What Is Open in Devon on Boxing Day: Attractions, Cafés and Pubs by Town

Short answer: Most paid attractions are closed on Boxing Day and the ones that open do so on reduced hours. Pubs are the reliable option, and many take bookings weeks ahead. The beaches, the moor and the coast path are all open, free and at their best.

2026 dates: confirmed dates are added here as organisers publish them. Always check with the organiser before travelling — times and road closures change late.

Start with what is definitely open

The coast. Every beach in Devon is open on Boxing Day, they are all free, and the dog restrictions that apply in summer are lifted. Woolacombe's three miles of sand, the Brixham breakwater, Morte Point, the Valley of Rocks and the Dawlish sea wall are all available and all cost nothing.

This is genuinely the best thing about Boxing Day in Devon and it is what most locals do. Everywhere else is a bonus.

Attractions: assume closed unless confirmed

Most paid attractions in this guide close on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, and several close for a longer period around them. The larger ones — the aquariums, the model village, the theme parks — sometimes open between Christmas and New Year on reduced hours, but rarely on Boxing Day itself.

Check directly rather than relying on listings. Winter opening is exactly where online opening hours are least reliable, and reviewers across this guide report turning up to closed doors.

Pubs: the reliable option, if you book

A good number of Devon pubs open on Boxing Day and serve food, and the ones that do get booked out well in advance. If you want a Boxing Day lunch out, book it in November.

• Captain Jacks, Woolacombe — one of the few places in the village open through the winter.
• The Anchor Inn, Beer — serves from eight in the morning, dog friendly.
• The Blue Ball Inn, above Lynmouth — plenty of parking, moorland views, a favourite with walkers.
• The Ship Aground and Chichester Arms, Mortehoe — check the Ship, which closes Mondays much of the year.
• The Waterfront, Plymouth — right on the water below the Hoe, open from nine.
• The Crabshell Inn, Kingsbridge — on the quay, and the social centre of the South Hams.

The swims

Several Devon towns hold Boxing Day or Christmas Day swims, organised locally and usually for charity. They are informal, they are cold, and they are worth watching even if you have no intention of getting in. Check with the organisers for times, as they are tide-dependent and confirmed late.

The city option

Exeter and Plymouth both have more open on Boxing Day than the coastal towns, simply because they are cities. Plymouth's Barbican and Royal William Yard both have places that open, and the Hoe is a proper Boxing Day walk with somewhere warm at the end.

One thing to plan for

Parking is free in some Devon towns on Boxing Day and not in others, and the car parks that do charge often have nobody to help if the machine plays up. Carry coins, as always on this coast.