Teignmouth
Teignmouth is a south Devon town at the mouth of the River Teign. It is both a resort and a working town, with a beach facing the Channel, a second stretch of sand by the estuary often called the back beach, a pier, and a port that still handles ships. Shaldon sits on the opposite bank. A passenger ferry links the two when it is running.
The Den is the open green between the road and the sea, and it is the centre of a summer day: the beach on one side, the town on the other. The pier is at the north end of that front. It is a traditional seaside pier, not a theme park. The town behind it has the ordinary shops a resort needs, which sounds dull and is useful if you are staying a week.
Where to stay
Seafront hotels and guest houses face the Den and the beach. They are the right rooms if the view is the point, and the wrong rooms if you dislike morning light and promenade noise. Streets inland, towards the station, are quieter and closer to the train. The estuary side of town suits people who would rather look at boats than at the open beach. Shaldon, a ferry ride away, is the village version of the same water. Dawlish is the smaller resort up the sea wall.
Self-catering flats appear in season near the front. Check which floor you are on and whether the beach is actually visible, because "seafront" in a listing can mean the building is on the correct road.
Around the town
The beach is sandy enough for a family day, with the usual caveats about tide and wind on this coast. A walk over to Shaldon, or through the Ness tunnel to Ness Cove, is the local expedition. The river path and the port are the walk if you have already done the beach. Dartmoor is inland via the Teign valley and Bovey Tracey. It is a half-day drive, not something you fit around a late breakfast and a last swim. The broader choice of Devon coasts is on the Devon page.
Getting there
Teignmouth station is on the Riviera line. Trains to Exeter and to Newton Abbot, Torquay and Plymouth stop here, so a car is optional for arriving and for hopping along the coast. You will want a car for Dartmoor and for anywhere up a lane. The road along the sea wall from Dawlish is scenic and, in bad weather, occasionally disrupted. If a storm has closed the railway, it is a national news story on this stretch, and you should check before you travel.
Guide me to UK is an independent information site. We do not own hotels or take bookings. Fares, opening hours and timetables change, so confirm them before you travel. Reviewed October 2026.