Kents Cavern, Torquay & Cockington Village

Explore Torquay's prehistoric caves with the family

Pay & display parking on site

Book in advance online for discounted rates

Café

Gift Shop

Woodland Trail

Baby changing facilities

A good day trip for any weather – take the kids to explore the caves at Kents Cavern, Torquay. They offer guided tours (the only way to explore the caves), which last just under an hour, so probably best suited to kids aged 6+ in terms of engagement with the tour, but younger kids could manage the walk fine and would find exploring the caves exciting. The caves are interesting and impressive, with lots of artefacts from prehistoric finds to add interest – various animal teeth, skulls, tools etc.

The cave tour is surfaced, although too narrow for the average pushchair.

There’s a large, airy café and picnic tables outside for refreshments, a short woodland trail with free activity book, and the ideal (free) activity to keep younger kids happy while you wait for your tour to begin: excavating for gemstones in sand boxes (kids can keep any gemstones they find!).

We spent about two hours in total at Kents Cavern.

To extend your day, Torquay has lots to offer with various beaches (try Babbacombe Cliff Railway & beach), arcades, and a sightseeing ferris wheel. Entry to Kents Cavern grants you a significant discount to Babbacombe Model Village just down the road so that’s well worth considering.

We stopped off at Cockington Village on the way home, a short drive from the caves but a world away from the buzz of Torquay town centre. Park in the village car park and stroll through the Estate gardens (free entry) – you can see glass blowing demos in the craft workshops or let the kids run around the green. There are multiple choices for refreshments with two chocolate-box cottage tearooms and a pub, and a lakeside walk to walk it all off. The village and estate grounds are buggy-friendly.