WHAT TO DO

Sidmouth, your way

Whoever you’re travelling with and whatever your budget, here’s where to start.

IDEAS FOR EVERY VISITOR

Find your kind of break

Pick the group that sounds most like you. Many ideas overlap, and most of Sidmouth is within walking distance of the seafront.

FAMILIES

Families

Rock pooling at Jacob’s Ladder beach, sandcastles on the main beach and a riverside run-around in The Byes. The Donkey Sanctuary is free to visit and has a play area, activity trails and daily talks.

Don’t miss
The Donkey Sanctuary

COUPLES

Couples

Watch the sunset from the Esplanade, wander the clifftop paths of Connaught Gardens and book dinner in town. Walk the Coast Path over Peak Hill to Ladram Bay and its red sandstone stacks, or catch a show at the Manor Pavilion.

Don’t miss
Connaught Gardens at golden hour

WALKERS

Walkers

Sidmouth sits on the South West Coast Path, with big climbs to the east and west. Head over Peak Hill to Ladram Bay, or east to Weston Mouth. Inland, Bulverton Hill and Mutter’s Moor give ridge walking with sea views.

See our walks

GROUPS

Groups

Folk Festival week in early August is made for groups, with ceilidhs, workshops and concerts. At other times, try kayaking or paddleboarding with local hire, bowls, tennis or cricket, or a group walk with a pub lunch at the end.

Folk Festival guide

SOLO

Solo travellers

Sidmouth is compact, walkable and friendly. Follow the blue plaques trail, spend an afternoon in Sidmouth Museum, browse the independent shops and bookshops, or join an evening at the Norman Lockyer Observatory.

Sidmouth’s history

RETIRED

Retired and relaxed

Level strolls along the Esplanade and through The Byes, the gardens at Connaught and Blackmore, and plenty of cafés and benches with a view. Summer brings theatre and concerts, and the museum opens through the season.

YOUNG

Young and adventurous

Kayak or paddleboard from the beach, take on the steep Coast Path climbs and time your trip for Folk Festival week. The Jurassic Coast has 185 million years of rocks to explore, best admired from a safe distance.

ON A BUDGET

On a budget

Plenty is free: the beaches, Connaught Gardens, The Byes, the Coast Path and The Donkey Sanctuary, which has free entry and free parking. Pack a picnic, walk rather than drive, and check our member offers.

Special offers

TREAT YOURSELF

Treat yourself

Book a sea-view room, linger over a long lunch of local seafood and make time for a spa afternoon. Our members include places to stay, eat and unwind.

Places to stay

PLAN YOUR STAY

Stay a little longer

Find somewhere to stay on our places to stay page, get your bearings with the town map, and see what’s on during your visit.