Visiting Dorset

Splashdown Waterpark is a great place to visit, so close to Bournemouth and Poole, but the whole of Dorset has so much to explore.

Whether you’re heading to Splashdown Waterpark or off exploring the Jurassic Coast, we’re ideally located near Bournemouth and Poole, but not so far from other favourite spots at Lyme Regis, Weymouth, and Christchurch, there is an endless list of things to do in Dorset; it is the ultimate family destination.

🌊 Coastal Adventures in Poole & Bournemouth

Poole Bay is famous for its beaches and world-class watersports. Whether you want to try windsurfing, kitesurfing, or paddleboarding, Rockley Sailing School is the perfect place to start.

Sandbanks: Spot luxury properties in one of the UK’s most exclusive postcodes.
Poole Quay: Visit the newly refurbished Poole Museum the RNLI headquarters, or enjoy crabbing by the working harbour. Take a cruise around the harbour, the 2^nd largest in the world or over to Swanage where a heritage railway chuffs along.
Brownsea Island: Take a ferry to spot rare red squirrels or sail past the iconic Old Harry Rocks and on down the Jurassic Coast.

🍦 Family Fun in right here on Tower Park

Why not make a day of it?

Hollywood Bowl
Vue Cinema
Admiral Arcade
Brand name restaurants including, old favourites like Nandos, Taco Bell, KFC, Pizza Express and Burger Kings, new openings Slim Chickens, Turcuisine, more opening soon.

🪣Get Beach ready FOR Bournemouth

Just a stone’s throw away, Bournemouth offers award-winning sandy beaches and a vibrant atmosphere.

Pier Attractions: Brave the Rock Reef Climbing centre or the PierZip.
Oceanarium: Discover marine life right on the seafront.
Events: Plenty to do with a lively nightlife, Bournemouth & Poole Tourism has the latest on what’s on and where to go.

🚜 Top Kids' Attractions Near Poole

If you’re looking for things to do with toddlers or primary-aged children, these local gems are must-visits:

Lemur Landings: Our award-winning soft play centre located right next to Splashdown.
Farmer Palmer’s Farm Park: A top-rated family attraction near the Saxon town of Wareham, which is also worth a visit
Upton Country Park - 160 acres to roam with children’s play park, bird hide, café, dog paddocks

🌳 Explore the Dorset Countryside & New Forest

Dorset is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), filled with idyllic hiking trails, ancient monuments, and cycle ways.

The New Forest: Head east to find free-roaming ponies, thatched cottages, and miles of woodland tracks.
The Jurassic Coast: This UNESCO World Heritage Site stretches 95 miles. Head to Lyme Regis or Charmouth for a family fossil hunt to find your own piece of history.

Planning your trip? Check out Visit Dorset or the local Events and Festivals guide to make the most of your stay in the South West of England.

Places to Eat

Whether it's picnics on the beach or sitting on a hill, dining al-fresco or an ice cream or two. Food and drink in Dorset is definitely part of the attraction.

Here on Tower Park just outside the door, there's a range of great brands everyone will know and love. Further afield Dorset is blessed with terrific seafood and plenty of artisan producers; there's an enormous variety of delicious food just waiting to be discovered, tasted and enjoyed. Not everyone is a foodie and we know how the kids can be, so the good news is that there are also loads of familiar names hereabouts too, so whether it's a gourmet dinner, kiddies' favourites or good old fish and chips. You will definitely find something to tickle your taste buds.

Local produce to look out for: pickles and chutneys From Dorset with Love, don't forget to take home their Dorsetshire Sauce! Woolsery Goats Cheese and the famous Blue Vinny; Sixpenny Handley Beers; Conker Spirit, Dorset's Dry Gin; Roly's Brownies; bread from Oxfords Bakery and so much more - be sure to catch a Dorset Farmers Market whilst you are here. If you love your food head to Dorset Food and Drink for all the yummiest information.

Check out some of our favourites

Places to Stay

Decided to stay a while? Here for a day or two or the annual family holiday there’s a huge range of accommodation for every pocket.

From thatched cottages to glamping to B&Bs to luxury hotels and everything in between there's going to be a place to stay to suit your every need. We get asked a lot about camping and we are very lucky to have the very best camping and caravanning facility just a short drive away at the multi-award winning, South Lytchett Manor Camping and Caravanning 2016 AA Campsite of the year, no less.

Close by there are several large holiday parks, Rockley Park on the edge of Poole Harbour and the very popular Sandford Holiday Park at the foot of the Purbeck Hills.

The area is well served with independent hotels, B&Bs and Guest Houses but recognised chains Premier Inn, TravelLodge, Hilton and Holiday Inn Express are all represented locally.

The local tourism informations centres are a wealth of information, of course, but these websites have or are great places to stay.