Autumn Holiday Family Activities & North Devon Halloween Events FOR OCTOBER Half term!

October is a fantastic time to visit North Devon! With quieter beaches, warmer seas, and fewer dog restrictions, there’s a renewed sense of freedom and adventure in this beautiful natural playground.

Even as the temperatures cool down, there’s plenty to enjoy outdoors. Whether it’s crabbing in charming seaside villages or exploring rock pools on the beach, there’s no shortage of fun. 🦀

And with Halloween just around the corner, we’ve put together a guide to the best spooky activities in North Devon. From thrilling Halloween events to breath-taking autumn walks, there’s something for everyone this half-term. Don’t miss out on the seasonal fun—plan your magical October break at Byron Woolacombe today!

Festival of flavours at RHS Rosemoor, Great Torrington

Celebrate the bounty of autumn and the apple harvest at RHS Garden Rosemoor. At the Festival of Flavours, pick up ideas from cookery demos, expert talks and garden tours, and shop for treats in the food and craft market. Get in the festival mood with live music, campfire cooking and more.

Halloween Spooktactular Cliff Railway, Lynton and Lynmouth

Visit the Cliff Railway for an extra special night-time experience. With a hidden and dark past, voyage on a journey by candlelight with zombie drivers and storytelling set an unforgettable chilling scene for all ages (including children). From dusk (6pm-9pm). Costumes will be enjoyed by all!

Soup, hot drinks and cakes are available from the cliff-top café!

descend into darkness at Watermouth Castle, Berrynarbor

Get ready to be spooked! Watermouth Castle is thrilled to announce its hair-raising Halloween scare event. There’s a mix of everything, from thrills and chills to laugh out loud moments. Suitable for horror lovers, thrill seekers, and all those who love a good fright…

Journey through themed scare areas populated with live actors in costume. With bone-chilling attractions and heart-pounding experiences, this event is not for the faint of heart. Join us if you dare for a night of spine-tingling fun, and unforgettable scares.

Not suitable for under 12’s or wheelchair users. Under 16’s must have an accompanying adult.

Halloween Hocus Pocus at The Milky Way, Higher clovelly

This Halloween Half Term at The Milky Way families can enjoy a fabulous family day out with a little extra Halloween-themed fun!

From Saturday 26th October to Sunday 3rd November 2024 there’ll be lots of extra Halloween activities to enjoy – all designed to be fun rather than scary.

Enrol your little horrors at our very special School for Witches and Wizards where they can try spell writing and casting plus potion making, all with the help of our brilliantly fun, larger-than life tutors. Then bump around the Spooky Swamp Dodgems, catch Merlin’s themed show filled with his special brand of spooktacular fun, catch a special storytelling session for little ones and enjoy the atmosphere of The Milky Way all decorated in its Halloween Best

Halloween Spook-tacular at Exmoor Zoo, Barnstaple

The home of the Exmoor beast! A friendly and contact-orientated Zoo, set within stunning Devonshire countryside. Offering a free quiz for those wanting to have a bit of extra Halloween fun on top of their talks and activities, don’t forget to hand it in at the end for a goody bag and a chance to win a family ticket to come back and visit the again! Expect the zoo to be seasonally dressed!

Halloween at the BIG sheep, Abbotsham

There will be plenty of family-friendly Halloween fun at the park throughout half term including free pumpkin for each child and carving, prizes for fancy dress, live animal shows, thrill rides and gentle rides, outdoor fun on our Jumping Pillows, Indoor play at EWEtopia soft play, animal magic in our undercover Barn, fancy dress welcome!

Wildlife park and Dinosaur park, Combe Martin

Wolves, lions, monkeys, meerkats, wallabies, penguins, sea lions and of course dinosaurs await to be discovered at Combe Martin Wildlife and Dinosaur Park.

All the family will enjoy the educational talks and watching the various animal feeds whilst meandering around the stunning grounds of this park, watch out for the dinosaurs lurking in the bushes!

Visit during October Half Term for Halloween-themed trails and hand in your map to collect delicious treats. For those who are brave enough, you can explore the terrifying underground tomb!

Don’t forget 10% discount on entry price for Byron guests

Brave the waves in Woolacombe!

The sea temperature in October is just as warm as early summer, so if you’re a family of mermaids and mermen, it’s the perfect time to dive in!

With long stretches of golden sands, family-friendly waves, and dog-friendly beaches, North Devon is the ultimate spot to let everyone run free and make a splash this October half-term!

Even though the water’s warm, we recommend hiring a wetsuit because of the autumn air—plus, it means more time in the sea! There are plenty of surf shops nearby where you can rent wetsuits, surfboards, stand-up paddleboards, and more. And remember, it’s always a good idea to take a lesson or two to brush up on sea safety and boost your confidence. Bonus: Byron guests get discounts on many Woolacombe and Putsborough-based surf equipment and lessons! 🏄‍♂️🏄‍♀️

f you are looking to explore some more ‘off-the-beaten-track beaches’, why not check out our ‘North Devons Secret Beaches’ Blog for local’s tips on the best-hidden coves and secret gems to explore along our stunning coastline?

Bringing your pooch?

We flag all our luxury dog-friendly apartments with a paw print!

Check out the amazing dog-friendly walks on your doorstep with our blog!

the best luxury self-catering apartments in North Devon!

Looking for the perfect place to stay this Autumn half-term? Byron offers the perfect mix luxury self-catered holiday properties just moments’ walk from the award winning Woolacombe bay. With apartments suitable for anything from two to eight guests it’s the perfect option for families and larger gatherings who want to be under the same roof but enjoy their own space.

Available for a minimum of three nights enjoy access to the onsite pool, sauna, games room and gym – that will keep the whole family busy! Once you’ve arrived, you can park up in your allocated parking space at Byron, we’d recommend checking in, dropping your bags then heading straight to the beach to stretch out your legs! Sandy toes guaranteed in less than four minutes!

Browse our range of luxury, apartments available for stays here.