Thanks everyone for the replies, some great ideas posted.
We are staying at Paignton, not sure if that is north or south Devon to be honest.
We were thinking about going to Longleat safari on way home.
I would assume Longleat is better than Paignton zoo? Don't think we need to do both.
Paignton is in South Devon - Treat yourself to a day on the steam train to Kingswear and get the ferry across to Dartmouth. Dartmouth is a beautiful town and is one of a handful of places that had a railway station built and wasn't connected to a train track. Well worth a trip down the River Dart.
Will you have children with you? If so, crabbing at Stoke Gabriel is a must. Stoke Gabriel is a beautiful little village just outside Paignton that nestles on the Dart.
Brixham for a crab salad or better still, buy oysters from the little hut opposite the pub, they allow you to buy drinks from the pub and drink them whilst eating your seafood at their seating area overlooking the harbour.
Torquay is always a delight but better still is the beach at Babbacombe. You can always travel to Dawlish for a day out or to Slapton Sands in the other direction. Slapton Sands was the scene of a tragic event in the 2nd world war with the loss of over 1,000 American lives.
www.submerged.co.uk