St. Ives boasts a quartet of golden-sand beaches. Sheltered coves draw swimmers and sun-worshippers, but water-sports aficionados visit St. Ives for great surfing, windsurfing and water-skiing conditions. And on your way there, keep your eyes peeled for a dude with seven wives. You never know when nursery rhymes might come true.

Catch a wave in Cornwall! Beach, surfing, and scenery draw the crowds to Newquay every summer. Perfect your tan on the beach, paddle in the shallows, or join the surfers out at sea. Just out of town, the Holywell Bay Fun Park, Newquay Zoo, and Blue Reef Aquarium provide family fun, and dedicated cycling tracks offer an alternate way to tour nearby towns of Bodmin, Padstow, and Truro.

Walking is a way of life in the picturesque Cornwall town of Padstow. The South West Coast Path—which, at 630 miles, is Britain’s longest footpath—stretches along the coast and, via ferry, across the River Carmel. The former fishing port is today a hub of fine wining and dining. Lose yourself in the Lost Gardens of Heligan, a fairyland of heirloom flowers, or go back to the future at the Eden Project, a horticultural wonderland housed inside dramatic biodomes.

With its seafront lido, busy international port, and waterfront Barbican district, Plymouth’s maritime heritage takes centre stage, but head inland and the numerous museums, shopping malls, and arts venues reveal why it’s earned the title of Devon’s cultural capital.

Famed for its football team and music scene, which has produced the likes of The Smiths and Oasis, this centre for sports and the arts is a down-to-earth and friendly city. The so-called Capital of the North has overcome industrial decline, bombing (in WWII and by the IRA) to become a confident and cosmopolitan city of well over two million. It is well served by a bus and light rail network. Top attractions include the Lowry art complex, arcade Affleck's Palace and Canal Street gay village.