Whether you’re spending the summer term grinding through deadlines, staying in Exeter for post-exam vibes, or just living your best life until graduation, one thing is clear: It’s “hot girl summer season”. And no, being a hot girl isn’t about looking a certain way — it’s an attitude.
Confidence, energy, and living for the plot. Luckily, Exeter has plenty of ways to help you channel your inner main character. So grab your sunnies, slap on the SPF, and let’s get into the six best ways to have the ultimate hot girl summer right here in EX4.
1. Slay at Impy with a cold cider and a cute fit
If there’s one thing Exeter girlies know how to do, it’s romanticise a Spoons. And The Imperial? She’s the moment. With its sweeping garden, fairy lights, and accidental Bridgerton energy, it’s the only place where a £2.50 bev can feel vaguely luxurious.
Whether you’re kicking off a night out, having a day drink with your uni wife, or simply people-watching in a corset top, Impy is the budget-friendly, sun-drenched hotspot you didn’t know was part of your hot girl lore. Order a pitcher, find a table in the back garden, and pretend you’re at a countryside estate.
2. Golden hour content at the Quay
No hot girl summer is complete without content. And Exeter’s Quayside? A whole photoshoot waiting to happen.
Round up your housemates, grab a bag of Pimm’s in a can (or whatever Sainsbury’s has in stock), and snap away as the sun dips behind the cobbled streets and kayaks. Bonus points for coordinated outfits and moody film filters.
3. Live your indie romcom fantasy with a coffee crawl 
Exeter has serious indie café game, and you deserve to take full advantage. Turn your regular caffeine fix into a personality trait with a coffee crawl around town: The Glorious Art House for colour and chaos, Camper Coffee for minimalist cool, and Exeter Phoenix for art girl energy.
Sip slowly, journal something mysterious, and make eye contact with a stranger. You’re the star now.
4. Sip cocktails and pretend you’re in a 1920s speakeasy at The Bootlegger 
A true hot girl summer has range, and The Bootlegger is where you go when you want to serve “retro glam meets Gossip Girl reboot” vibes.
With dim lighting, vintage décor, and a cocktail menu that goes off, it’s the ideal place to raise a glass, flirt with someone in a waistcoat, and tell your friends: “I feel like I’m in a movie.”
5. Escape to Exmouth for beachy main character energy
Sometimes the city gets a bit much — enter Exmouth: Exeter’s built-in beach escape. Hop on a train with your besties, pack snacks, a speaker, and the world’s most impractical bikini, and live your Mamma Mia fantasy on the sand.
Swim, sunbathe, and force someone to take 80 candid photos of you looking wistful by the water. Summer core? Completed it.
6. Timepiece Terrace Tuesdays 
A true Exeter hot girl knows that the Timepiece terrace is where legends (and hazy memories) are made. Dress for the theme (anything-but-clothes, angels and devils, you name it), pre like it’s your last night on earth, and end up in someone’s blurry BeReal. Embrace the chaos. You can green juice tomorrow.
Final thoughts
You don’t need a yacht in Ibiza or a festival wristband to live your best hot girl summer. Exeter might not scream cosmopolitan, but with the right mindset (and some main character music in your headphones), it’s exactly the right place to slay your way through the season.
Suns out, serotonin up, and selfies at the ready — your hot girl summer starts now.
