Devon has two coasts and two moors, and the right base depends on which one you want outside the door. We list 3,687 stays across the county, and 2,392 of them take dogs. Start with the kind of days you have in mind, pick the area, then use the area guide to compare towns, steps and parking. To see every holiday cottage in Devon on one map, use the full list.
North Devon: surf beaches and the Exmoor coast
North Devon has the most choice, with 1,547 stays. Head here for long sandy beaches: Woolacombe and Croyde for surf, Westward Ho! for the beach and Northam Burrows, Ilfracombe for a harbour town. Our North Devon guide compares those bases.
Further east the coast turns to cliffs and wooded valleys. Lynton sits on the clifftop with a water-powered railway down to Lynmouth, and the farms inland are good for walking from the door. The Exmoor guide covers that side.
South Devon: harbour towns and estuary beaches
South Devon has 1,413 stays, from Torbay to the South Hams. Dartmouth and Salcombe are steep estuary towns where the walk from the car matters as much as the view. Hope Cove suits a beach week without a town, Brixham has holiday parks on its edge, and Torquay has seafront flats with lifts. The South Devon guide sets them side by side.
East Devon: the Jurassic Coast
East Devon has 385 stays along the western end of the Jurassic Coast. Beer has the most, with a shingle cove where fishing boats launch from the beach. Sidmouth and Exmouth are the towns, Seaton has houses for groups of up to 16, and Branscombe is a valley village with a level walk to the sea. Compare them in the East Devon guide.
Dartmoor: moorland villages and market towns
Choose Dartmoor for walking and pubs rather than beaches. Okehampton has the most choice on the northern edge and a direct train to Exeter, Tavistock is a market town on the western side, and Chagford and Haytor put you close to the tors. The Dartmoor guide covers access, hot tubs and dog rules.
Choose by the kind of holiday
Some holidays start with the type of stay rather than the place:
- Holiday parks, with pools, bars and play areas on site, are compared in holiday parks in Devon.
- Farm stays, from animal feeding for children to quiet barns for two, are in farm stays in Devon.
- With children, start with family holidays in Devon, which covers beaches with lifeguards, cots and stairgates.
- As a couple, see romantic breaks in Devon.
- If you would rather not cook, try one of the pubs with rooms in Devon.
- With a dog, browse the dog-friendly cottages in Devon.
Final checks before you book
Use each property page to narrow the choice, then confirm dates, price, access and any critical facility on the booking site it links to, which handles the booking and payment. Our links may earn a commission when you book.
Wherever you stay in Devon, ask three things before you pay: how many steps lie between the car and the door, whether parking is a space on site or a permit for a town car park, and what the summer dog rules are at the beach you plan to use. Those three answers rule out more stays than any photograph.
