The Perfect Dorset To Devon Road Trip Itinerary For Coastal Bliss

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Most people visiting the UK are unwise to the fact that England has some of the most beautiful stretches of coastline on the European continent.

We always recommend first time visitors to the UK get out of London and explore the countryside and coastline as it offers a whole new perspective of the UK.

Trade double decker red buses for tractors, honking and siren sounds for the squawks of seagulls, and Gothic Revival architecture for Medieval Tudor houses. There is something far more quaint, magical, and calming about the English coastline.

Old Harry Rocks, Dorset, United Kingdom

The best parts of England’s coastline (as many Brits will agree) extends from Bournemouth in Dorset to the English Riviera in Devon. The Southeast beaches tend to be rocky and shingly, whereas Dorset and Devon encompass beautiful sandy beaches, jaw-dropping cliffs, fossil rich soil, and storybook medieval towns.

In this guide, we’ve shared our perfect Dorset to Devon road trip itinerary, which is ideal for those first time visitors to the UK who want an all-round view of England’s natural beauty.

We’ve also verified this itinerary with a Devonshire born-and-raised local, so we know we’ve got your back!

How many days do you need to road trip from Dorset to Devon?

The recommended amount of time to road trip the Southwest coast through Dorset and Devon would require a minimum of 7 days, but you could easily extend this to a 2 week trip.

The following itinerary will start in Bournemouth in Dorset and finish in Plymouth in Devon, where you can find a direct train back to London.

The entire journey from Bournemouth to Plymouth is 3 hours drive in one trip (128 miles), but there is so much to see on the way and many detours you can take.

Getting started on your Dorset to Devon Road Trip

The starting point on this itinerary is Bournemouth, roughly 2.5 hours from central London by car. Most international travellers will fly into one of the London airports, and will be picking up the hire car from there.

If you want to save money on the hire car, here’s a neat little tip. Get a train from London Heathrow or Gatwick to Reading, and pick up your rental car from there than the airport.

For some reason, the hire companies operating out of the airports charge a surcharge for picking up a hire car from them, which is charged at a per day rate. This quickly adds up, along with the other fees you have to add on such as insurance, so if you can, try to collect your hire car from the city and drive out.

It’s a 30 minute train journey to Reading, and it’s on the way to Dorset anyway. It will add time to your journey but if you are hiring a car for more than a week it can save you money.

The Perfect Dorset to Devon Road Trip

Now you have your car sorted, let’s crack on with the itinerary! You can see all the stops mentioned in this guide on the following interactive map, or keep reading for a detailed overview.

Stop 1: Bournemouth, Dorset

bournemouth pier uk Recommended amount of time: 1-2 days

Bournemouth is a “coastal resort town” and is usually where Londoner’s go on weekend getaways.

It has a lovely city beach, with soft golden sand and gentle waves for swimming. As well as this, there are museums and galleries, as well as your quintessential coastal town amusement arcades and mini golf experiences.

I would recommend spending one day here to get orientated, but if you want to extend your time in Bournemouth, consider taking a day trip or an overnight camping trip to the New Forest National Park, or visit the nearby city of Winchester in Hampshire which is noted for its stunning Tudor architecture.

You can also stop by Corfe Castle on the way to the next stop, which is one of Britain’s most iconic buildings to survive the English Civil War.

Stop 2: Durdle Door, Dorset

beach with a rock arch Panoramic view of Durdle Door and seaside. Famous rock arch in the Jurassic coast, Dorset, England. Distance: 1 hours 2 mins | 24 miles Recommended amount of time: 1 day

I mean, look at this image and tell me you don’t want to go there? Durdle Door is a unique rock formation on the famed Jurassic Coast, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is one of the most photographed natural landmarks in the UK.

It’s famous for its natural limestone arch, and soft, golden sand beach. In the summer, this area looks like a scene from the South of France rather than the UK.

It’s located in Lulworth in Dorset, on a privately owned piece of land by the Weld family, but it’s also open to the public. This is what I love about the UK, they have rambler’s rights which allows the public to walk on people’s land to find beautiful nature spots.

While in the area, head over to Lulworth Cove, a crescent-shaped beach known for its rocky cliffs and rock formations, such as the Lulworth Crumple and Stair Hole.

Stop 3: Sherborne Castle, Dorset

View of autumn colours in the grounds of Sherborne castle in Dorset. Distance: 52 mins | 30 miles Recommended amount of time: 1/2 a day

Sherborne Castle is the residence of the Digby Family who have been the stewards since the late 18th Century.

The current structure is considered the New Castle as the Old Castle was left to ruins. This specific structure’s claim to fame is that it was Sir Walter Raleigh’s lodge during the reign of Elizabeth I.

Stop 4: Burton Bradstock, Dorset

Sunset over the cliffs at Hive Beach at Burton Bradstock near Bridport on the Dorset coast Distance: 49 mins | 27 miles Recommended amount of time: 1 day

If you are a fan of Thomas Hardy novels and films, treat the family to a walk along the cliffs between Bridport and Burton Bradstock. The views are nothing short of cinematic splendor provided by nature itself.

With the coastline below and pastoral landscape all around, it’s easy to imagine being a character in one of those period pieces. During the walk is a good time to introduce some of the classics (books) to the kids.

Stop 5: Charmouth, Dorset

Charmouth, Dorset, England, UK – The beach in summer, popular with fossil hunters Distance: 18 mins | 9 miles Recommended amount of time: 1 day

Favored by many Londoners as their respite from life in the city, Charmouth is a seaside town that gives you an authentic look into English Village life. It’s famous for being the starting point on the Jurassic Coast, and is also where scenes from the highly acclaimed TV series, Broadchurch, were filmed.

The residents are very welcoming and smiley. Though small, the town has everything you need for a comfortable stay, which includes a handful of good pubs, boutique shops, and cosy cafes.

We favored The Royal Oak Pub as our restaurant of choice. It’s charming white exterior and brick chimneys make it very inviting and warming. The inside is small, but the drink and food menu is expansive and offers farm to table food.

The main draw to Charmouth though is fossil hunting. This area is known for its abundance of Ammonites and Belemnites, a type of extinct Mollusc, but people have also been known to find fossilised fish and dinosaur bones here.

In fact, fossils are in such abundance that you can buy a fossil from the local store for less than £1 if you’re unlucky in finding your own. You don’t need a hammer or chisel, you can simple comb the shoreline and use your eagle eyes to look for them.

If you’re lucky, you may even catch an impromptu musical performance in the evening, as we did on one visit.

Stop 6: Lyme Regis, Dorset

The view of the Lyme Regis Marine Parade Distance: 10 mins | 3 miles Recommended amount of time: 1 day

Charmouth has a wonderful beach and is usually packed with fossil hunting families, especially in the spring after a heavy storm. So it may be worth driving on for a short distance to the seaside town of Lyme Regis, another fossil hunting hot spot.

This strip of beach is a bit more rugged, the water colder and less blue, but has an honest, family-friendly vibe about it.

With a harbour village set in the background, colorful beach huts, and scenes of the rolling hills surrounding it, Lyme Regis is an idyllic setting where you can find hours of enjoyment.

And what beach visit would be complete without fish and chips? There are plenty of chip stands along the promenade and shops along the streets in town. In the late afternoon, join the locals by grabbing some and find a good seat to enjoy the crispy, subtle goodness while watching the sun set.

Stop 7: Forde Abbey, Dorset

Forde Abbey in Dorset Distance: 26 mins | 10 miles Recommended amount of time: 1/2 day

These counties are filled with beautiful country estates, so don’t just stick to the coast – you can head inland to make a detour to some stunning stately homes and manors.

Many have been sold back to the government, as they are too expensive to upkeep by the owners, or are operated by the National Trust – a non-for-profit charity that restores stately homes and opens them to the public to view.

Some, however, still have residents stemming from a long aristocratic bloodline. No matter the status, most are open to the public to view. Forde Abbey is one of them.

If you are a fan of shows such as Downton Abbey, and ever wonder how the other half live, this is an opportunity to do so.

Walking and playing amongst the lush surroundings brought to reality everything we imagined life to have been for such families in the days of yore.

These places aren’t just about people’s riches, they all have histories well worth sharing with your children.

Forde Abbey in specific, was, in fact, a former monastery before Henry the VIII took it over during the years of dissolution. Explaining this is a day’s worth of lessons alone.

Stop 8: Beer, Devon

Early morning sunlight illuminates the pebbles of the beach at Beer in Devon Distance: 35 mins | 16 miles Recommended amount of time: 1-2 days

My personal favorite stop on this road trip for anyone who is travelling with families is the town of Beer.

Although you might be thinking the town is named after the drink, it’s name actually derived from an ancient Anglo-Saxon word, “beuru”, which translates into “forestation,” which until this day the town is surrounded.

Beer is a beautiful seaside town with pubs everywhere and a few surrounding beautiful beaches. There are also lots of activities for the kids to do, such as play at Pecorama, a model train village with playgrounds, a steam train to ride, and lots of model villages to look at, and the Seaton Tramway, a double-decker tram that rides through the countryside.

Of course, you can also play on Seaton Beach or Beer Beach, a pebble beach. However, the best pebble beach in England is the next stop…

Top tip: On the way to Budleigh Salterton from Beer, stop into the Donkey Sanctuary to see orphaned donkeys. Kids will love walking around the paddocks and stroking the donkeys. It also has an excellent cream tea with scones, clotted cream, and jam.

Stop 9: Budleigh Salterton

budleigh salterton changerooms on beach Distance: 30 mins | 15 miles Recommended amount of time: 1 day

Budleigh Salterton was once described as “God’s Waiting Room” by Jeremy Clarkson, who drove through here on a Top Gear episode. Looking at the average demographic, it’s not hard to see where that name came from, but also, it’s not hard to see why so many people want to retire here.

Budleigh is a small town with a few charity shops, knick-knack shops, tearooms and cafes. It doesn’t offer much in the way of entertainment, but the real highlight here is the beach.

The beach is a long, curvaceous stretch of pebble beach backed by sheer, sandstone cliffs. On one side of the beach you have the Atlantic Ocean, and on the other you have a wetland where the mouth of the River Otter meets the ocean. This wetland has a variety of migratory bird species living here, and there is a nature walk with bird hides along the Otter Estuary Nature Reserve from the car park behind the beach.

Note the western side of the beach at Budleigh is a naturist beach. Be sure to get an ice cream from The Creamery!

Stop 10: Star Cross / Powderham Castle

colorful houses on sandy beach at exmouth Exmouth Distance: 40 mins | 17 miles Recommended amount of time: 1-2 days

After Budleigh, drive on towards Star Cross, making a stop in Exmouth. This is another hot destination for Brits to holiday in during the summer, and is popular because of its soft, sandy beach. The beach has actually deteriorated a lot over the years – it used to have sand dunes but they have been washed away by storms.

Exmouth is where the mouth of the River Exe meets the ocean, and the harbour side of the town is quite pretty. Go for a walk around the docks and admire the views of the estuary overlooking Star Cross, before setting off. You don’t need more than a morning here.

As you head towards Topsham, make a pit stop at Darts Farm to pick up some farm produce. This is the best place to find locally made items and unique souvenirs.

Then, spend the afternoon exploring Powderham Castle, the main reason to come to Star Cross. This Grade II listed fortified manor is on the National Register of Historic Parks and Gardens and is famous for its quirky ghost stories and maze-like interiors.

As you take a guided tour through the house, you will find secret doors and hidden staircases, adding a bit of mystery to the visit.

Side note: You may find more accommodation options in Exeter if you want to stay the night near here.

Stop 11: Torquay

torquay harbour Distance: 40 mins | 20 miles Recommended amount of time: 1-2 days

After Powderham Castle, head inland to drive down to Torquay. You could easily spend a day or two here, some people spend a week there though I can’t imagine there’s enough to do to fill that amount of time.

Some cool attractions here for families are Babbacombe Model Village, Cockington Country Park, and Kents Cavern Prehistoric Caves – the oldest cave system in the UK and even has the remains of hand axes and bones in the caves.

If you want to stretch your legs, there’s a lovely coastal walk along the South West Coast Path, which traverses over the cliffs.

Top tip: Torquay and Paignton are popular destinations for Brits to go on their holidays, but they are right next to each other. Pick one depending on your interests. Paignton is better for families as it has Paignton Zoo, and Torquay fetches a more younger crowd and has a lively nightlife scene.

Stop 11: Dartmouth

ferry on river in dartmouth devon Distance: 45 mins | 10 miles Recommended amount of time: 2-3 days

On the way to Dartmouth stop by Coleton Fishacre, a National Trust site known for its art deco home and lavish gardens. The gardens are really the biggest draw to Coleton Fishacre, which are especially beautiful in the Spring when the bluebells are in bloom.

Cross the bridge (or ferry) at Kingswear into Dartmouth, which is a quaint, riverside town worth staying in for a few days. I would prefer to stay here over Torquay, but that’s just me.

There’s a few great attractions to see in Dartmouth, such as Dartmouth Castle, Kingswear Castle, and Compass Cove Beach.

If you have kids, they may like a day out at Woodlands Adventure Park, an amusement park with slides and a huge soft play area.

It’s also only a short distance to…

Stop 12: Blackpool Sands

blackpool sands Distance: 15 mins | 4 miles Recommended amount of time: 1 day

Not to be confused with Blackpool in the Northwest of England, Blackpool Sands is widely recognised as the UK’s best beach. Conde Nast Traveller gave it the title England’s Best Beach in May 2024.

Blackpool Sands is a Blue Flag Beach with crystal clear water and Almafi coast vibes. It has all the facilities you would want for a beach day, such as showers, toilets, and even a wood-fired sauna.

Although photos make it look like a golden sand beach, it is actually shingle, so be prepared with sturdy footwear.

Stop 13: Salcombe

salcome devon on edge of water Distance: 40 mins | 19 miles Recommended amount of time: 2-3 days

Salcombe is such an underrated part of the UK. Not many people discover this hidden gem in South Devon as it’s quite a mission to get to – not if you’re on this road trip though!

Salcombe is surrounded by secluded, quiet beaches that get a fraction of the crowds that other beaches on the English Riviera do.

This area is all about getting on the water. You can try coasteering, which is a popular activity to do here, or take a sea kayak out and explore the rocky shorelines. Some beaches are also surf-worthy, although surfing is much better on the North Devon and Cornwall coasts.

There are also lots of lovely nature walks to do by the Kingsbridge Estuary.

Stop 14: Dartmoor

The rock pillars of Great Staple Tor with views over the valley below, Dartmoor National Park, Devon, UK Distance: 45 mins | 22 miles Recommended amount of time: 1-2 days

Before reaching your final stop, Plymouth, I would recommend making a detour inland to explore Dartmoor National Park. This national park is famous for its wild, rugged landscape and folklore legends.

It’s also known for its “tors” – huge rock formations that look like monoliths. If you have ever watched Lord of the Rings, the landscape of Rohan looks a lot like Dartmoor.

The best way to explore Dartmoor is to go for a walk along the moorlands. Many trails wind through medieval villages, and past neolithic tombs and stone circles.

Keep an eye out for Dartmoor ponies, wild ponies that roam the moors. They are used to people, but don’t get up close to them – they are wild.

Stop 15: Plymouth

plymouth hoe devon Distance: 20 mins | 10 miles Recommended amount of time: 1 day

Finally, you’ll arrive at the last destination on this list – Plymouth. Honestly, although it’s the capital of Devon, there’s not much to write home about with Plymouth. It’s a largely commercialised city that has lost much of its charm.

The area around the Hoe is still quite quaint, and Plymouth Aquarium is quite exciting for kids. There’s a few theatres here that often have travelling musicals, so it’s worth looking to see what’s on in the evening.

We end our road trip here though as it’s a convenient place to drop your hire car, and catch a train back to London. There are direct trains, and since it’s the first stop on the way to London, you’ll have a better chance of grabbing a seat!