3 days in Bournemouth with the kids

Three days, three easy shapes: the Dorset coast, the New Forest, then a stately home and a zoo. Each day pairs just two or three stops, and some of the hops between them are pleasingly short. It is 8.9 miles from Lulworth Cove to lunch at The Old Rooms Inn, which holds a 5/5 food hygiene rating, and only 2.1 miles from the New Forest to the New Forest Reptile Centre. That leaves plenty of slack for paddling, snacks and little legs running about.

For a base, Saltwater Breeze in Bournemouth sleeps 4 and sits 0.2 miles from Bournemouth Pier beach, where the bathing water is rated Excellent by the Environment Agency. Bournemouth station is 1 mile away. Bigger groups might prefer Arnewood Corner near Brockenhurst, which sleeps 12 and is 0.8 miles from Sway station. Marwell Zoo, on the final day, states disabled access.