Minehead is an attractive traditional seaside town with a lovely sandy beach. This vibrant and interesting coastal area boasts stunning scenery and offers fantastic cycling and walking opportunities. It’s great for just taking a relaxing stroll and taking in the sights!
Minehead is a great location for discovering picturesque Somerset and Exmoor, so even if you book the caravan for ‘accommodation only’ dates or you simply feel like venturing out of the Butlin’s complex, there is a good variety of things to see and do in the surrounding areas. There is so much to offer, but the following are just for a little taster!
Minehead’s lovely clean sandy beach is directly opposite Butlin’s and it sweeps all the way round the coast up to the Harbour. It’s a good size so there’s plenty of room for all to enjoy. Take a walk along the Promenade all the way from Butlin’s over to the Harbour. The Promenade has a good flat surface so it’s ideal for prams, pushchairs and wheelchairs and is pleasant to walk along.
This is about halfway along the walk from Butlin’s to the Harbour. There’s a variety of traditional independent retailers and high street names providing a great balance of specialist shops, food stores, clothing and accessories, hair and beauty, jewellery, souvenirs, and of course ice-cream. There is also a Farmers Market held on certain days.
Take a stroll around the Harbour and see the boats. The RNLI Lifeboat Station is here – you might even be able to catch a glimpse of the lifeboat and her crew in training!
There’s several places along here for a drink and a bite to eat too, including several tearooms and The Old Ship Aground pub (pic below) which is a traditional seaside pub offering a warm welcome and homecooked food.
There are plenty of places to eat and drink in Minehead ranging from cafes and tearooms, pubs and restaurants, takeaways, and fish and chips. The Hairy Dog is a family friendly pub serving food and great for entertaining children as it has a large outdoor playground, and the Duke of Wellington (a Wetherspoons pub) is in a traditional setting and serves good quality food at excellent value.
Morrisons, Tesco and Lidl are just along the road from Butlin’s so really handy for your holiday shopping, especially if you plan to eat in at the caravan or need a picnic for the beach. (McDonalds is really near too!)
West Somerset Railway
Enjoy some time out to yesteryear on riding behind a heritage steam or diesel locomotive. Leave from Minehead near the town centre and alight at some of the quaint villages along the way.
These 2 villages are known as ‘Little Switzerland’ and are on the coast to the west of Minehead. Take a drive up the famous Porlock Hill if you dare and travel through Exmoor - you might even see the wild ponies. The villages lie one above the other and are linked by a famous and ingenious Cliff Railway. Both villages have a good range of pubs, tearooms, restaurants and shops. There’s also a harbour, a Museum and much more!
Fishing
Bring your fishing equipment and spend some time by the large fishing lake at the Caravan Park. Please note a Rod Licence is needed for this.
Play a round of golf on this 18-hole course which is right next door to Butlin’s. Visitors are always welcome.
Watchet and the Harbour – Watchet is an ancient harbour town with real character and some interesting shops. Take a stroll around the Marina or eat fish and chips sitting on the esplanade watching the boats going in and out. There’s a pub and the Harbour Masters shop is here too.
Dunster Village - This unique village boasts a number of attractions and features including over 200 listed buildings, an ancient high street, The Old Yarn Market, a dolls museum, and much more. There are plentiful restaurants, pubs and tearooms, and the village has quaint unusual shops.
Dunster Castle - Discover this ancient castle owned by the National Trust and take time to explore the sub-tropical gardens. Feel free to picnic in the grounds or maybe visit the tearoom. There’s also a shop selling unique items.
Watersmeet - Visit Watersmeet to the west of Minehead, about 1.5 miles to the east of Lynmouth, to experience a dramatic river gorge and ancient woodlands - described as ‘a haven for wildlife and with breath-taking views’. Enjoy a traditional cream tea at the National Trust tearoom and garden at Watersmeet House and buy gifts at the National Trust Shop.