BournemouthUnited Kingdom

With boutique hotels and B&Bs attracting more visitors each year, and with plenty to see and do in this gorgeous Dorset seaside town, there’s no shortage of reasons to visit Bournemouth.

Bournemouth’s award winning gardens are split into three areas of Victorian beauty. The Lower Gardens adjacent to the sea, the Central Gardens within the town centre and the picturesque Upper Gardens. The Lower Gardens contain the iconic Bournemouth Balloon, a great place to sightsee, if you have a head for heights.

You may want to visit Bournemouth during one of its many festivals, or enjoy it in the off season and avoid the festival crowds. Notable Bournemouth festivals include the Bournemouth Air Festival, the Bournemouth Bay Run and the annual Food & Drink Festival. A visit to one of these festivals will help contribute to your overall Bournemouth experience.

Take the family to Oceanarium, a great place to visit with lots of animals to discover, including sharks, turtles and otters. With knowledgeable and entertaining visitor guides available to take you around, you’re bound to have a brilliant and educational day out here.

Dorset

Take the opportunity and use Bournemouth as a base to explore the rest of Dorset. Dorset is a county of great beauty; one of the many maritime counties in Southern England located along the English Channel. The Dorset coastline stretches as far as Lyme Regis in the west and Christchurch in the east.

If you are a fan of great literature you will be interested to know that Dorset is the birth place of Thomas Hardy and also his final resting place. Lyme Regis was also a favourite holiday haunt of J.R.R. Tolkien.

Explore Hardy Country

Visitors to Dorset can take in Thomas Hardy country, located within the Dorset Hills. Follow Thomas Hardy’s story from his place of birth, his home and then onto his final resting place. Along the way you will see the landscapes and see what inspired Thomas Hardy in his writing.

Take a Step Back in Time

Located in Bovington is the incredible Tank Museum: a collection of armoured vehicles that includes everything from the first tanks ever built to the latest heavily armoured vehicles. It really is like taking a walk through history. The collection tells the story of armoured warfare from the First World War to the present day. Aside from the vehicles there are talking heads giving first-hand accounts from those who fought in them.

Sculpture by the Lakes in Dorchester is also well worth a visit. The lakes are tranquil and beautiful, with stunning sculptures to match. With picnic areas available, take the opportunity to spend the day relaxing in these incredible surroundings.