20 Attractions to Explore Near South Devon Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)

Mill Bay, a privately owned sheltered sandy beach popular with families because of the very safe and clean bathing conditions, in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Access to the beach is from the South West Coast Path and private access path, but public access is signposted. It was one of the iconic attraction which is suitable for family.

North Sands is a sandy beach located to the south of Salcombe and is an easy fifteen minute walk along Cliff Road from the town centre. Stunning views of the Salcombe Estuary, Sunny Cove on the East Portlemouth side and out to sea past Wolf Rock. Although North Sands is a fairly small Salcombe beach, it has the kind of golden sand that makes a holiday and it's served by several convenient facilities.

An Edwardian house with a wonderful sea view. The museum houses Overbeck's collections of stuffed animals, and exhibitions of model sailing ships and various nautical and shipbuilding tools. There is also a sub-tropical garden paradise that has unusual plants from all round the globe.

A beautiful beach which is flourished with nice waves and beautiful white sands. This beach is part of the designated South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It is great for families with young children who want to do a little swimming or paddling. Bantham also has a reputation as one of the best surfing beaches in South Devon.

Burgh Island is an iconic South Devon landmark, located directly opposite Bigbury on Sea beach. The island is accessible at low tide by a strip of sand which at high tide is completely covered, leaving a ride on the unique sea tractor as the only means of access. It is mainly known for two remarkable features: the fantastic, if expensive Art Deco-style Burgh Island Hotel and the unusual means by which the hotel gets its visitors to the island when the tide is high.

Woodlands Family Theme Park is the largest theme park in Devon, a fun-filled family day out for everyone. It has 11 action-packed Playzones with all-weather family fun to make your family day out special. Explore the incredible Zoo-Farm with 5 huge indoor barns full of wild, exotic, and cute animals and also there are much more to see and experience.

Blackpool Sands is one of South Devon’s most popular family-friendly beaches. The beach is stony rather than sandy, and therefore not suitable for younger children or the building of sandcastles. It is also an ideal place to start or finish a walk along this beautiful piece of South Devon coastline.

One of the most beautifully located fortresses in England. For over 600 years Dartmouth Castle has guarded the narrow entrance to the Dart Estuary and the busy, vibrant port of Dartmouth. It offers stunning views of the estuary and out to sea and offers a great family day out, whatever the weather. This fascinating complex of defenses was begun in 1388 by John Hawley, privateering Mayor of Dartmouth and the prototype of the flamboyant ‘Shipman’ in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales.

The 10-acre vineyard lies between 12m and 25m above sea level on south-facing, well-drained slopes – perfect for growing a range of carefully selected cool-climate grape varieties, from which 70,000 bottles of wine are made each year. One of the iconic locations Situated on the banks of the River Dart near Totnes in South Devon. Sharpham Wine & Cheese's vineyards and dairy farm have been producing carefully-made wines and cheeses for over 35 years to local, national, and international acclaim.

Dartmouth Steam Railway is a 6.7-mile heritage railway on the former Great Western Railway branch line between Paignton and Kingswear in Devon, England. The only attraction in Devon that lets you enjoy the delights of Torquay, Paignton, Brixham, Dartmouth and the River Dart, Kingswear, and Totnes on your day out.

It is the former holiday home of Agatha Christie and her family. It was situated in a large and romantic woodland garden which sweeps down the hillside towards the River Dart. Each room in the house is full of items collected by Christie and her family and brought to Greenway from her childhood home or archaeological digs with her second husband Max. One of the iconic attractions in this area and attracts a lot of tourists.

Coleton Fishacre is a wonderful country house in Art Deco style, set in a beautiful wooded valley on the south Devon coast near the mouth of the River Dart. The garden at Coleton Fishacre runs down a narrow combe from the house to the sea at Pudcombe Cove. It was originally planted by Lady Dorothy and features rare and exotic plants, some of which are unusual in their ability to grow.

One of the best-preserved examples of a Norman motte and bailey castle in England. Climb to the top of the keep to enjoy stunning views over the town of Totnes and across to the River Dart. Or enjoy a picnic in the peaceful grounds under the shelter of age-old trees - there is plenty of space for families to relax on a summer's day.

Pennywell Farm is packed full of animals, activities, shows and displays. It’s the biggest activity farm in the South West and there’s something new happening every hour. It is a centre for the breeding of miniature pigs, a variant of the New Zealand kune kune breed.

Staverton is a delightful, unspoiled country station that has remained largely unchanged for 100 years. This is a good place to alight for a quiet walk beside the river Dart and, maybe, a refreshment break at the Sea Trout Inn (when Auto Trains are running, then one can alight from these special trains at Nappers Crossing. Staverton Station has limited free car parking available.

Berry Pomeroy Castle, a Tudor mansion within the walls of an earlier castle, is near the village of Berry Pomeroy, in South Devon. Begun in around 1560 and ambitiously enlarged from around 1600, their mansion was intended to become the most spectacular house in Devon, a match for Longleat and Audley End. Never completed, and abandoned by 1700, it became the focus of blood-curdling ghost stories, recounted in the audio tour.

Dartmoor Zoo is a beautiful 30-acre zoo just north of the village of Sparkwell. It was opened in 1968 by Ellis Daw who ran it until its licence was revoked and it was forced to close in 2006. It has over 70 different animal species, including some endangered and critically endangered species. The zoo has a breeding program with common marmosets, tapir, slender-tailed meerkats, Kafue lechwe, and wallaby.

Buckfast butterfly farm with Dartmoor otter sanctuary is a wildlife centre in Buckfastleigh, Devon. It is an all-weather attraction run by a family who care for several types of otters. The butterfly farm is in a giant hot and humid greenhouse. There are usually a vast number of butterflies fluttering around. There are also several terrapins, Iguanas and Koi Karp. They also have an ant exhibit where you can see thousands of ants hard at work.

The SDR is a seven mile former Great Western Railway branch line, built in 1872, which runs along the stunning valley of the River Dart between Buckfastleigh and Totnes. It is the longest established steam railway in the south west, celebrating over 50 years in preservation. The railway's headquarters and museum are located at Buckfastleigh railway station.

Buckfast Abbey is a modern Benedictine monastery in a peaceful setting on the verge of Dartmoor. . The monastery was surrendered for dissolution in 1539, with the monastic buildings stripped and left as ruins, before being finally demolished. The former abbey site was used as a quarry, and later became home to a Gothic mansion house.