Holidays in Dorset

All places to stay in Dorset

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Swanage Bay View

🏖️ 0.87 miles from Swanage Central (Excellent water quality)

Swanage

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Haycraft Caravan Club Site

🏖️ 2.84 miles from Swanage Central (Excellent water quality)

Swanage

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Hawkhill Mill CL

🏖️ 2.19 miles from River Avon at Fordingbridge (Poor water quality)

Sandleheath

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Westhayes Caravan Park

✓ Set in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty

🏖️ 2.87 miles from Seaton (Devon) (Excellent water quality)

Lyme Regis

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Timber Vale Caravan Park

🏖️ 0.82 miles from Lyme Regis Church Cliff Beach (Poor water quality)

Lyme Regis

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Getting your bearings

Dorset is easy to plan around once you think of it in stretches. Bournemouth and Poole sit together at the eastern end with the big beaches and the busiest choice of places to eat; Swanage and Corfe Castle are the slower, prettier pocket just along from them; Weymouth is the traditional seaside family base in the middle; and Lyme Regis anchors the western end. With 1,133 places to stay on BritStays across the region, you can pick a base that suits the kind of days you want rather than driving the length of the county twice.

Days out with children

For younger children, Fancy's Family Farm in Weymouth is the sort of place that fills a morning happily and doesn't need much planning. Bournemouth Aviary is another gentle, low-effort option if you want something close to town and a walk afterwards. Older children and teenagers usually want something with more energy behind it, and the New Forest Water Park near Bournemouth is the obvious answer on a warm day — book ahead in school holidays and check what's included before you turn up.

In Swanage, the Swanage Railway Museum is a reliable hit with anyone who likes trains, and the Museum of Jurassic Marine Life gives the famous Dorset coast a bit of context before you go fossil-hunting yourself.

Rainy-day plans

Dorset has an unusually good supply of small museums, which is exactly what you want when the weather turns. A few worth knowing about:

Museum of East Dorset, near Poole, for local social history.
Sherborne Museum and the Sherborne Steam & Waterwheel Centre, which pair neatly into one afternoon.
Blandford Town Museum and the Blandford Fashion Museum, again close enough to each other to do both.
Corfe Castle Town Trust Museum, small but a good add-on if the castle itself is too blustery.
Crewkerne Museum, handy from Lyme Regis.
Tyneham School, a preserved village schoolroom that children tend to find oddly gripping.

Several of these are run by volunteers, so opening days can be limited — always check before you set off rather than assuming.

Outdoors and along the coast

Durdle Door and Lulworth Cove are the two names everyone knows, and they deserve it. They're close enough to treat as one outing, though the walk between them involves proper hills and steps, so wear something sensible on your feet. The Hardy Monument, cared for by the National Trust, gives you big inland views for very little effort once you've parked. The Blue Pool, listed under Poole, is a quieter alternative when you want a short, easy walk rather than a hike.

Heritage and grand houses

Corfe Castle is the headline ruin, also National Trust, and it works well with the village below it for lunch. Forde Abbey is the other big-ticket heritage day, with plenty to see outside as well as in. For something smaller and less crowded, Fiddleford Manor and Shute Barton reward a short visit, while Trafalgar House, Ashcombe House and Avon Tyrrell House round out the list of stately homes if you're building a themed trip.

Three days that hang together

Purbeck day: Corfe Castle in the morning, the Corfe Castle Town Trust Museum if the weather closes in, then Swanage for the Swanage Railway Museum and the Museum of Jurassic Marine Life.
Coast day: Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door early to beat the car parks filling, then the Hardy Monument on the way back for the views.
Family day from Weymouth: Fancy's Family Farm in the morning, beach and chips in the afternoon.

Where to eat

Four places with five-star hygiene ratings are worth writing down: The Old Rooms Inn and The Holes Bay for proper pub meals, Burnt Toast for a tea-room stop mid-walk, and The Italian Bakery when you'd rather put together a picnic than sit down. Creams covers the ice cream, which on a Dorset beach day is not optional.

Turning it into a short break

Three nights is the sweet spot. Base yourself around Poole or Bournemouth if you want evening choice and easy access to the New Forest Water Park and Bournemouth Aviary; choose Swanage or Weymouth if beaches and small museums matter more. If you're staying towards the county edges, you can stretch a day out into Somerset for Glastonbury Abbey and the Glastonbury Tribunal, or Greenbank Pool, and The Rifles Museum sits over the border in Wiltshire.

Practical notes

Coastal car parks fill early in summer and on fine bank holidays, so aim to arrive before mid-morning or after mid-afternoon. Check seasonal opening for the smaller museums and houses before travelling. Take layers and grippy shoes for the cliff paths, and carry water — there's little shade between Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door.

Frequently asked questions

Where should I base myself for a first trip to Dorset?

Bournemouth and Poole give you the widest choice of places to eat and easy access to attractions like the New Forest Water Park and Bournemouth Aviary. Weymouth suits traditional family beach days, Swanage is good for the Purbeck attractions such as the Swanage Railway Museum and Corfe Castle, and Lyme Regis anchors the western end. There are 1,133 places to stay in the region on BritStays.

What are the best rainy-day options in Dorset?

The region has a good supply of small museums. Try the Museum of East Dorset near Poole, Sherborne Museum and the Sherborne Steam & Waterwheel Centre, Blandford Town Museum and the Blandford Fashion Museum, the Corfe Castle Town Trust Museum, the Museum of Jurassic Marine Life and Swanage Railway Museum in Swanage, Crewkerne Museum near Lyme Regis, and Tyneham School. Many are volunteer-run, so check opening days before setting off.

Which Dorset attractions are National Trust?

Corfe Castle and the Hardy Monument are both cared for by the National Trust, and are two of the three National Trust places on our list for the region.

Can I visit Durdle Door and Lulworth Cove on the same day?

Yes, they sit close enough to treat as one outing. The walk between them involves proper hills and steps, so wear sensible footwear, carry water as there is little shade, and arrive before mid-morning or after mid-afternoon in summer when the car parks fill quickly.

What is there for children in Dorset?

Fancy's Family Farm in Weymouth suits younger children, Bournemouth Aviary is an easy option close to town, and the New Forest Water Park near Bournemouth works well for older children on a warm day. In Swanage, the Swanage Railway Museum and the Museum of Jurassic Marine Life are both good indoor stops.

Where can I eat with confidence about hygiene standards?

Five places in the region hold five-star hygiene ratings: The Old Rooms Inn and The Holes Bay for pub meals, Burnt Toast for a tea-room stop, The Italian Bakery for picnic supplies, and Creams for ice cream.

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