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Paignton Zoo
Attractions in Paignton

Seeing Paignton? Begin at Paignton Zoo

Visitors to Paignton can choose from 5 museums, 4 historic houses and 3 zoos. We list 5 places to visit inside Paignton’s built-up area and 18 within 5 km of its edge. 4 of them are cared for: 2 by English Heritage and 2 by the National Trust. Within 1 km of the middle there are 2 of the places on the list. If you have a day, head to Exeter Cathedral, 31 km away.

Photo: Paignton Zoo, Lewis Clarke (CC BY-SA 2.0)
In Paignton
5
inside the built-up area
Within 5 km
18
of the town’s edge
Museums & galleries
6
in or near town
Castles & historic places
9
in or near town
Cared for
4
National Trust, English Heritage, Cadw and others
Best known

Best known, in and near Paignton

Following Paignton Zoo are 3 historic houses, a pier and a water park.

ZooPaignton Zooin townHistoric house · English HeritageKirkham Housein townPierPaignton Pierin townHistoric houseOldway Mansionin townWater parkSplashdown Quaywestin townHistoric house · National TrustCompton Castle1.9 km outside town, to the northwest

Each has a page of its own: what it is, who runs it, the weather month by month and what else is near it.

The map

Where to find them

The map ends at Hindostan, 9.3 km out.

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The dashed line is Paignton’s built-up area; orange marks its middle (where most people live). Numbers match the list below. © OpenStreetMap contributors · ONS built-up area 2022

By kind

What there is to see

Most are castles or historic places, 9 in all, ahead of zoos, theme parks or other days out (6).

Museums & galleries 5 museums · 1 art gallery0 in town · 6 nearby
Castles & historic places 4 historic houses · 2 abbeys or priories · 2 historic ships · 1 castle2 in town · 7 nearby
Zoos, theme parks & days out 3 zoos · 1 pier · 1 water park · 1 heritage railway3 in town · 3 nearby
Other attractions 2 attractions0 in town · 2 nearby

Green: inside Paignton. Grey: within 5 km of its edge.

4 places are cared for: 2 by English Heritage and 2 by the National Trust (Kirkham House, Compton Castle, Berry Pomeroy Castle and Greenway House).

Every place

Every place, in and near Paignton

After the 5 in town come 18 more within 5 km of its edge.

The 5 inside Paignton come first, best known first; then the places within 5 km, close and well known first. Churches and listed buildings are on the History page, not here.

207 listed buildings and 1 scheduled monument are on Paignton’s History page → · Parks, footpaths and green space in Paignton →

Big names nearby

Big names nearby

The standout of the 12 is Exeter Cathedral, 31 km from town.

CathedralExeter Cathedral31 km northCastle · English HeritageDartmouth Castle11 km southCastle · English HeritageTotnes Castle8.6 km westAbbey or prioryBuckfast Abbey16 km westCastleKingswear Castle11 km southCastlePowderham Castle24 km northMuseumRoyal Albert Memorial Museum31 km north · 340K visitors a year (2012)Heritage railwaySouth Devon Railway11 km westCastle · English HeritageBayard's Cove Fort11 km southHistoric house · National TrustNational Trust - Coleton Fishacre11 km southHistoric house · National TrustBradley Manor10 km northwestHistoric house · National TrustCastle Drogo33 km northwest

Places well known beyond Paignton (Wikipedia articles in several languages, published visitor counts, or a National Trust, English Heritage or Cadw property), close and famous first. Distances are straight lines from the middle of the town.

Planning a visit to Paignton

What are the main attractions in Paignton?

The best known inside Paignton’s built-up area are Paignton Zoo, Kirkham House, Paignton Pier and Oldway Mansion. In all, 5 places to visit are mapped inside the town, and 18 more within 5 km.

Does Paignton have a museum?

6 museums and galleries are in or within 5 km of Paignton: Torquay Museum, Brixham Battery, Brixham Heritage Museum and Bygones.

Is there a National Trust or English Heritage property near Paignton?

Yes. In or within 5 km of Paignton, 4 places are cared for: 2 by English Heritage and 2 by the National Trust (Kirkham House, Compton Castle, Berry Pomeroy Castle and Greenway House).

What are the best-known days out near Paignton?

Within 40 km: Exeter Cathedral (31 km), Dartmouth Castle (11 km), Totnes Castle (8.6 km), Buckfast Abbey (16 km).

Where are Paignton’s historic buildings listed?

Paignton has 207 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade I. They are on its History page, from Historic England’s list, not repeated here.

How is this list made?

From OpenStreetMap (museums, galleries, zoos, theme parks and attractions, castles, forts and abbeys, and historic houses and gardens that are open to visitors) and Wikidata (what each place is, who runs it, its website and visitor counts). A place counts for Paignton when it is inside the ONS 2022 built-up area, and as nearby within 5 km of its edge. Opening times and prices are not shown: check the official site.

Places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, Open Database Licence) and Wikidata (CC0), placed in the ONS 2022 built-up area (Open Government Licence v3.0). Visitor counts are the latest Wikidata gives, with their year.

Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).

Photo credits (30)

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026 (ONS boundaries). Northern Ireland: Source: NISRA; contains Land & Property Services data and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland information, © Crown copyright, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Scotland: contains National Records of Scotland data, Registers of Scotland data and SEPA data, © Crown copyright / © SEPA 2025, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.