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5 of the best Torquay and Paignton caravan holiday parks - 2021
Paignton and Torquay are two of Devon's most popular seaside resorts and they're only 10 minutes apart by car, so you can stay at either to visit the local attractions. They're part of South Devon's (rather optimistically titled) 'English Riviera'.
Popular attractions in Torquay include Babbacombe Model Village and Living Coasts Zoo and Aquarium. Paignton's highlights include Paignton Zoo, Dartmouth Steam Railway (which starts from Paignton) and a pier with machines which empty your pockets of 2p coins. There's also a waterpark called Splashdown if you fancy spending a day in your trunks.
We've picked out five of the best caravan holiday parks in Paignton and Torquay by looking at things like customer reviews, distance to the beach, value for money and onsite facilities.
For a rough price comparison we looked for the cheapest caravan available for a family of four, staying for a week in early August 2021.
Here's our top 5 caravan holiday parks in Paignton and Torquay:
Popular attractions in Torquay include Babbacombe Model Village and Living Coasts Zoo and Aquarium. Paignton's highlights include Paignton Zoo, Dartmouth Steam Railway (which starts from Paignton) and a pier with machines which empty your pockets of 2p coins. There's also a waterpark called Splashdown if you fancy spending a day in your trunks.
We've picked out five of the best caravan holiday parks in Paignton and Torquay by looking at things like customer reviews, distance to the beach, value for money and onsite facilities.
For a rough price comparison we looked for the cheapest caravan available for a family of four, staying for a week in early August 2021.
Here's our top 5 caravan holiday parks in Paignton and Torquay:
1. Waterside Holiday Park, Paignton (walk to rocky beach, outdoor swimming pool)
Waterside Holiday Park in Paignton doesn't have an indoor swimming pool, but it is in a very good location compared to most of the other caravan holiday parks in Torquay and Paignton. There are sea views from some caravans as well as rocky beaches only a short walk away. You need to get in the car for about 15 minutes to get to the busier beach at Paignton.
Customer reviews on TripAdvisor were at 4/5 when we checked with similar scores from other review websites. Onsite facilities include an outdoor pool for anyone who is feeling brave, kids' clubs and evening entertainment for grown ups (including bingo...), a shop and restaurant. It's run by a company called Park Holidays, which operates about 30 caravan sites around Southern England. In case you're confused, there's also a holiday park called Waterside Holiday Park down the road in Weymouth which is run by a different company. Price: £1106 for a week in a 'bronze plus' caravan for a family of four in August 2021. The cheapest caravan we could find actually sleeps eight in three bedrooms, so it would work out better value for a big family who don't mind living in close proximity (about £20 per person, per night if you fill it up). |
2. Primley Meadow, Paignton (15 minute drive to the beach, lodges with hot tubs, outdoor swimming pool)
Primley Meadow Holiday Park is a little bit posher than most caravan parks in Paignton and Torquay but it isn't always as expensive as you might expect. Some of the more expensive accommodation are spacious lodges with hot tubs but there are 'holiday homes' which are similarly priced to some caravans.
It doesn't have an indoor swimming pool but there is a good sized outdoor swimming pool as well as a modern restaurant, soft play, table tennis, a playground and a children's craft area. It's in a rural spot with hills around the site. The downside is that it is a little way inland so it takes about 15 minutes to drive to the beach at Paignton. Torquay is a similar distance away. Reviews for Primley Meadow on most websites were averaging between 4/5 and 4.5/5 when we checked. Price: £1169 for a 'Signature holiday home' for a family of four for a week in early August 2021. |
3. Devon Bay Holiday Park, Paignton (15 minute walk to beach, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, great reviews)
**Winner: best value Torquay and Paignton holiday park**
Devon Bay Holiday Park is run by a company called Hoburne which has eight caravan parks around the Westcountry and Southern England.
It gets terrific average reviews of around 4.5/5 on TripAdvisor and other review sites and has plenty onsite including good-sized indoor and outdoor swimming pools. The indoor swimming pool is a child-friendly pool with a flume rather than somewhere you will be doing lengths. Other things to do include an adventure playground, minigolf, kids' entertainment, soft play and an amusement arcade. In terms of location, it isn't right on the beach but you can walk to Goodrington Sands in about 15 minutes or you can drive to the bigger beach at Paignton in about 10 minutes. Torquay is a 15 minute drive away. There isn't a Haven caravan park in Torquay or Paignton but Devon Bay Holiday Park is a good alternative. You can either book via Hoburne or you can hire privately owned caravans on the site via Airbnb. Price: £831 for a family of four staying in a two bedroom Classic Caravan for a week in August 2021. |
4. Beverley Park, Paignton (15 min walk to the beach, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, some sea views)
**Winner: cheapest holiday park**
Beverley Park is part of three adjoining caravan sites run by the same company. We've picked it out as it's the largest of the three parks and has the most for families (the others are Beverley View and Beverley Bay).
Customer review scores were averaging between 4/5 and 4.5/5 on most review sites when we checked. It's practically next door to Hoburne's Devon Bay Holiday Park, so it takes about 15 minutes to walk to the nearest beach or about 10 minutes to drive to Paignton Pier and beach. Some accommodation does have a distant sea view, even if it isn't quite on your doorstep. Onsite facilities include a fairly small indoor swimming pool with a sauna/hot tub and two good-sized outdoor swimming pools for the less chilly months. There are kids' clubs with things like pamper parties, stage school and water activities (some stuff costs extra) as well as crazy golf, a gym, evening entertainment and a couple of places to eat. The cheaper accommodation is caravans or there are much wider lodges with hot tubs if you can afford an upgrade. Price: £749 for a week for a family of four in August 2021 in a two bedroom 'classic' caravan. Lodges which sleep six people were about twice the price. |
5. Torquay Holiday Park (15 minute drive to the beach, indoor swimming pool)
Reviews of Torquay Holiday Park were a little behind some of the others in our guide to the top 5 caravan parks in Torquay and Paignton but it's still worth considering if you want a cheap base for exploring South Devon.
It's run by Parkdean Resorts which is a big chain of caravan parks which merged with Park Resorts a few years ago. They have dozens of caravan parks around the UK, including Torquay Holiday Park which was averaging about 3.5/5 on TripAdvisor and other review sites when we checked. There's a good range of facilities including an indoor swimming pool with a flume, soft play, kids' clubs, a sport court, playground, minigolf, archery and evening entertainment. There are also a couple of places to eat. It's too far inland to walk to Torquay Marina or to Paignton but you can drive to either in about 10-15 minutes. Price: £869 for a family of four staying in a 'Holcombe' caravan for a week in early August 2021. The caravan actually sleeps six people in two bedrooms, so it can be a cheap option if you don't mind getting cosy. There's quite a big range in the review scores for the different types of caravans and apartments at Torquay Holiday Park and there isn't a big difference in price, so it might be worth paying a little bit more for better accommodation. |
Price comparison of 5 of the best caravan holiday parks in Torquay and Paignton
Of course, a price comparison only gives you limited information but it might give you a general idea of which caravan park in Torquay and Paignton offers the best value. We carried out our searches in November 2020 and looked for a week long holiday in early August 2021. Our criteria was that we wanted the cheapest accommodation available for a family of four, excluding any optional extras. Also, keep in mind that some holiday parks charge extra for some activities.
From cheapest to most expensive:
From cheapest to most expensive:
- Beverley Park, Paignton - £749 **Winner: cheapest holiday park in our top 5**
- Torquay Holiday Park, Torquay - £869
- Devon Bay Holiday Park, Paignton - £831 **Winner: best value holiday park in Paignton and Torquay**
- Waterside Holiday Park, Paignton - £1106
- Primley Meadow Holiday Park, Paignton - £1169
Images from Hoburne, Booking.com, Beverley Holidays, Parkdean Holidays and Park Holidays