Torquay in Devon was the holiday destination of my childhood. We went almost every year when my sister and I were young and despite it being a home away from home, we never ran out of things to do. We have recently started to take our own children to Torquay for a Summer holiday and love it as much as we did when we were little. Here’s our list of the best things to do in Torquay with kids.
I remember visiting Bygones with my own parents and being fascinated by it, so it’s great to see my own children’s reactions. Bygones in three floors of British history. There’s a life-size Victorian Street which is really atmospheric with the smells and sounds. My kids were horrified by how patients were treated back in the Victorian ages! On the next floor, there’s a 27-ton steam engine. Yes, you read that correctly! Apparently, they had to remove the front of the building to get it in! The floor dedicated to the two world wars was particularly poignant. There’s a lovely cafe if you fancy a drink or bite to eat. The kids loved it. Our eldest two have studied but the Victorians and WW1 so were particularly interested to see the various artefacts.
The Torquay Museum obviously includes a lot about Torquay itself, including its most famous inhabitant Agatha Christie. However, the temporary exhibits are really good. We’ve visited a few times over the years and seen exhibits such as Star Wars, Lego and fairy tales. There’s always plenty to keep the kids occupied. Your admission fee includes free entry for the rest of the year which is great if you’re more local than we are!
If you asked our eldest which of the days out in Torquay he enjoys the most, he would definitely say Dinosaur World. Situated by the harbour right in the heart of Torquay, Dinosaur world is great for dino fans of all ages. Our three year old loved being able to touch the dinosaurs, while our nine year old relished learning new facts about his favourite creatures. It’s reasonably priced, jam-packed full of things to read, see and do and we couldn’t rate it highly enough. For a more in-depth review, click here.
The Riviera Centre is home to Waves Leisure Pool, just a short walk from the seafront. The pool has a sloping floor so even young children can have fun in the water without feeling out of their depth. There’s also a wave machine every half an hour, alongside a flume and water activity centre. It’s great fun for the kids, and heated to a lovely 30 degrees so it’s always warm and welcoming!
Kents Cavern is a prehistoric cave that counted ancient humans, bears and sabre-toothed cats as its early inhabitants. It’s also the warmest cave in Britain! They offer guided tours inside the caves and it was a massive hit with our kids. It’s definitely something different from the usual days out with kids.
Outside there are further attractions aimed at children. Kids can search for tiny gemstones in the sand and take part in a woodland trail. Our kids loved this and learnt more about our early ancestors. They particularly loved trying their hand at spear throwing (with sticks, not actual spears!)
For a more in-depth Kents Cavern review click here.
There are so many things to do in Torquay so even if you aren’t guaranteed the weather, there’s plenty to keep the kids entertained.
Disclaimer: We were offered complimentary tickets but as always, views are our own.
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It has been many years since I have been to Devon. Torquay is a beautiful place, great to know what attractions there are.
This is somewhere I've always wanted to visit but not made it yet. Looks like there is a lot to do!
We were down this way last year but didn’t do any of these places as we were on a tight budget (thank god for cheap campsites!) but we will definitely be going back.
Looks like you’ve had a great time, keen to check these recommendations out x
Torquay is a wonderful place. I love Devon in general, Babbacombe Model Village is one of our favourites to see.
Dinosaur world would be a hit with my Son. I've not been to Torquay but my parents often travel up for long weekends; will have to check it out
The pictures are absolutely awesome. It is pretty obvious you had an awesome time with your trip. I am quite jealous actually.
Brilliant! My grandparents used to go to Torquay every year without fail. I remember seeing a million pictures of that model village! Xx
We went on holiday to Devon recently but didn't visit Torquay. It looks like you managed to find lots for the children to do, we'd love a day out at the living coasts zoo, how adorable are those penguins!
Wow, it sounds like there is so much to do in Torquay! I really like the sound of Bygones, I love history and finding out about how people lived. Living Coasts sounds pretty cool too, penguins are so funny :)
I'm a huge fan of Devon, but I've not been to these places or any of these days out. I will definitely coming back to this post as it sounds like an area me and my family would enjoy