Short answer: Exeter is the one place in this guide where a day out is entirely weatherproof. The cathedral, the Underground Passages, free Red Coat tours and a free indoor family garden in the Guildhall centre all run through the winter.
Every other town in this guide has a winter caveat. Exeter does not. It is a city with a cathedral, museums, tunnels, shops and restaurants, and a wet Tuesday in January costs it nothing.
The longest uninterrupted Gothic vaulted ceiling in England, an astronomical clock, and carols through December. Worth going inside rather than admiring it from the green.
The Underground Passages are medieval tunnels built to bring clean water into the city, explored on a guided tour with a hard hat. Entirely indoors, genuinely unusual, and a hit with children old enough not to mind enclosed spaces.
iPlay at Marsh Barton is a long-running soft play with a well-regarded sensory room and areas for a wide age range. It has its own parking.
Babylon on South Street is the highest-rated restaurant in Exeter. The Fat Pig just off the high street does a Sunday roast people travel for, including a gluten-free version. The Prospect Inn on the quay has a serious commitment to dogs.
Exeter is the rail hub for the county, which makes it the easiest winter day out in Devon without a car — and it saves parking in a city centre in December.
Winter opening is where online listings are least reliable. Ring before you drive — several places here show as closed on Google and answer the phone perfectly happily.
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