spa and beauty salon located in the Georgian manor house at Exeter Golf and Country Club. Open to everyone with a discount for members, the single and double treatment rooms enjoy stunning views of the golf...
Exmouth
Exmouth Local Nature Reserve consists of tidal sand & mud at the South end of Exe Estuary – it’s one of the biggest Nature Reserves in Devon
Branscombe
The beach at Branscombe is the ideal place to relax and enjoy the coastal scenery.
SEATON
Holyford Woods is a beautiful woodland, nestled in a picturesque valley near Seaton.
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.
Budleigh Salterton beach is a long pebble beach extending for 2.5 miles along the Jurassic Coast, from Littleham Cove to the west, to Otterhead in the east, where the River Otter meets the sea. Bathing is safe and the water clear, families can relax...
Exeter
Open May - September, the St Thomas Splash Pad has water fountains, tipping buckets and cannons on a brightly coloured surface. There is also a large children's playground, public toilets and parkland nearby.
The playground is suitable for...
Exeter
Whether you want to explore the forest on foot, bike, or swinging through the canopy, you'll find something for you just around the next tree. The place for walking, cycling, play and much more.
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