If you’re looking for a wonderful staycation destination, why not choose East Devon? Sidmouth is one of several towns in the East Devon region and shows off just a portion of its charm and beauty. If you need persuading, here are our top five reasons to choose a summer holiday in East Devon this year.

The Coastline

East Devon sits along the Jurassic Coast, a UNESCO World Heritage site, which covers over 180 million years with of history. In Sidmouth you can see the dramatic red cliffs from a variety of points and some hotels and other accommodation providers are situated so you get a perfect view! Imagine starting and ending the day with that vision?!
The South West Coast Path passes through East Devon and is easily accessible from Sidmouth, so you can explore the neighbouring towns of Branscombe, Seaton and Exmouth, as well as the village of Beer and over the border into Dorset.

Whether you choose to make Sidmouth your base or just visit for the day, you’re never too far from a beautiful beach, perfect for a range of activities. In Exmouth, there are two miles of sand to enjoy, while Sidmouth has both the Town Beach and Jacobs’ Ladder Beach and places like Seaton and Beer have their own charming beaches.

The chance to get outdoors

Much of the East Devon region is covered by the East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, so there’s ample opportunity to get out and explore the country side. The East Devon Way is an incredibly popular walking and cycling route that cuts through the AONB, allowing you to really explore this stunning area of countryside. Aside from that there are an abundance of watersports taking place along the Exe Estuary and like we already mentioned, the South West Coast Path is a huge draw.

If you’re particularly fond of the great outdoors, East Devon is a good choice, as it is home to the only civic arboretum in the country, you’ll find it in Sidmouth and during the holidays, there are often events held that include walks and talks as well as tree themed activities.

The events

East Devon has a pretty full events calendar, while things might be different for a while because of the aftermath of the pandemic, that doesn’t stop there being a whole host of fun events to suit the whole family. There are the regattas in Sidmouth and Beer, Sidmouth’s Folk Festival, the Air Show and a host of literary festivals, so there is always something going on!

Warm weather

In Britain, you can’t guarantee that the weather will play ball, but by choosing a staycation in East Devon, you can at least be sure of a few good days. The whole of Devon sits within an area with the mildest climate in the UK – so even though we can’t promise never ending sunshine, we can promise that it will be warmer than other areas of the UK!

Top attractions

East Devon is known for the variety of family friendly attractions on offer, from botanical gardens to ancient caves and even rescued donkeys, there is something for everyone here. Not only that, but the region is just a short drive from Exeter, the capital of Devon, where you can enjoy everything a city has to offer with coast and countryside just around the corner.

There is so much to see and do in East Devon we couldn’t possibly list it all here, for more inspiration for your staycation in the region, make sure to check out the accommodation options and other things to do in and around Sidmouth.