Dittisham Hideaway

If you have mini family members to consider first, schedule in a few light thrills at Woodlands Family Theme Park (10 minutes’ drive). There’s a sweet steam train that runs through Dartmouth (15 minutes), as well as a castle where they can pretend to live in the old times. Paignton Zoo Environmental Park (40 minutes) is another family-friendly attraction and likely to be a hit with animal-adoring kids (and big kids, in fact). Literature lovers can see where crime author Agatha Christie penned her novels at Greenway (45 minutes). Meanwhile, for history fans there’s a Tudor artillery fort at Bayard's Cove (15 minutes) and at Coleton Fishacre (40 minutes), there’s a traditional arts and crafts garden. Track down some tasty local grub in the market town of Tones (25 minutes) in between your travels. That fuel will come in handy when you’re out on Dartmoor National Park’s scenic – and sometimes tough – trails (half an hour).