Visiting Babbacombe Model Village with Kids – Full Family Guide

Babbacombe Model Village has been on our list of places to visit for such a long time, and today we finally got around to going. I’m so glad we did, as we had such a lovely day out, and we’re already looking forward to coming back again soon – especially as we can return for free within 7 days using our ticket voucher.

What is Babbacombe Model Village?

Babbacombe Model Village is a beautifully crafted miniature world, set across four acres of award-winning gardens. It’s full of detailed, hand-made scenes featuring everything from famous landmarks to quirky, comical displays – all scaled down and tucked into a stunning valley setting. As soon as we arrived, we could see how much love and care has gone into every single corner of this place.

Our Day Out

From the moment we walked through the entrance, my children were absolutely buzzing with excitement. They were running about in all different directions, saying they didn’t know where to look first! The entrance is set at the top of a hill, and as you walk down a little winding path and turn the corner, you're met with the most incredible view of the village and gardens laid out below in the valley. It’s a magical first impression and really set the tone for the day.

Luckily, there’s a clear and well-laid-out path that takes you all the way around the village and gardens, so you don’t have to worry about missing anything. We really loved being able to take our time wandering through the different sections, with so many little details to spot and talk about as we went.

There are loads of fun exhibits with moving parts, which my children particularly enjoyed. In one of the indoor exhibits at the top of the village, there’s a beautiful snowy winter scene, a brilliant recreation of the EastEnders set – complete with Albert Square and all the familiar characters – and a large, detailed dolls’ house. The dolls’ house was an absolute favourite for my two. They loved peeking in the windows and spotting all the carefully decorated rooms. Our favourite was definitely the upstairs bathroom, where a little man is sitting on the toilet with his trousers around his ankles – this caused lots of giggles!

As we made our way down the hill, we passed all sorts of brilliant scenes including the Great British Cake Off, Stonehenge, a celebrity mansion, Wombly Stadium, a model beach (complete with a cheeky nudist section), and local attractions like Paignton Zoo. There are also lots of beautifully detailed village scenes, each with their own charm and hidden jokes.

One of the biggest hits for us was the crazy golf course at the bottom of the hill. We are a little bit crazy golf mad in this family, so this was a big bonus! I was expecting a quick and easy nine holes, but it was actually quite tricky and really good fun. We enjoyed it so much that we ended up going back and doing it again later in the day.

Also at the bottom of the hill is the Mythical Kingdom, a fairy-themed indoor exhibit that was really magical and full of enchanting scenes to look at. Just next to this is a lovely indoor European display, featuring working trains and a tiny fairground – it was so cleverly done, and we could have watched the little details for ages.

Getting There and Parking

Babbacombe Model Village is really easy to get to – it’s just over half an hour from Exeter. Parking was straightforward, with a pay and display car park nearby. We were able to use the RingGo app to pay, which made things really simple.

Food and Drink

There’s a small but well-stocked café on site serving snacks like pizzas, paninis, and sandwiches, along with a good selection of cakes, crisps, drinks, and fridge items like jelly pots. There were also small cartons of juice and milkshake, which was perfect for our milkshake-loving son. It was such a nice change not to have to pay over £5 for a huge, deluxe milkshake that never gets finished!

Accessibility

The paths around the village are wide and even, which makes them ideal for walking, and suitable for both pushchairs and wheelchairs. The whole site is set on quite a steep hill, so although going down is easy, getting back up to the top is a bit of a climb. That said, it’s absolutely doable, and we all felt like we’d earned our ice cream when we reached the café and gift shop at the end.

Dogs

Well-behaved dogs on leads are welcome throughout the village and gardens, which is brilliant. The only places they’re not allowed in are the café and the indoor exhibits.

Final Thoughts

We really, really loved our visit to Babbacombe Model Village. It felt like such a wholesome day out – full of fun for the children and genuinely interesting for us adults too. We visited on a day that had a mix of rain, wind and sunshine, but we still had such a great time. There’s a lovely atmosphere here, and it’s clear just how much work goes into keeping the whole place beautifully maintained.

It’s a true hidden gem, and I’m so pleased we finally visited. If you’re looking for a day out that’s a bit different, and full of character and charm, I would absolutely recommend visiting Babbacombe Model Village.

You can find out more and plan your visit here: https://model-village.co.uk