Dartmouth

Where to Stay in Dartmouth
Food and Drink in Dartmouth
Things to Do in Dartmouth
What’s On in Dartmouth
Town Website

The beautiful town of Dartmouth situated on the mouth of the River Dart is one of South Devon’s most popular and enchanting towns. With its charming historic streets, scenic river location and surrounded by South Devon countryside you have to go a long way to find a town as pretty.  

Things to Do in Dartmouth

The beauty of the landscape, the historical buildings, and the exceptional local produce all make Dartmouth the perfect holiday destination.

The River Dart is the perfect watersports playground – sailing, kayaking, paddle boarding, boat trips and more are all on offer – you can even learn to surf at one of the nearby beaches, or just spend a lazy day enjoying the views. One of the country’s top beaches Blackpool Sands is just a short drive from Dartmouth and is not to be missed.  

Dartmouth is full of history and heritage, no trip to Dartmouth would be complete without visiting Dartmouth Castle, or Agatha Christie's Greenway National Trust Holiday Home. For the kids, there are plenty of local attractions such as Woodlands Theme Park, and activities and crabbing is a popular pastime on the embankment to keep them amused.

Spend a day exploring the town, with its museum, art galleries, independent shops and places to eat.

After you have finished exploring the town make sure you head out in to the surrounding countryside. Take one of the many footpaths surrounding the town and discover the wonderful countryside or costal views. Walk parts of the South West Coast Path and enjoy spectacular views across the coastline. 

Catch one of the many ferries and head for Torquay, Salcombe or Totnes or just enjoy a trip around the river mouth. You could even catch the steam train from Kingswear for a nostalgic trip through the South Devon Countryside. 

Top Events in Dartmouth

There are many top events that draw the crowds to the town year after year.

The Music Festival in May is a 3 day free event for all music lovers, whist in July, Dartmouth Castle is lit up with outdoor performances during Shakespeare Week.

In August, the Dartmouth Royal Regatta is a week of sailing and family fun that the whole town comes out to celebrate. In October, local artists take centre stage with the Galleries week opening their doors and studios to visitors.

Lastly, October also sees the Dartmouth Food Festival – one of the top food festivals in the UK where local producers and chefs showcase the wonderful variety on offer with stalls, demo’s and events.  

Where to Eat in Dartmouth

From the bustle of the waterside to fine dining, traditional pub grub and bistros as well as fish and chip shops and ice cream vendors, there’s a huge variety of food and drink outlets for you to choose from. The fresh local seafood is a specialty in Dartmouth – especially the South Devon crab. Many places also serve local wine and ales so you can experience the best of the South West’s food and drink.

History of Dartmouth

With a long tradition of strategic importance for sailing ships, Dartmouth has a long association with the Royal Navy, with The Britannia Royal Naval College located on the hill overlooking the town and has been training Officers since 1863.

With its medieval and Elizabethan roots, many of the original buildings in the town still stand giving it a distinctive character, with Dartmouth Castle and Bayards Cove Fort being two iconic historical buildings that are well worth a visit.

Dartmouth also played a role in the historic sailing of the Mayflower to America in 1620. To find out more about the history of the Mayflower and its incredible voyage, please click here. 2020 also marks the 400th anniversary of the ships journey, and Dartmouth have plenty of fanatstic Mayflower 400 events taking place, to find out more about these, please clcik here. 

The Information Centre

The Information Centre is located in Mayors Avenue Car Park, and has all the visitor information you need with maps and trails, as well as a gift shop. The staff are on hand to help you with any queries you have.