Exeter has a reputation for being a fairly expensive city. The cost of rent and drinks can almost rival those of London. It is important to consider the average day-to-day costs of a city before you commit to moving there for university. Unfortunately, I cannot make the necessities cheaper, but I can show you that it is possible to have a fun day out in Exeter, without breaking the bank! Here is your guide on 15 things to do in Exeter for under £10.
The Quay
One of the most beautiful and quaint areas of Exeter is the quay! It’s about a 30 minute walk from the main on-campus halls in Exeter. Despite being incredibly close to the city centre, it has a different vibe to the city. It’s a more relaxed place, with lots and lots of independent shops, cafés and bakeries. It is not obligatory to buy something on your trip to the quay. However, for under £10, you can go to the Ridge Coffee Shop, where you can pick from an amazing range of donuts and treat yourself! It’s a small café, but it attracts locals and students. On a bright sunny day, a walk along the quay and a donut is all you need!
Reed Hall
If you don’t want to leave campus, but still want to be in nature, you must visit Reed Hall and its surrounding grounds. It’s peaceful and pretty all year around, but even more so in Spring. If you need a 15 minute break from the hustle and bustle of campus, you can find a bench on the grounds, sit in nature and relax. And the best part is that it is completely free!
Topsham
Even though it isn’t in Exeter, Topsham is one of the beautiful surrounding villages near Exeter. A train from Exeter Central to Topsham costs around £4 (prices may vary). It is the perfect rural escape when you just need to get out of the city. There’s a farm shop in Topsham called Darts Farm. Here you can pet goats and get a coffee in one of the cafés. What more could you ask for?
Artigiano
This bar is located in the city centre. The drinks can be expensive, though there are options under £10. This bar hosts jazz events, quiz nights and acoustic nights. It has the perfect ambience. If you don’t want to go to a club, but don’t want to go to a Wetherspoons, it’s the best in between. You can dress up, but it still has that relaxed atmosphere that can make for the perfect night out.
The Undergrad
This is a very popular café amongst students. It’s located near student accommodations in the city, like The Depot and Printworks. The food can sometimes be a bit pricey, but the cost of coffees and matchas there are very reasonable. It’s the perfect spot to meet up with your friends and get a coffee. It’s pretty on the inside and close to the city centre. There’s also student discounts available! It makes the cut in this Unifresher list of the best cafés in Exeter.
Gandy Street
This street in Exeter is located next to the Costa and Tesco in the city. It’s a really aesthetic street, lined with independent cafés, bars and shops. I recommend exploring the vintage shops here or popping into a bar to get a drink!
H2B Spa and Salon
An unknown money-saving hack is to go to the H2B Spa and Salon to get your cut & blow dry, or a manicure. It is run by students attending Exeter College who use the salon to gain experience for their vocational courses. You can’t argue that £10 for a manicure isn’t a good price! They have more treatments that cost far more than £10, but I recommend getting a manicure for £10.
Chococo
Located on Gandy Street, Chococo is a café that specialises in all things chocolate! They have the best hot chocolate. You can pick the percent of dark chocolate you get. It’s velvety and decadent, and only £3.25! There’s a really cute atmosphere there. It’s another great spot to catch up with your friends.
Exmouth
One of the university’s best selling points is how close it is to the coast. You can get a cheap train ticket to go from Exeter Central to Exmouth, a beach town. In summer, it’s lively there, filled with tourists, families and students. If you feel like spending a bit more money, you can buy fish and chips and sit on the sand. It’s another perfect escape from studying!
The Old Firehouse
This cosy pub is a firm favourite amongst Exeter University students. The food can be a bit expensive, though there is a student discount available, but the drinks are reasonably priced. I recommend trying one of their ciders and enjoying the atmosphere.
Dog Walking
You can volunteer through the Exeter Student Volunteers society to walk people’s dogs! Doesn’t that sound like the best time? You can do some good for the local community, get some exercise in and play with people’s dogs. It’s free to sign up and it might be another good escape from university life.
Bookshop Crawl
I got this idea from Exeter’s Literature Society. You can do this with them or just with some friends. There are a multitude of independent bookshops here in Exeter. You can explore your options on a bookshop crawl! You’ll see some cute and quaint shops with a good selection of books.
The Ram
If you don’t want to stray too far from campus, you can always go to the Ram. It’s a bar located in the Guild and you can buy some good food for under a tenner! The famous curly fries are always a good choice, though there are also burgers for under £10 as well! Drinks are cheap as well.
Stepcote Hill
Another cute and quaint street in Exeter. There’s some old-fashioned architecture and buildings that will remind you of how historic this city is! There’s an old independent bookshop located there as well, that you can check off when you do your bookshop crawl!
The Cathedral
An instantly recognisable landmark, the cathedral is open to visitors for free! It’s beautiful there and the surrounding grounds are usually full of people having a picnic during the spring and summer time. Closeby, there are plenty of independent cafés as well!
This all goes to show that you don’t have to break the bank to have a fun day out in Exeter! Make use of your student card to get all the discounts available to you and be a tourist in the city you live in! I hope you try some of these 15 things to do in Exeter for under £10.
Hi, I’m Rachel! I’m a French and International Relations student at the University of Exeter. When I’m not studying, I’m usually reading a good fiction book or listening to pop culture podcasts! Or, you’ll find me reading the guests’ essays from the New York Times.
