Exeter is the obvious wet-weather plan and the obvious "we need a proper day out" plan during a stay at Hole Mill. It is the only true city within easy reach — a cathedral city with Roman walls, an underground network of medieval passages, a genuinely good free museum, a historic quayside and, on the edge of town, one of the best family theme parks in the South West. From Hole Mill it is about 24 miles, 45 minutes by car up the A3052. This is the local's guide to a family day in Exeter, whatever the weather.

Getting there and parking

Distance from Hole Mill: about 24 miles, 45 minutes by car via the A3052 and A376/M5.

For a city-centre day, the easiest option is one of the large car parks — John Lewis/Princesshay or Mary Arches Street — both a short walk from the cathedral and the high street. If you would rather not drive into the centre, Exeter has a park-and-ride (Honiton Road, Matford and Sowton) with frequent buses in. For the quayside, there is parking right by the water.

If you are heading to Crealy Theme Park (see below), it is on the eastern edge of the city near junction 30 of the M5 — roughly 35 minutes from Hole Mill, and you can skip the city centre entirely.

Rainy-day winners

Royal Albert Memorial Museum (RAMM)

The RAMM is the single best free family attraction in Exeter — a large, beautifully refurbished Victorian museum with everything from a full-size giraffe and Exeter's natural-history collections to Roman finds, world cultures galleries and an excellent rolling programme of family activities and trails. Free entry, café on site, easily two hours with children.

Best for: all ages, all weathers. Free.

Exeter's Underground Passages

A genuinely unusual attraction — a network of medieval vaulted passages built to carry fresh water into the walled city, now open for guided tours beneath the modern streets. Helmets on, ducking through narrow stone tunnels: children love it. Tours are timed and popular, so book ahead in school holidays.

Best for: ages 6+; a memorable 45–60 minutes.

Exeter Cathedral

One of the great English cathedrals, with the longest unbroken stretch of Gothic vaulting in the world, an astronomical clock, and a green outside that is perfect for an ice cream and a run-around when the sun comes out. Family trails are usually available at the desk. There is an admission charge for adults; children are often free or low-cost.

Best for: a calmer hour; combine with lunch on Cathedral Green.

Out in the open

Exeter Quayside

The historic quay on the River Exe is the city's best spot for an easy afternoon. Cobbled wharves, old warehouses now home to cafés and craft shops, and — the family bit — bike, canoe and pedalo hire, plus a small ferry across the river (a hand-pulled cable ferry, weather depending). Flat traffic-free paths run along the river and canal, ideal for little legs or hired bikes. Plenty of relaxed places to eat.

Best for: active afternoons, bike rides, a riverside lunch.

Crealy Theme Park & Resort

On the eastern edge of Exeter, Crealy is the region's big family theme park — rollercoasters and water rides for the older ones, a huge indoor play area and gentle rides and farm animals for younger children, so it works across a wide age range. The indoor zones make it a strong wet-weather option too. Tickets are cheaper booked online in advance, and it is worth a full day.

Distance from Hole Mill: about 20 miles, 35 minutes by car (near M5 J30). Best for: a full-day blow-out; mixed-age families.

More ideas if you have time

  • Princesshay & the high street — the main shopping area, with the Roman city wall woven through it and plenty of cafés for a refuel.
  • Northernhay Gardens — England's oldest public open space, a pretty park beside the old city wall for a picnic and a play.
  • Darts Farm (on the way back towards Hole Mill, near Topsham) — a superb farm shop and food hall, great for stocking up on local produce for dinner at the mill, with space for children to roam.
  • Topsham — a charming estuary town just outside Exeter, good for a quieter potter, an ice cream by the water and bird-watching on the Exe estuary.

A suggested family day

A relaxed, weather-proof plan:

  • 9.30 am: drive up from Hole Mill (45 minutes).
  • 10.15 am: park near the centre; start at the RAMM (free, indoors).
  • 12.00: lunch on or near Cathedral Green.
  • 1.00 pm: Underground Passages tour (book a slot).
  • 2.30 pm: down to the Quayside for bike or pedalo hire and a riverside wander.
  • 4.30 pm: ice creams, then drive home — stopping at Darts Farm for dinner supplies if you fancy.

Swap the centre for Crealy if the children want rides and you want a single big day out.

Practical tips

  • Book timed attractions ahead in school holidays — the Underground Passages and Crealy both sell out.
  • Check opening days — RAMM and some attractions close on certain weekdays in winter.
  • Weather flexibility is the trick: RAMM, the Underground Passages, the cathedral and Crealy's indoor zones all work in the rain, so you can decide on the morning.
  • Combine the drive — Darts Farm and Topsham are on the Hole Mill side of the city, so they make an easy stop on the way home.

Exeter is the perfect change of pace from the quiet of the valley — a proper city day, easily done in three-quarters of an hour from the door, with options for every age and any forecast. Check our availability for your dates, and ask us for the current pick of family attractions when you arrive.