Short answer: Cross to Shaldon for the wildlife trust zoo and the Smugglers' Tunnel — both work in poor weather. In Teignmouth itself, Brunch on Triangle Place does the best breakfast, and the Back Beach is sheltered when the seafront is being blasted. Watching trains hit the sea wall in a swell is genuinely a thing people come for.
Brunel's railway runs along the back of Teignmouth beach, and in a swell the waves break over the wall as the trains come through. Reviewers describe strolling the sea wall and ducking the spray as one of the pleasures of the place. It is genuinely better in bad weather than good, and the station is right on the beach if you would rather watch from cover.
The best wet-day plan here is the ferry across the river. Shaldon Wildlife Trust is a tiny conservation zoo specialising in small primates, where the enclosures let you get properly close — about an hour, and the ticket lets you come and go all day. Next to it is the Smugglers' Tunnel, cut down through the headland to Ness Cove, which is the single most memorable thing to do here with children whatever the weather is doing.
The Back Beach on the estuary side is sheltered when the seafront is unusable — working boats hauled up on the sand, the docks alongside, food shacks and old pubs a few steps away. The Friendly Fork Kitchen there does crab sandwiches, burgers and pizza you can eat inside. Ye Olde Jolly Sailor, the oldest pub in town, is a couple of minutes away and open until half eleven.
Brunch on Triangle Place is the best breakfast in Teignmouth and has a separate gluten-free menu with real choice rather than one option. Dog friendly, closes at three. Halulu on the promenade is tiki-styled with a patio and stays open until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. The View at the Pavilions has top-deck seating with the best sea view of any café on the front and an evening set menu.
The pier. Much of it is fenced off and the arcade at the entrance is very loud, so do not build a wet afternoon around it.
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