Dorset is one of the prettiest of England’s counties, and is still mostly agricultural and mainly unspoilt. Its natural highlight is the amazing Jurassic Coast, now a UNESCO World Heritage site for its wild cliffs and the dinosaur fossils they contain. The coastal resort towns vary from buzzing to traditional, with Bournemouth the busiest and its neighbour, Poole, set on one of the world’s most beautiful harbours, now a hub for the international yachting set.

Weymouth’s Old Harbour is one of the prettiest such harbours along the coast, and the town boasts the Sea Life and Marine Sanctuary with its seals, rays, penguins and other watery species. Brewers’ Quay on the harbour is a restored Victorian brewery that is now home to family attractions and a shopping village, and the resort’s local pubs and fish and chip shops are a reminder of Weymouth’s century-old popularity as a seaside town.

Brownsea Island is just offshore from Poole Harbour and is a National Trust site for its unique population of endangered red squirrels. Another attraction popular with families is the Swanage Steam Railway with its authentic steam locomotive and vintage carriages. The picturesque hilltop town of Shaftesbury is well worth a visit for its pretty streets lined with old houses and its charming market square. Lyme Regis is another traditional Dorset seaside town, made famous in the film the French Lieutenant’s Woman.

Lyme Regis is also the gateway to the Jurassic Coast. The amazing number of fossils discovered along its nearly 100 miles since the 19th century has included examples of the larger dinosaur species, with thousands of fossil hunters arriving every summer. In winter you’ll have its huge expanse to yourself.  

Although Dorset isn’t famous for vast cathedrals, massive palaces or spectacular Roman remains, the county has plenty of interest for those wishing to explore its long history. A favourite destination is dramatic, ruined Corfe Castle, perched high on a hill and dating from Norman times. During the English Civil War, Dorset was a royalist stronghold until the castle was destroyed by Oliver Cromwell’s Puritan army in 1646.

Settlement here goes back over 2,000 years, with the county seat, Dorchester, once a Roman town. A few stretches of its Roman walls remain and locally-excavated Roman artefacts are housed in its museum. Neolithic Maumbury Ring earthwork was used as an amphitheatre and Poundbury Hill is a pre-Roman Celtic site. Dorchester’s other historic sites include a Tudor period almshouse, and the town was a centre for Puritans emigrating to the New World of America.

The Saxon market town of Wereham displays ancient earth ramparts built by King Alfred the Great to deter the Danish Viking raiders. Its ancient Lady St Mary Church holds the original 1,900-year old coffin of St Edward the Martyr, whose remains were moved to Shaftesbury Abbey during the medieval period. The totally naked Cerne Abbass Giant, carved through the grass into the white chalk soil of a hill, is of undetermined age and origin, but legendarily and rather obviously symbolises fertility. 

The most stunning natural wonder in Dorset is Poole Harbour, the second largest natural harbour on earth, formed at the end of the last ice age when melt waters flooded a valley, with its settlement history going back to pre-Roman times. It’s a convoluted stretch of water, with Poole town and several small villages set along its shores and tiny islands in its bays and inlets. Its western shores are part of the Purbeck Heritage Coast, a vitally important wildlife haven.   

Evening entertainment in all of Dorset’s coastal resort towns is regularly provided by the major hotels and can be anything from live music, dancing, cabaret acts and DJ nights to family-themed events. Bournemouth’s pier holds the Pavilion Theatre and Bournemouth International Centre, which offer rock and pop concerts, variety shows, comedy performances and occasional forays into the world of opera and ballet.

Weymouth’s promenade is the venue for festivals, funfairs and entertainment, as well as for popular pubs and bars, and the town has the liveliest late-night venues of any Dorset resort town. Live music bars, dance clubs and lounges can be found and, thanks to the recent 24-hour licensing laws, late night can mean just that. Most of the pubs here are traditional in style but thoroughly modern in their approach to nightlife, with live music gigs taking place regularly.

All the resort towns have multiplex cinemas showing the latest films and, for a unique night out, greyhound racing at Poole’s Dog Track combines the excitement of backing a winner with a great atmosphere, delicious food and excellent service. Bournemouth’s Funnybone Comedy Club is a hit every Friday night and the town’s new Le Chic lounge and club is a stylish addition to the scene.  

Live music fans have a great choice in the country, from pubs with regular live music nights featuring local bands and invited guest musicians to places such as Sturminster Newton’s Exchange venue, offering quality cinema, theatre, community and music events. Finns in Weymouth is a hub for music fans and, for a local pub turned funky international live music venue, there’s nowhere better than Portland’s Royal Portland Arms.

Dining out in Dorset offers a surprisingly varied choice of everything from the traditional seaside holiday favourite of fish and chips to fine dining, fast foods and a variety of international options. Venues vary from bistros, traditional eat-in fish and chip shops, to local pubs and gastro-pubs, tea rooms, hotel restaurants at all levels and back-street speciality eateries. A local speciality is the large number of craft ale breweries represented in pubs and restaurants across the county, and the best of traditional English cuisine is here for the finding.

Food and drink events are popular here, giving visitors the chance to sample the region’s delicious blue cheese, apple cake, local seafood and other gourmet delights. Farmers’ markets are weekly treats for foodies, with ultra-fresh fruit and vegetables as well as home-made jams, cakes, sweets, sauces and more. Local wines are also worth trying, as the mild, sunny weather in this corner of the UK supports vineyards.

If you’re a fan of seafood in all its guises, Dorset is the place, with restaurants serving oysters from their own beds and freshly caught shellfish from local fishermen such as Lyme Bay scallops, local clams, lobsters and seasonal white fish. The Bay Café, set in Parkstone Bay off Poole Harbour, is an oasis of charm and serves chef-supervised seafood delights that won’t break the bank against the glorious background of the harbour and its yacht-filled marina. A visit here is a taste thrill combined with a see-how-the-other-half-lives moment, and it’s perfect for a special occasion.