Devon’s Best Christmas Family Attractions and Days Out 2025
Plan magical Christmas family attractions days out Devon 2025 with our handpicked top six events. Get dates, times, addresses, official websites, ticket links & parking info.
Updated 11/12/2025
If you’re dreaming of festive sparkle by the sea and storybook countryside settings, Devon delivers in style this year. From cathedral-green chalets and glowing winter gardens to steam-train adventures and elf-led tram rides, Christmas family attractions days out Devon 2025 are bigger, brighter, and brilliantly family-friendly.
Picture wandering a twinkling market below ancient spires, sipping hot chocolate while you glide to the “North Pole,” or watching your children beam as they meet Santa inside a themed grotto. Each event here has been curated for easy planning: we’ve included exact dates, typical running hours or time slots, full addresses, official websites, direct ticket links, and clear parking guidance. You’ll find options across the county—East, Mid, South and North Devon—so you can bundle a festive day out with coast walks, countryside pubs, or a short break.
Whether you prefer free-to-browse markets or timed-entry attractions, there’s something for toddlers, tweens, grandparents, and everyone in between.
To keep your trip smooth, pre-book popular experiences early, arrive a little before your time slot, and bring layers for chilly evenings. Below, discover six standout events that capture the heart of a Devon Christmas—each with its own vibe, but all packed with lights, music, and memory-making moments. Ready to unwrap the magic? Let’s go.
Exeter Cathedral Christmas Market
Set against the magnificent backdrop of Exeter Cathedral, this award-winning market is the county’s seasonal showstopper. Stroll the labyrinth of wooden chalets for artisan gifts, West Country produce, and global street food, then pause for choir carols or hot mulled drinks as fairy lights shimmer across Cathedral Green. Families love the open layout, easy pushchair access, and the chance to dip into the Cathedral itself between browsing sessions.
A dedicated food village, themed bars, and handpicked traders keep things lively day and night, while central-city transport and Park & Ride make the journey straightforward. It’s free to enter, so you can visit more than once—ideal if you’re pairing a daytime browse with an evening glow-up of lights. This year’s dates and extended opening hours bring even more chances to shop, snack, and soak up the festive atmosphere, with late-night sessions Thursday to Saturday.
Date: 20 Nov – 19 Dec 2025
Time: Mon–Wed 10:00–19:00; Thu–Sat 10:00–21:00; Sun 11:00–17:00
Address: Cathedral Green, Cathedral Close, Exeter, EX1 1HS
Website: Exeter Cathedral Christmas Market
Ticket Link: Free entry (no ticket required)
Parking: City-centre car parks & Park & Ride (charges apply)
For parents, the ability to step off the market into nearby cafes, loos, and warm nooks is a quiet lifesaver, and older kids will enjoy grazing from street-food favourites between gift hunts. If your group splits, arrange a meet-up point by the Cathedral entrance, then regroup to share warm churros and compare finds.
THE POLAR EXPRESS™ Tram Ride at Seaton Tramway
All aboard for a faithful, elf-powered retelling of the festive favourite—on a real heritage tram gliding through the Seaton Wetlands. Families are encouraged to wear PJs as you sip hot chocolate, meet characters, and step into a “North Pole” with lights, music, and Santa himself. In 2025, the extended North Pole experience returns, giving kids more time for the Elf Show and a merry meet-and-greet.
The atmosphere is immersive yet easy-going, with friendly hosts shepherding little conductors from platform to sleigh-bell moments. Seaton’s compact station makes arrivals simple, and pushchairs can be managed with staff support. Tip: choose a late-afternoon slot for golden-hour photos over the estuary before twilight turns the wetlands into a ribbon of lights.
Date: Selected dates 28 Nov – 24 Dec 2025
Time: Typical departures 12:00–17:00 (check your chosen date)
Address: Seaton Tramway, Harbour Road, Seaton, Devon EX12 2NQ
Website & Ticket Link: via official website here
Parking: Underfleet & Town Hall long-stay (pay & display)
Book promptly—prime weekend sessions go first—and arrive early to pick up snacks or gifts from the tramway shop. Underfleet long-stay car parks are a short walk; allow time for pay-and-display and to gather your party at the platform. If you’ve older kids, let them “lead” the ticket scanning and bell-ringing—it adds a sprinkle of independence to the magic.
RHS Glow 2025 at RHS Garden Rosemoor (Great Torrington)
As dusk falls, Rosemoor’s gardens glow in a palette of jewel tones—towering trees, water features and winter borders lit with artistic precision. The route is designed for families, with firm paths suitable for buggies, warming food stalls, and plenty of pause points for photos.
This year’s trail runs on selected evenings with timed entry from 4:30pm and last entry at 7:15pm, so you can plan a cosy tea before or after. Kids love spotting colour-shifting trees and “secret” lighting moments, while grandparents enjoy a gentle, well-marshalled walk in beautiful surroundings.
Date: Selected dates 21 Nov – 30 Dec 2025
Time: 16:30–20:30 entry window; last entry 19:15
Address: RHS Garden Rosemoor, Great Torrington, EX38 8PH
Website & Ticket Link: via official website here
Parking: Free on-site parking
Parking is free on site, and facilities are excellent. Do bundle up: Devon nights can be crisp, but that only adds to the sparkle as breath clouds mingle with lantern light. Pre-booking is essential; prime weekends sell out quickly. If you’re making a weekend of it, consider combining Glow with a North Devon coast day or a Torrington coffee stop.
THE POLAR EXPRESS™ Train Ride at South Devon Railway (Buckfastleigh)
Steam, song, and story blend on this theatrical train ride to the “North Pole” along the atmospheric South Devon Railway. From the moment you arrive, characters usher your family into the film’s world—complete with hot chocolate, cookies, music, and a magical meeting with Santa.
It’s a full-production experience perfect for children and nostalgia-loving grown-ups. 2025 brings a broad run of dates from late November through December, with multiple departures each day; many families choose late-afternoon or early-evening trains for extra sparkle after dark.
Date: 28 Nov – 23 Dec 2025
Time: Multiple departures; typical range 14:40–20:00
Address: South Devon Railway, Dart Bridge Road, Buckfastleigh, TQ11 0DZ
Website & Ticket Link: via official website here
Parking: Pre-booked on-site parking (£5 per car; timed entry)
On-site parking is pre-booked and managed in timed waves to keep crowds moving—do add it during checkout and have your e-ticket handy. If you’re pairing with Dartmoor adventures or Totnes shopping, schedule earlier trains; for bedtime storytelling on the way home, choose an evening slot. Wrap up warm for platform moments and pack a small tote for souvenirs from the North Pole Trading shop.
Christmas at Crealy Theme Park & Resort (Exeter)
Crealy transforms into a winter wonderland on select December dates, blending rides-in-the-dark thrills with light trails, festive street entertainment, and a big-top style show. 2025 features a brand-new Aladdin pantomime in the Arena, plus an optional upgrade for a personal Santa Meet & Greet where each child receives a gift from the Toy Shop.
Families appreciate the generous opening hours on event days—time enough to mix coasters with Christmas—while food courts and indoor play give handy warm-ups between the sparkle.
Date: 13–14 Dec; 19–22 Dec; 23 Dec 2025
Time: 11:00–19:00 (6–7, 13–14, 19–22 Dec); 11:00–18:00 (23 Dec)
Address: Sidmouth Road, Clyst St Mary, Exeter, EX5 1DR
Website & Ticket Link: via official website here
Parking: Free on-site parking
Book early to secure your preferred date and showtime, and consider a Santa Sleepover package if you want a relaxed two-day break right on site. Annual Pass holders get special arrangements (always check the FAQs). Free parking and easy access off the M5 keep logistics simple for grandparents or multi-car groups.
The Magic of Christmas at The Milky Way Adventure Park (North Devon)
North Devon’s much-loved all-weather park becomes a cosy Christmas hub on selected dates in December. Little ones journey through a snowy themed forest to Buzzlewick’s Elf Emporium, decorate gingerbread, write letters to Santa, and—on selected tickets—step inside Santa’s Cottage for a cheery chat before choosing a gift from the Toy Shop.
Between experiences, enjoy rides, indoor dodgems, and live shows, making this a full day out even if the weather turns. The park’s layout and plentiful facilities suit pushchairs and mixed-age groups, while free parking by the entrance keeps logistics easy.
Date: 6–7 Dec; 13–14 Dec; 20–23 Dec 2025
Time: Hours vary (typical winter day 10:30–16:30)
Address: Higher Clovelly, Bideford, EX39 5RY
Website & Ticket Link: via official website here
Parking: Free on-site parking
Dates are nicely spread across weekends and the run-up to Christmas week, so you can weave a visit around carol services and school plays. Pro tip: reserve morning entry for young early-birds, or plan a mid-day arrival to warm up with lunch before your grotto time.
From cathedral romance to glowing gardens and storybook rides, Devon’s Christmas calendar is brimming with family magic this year. Whether you’re carving out a single sparkling evening or planning a full festive stay, these Christmas family attractions days out Devon 2025 offer variety, value, and memories you’ll talk about long after the decorations come down.
Book timed experiences early, leave a little buffer for traffic and parking, and layer up for those crisp, starry nights. With this guide’s dates, times, addresses and direct links, you’re set for smooth planning—and the joyful, low-stress kind of Christmas we all want.
See you under the lights!
