Best campsites near Exeter: 5 top picks for 2026

The best campsites near Exeter span everything from family-friendly holiday parks with pools and themed glamping pods to quiet rural sites tucked into Devon's rolling countryside. This guide covers 5 top campsites near Exeter, spread across the city's eastern fringes, the coast road south towards Dawlish, and the peaceful lanes of west Devon. Camplify trip data shows that Devon consistently ranks among the most popular regions for campervan and caravan hirers in the UK, with many picking up locally from owners in and around Exeter itself.

Browse campervans and caravans for hire in Exeter if you already know your dates.

Exeter makes a practical base for exploring this corner of Devon. You're within easy reach of Dartmoor, the Jurassic Coast, and the Exe Estuary, and most of the campsites near Exeter listed here sit within a 20-30 minute drive of the city centre. Picking up a campervan from a local Camplify owner keeps things straightforward: no long transfers, no unfamiliar roads on day one.

If you're comparing options further afield, our guides to the 5 best Weymouth campsites and 5 best Brecon Beacons campsites cover two strong alternatives within a few hours' drive.

Exeter campsites on the eastern side of the city

Crealy Resort: Hot Tub Lodges, Themed Glamping & Camping Pitches

Crealy Resort: Hot Tub Lodges, Themed Glamping & Camping Pitches sits just off the A30 between Exeter and Honiton, making it one of the most accessible campsites near Exeter for hirers arriving from the M5. The touring pitches are spacious, well-maintained, and pitched (so to speak) at families who want more than a flat field: the resort's attached theme park means children have a full day's entertainment on-site before you've even unpacked.

The camping and glamping options range from standard grass pitches to fully kitted-out themed glamping pods and lodges with hot tubs. For those arriving by campervan or caravan, the hardstanding and grass touring pitches come with electric hook-up, and the facilities block is kept to a high standard. A community favourite among Camplify travellers, Crealy works especially well for first-time hirers who want a soft landing: arriving at a well-run park with on-site amenities takes the pressure off.

Camplify owners who know the Exeter area suggest booking the touring pitches well in advance for summer school holidays, particularly the August bank holiday weekend. The park fills quickly, and the proximity to Exeter makes it a popular choice for hirers picking up from local owners in the city.

Quick facts:

• Distance: Approximately 8 miles east of Exeter city centre (around 15 minutes via the A30)

• Best for: Families with young children, first-time campervan hirers

• Key facilities: Electric hook-up pitches, glamping pods and lodges, hot tubs, on-site theme park, shower and toilet blocks, on-site café and restaurant

• Book ahead: School summer holidays, Easter, and August bank holiday

Exeter Racecourse Club Campsite

Exeter Racecourse Club Campsite offers one of the more unusual settings among the best campsites near Exeter. The site occupies land within the grounds of Exeter Racecourse on the high ground above the city, giving touring pitches a sweeping aspect and a sense of elevation that feels genuinely removed from the urban bustle below, despite being only a few miles from the centre.

This is a straightforward, no-frills touring site that appeals to hirers who want a practical base rather than resort-style facilities. The location is particularly handy if you're visiting Exeter for an event at the racecourse itself, or if you want easy access to the city while keeping your campervan costs sensible. Well-known among Camplify travellers who prefer functional over fancy, the campsite draws plenty of couples and solo travellers looking to spend time exploring Exeter's cathedral, independent shops, and the Quayside rather than staying on-site.

For hirers picking up a campervan from a local Exeter owner, the racecourse site is easy to reach without navigating into the city centre, which matters more than it might sound on a narrow Devon road.

Quick facts:

• Distance: Approximately 3 miles from Exeter city centre (around 10 minutes)

• Best for: City explorers, couples, solo travellers, racecourse visitors

• Key facilities: Touring pitches with electric hook-up, basic amenity facilities

• Book ahead: Racecourse event days and bank holiday weekends

Camping near Exeter along the south Devon coast road

Cofton Holidays

Cofton Holidays is a large, well-established holiday park sitting between Exeter and Dawlish Warren, close enough to the coast that the sea air reaches your pitch. It's one of the most consistently popular spots for Camplify hirers exploring Devon: the combination of a heated outdoor pool, extensive on-site facilities, and direct access to the countryside around Dawlish makes it a strong choice for families who want a settled base rather than a touring itinerary.

The touring and camping fields are well-managed, with hardstanding and grass pitches available, and the facilities across the park are genuinely broad: swimming pools, a bar and restaurant, a play area, and footpaths leading directly to the beach at Dawlish Warren. Hirers who've stayed here rate the pool and the site's easy access to coastal walks as the two standout reasons to return. The Exe Estuary, which attracts significant birdwatching interest, is also within easy reach.

For larger motorhomes and caravans, Cofton's hardstanding pitches offer stability and space that smaller rural sites can't match. Camplify owners familiar with the south Devon coast suggest arriving mid-week in peak summer if you can, as weekend traffic on the A379 coast road can be slow. It's one of the best campsites near Exeter for hirers who want a holiday park feel with genuine coastal proximity.

Quick facts:

• Distance: Approximately 10 miles south of Exeter (around 20 minutes via the A379)

• Best for: Families, larger motorhomes and caravans, coastal walkers

• Key facilities: Heated outdoor pool, electric hook-up pitches, hardstanding options, bar and restaurant, children's play area, direct coastal path access

• Book ahead: July and August, school half-terms, and Easter

Three Hares Campsite

Quiet, rural, and deliberately low-key, Three Hares Campsite sits in the Devon countryside south of Exeter, within easy reach of both the city and the coast. It's the kind of site that attracts hirers who've done the big holiday parks and want something calmer: smaller pitch numbers, more space between neighbours, and an emphasis on the natural surroundings rather than on-site entertainment.

The campsite suits campervans and smaller caravans well, with grass pitches set in a pastoral Devon setting. The pace here is noticeably different from a resort-style park, and that's precisely the draw. Travellers recommend it for a quieter weekend break when the big Exeter campsites feel oversubscribed, and it works well as a mid-trip stop for hirers on a longer Devon or Jurassic Coast route. For inspiration on longer touring trips, the 11 best NC500 campsites for motorhomes guide shows what a proper long-distance route can look like.

The site's rural position means you'll want to stock up before arrival: there's no on-site shop, and the lanes leading in are narrow enough that a large motorhome driver will want to check dimensions in advance.

Quick facts:

• Distance: Approximately 12 miles south of Exeter (around 25 minutes)

• Best for: Couples, campervan hirers, those seeking a quieter alternative to larger parks

• Key facilities: Grass pitches, basic amenity facilities, peaceful rural setting

• Book ahead: Summer weekends and bank holidays

West Devon: campsites within day-trip distance of Exeter

Castle Brake Holiday Park

Castle Brake Holiday Park sits near Okehampton in west Devon, on the northern edge of Dartmoor National Park, and it makes a strong case as one of the top campsites near Exeter for hirers who want to spend serious time on the moor. The drive from Exeter takes around 30-35 minutes via the A30, which is perfectly manageable, and the payoff is a site with Dartmoor almost on the doorstep.

The park offers a mix of static holiday homes and touring pitches, with the touring area well-suited to campervans and caravans of most sizes. The surrounding landscape is the main attraction: Okehampton is a natural gateway to Dartmoor's northern reaches, with High Willhays and Yes Tor accessible for a day's rambling without needing to drive far. Well-known among Camplify's community for its position as much as its facilities, Castle Brake works particularly well for active hirers who want to spend their days on the moor and return to a comfortable, well-run site each evening.

The Camplify community knows this part of Devon rewards those who get the timing right. Dartmoor in late spring and early autumn offers the moor at its most atmospheric, with fewer crowds than July and August. If you're pairing an Exeter base with a broader South West itinerary, our guides to the 5 best campsites on Anglesey and 5 best Loch Lomond campsites offer ideas for extending the adventure further north.

Quick facts:

• Distance: Approximately 23 miles west of Exeter (around 35 minutes via the A30)

• Best for: Dartmoor walkers, active couples, hirers wanting a moorland base

• Key facilities: Electric hook-up touring pitches, shower and toilet facilities, close proximity to Dartmoor National Park trails

• Book ahead: Bank holiday weekends and summer school holidays

Ready to explore the best campsites near Exeter?

Devon has enough variety to keep you busy for weeks, and these five campsites near Exeter give you access to the coast, the moor, and the city itself without long drives between them. Pick up a campervan or caravan from a local Camplify owner in Exeter and you're on the road in minutes. Browse available campervans and caravans near Exeter and find your pitch for 2026.