We all love a visit to our favourite Devon attractions for a good fun day out and now, in addition to the usual day time activities, many of our attractions are offering visitors the chance to have a one-off unique ‘Experience’ at their sites. These experiences may be bespoke group outings or individual experiences that give you a whole new view of a location. They often give a more in-depth understanding of what the staff and operators do behind the scenes on a daily basis and can include: driving a train, meeting and feeding animals on a keeper experience day or even racing a dumper truck! Many of our attractions offer these experiences as unique gifts and mean those lucky people who get to enjoy them have a really memorable time. See below a list of some popular experiences at Devon’s Top Attractions:
Adult Experience Days – Diggerland UK Theme Park
Approx 90 minute individual JCB experience – a one-to-one experience using a JCB 3CX. It includes admission for 1 additional person to enjoy the thrills at Diggerland plus there’s a Monster Digger Experience – approx 90 minute one to one experience using a Komatsu PC210 Tracked Excavator – includes admission for 1 additional person to enjoy the thrills at Diggerland.
Paignton Zoo – Keeper Experiences
They have a variety of keeper experiences, including the Sloth Experience – this amazing encounter will take you behind the scenes of their sloth exhibit with one of their knowledgeable keepers. They will be able to tell you everything you want to know about these truly wonderful animals, before you get to help out with feeding time! Their Junior Keeper Experience is perfect for young animal enthusiasts – go behind the scenes and find out all about the animals at Paignton Zoo and discover what it’s like to work with the animals. The Zoo Keeper for A Day experience means you’ll arrive in the morning and get to experience the zoo in a different light before any visitors arrive. Together with a knowledgeable guide you’ll visit several different departments eg. primates, birds, hoof stock, or the Desert House. You’ll work alongside their expert keepers and undertake a variety of tasks including cleaning duties, feeding and caring for the animals. There are also Rhino, Lion and Giant Tortoise Experiences on offer!
Canonteign Falls Alpaca Experience
Canonteign Falls welcomes back their popular Alpaca Experience. If you love Alpacas, you’re not going to want to miss this opportunity to meet the Lakemoor Alpacas in 2024. Book a ticket to meet, hand feed, interact one-to-one, and take a walk with an Alpaca with plenty of photo opportunities. The experience lasts for 45 minutes there is a maximum of 2 people per alpaca or 1 family (2 adults and 2 children) per session. Suitable for children age 6+ with adult supervision. Plus Canonteign Falls run guided walks and history tours to Dartmoor’s highest waterfall – see website for details.
South Devon Railway – Drive a Train
The ultimate gift or the chance to live a childhood ambition! Experience the thrill of driving and firing a real Great Western Railway steam locomotive or taking the controls of a heritage British Railways main line diesel engine, under the watchful eye of their experienced footplate crews.
You will get a drive the locomotive on a dedicated train and receive a personalised certificate at end of the experience. You can bring along your friends or family, who will travel free in the dedicated train, so they can be a part of your memorable day.
Seaton Tramway – Bird Watching Tram
Hop on board for a ride through two beautiful nature reserves, Seaton Marshes and Colyford Common, next to the glorious River Axe estuary, which plays host to an ever-changing selection of birds through the seasons. The trips will be led by local experts who know the estuary well. The tram departs from Seaton Station. Or why not have a go at driving a tram – a real ‘hands-on’ experience’ and tour of the Riverside HQ?
The Box – Behind the Scenes – Collections Tour
Join Anne Morgan, Senior Archivist for an exclusive look behind the scenes at The Box. Learn how they manage, maintain and move their collections across their site and discover more about why they decided to bring some of Plymouth’s most historically important archives together under one roof. The Box offer a variety of different tours and talks throughout the year.
Pecorama – Locomotive Driver Experience Days
Their Steam Locomotive Driver Experience Day offers you the chance to have the footplate all to yourself, whilst benefitting from expert tuition and supervision from their highly experienced staff. Participants are welcome to bring up to two guests who can enjoy the day on site and then join you for your takeaway lunch from 12:45pm onwards and be your first passengers when you take control of your locomotive!
RAMM have an array of workshops, courses, performances, lectures and talks during the year. Coming up: On 24th January a Lecture on Behind the Scenes: a talk with the Exeter Cathedral architect Camilla Finlay and on 21st February there is a talk on Beasts, Botanicals and the British Empire: Natural History drawings at the RAMM.
Powderham Castle – Bespoke Tours
Whether you’d like to explore at your own pace or enjoy a specialist tour with a private dinner, they can tailor a bespoke group visit. Enjoy a specialised tour, venture out into the deer park, or enjoy spectacular views from the Belvedere tower whilst you have lunch. Eg. A private tour with the Earl of Devon who can share first hand his incredible stories of the castle and is passionate about the history that shaped his family.
Quince Honey Farm – Workshops and Talks
Throughout the year they offer various experiences and events for their customers, including those specific for children/families, seasonal events, workshops and talks. Have you ever wanted to find out more about beekeeping, sustainable gardening, or natural landscaping? Are you passionate about the environment? Look out for Quince Honey Farm’s workshops on subjects such as drystone walling and willow weaving, and their programme of regular talks focusing on the natural world and conservation.
Lundy Island – Warden-guided Events
Throughout the sailing season they have a range of warden-led events including guided walks, illustrated talks, snorkel safaris and rockpool rambles. Guided Walks take place throughout the year and occur on most boat days throughout the sailing season starting from the Jetty. The direction and content depends on the season and weather. Additional walks, talks and rockpool rambles throughout the season are advertised outside the Lundy Marisco Tavern.
Stuart Line Cruises – Special Cruises
From Exeter Canal to Guided Bird Watching Cruises, they offer a wide range of special events throughout the year, presenting something extra special and entirely unique for groups. Some of their cruises include Geology Day Trips, the Christmas Day Swim cruise and Guided Birdwatching Cruises.
Dartington Crystal – Factory Tour & Activities
As well as enjoying a close-up experience of the skill of the glass-blowers on the Factory Tour you can create your own masterpiece in the handcasting and glass painting activities. The factory experience invites you into their process of turning glass into handcrafted luxury items and the opportunity to watch the skilled craftsmen and women bring their designs to life. Handcasting – Have your child’s hand or footprint cast forever in glass which can also be personalised with the name or date. The perfect gift or souvenir and you can get creative together by painting glasses in the brand new activities area. View special glass making demonstrations from the new studio furnace as well as watching their master engraver hard at work producing unique works of art.
Kents Cavern – Special Group & Corporate Experiences
These include Caves & Champagne where you can celebrate in style with champagne and canapes in the candlelit Vestibule chamber followed by an award winning and entertaining guided tour of Britain’s oldest prehistoric home and geological wonder. Finish off your evening with sweet canapes and more champagne in their Great Chamber decorated with display scenes of early explorers and Stone Age life. There’s also the Wine and Cheese Tasting tour – enjoy wine and cheese tasting underground. Kents Cavern work with some of the best local suppliers Devon has to offer including Sharpham Wine and Cheese to make this event a truly unique and magical experience.
Buckfast Abbey – Bee Experience
Their 40 hives are kept today for education, and to promote an appreciation of nature and wellbeing, as well as honey production. The department runs beekeeping courses and honeybee experience days, as well as hosting visits from groups and individuals from all over the world. The team offer a wide range of talks which can be delivered in person or by Zoom. There is also a community beekeeping group which provides an opportunity for a more informal interaction with bees including gardening for pollinators and other group activities. The Abbey also run other events and workshops including wreathmaking workshops and many Christmas events.
These wonderful experiences are subject to change and are current at present but check individual websites for more details and booking so you and your family can have the most unforgettable time at one of Devon’s Top Attractions.
