Day trips from mid-Devon worth the drive

The Jurassic Coast around Sidmouth and Branscombe on the south side; a longer run to the north coast at Croyde or Woolacombe if people want surf. An hour each way makes it a genuine afternoon rather than a quick trip.

Utterly different landscape and worth seeing once. Go with a map and a plan, respect the weather, and do not attempt anything ambitious with a group that has trainers on.

Cathedral, decent food, actual shops. The right call when a group needs a city for a few hours, or when someone needs a pharmacy that is open.

Worth saying: groups that do not leave usually get more out of the time. The impulse to fill a free afternoon with a trip is often the impulse to avoid the unstructured part, and the unstructured part is where the good stuff happens.