Outdoor Activities in Paignton

Paignton Zoo and Dartmouth Steam Rail and River Boat Co both do, and both record indoor as well as outdoor space, so neither collapses if the coast turns grey. Splashdown Quaywest Waterpark is the third full commitment, and water parks in particular set rules about height, swimming ability and adult supervision that are worth reading before anybody gets into a swimsuit.

Occombe Farm is the softest option on the page and records covered space as well as outdoor, which matters with a toddler on a wet morning. Paignton Pier is the other one that suits small children, mostly because it is short, contained and finishes when you say it does. Both are easier propositions than committing to a zoo for the day.

Reach Outdoors holds the strongest score here and is a water activity operator, which is the most demanding thing on the list. Anything on the water depends on conditions and on a minimum age, so ask both questions when you ring. Ask too what happens to the rest of the family while one child is out, since that decides where everybody else spends the morning.

It is common in resorts. Places that live on visitors build things people will give a day and a journey to, and the casual local option, the recreation ground or the swings behind the shops, never makes it into a directory. A short list of large things is the standard shape of a holiday town page rather than an accident.