Sea Dog Art /Gallery/Bar/Coffee shop

A proper blend of art space, coffee bar and local hangout, Sea Dog sits just outside Dawlish and does three things well instead of trying to be everything. The gallery side shows work from emerging and established artists - nothing too earnest or gatekeeping about it. There's actual coffee that's been made with thought, and you can sit with a cup while looking at whatever's on the walls that month. It's the kind of place where the owner clearly cares about both the art and the visitors, which makes a difference.

You won't spend hours here unless there's an exhibition that really grabs you. An honest thirty minutes to an hour works for most people - enough time to drink something decent, have a browse, and work out if you want to come back. It's free to wander in, though they'll appreciate it if you actually buy something. Families with older kids who don't mind looking at art will do fine; younger ones might get restless quickly.

Stay at any of the nearby caravan parks - Haven Devon Cliffs or Dawlish Sands are closest at under two miles - and Sea Dog makes a decent coffee stop on your way to or from the seafront at Dawlish. It's not a headline attraction, but it's exactly what you want when you're tired of ice creams and arcades. The sort of place locals hang about in, which usually means it's worth knowing about.