Salcombe is a smart seaside boating town, full of quintessential British charm in the bucketloads. With a gentle-pace where you can experience a classic Devon getaway: beach coves and cream teas, paddle boarding and coastline strolls, country picnics, and pints.
It’s nestled on the Kingsbridge estuary in Devon and is a delightful little town to explore for a day or for a weekend getaway. With lovely coastal views, cosy pubs, rolling countryside, and boutique shops, there is much to see and do, in and around Salcombe. You really will be spoilt with choice, whether you want to spend your days drinking in pubs or explore the local beaches and countryside. This is a really great destination for a UK staycation for the whole family to enjoy.
Thinking of bringing your four-legged friend? Salcombe is extremely pet friendly, with many cottages allowing your dog to come on holiday with you. Most of the pubs also allow dogs to join you for dinner too, so they won’t miss out on any of the holiday. Salcombe also allows dogs on some of their beaches all year round, such as Mill Bay Beach and North sands, which means you can relax with the whole family, on the beach, all day long.
We have visited Salcombe for New Years’ Eve which was a lovely time to go as not only were we very fortunate with the weather but it also had a wonderful buzz about it. It was busy, but by no means felt manic or claustrophobic, it was just alive with people who were in good spirits.
Where to stay
Just outside Salcombe
Where to eat and drink
Just outside Salcombe
Places to visit
Gara Rock walk
If you don’t want to get the car out then I would suggest doing this wonderful coastal walk. You can get the ferry over to the other side of the estuary to East Portlemouth and then follow the footpath signs to Mill Bay. It’s a great walk where you can visit sunny cove beach and Gara Rock. You can also walk one way through and woods and another along the coastal path which is nice for contrast.
Gara Rock is a luxury hotel on the seafront and is a great spot for a drink and some lunch – also go for a nose around the hotel as it really is beautiful and well worth a visit.
Bigbury on Sea
About a 30-minute drive away is Bigbury on Sea, a fantastic beach that leads to Burgh Island, that in low tide you can walk to. The beach is huge, so great for a game of Frisbee or rounders, or just for relaxing and jumping the waves. You can get a great pint and Fish and Chips at the Pilchard Inn on Burgh Island and sit outside overlooking the sea and beach.
Bantham
Either a walk, ferry, or drive away is another beautiful beach and it is normally a bit quieter than Bigbury. If you park in the main car park at Bantham, you walk down to the sea through wonderful dunes that are good to hide in on a cold, windy day.
Other things too do
- Bolt Head walk
- Overbecks
- Paddleboarding
- Salcombe North Sands
- Snapes Point walk
Just outside of Salcombe
- Bolberry down
- Dartmoor National Park
- Dartmouth
- Hope Cove
- Kingsbridge
- Pennywell Farm
- Thurlestone Beach
- Totnes
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