JURASSIC COAST FAMILY HOLIDAYS
October Half Term on the Jurassic Coast: 13 Things to Do with Kids in Beer and Lyme Regis
October half term on the Jurassic Coast is one of the best weeks of the year for a family holiday. The summer crowds have gone, the beaches are quieter, and the sea is still warm enough for paddling. Beer and Lyme Regis sit just 25 minutes apart by car, giving you two very different coastal towns to explore from a single base. Between them, you’ll find enough to fill every day of the week, rain or shine.
Outdoor things to do with kids in Beer and Lyme Regis
BEACHES, FOSSILS AND COASTAL ADVENTURES
Fossil Hunting at Charmouth Beach
This is the activity that puts the Jurassic Coast on most families’ radar, and for good reason. Charmouth Beach, a short drive from Lyme Regis, is one of the best places in the country to find real fossils. After autumn storms and high tides, the cliffs release fresh material onto the beach, making October half term a particularly good time to visit.
The Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre runs guided fossil walks throughout the school holidays. Their experts will show you exactly what to look for and where to search safely. Walks are tide-dependent and popular, so book ahead. If you’d rather go it alone, stick to searching loose material on the beach rather than hammering at the cliffs. You’ll be surprised how quickly the kids spot their first ammonite.
Mackerel fishing from Beer Beach
Beer’s fishing heritage isn’t just for looking at. Several local fishermen run mackerel fishing trips from the beach itself, heading out into Lyme Bay for an hour or two. The boats launch straight off the shingle, which is an experience in its own right.
Mackerel season typically runs through to October, so half term sits right at the tail end. Kids love it because the action is usually fast. You’ll often come back with a catch, and there’s something satisfying about eating fish that was still in the sea an hour ago. Ask at the beach or check local noticeboards for trip times and availability.
A morning on the beach: Beer and Lyme Regis
Beer and Lyme Regis have very different beaches, and both are worth a visit.
Beer Beach is a sheltered shingle cove backed by white chalk cliffs and lined with colourful fishing boats. It’s a proper working beach with an active fleet heading out each morning, so there’s always something to watch. Kids are fascinated by the boats being winched up the shingle, the lobster pots stacked along the slipway, and the fishermen sorting the day’s catch. At low tide, the rock pools around the edges of the cove are worth exploring with younger children. When everyone needs warming up, the beach cafes do excellent crab sandwiches and hot chocolate. Beer’s crab is well known locally and supplied to restaurants across the region, so you’re eating it about as fresh as it gets.
Lyme Regis has a proper sandy beach, which makes it the better option if the kids want to dig, build, and paddle. The Town Beach sits right below the seafront promenade with the town’s cafes, shops, and amusements all within easy reach. It’s more sheltered than it looks, thanks to The Cobb breaking the swell from the west. On a calm October day with the crowds gone, it’s a completely different experience to the packed summer months.
On the Cobb Lyme Regis
Walk The Cobb
No visit to Lyme Regis is complete without walking The Cobb. This curving stone harbour wall dates back to the 13th century and offers some of the best views along the Jurassic Coast. On a breezy October day, with the waves coming over the top, it feels properly dramatic.
The harbour area around The Cobb is worth spending time in. There are ice cream shops, small cafes, and a couple of independent galleries. If you have younger children who are into marine life, the Lyme Regis Marine Aquarium is tucked in just off the harbour. It’s tiny, but hands-on. Kids can feed the mullet and hold starfish, and it fills a good 30 to 40 minutes between other activities.
Crabbing on The Cobb
Crabbing from The Cobb is a Lyme Regis tradition. You can buy lines and bait from the shops near the harbour, find a spot on the wall, and the kids will be occupied for hours. It costs almost nothing and it’s one of those simple activities that children remember long after they’ve forgotten the more elaborate days out.
The inner harbour wall is the best spot for younger ones, where the water is calmer and the drop is lower. October half term is ideal for this because the wall isn’t packed the way it is in August. You’ll actually be able to find a good spot.
South West Coast Path: Beer to Branscombe
If you’re spending October half term on the Jurassic Coast and your children are old enough for a proper walk, this stretch of the South West Coast Path is one of the most scenic in Devon. The walk from Beer to Branscombe takes you along the top of the white chalk cliffs, through the dramatic Hooken Undercliff (a huge landslip from 1790 that’s now a wild, wooded landscape), and down to Branscombe Beach.
It’s around 3 miles one way, so manageable for older children. The path is uneven in places and there are some steep sections, so it’s not one for pushchairs. Branscombe itself is a gorgeous village with thatched cottages and a good pub, and you can walk back along the same route or arrange a pick-up. Pack a waterproof layer and decent shoes, and check the forecast before setting out.
Rainy Day Activities on the Jurassic Coast
FROM MUSEUMS TO CAVES
Beer Quarry Caves
If you visit one attraction in Beer, make it this. Beer Quarry Caves are a vast network of underground caverns that have been quarried since Roman times. The stone from these caves was used in 24 English cathedrals, Westminster Abbey, and the Tower of London.
Guided tours run throughout October half term and last about an hour. The scale of the caves is genuinely impressive. Kids (and adults) are always struck by the vaulted ceilings and massive pillars of Beer Stone, and the guides bring the history to life with stories of the quarrymen who worked by candlelight. It stays at a constant cool temperature underground, so bring a jumper regardless of what the weather is doing outside. The caves are also internationally important as a bat hibernation site, which adds another layer of interest for wildlife-minded families. Tours book up during half term, so reserve in advance.
The Town Mill, Lyme Regis
The Town Mill is a working 14th-century watermill in the centre of Lyme Regis. Milling demonstrations run regularly, and during half term they often put on craft workshops and family activities. The volunteers who run the mill are brilliant with children and genuinely passionate about what they do.
Beyond the mill itself, the Town Mill complex houses a microbrewery, a pottery studio, and art galleries, so there’s something for the adults too. It’s free to enter and visit, with small charges for some workshops and activities. As a rainy morning activity followed by lunch in Lyme Regis, it works really well.
Dinosaurland Fossil Museum
A few streets back from the seafront, Dinosaurland is a smaller, quirkier museum run by retired palaeontologist Steve Davies and his wife Jenny. It houses over 14,000 specimens, including local Jurassic marine fossils, real Chinese dinosaurs, and a 73-kilo lump of dinosaur dung that never fails to get a reaction from kids.
It’s a more traditional museum experience, packed with fascinating specimens rather than interactive screens, and most families spend about an hour here. It’s worth noting that Dinosaurland is open daily from February half term through to the end of October half term, then closes for the winter. If you’re visiting late in the week, double-check their closing date for the season before making the trip.
Lyme Regis Museum
Lyme Regis Museum sits right on the seafront, on the site of Mary Anning’s former home. Anning, who grew up in the town, is one of the most important fossil hunters in history. Her discoveries of ichthyosaur and plesiosaur skeletons in the early 1800s changed our understanding of prehistoric life.
The museum does a brilliant job of making that story accessible for children. There’s an interactive geology gallery and a timeline that puts 200 million years of history into perspective. During the school holidays, the museum runs fossil polishing workshops where kids can polish their own 200-million-year-old ammonite to take home. The museum also runs guided fossil walks from the beach, which you can book separately.
Family Attractions Near Beer and Lyme Regis
Seaton Tramway
Seaton Tramway is a narrow-gauge heritage tramway that runs between Seaton, Colyford, and Colyton through the Axe Valley. The route follows the River Axe estuary through two nature reserves, and the open-top trams give you a fantastic vantage point for spotting herons, egrets, and other wading birds along the way.
During October half term, the tramway often runs themed events, including Halloween trams that go down well with children. The round trip takes about an hour, and Colyton at the far end is a pretty town worth a quick wander before catching the tram back. Seaton is around 10 minutes from Beer by car.
The Donkey Sanctuary, Sidmouth
About 20 minutes from Beer, The Donkey Sanctuary just outside Sidmouth is one of those places that’s far better than you’d expect. Entry is free, the grounds are large and well maintained, and children can get close to the donkeys in several paddock areas.
There’s a good cafe on site, a nature trail through the surrounding woodland, and a visitor centre with information about the charity’s work. It’s a reliable option whatever the weather, and the fact that it’s free makes it an easy addition to any half term week.
Lyme Regis Crazy Golf
Sometimes the kids just want to do something simple and fun, and the crazy golf course in Lyme Regis fits the bill perfectly. It’s set in the gardens above the seafront with views out over the town and the coast.
A round takes about 30 minutes, so it works well as a warm-up before heading down to the beach or a wind-down at the end of the day. It’s the kind of activity you don’t need to plan around, which is worth its weight in gold during a busy half term week.
Where to Stay for October Half Term
An October half term holiday on the Jurassic Coast gives you everything you need for a full week of family activities, and staying in Beer or Lyme Regis means you can take each day as it comes. Check the forecast in the morning, pick from the list above, and you’ll never be stuck for something to do.
If you’re looking for somewhere to stay, our properties in Beer and Lyme Regis are ideally placed for everything in this guide. Starre Manor, Starre House, and Starre Barn sit in the village of Beer itself, with the beach, caves, and coast path all on your doorstep. Over in Lyme Regis, Lym House puts you right in the heart of the town, within walking distance of The Cobb, the museums, and all the harbour-side activities. Both locations give you a comfortable, well-equipped base to come back to at the end of each day.