Best Things to Do in Salcombe, Devon (+ Where to Stay and What to Know)
I have visited Salcombe multiple times and my opinion has never wavered. It is the most beautiful town on England's south coast. Not the most famous, not the most written about, but the most beautiful, and if you have never stood at Snapes Point at golden hour, you are missing one of the finest views in Britain.
Salcombe has a reputation for being expensive and exclusive, and that reputation is not entirely wrong. Property prices here are among the highest outside London and in August the narrow streets are heaving. But here is what the reputation misses: you do not need to spend a fortune to have an extraordinary time here.
The coastal paths are free. The estuary is free. The ferry across to East Portlemouth costs £1.60 each way.
This guide covers everything I know about the place, what to do, where to stay, when to go, and why it deserves more than a single day.
Plan Your Salcombe Trip
Do you need a car? → Yes, Salcombe does not have a train station
Best time to visit → May-October
Is Salcombe dog friendly? → Yes, Salcombe is very dog friendly with lots of dog friendly accommodation and restaurants
How much does a stay in Salcombe cost? → On average, a stay in Salcombe typically costs between £200 and £300 per night for a hotel room. Less in winter, often slightly more in summer
💡 Tip: Salcombe has no train station, you need a car to get here, and to make the most of the surrounding coastline once you arrive. Park at Shadycombe Car Park on the edge of town and walk down; it's cheaper than the harbour car parks and only five minutes on foot.
Things to Do in Salcombe
Salcombe may be small, but there is so much to do thanks to its breathtaking coastline as well as its popularity (yes, it is both a blessing and a curse).
Snapes Point Walk
This is the one thing I would make non-negotiable if you only have a single day in Salcombe. The walk to Snapes Point takes around 20 minutes from the town centre, climbs gently through fields and coastal scrub, and delivers you to a panoramic viewpoint above the Kingsbridge Estuary.
I don't want to be dramatic but this is one of my favourite views in all of England, as the walk opens up it really does take your breath away,
The whole estuary fans out below you, and on a clear day the sea is visible beyond the estuary mouth.
In summer this walk is especially special. The wildflowers are out, the light on the water is extraordinary, and by golden hour you have the whole path and the viewpoint almost entirely to yourself, even in June. Walk up at 7pm on a June evening and you will feel like you have discovered somewhere secret.
Snapes Point is fully dog-friendly and Baxter has done this walk with me every visit. There are surrounding fields with livestock so you must keep your dog under control.
Parking at the start of the walk is free for National Trust members and £2 for non-members, paid via the JustPark app — download it directly from your app store before you go rather than searching for it via a browser. The location code is 80675.
Please note that whilst the walk is easy and gentle, the latter part of the trail involves some stairs up to the viewpoint and is not suitable for wheelchair users or people with very limited mobility.
East Portlemouth Ferry and Beach
One of the great small pleasures of Salcombe is the passenger ferry that runs from the town quay across to East Portlemouth (costing £1.60), a journey of about three minutes that deposits you on the other side in a completely different world.
While Salcombe in summer is busy, East Portlemouth is quiet. The beach (a series of small sandy coves) is sheltered, beautiful and rarely crowded even on a hot August day.
The water here is some of the clearest I have seen anywhere in England.
Walk along the coastal path from the ferry landing for 10 minutes in either direction and you will find coves that have barely another soul on. This is the kind of swimming spot that people who know Devon well keep to themselves.
The beaches in East Portlemouth are dog friendly
Kayaking, Paddleboarding and Swimming in the Estuary
The Kingsbridge Estuary is one of the safest and most beautiful places to get on the water in the whole of Devon. It is sheltered and tidal but it's manageable.
On a sunny day the colour of the water makes it feel more like the Mediterranean than Devon. Kayaks and paddleboards are available to hire from the town, and you do not need any experience, the estuary rewards even complete beginners with views and a sense of freedom that is hard to match.
I recommend going in the morning before the wind picks up and before the motorboat traffic increases. Early on a calm summer morning the estuary is glassy and the town looks beautiful from the water.
Paddleboard hire in Salcombe typically runs from around £24 for a short session up to £48 for longer hire, with lessons starting from around £48. South Sands Beach and Salcombe Watersports at Port Waterhouse are both well-regarded options worth looking at when you book.
The water temperature peaks in August and September. I swam here in June and found it cold but it was worth it!
Exploring the Town
Salcombe town is small enough to cover on foot in an hour but it's interesting so you will end up wandering for longer.
The harbour is a great starting point with its working boats, pleasure craft, and the constant movement of the ferry make it a lively scene for people watching.
The independent shops are lovely, there are good bookshops, homeware shops stocking the kind of coastal-inspired things you can't help but buy, and a scattering of galleries.
The town has resisted the worst of the generic seaside retail that afflicts so many English coastal towns and feels much more pleasant as a result.
Walk the length of Fore Street and then drop down to the quay. That loop, done slowly, is one of the most pleasant hours you can spend in Devon.
From the town you can access some of the best walks in Salcombe, I recommend Footpath Map to stay on track.
Walk the South West Coast Path
The South West Coast Path passes directly through Salcombe and the walking in both directions is outstanding.
Heading south towards Bolt Head, the path climbs steeply out of the town and delivers increasingly dramatic views back over the estuary and out to the open sea. The further you walk, the fewer people you encounter.
Bolt Head itself, at the southern tip of the headland, is around 4 miles from the town centre and worth every step. The views from the top are my favourite along the south Devon coast with sheer cliffs and the open Atlantic Ocean.
I have done this walk in both directions and the approach from Salcombe, with the estuary behind you, is the better way to do it. Allow around three hours for the full out-and-back walk, more if you stop at the top, which you should.
The path heading north out of Salcombe towards Kingsbridge is gentler and is beautiful in a less dramatic way, it's perfect for an evening walk when you want views without much of a climb.
Both directions are dog-friendly, though the Bolt Head section involves some exposed cliff edges so keep dogs on leads near the top.
Things to Do in Salcombe on a Rainy Day
I couldn't write a Salcombe travel guide without being realistic about the weather... England is a rainy country, and whilst Salcombe gets lots of sunshine, you are also at risk of seeing some rain. I have visited three times (all in summer) and twice has been filled with sunshine, and once was overcast and rainy.
Enjoy peace and quiet in the town
On a rainy day the tourist levels in Salcombe drop massively. The rain adds a new atmosphere through the streets and you can find a cosy restaurant to sit and have lunch.
I recommend the Victoria Inn with characterful interiors that ooze charm. On a chilly day you can sit by the log fire or in a cosy nook.
Salcombe Maritime Museum
If the weather turns, the Salcombe Maritime Museum is a nice way to spend an hour. It's free entry and covers the town's seafaring history through models, paintings, photographs and artefacts.
There's a whole room dedicated to the shipwrecks that line this stretch of coast which is fascinating. For young families there is a Young Sailors' Corner with hands-on displays.
It's open daily except Sunday mornings between March and October, so worth checking the hours before you go as it's run by volunteers.
National Maritime Aquarium, Plymouth
The National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth is around 50 minutes drive from Salcombe.
It is the UK's largest aquarium, home to over 5,000 marine animals across four zones, with live dive shows, educational workshops and Ocean Discovery Rangers on hand throughout the day.
Tickets cost £26 for adults, £16 for children aged 3-15, and under 3s get in free, and the smart thing to note is that a day ticket gets you a complimentary 12-month annual pass, so if you visit once you can return as many times as you like for a year.
It opens daily at 10am with last entry at 4pm. Pre-booking is recommended, particularly in school holidays.
Relax in your accommodation
There's a reason I love staying in cottages and Air Bnbs when I travel through England, they're so cosy and a rainy day makes you sit and enjoy it!
This 3 bed cottage is centrally located meaning you don't need to go far if you want to go out and grab anything from the shop or pop into town for dinner. Meanwhile, this 2 bedroom cottage sits right on the waterfront with a gorgeous window seat, a beautiful front row seat to some of Devon's best coastal views, even when it's raining.
Day Trips from Salcombe
One of the things that makes Salcombe such a strong base is what sits within easy reach of it.
You are positioned at the southern tip of Devon with Dartmouth to the east and Dartmoor to the north, such beautiful and iconic places all within an hour of the town.
Hope Cove
Hope Cove is the easiest and my favourite short trip from Salcombe, just 20 minutes along the South Hams coast.
The drive itself is gorgeous, but be aware the roads get very narrow along this route.
It is a tiny fishing village the type where you half expect to find someone hauling lobster pots, with a sheltered shingle and sand beach, backed by pretty thatched cottages.
Drive down in the morning, walk the coastal path above the village for views back towards Salcombe, spend time on the beach, and be back in town by early afternoon. It is not a full itinerary in itself but it is a place that will stick in your mind, especially if you walk the coastal path.
🐕 Hope Cove is dog-friendly year-round. Harbour Beach allows dogs all year round. Mouthwell Sands has restrictions, usually banning dogs from May 1st to September 30th between 10am–7pm. The Hope and Anchor and Lobster Pod Bistro welcome dogs too.
Dartmouth
Dartmouth is a 45 minute drive east of Salcombe, along the South Hams coast. It's one of the liveliest towns in Devon with a stunning working harbour and deep nautical history. There is a castle at the mouth of the River Dart, as well as independent shops lining the steep streets above the water, and a ferry crossing to Kingswear on the opposite bank.
This is a full day trip. Leave Salcombe in the morning, park above the town and walk down to the quay. Make sure you take the ferry across to Kingswear and walk back along the opposite bank for views across the river to the town.
The ferry operates all year round, except for Christmas Day. An adult's single ticket one way costs £2.50, and cars £7.50.
Dartmouth Castle is a 20-minute walk south along the river from the town centre and worth the walk thanks to its position above the estuary mouth.
The castle is run by English Heritage and is open 10am-5pm, on the day tickets are £12, but advance online tickets are £10.20. English Heritage members enjoy free access with their English Heritage card.
🐕 Dartmouth is largely dog-friendly. The riverside paths, the ferry crossing and the coastal walk to the castle all welcome dogs. Dogs on leads are welcome throughout the castle grounds, tea room, and inside the fort itself.
Dartmoor National Park
Dartmoor feels like a completely different world from Salcombe, which is part of why the contrast makes it such a good day trip.
Drive north from Salcombe and within an hour the lush, sheltered South Hams lanes give way to open granite moorland, wide skies and a landscape that feels totally untamed.
Haytor is the most accessible starting point and the best introduction to the moor if you have not been before. The tor itself is a short walk from the car park and the views across the moor from the top are amazing, on a clear day you can see all the way back to the coast.
From Haytor you can extend the walk in any direction across the open moorland without any particular navigation required. Again, I recommend Footpath Map to check your locations whilst walking and make sure you don't stray from the footpath.
Widecombe-in-the-Moor is the most famous village on the moor and so so pretty!
This is a full day trip. Allow at least three to four hours on the moor itself, plus driving time each way. Walking shoes or boots are essential, the moorland paths are uneven and boggy in wet weather, and the ground around the tors is rough underfoot.
🐕 Dartmoor is one of the best places in England to take a dog. Vast open moorland makes way for brilliant off-lead walking, and very few restrictions. The one important caveat: livestock graze freely across the moor, so leads are required whenever sheep or cattle are nearby, which on Dartmoor can be at any point.
Where to Stay in Salcombe
Salcombe is not a cheap place to stay and there is no point pretending otherwise. In peak summer it sits alongside the Cotswolds and parts of Cornwall as some of the most expensive holiday accommodation in England.
But the cost reflects the location, the water quality, the estuary on your doorstep, and there are ways to stay here without paying the absolute top end of the market if you plan ahead and book early.
The two main choices are hotels and self-catering accommodation. Hotels work well for shorter stays of two to three nights. Self-catering properties make more sense for a full week and tend to offer better value per night the longer you stay.
Gara Rock (£££): For seclusion and luxury
Gara Rock sits on a clifftop in East Portlemouth, directly across the estuary from Salcombe, and is the most spectacular hotel option in the area.
It is remote, you reach it down a series of increasingly narrow Devon lanes, but the setting is extraordinary.
The hotel boasts floor-to-ceiling sea views from the indoor pool, and also has an outdoor pool overlooking the coast in summer, alongside a spa, a restaurant and a cinema room. Beach access is available via a short walk down the coastal path to a secluded cove below the hotel.
This is unambiguously a luxury option and the prices reflect that (starting at £360 per night and rising to over £500 per night in summer).
🐕 Gara Rock is dog friendly
Check availability and pricing here
Harbour Beach Club Hotel & Spa (££): A brilliant beachfront hotel
Harbour Beach Club Hotel & Spa sits directly on South Sands beach, a 15-minute walk along the coastal path from Salcombe town centre. In my opinion, the location does not get better than this.
Rooms start from £230 per night, rising to over £300 in summer, many come with balconies and floor-to-ceiling sea views over the beach.
The spa has a pool, hot tub, steam room and sauna, and the restaurant and bar sit on the waterfront with a stunning wrap-around terrace.
The hotel runs a free hourly shuttle bus into Salcombe town, which is a practical touch that takes the pressure off parking. It suits couples and families equally well, and the direct beach access makes it one of the most convenient bases on the entire south coast if swimming and spa time are your priorities.
🐕 Harbour Beach Club Hotel is dog friendly
Check availability and pricing here
Sands Edge
Sands Edge is a luxury self-catering apartment set directly above South Sands beach, in one of the most coveted positions in Salcombe.
Prices start from around £900 per night and rise to over £1,000 in peak summer, what you are paying for is an exceptional location, a beautifully designed interior with a sea-view balcony, and direct access to the beach.
It suits a group of friends or a family looking for a high-end self-catering base rather than a hotel stay. You have a full kitchen, an open-plan living space and stunning views.
Salcombe town is a walkable distance along the coastal path. If the budget stretches, this is the most spectacular way to stay in Salcombe.
🐕 This is a pet-free stay
Check availability and pricing here
Ferryman's Cottage
Ferryman's Cottage is a delightful cottage sitting right on the Salcombe estuary, with views over the water from the kitchen window.
It sleeps a couple or a small family, is dog-friendly, and has pretty coastal interiors.
Prices start from around £240 per night in April with a two-night minimum stay, rising to £530 per night in June. It is not a budget option but for a self-catering stay in this location, with estuary views and the town on your doorstep, the price reflects what you are getting.
North Sands and South Sands are both within walking distance, and the steep traditional staircase is worth noting if mobility is a consideration.
Check availability and pricing here
🐕 Ferryman's Cottage is dog friendly
How Many Days Do You Need in Salcombe?
The honest answer is that one night is not enough, though it is better than nothing.
Two nights is the minimum I would recommend, the longest I have stayed myself, and it gives you enough time to do the Snapes Point walk, get out on the water or across to East Portlemouth.
A long weekend of three nights is perfect. It gives you time for a day trip to Hope Cove or Dartmouth, a full evening walk along the South West Coast Path, and enough time to hit the water.
If you are visiting as part of a longer south coast road trip, I have built Salcombe in as a three-night base in my full south coast road trip itinerary, which covers the full route from Sussex to Cornwall.
FAQs: Salcombe, Devon
1. Is Salcombe worth visiting for a day?
A day is enough to get a flavour of Salcombe but not enough to do it justice. If a day is all you have, walk to Snapes Point in the morning, take the ferry across to East Portlemouth in the afternoon, and walk the town in between. You will leave wishing you had stayed longer, which is the best possible outcome. Two nights minimum is what I would recommend to anyone asking.
2. What is there to do in Salcombe for adults?
There is plenty to do in Salcombe. The South West Coast Path walks in both directions from the town are outstanding, the estuary swimming is some of the best in Devon, paddleboarding and kayaking are available from South Sands, and the walk to Bolt Head is one of the most beautiful coastal walks in the south west.
Beyond the outdoors, the town has good independent shops, a free maritime museum and a spa at both Harbour Beach Club and Gara Rock for anyone who wants a more indulgent day. Day trips to Dartmouth and Dartmoor add further variety if you have a car.
3. Why is Salcombe so expensive?
Salcombe is expensive due to a number of factors. It is one of the most beautiful locations in England. It has no through traffic and no industry beyond tourism, property here is among the most sought-after outside London, and demand outstrips supply, particularly in summer.
The short season also means accommodation providers price accordingly for the weeks when the town is at its best. That said, the cost of actually spending time here day to day is not extreme, the walks are free, the beach is free, and the ferry to East Portlemouth costs a few pounds.
4. What to do in Salcombe on a rainy day?
The Salcombe Maritime Museum is free, small and interesting, it's an easy hour covering the town's seafaring history.
Beyond that, the town's independent shops are worth a browse on a wet morning, and Dartmouth or Totnes are both within 45 minutes by car and offer covered markets, bookshops and cafés to fill a rainy afternoon.
The spa facilities at Harbour Beach Club are worth booking for a wet day — steam room, sauna, hot tub and pool with sea views.
5. How posh is Salcombe?
Salcombe has a reputation for being one of the most affluent coastal towns in England and that reputation is not unfounded. The boats in the harbour are expensive, the property prices are insane, and in August the town fills with people who have clearly spent a lot of money to be there.
But at the same time, it does not feel exclusive or unwelcoming in the way that reputation might suggest. The coastal paths are full of people in muddy walking boots, the beaches are open to everyone, and the town has a relaxed atmosphere that cuts across the price bracket. It is posh in the way that good things are posh, it costs more because it is better.
6. What is the prettiest village in South Devon?
Salcombe is certainly the prettiest village in South Devon though Hope Cove makes a strong case for itself.
If you want rolling countryside rather than coast, Bantham and Torcross are both worth knowing about. But for sheer visual impact, the combination of the estuary, the harbour and the surrounding headlands makes Salcombe the most consistently beautiful place in South Devon.
7. Is Salcombe dog friendly?
Salcombe is very dog friendly. The coastal paths in every direction welcome dogs, the ferry to East Portlemouth is dog-friendly.
Many of the beaches have year-round with North Sands allowing dogs all year round, while South Sands has restrictions from May 1 to September 30. Other nearby dog-friendly options include East Portlemouth, South Milton Sands, and Soar Mill Cove.
Baxter has come to Salcombe with me on every visit and the South West Coast Path walks here are among his favourites anywhere.
About the author
Hannah is a UK-based travel creator and founder of Postcards by Hannah, sharing destination guides and hotel recommendations for travellers planning considered, experience-led trips.
She was born and raised in the English countryside, going to university in London and living there for half a decade before heading back to her country roots.
Hannah has travelled extensively around the UK, especially England, opting for countryside and coastal travels rather than the big cities. She loves train travel, country houses, long walks with the cocker spaniel Baxter, and sunny days on the south coast.
Her dream is to convert a camper van, pack her bags and travel the whole length of Britain’s coastline with her trust sidekick, Baxter.
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