Ever since my childhood home in Kingswear was sold, Bristol started feeling more like my home. That, in turn, means that whenever I do find the time to visit Devon, it feels like a mini holiday, especially now that the weather is getting warmer.

British seaside holidays or staycations have always been popular – of course you can get amazingly cheap flights to Europe these days, but if you’re strapped for time or have a lot of things to bundle into your car (including kids) it can be a lot less stressful to just drive a couple of hours to the coast.

The South Hams is a beautiful area in south Devon, filled with rolling green hills, beautiful old towns, and gorgeous coastlines too.

It’s a large area spanning all the way from Plymouth across to Totnes and Kingswear, and from the edge of Dartmoor right down to the coastline between Dartmouth and Noss Mayo.

Having grown up there, it’s one of my favourite places, but the South Hams is designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, which was absolutely nothing to do with me and my biased opinions.

As I’m from sunny South Devon, I’m not the biggest expert on where to stay, as I always stay with my lovely mum. But I know for a fact that Alf Resco in Dartmouth is a lovely place to stay, as I visited my pals Lily and Tom when they stayed there last summer. The little top-floor flat was absolutely adorable.

It’s a BnB, so breakfast is included with your booking, and Alf’s do the tastiest breakfasts for miles around. You’ll also probably bump into my uncle Kevin in there, so say hello to him from me.

There are also loads of nice places to stay in the South Hams on Airbnb – and it’s always good to stay with a local. This Airbnb is very nice, and I’ve seen the rooms with my own eyes as they used to be my childhood friends’ bedrooms (they’ve had a makeover since then, don’t worry).

Take a trip to the South Hams coast

I am extremely biased, but the South Hams coastline is absolutely stunning. There are so many beaches to explore, from wild hidden coves only accessible down a narrow, slightly treacherous footpath, to more family-friendly shores with all the amenities you could need.

The latter is what we went for, as Mum and I had one of my favourite kids in tow. With a picnic packed, suncream slathered on, and a windbreak put up to shelter us from the sea breeze, we settled in for a lovely few hours at Blackpool Sands. There was lots of playing, paddling and lying in the sun (which did make an appearance, despite the cloudiness of these snaps).

You do have to pay to park at Blackpool Sands, but in return for that there’s everything you may need including a cafe, shop, toilets, lifeguards, as well as fresh water stream and pool, which is very safe for children to play in.

Other South Hams beaches I love are Beesands to hide amongst its perfectly smooth, beautiful rocks, Mattiscombe if you fancy a bit of a walk too, and East Portlemouth, which has the gorgeous white sand of Salcombe, but is a little more wild and a little less busy.

Don’t forget to have an ice cream, whichever beach you choose.

Spend an afternoon at Pennywell Farm

Pennywell Farm is one of my favourite family attractions in South Devon – my mum has been taking us since we were really little. It’s improved so much since then, but the feel of the farm is still the same.

The staff at Pennywell Farm are amazing – they really engage with the children, which means they learn so much about all the farm animals, and they can get really hands-on too.

Talking of hands-on, the best thing about the farm is that you get to cuddle piglets. This is the biggest draw for me, and they have actually become famous for their tiny little pigs, and their pig races too. I always want to take one home.

Throughout the day at Pennywell Farm, there are lots of talks about the different animals, as well as interactive activities.

If you’re looking for other animal-themed attractions, Paignton Zoo is hands down one of the best zoos ever, and Totnes Rare Breeds Farm is excellent as well.

Have a day out in Totnes

I’ve spent many Fridays and Saturdays browsing the Totnes market, wandering in and out of the shops and eating cakes here… and now it’s where my mum lives. It’s very handy to be able to walk a few minutes to the best coffee in town, before making our way up the high street.

Shopping in Totnes

The shops of Totnes have changed over the years, but as well as the lovely new shops, there are a few absolute gems that have really stood the test of time.

Paperworks is an amazing shop full of beautiful cards, handmade paper and other crafty things. I found this place extremely useful when I started bookbinding.

Revival is an absolute treasure trove of vintage. It is jam-packed full of amazing dresses and other interesting items of clothing. I’ve spent so many hours looking through the rails and exploring the different hidden rooms in this shop, and I’ve spent a lot of money in there too…

Gazebo is full of colourful, adorable things, homewares and gifts. I always find something I want in there, and now they stock Liberty and Rifle Paper Co too.

Drift Records sells records and coffee, and is obviously pretty popular as it moved to their larger premises at the top of the high street a couple of years ago.

Eating and drinking in Totnes

Even if you sampled the delicious brunch or something sweet with a coffee at The Curator, by the time you get halfway up the high street you’ll probably fancy something else to eat. Perhaps some lunch?

One of my favourite places to get lunch is Seeds 2. It’s a vegetarian cafe where you just grab a plate and help yourself to whatever you want – you can usually find macaroni cheese, roasted veg, dhal, and an amazing array of salads. I always try to have have a little bit of everything.

And if that’s not enough to sweeten the deal, you can always head up to Grey’s Tearooms. Expect a full range of loose leaf teas, traditional cakes, and please switch off your phone. This is definitely the best place in Totnes to get a proper Devon cream tea.