Best Outdoor Activities in Sandbanks

"Sitting right next to the beach, Bournemouth Oceanarium is a brilliant family-friendly attraction in the town centre. Explore a variety of different marine ecosystems and meet all kinds of aquatic life, including penguins and crocodiles!. You can watch live feeding sessions and various talks."

"A great place to visit for kids of all ages, the Oceanarium is on the Bournemouth waterfront opposite the Pier. A visit to the beach in Bournemouth is one of the attractions to enjoy on your weekend. Otters, Sharks, Penguins and fish from all over the world call this place home."

"Our Mediterranean inspired dishes follow the seasons, allowing nature to play a leading role in our menu. It’s about a handful of the best ingredients ... Restaurants and Bars:Restaurant gift vouchers | Browse restaurants by postcode | Find restaurants near me | Suggest a restaurant"

"Another great educational wildlife park, the Liberty Owl, Raptor and Reptile Centre is great for kids and adults alike. Another small park, there are all different birds of prey and very informative talks. The shows and talks go for at least half an hour and are very educational."

"In the west of Bournemouth and removed from the livelier pier area, Alum Chine Beach is a calmer place to spend a summer afternoon. The Blue Flag beach has a typical mixture of sand and shingles, and given its location is more frequented by locals and people with holiday homes in Branksome and Canford Cliffs. If you have kids in tow, a fun way to get there is on the Land Train, running along the promenade from Bournemouth Pier."

"Alum Chine is one of Bournemouth’s most beautiful stretches of Blue Flag beach and can be found westwards from Bournemouth heading to Canford Cliffs. It’s particularly popular with families with toddlers thanks to the amazing Treasure Island themed adventure playground and the land train to Bournemouth Pier. Like other beaches in Bournemouth, there are RNLI lifeguards, baby changing facilities and lost children centres too."

"Stroll along from Durley and you’ll reach another one of Bournemouth’s award winning beaches, Alum Chine. A particular favourite of families due to the massive pirate-themed playground, the crystal clear waters and sandy shore line is more than inviting. Boasting beautiful tropical gardens on the cliff face, this area is well worth a visit and is a welcome break from the busy the town centre further down the promenade."

"Hengistbury is one of Bournemouth’s quieter and most unspoilt beaches thanks to its location away from the main sprawl and the fact that it’s a pebble beach surrounded by incredible, imposing cliffs. While it might not be quite as toddler-friendly as some of the more central Bournemouth beaches, there’s still plenty here to entertain, including a beautiful nature reserve and regular ferry transfers over to Mudeford. Lots of parking and a café mean you can stay here all day if you wish!"

"Water quality: excellentDogs: welcome all year-roundCar park: Hengistbury Head (Sat nav: BH6 4EL). Hengistbury Head has it all: woodland, saltmarsh, heathland and beach which altogether house over 300 different bird species and countless varieties of wildlife. The visitor centre, near the long stay car park, offers more information on the area’s archaeology, geology and ecology."

"Six miles east of Bournemouth town centre is Hengistbury Head, a Site of Special Scientific Interest. The “Head” is a promontory looking over the English Channel, and has been occupied by humans since the Upper Palaeolithic. If you don’t have a car you can reach it via the Land Train, or cycle along the promenade."

"Weymouth Beach is an award winning beach with traditional old fashioned activities such as Punch and Judy shows, donkey rides and more. The beach is a popular family attraction in Weymouth for locals and holiday makers alike. Toilets, cafe, restaurant and arcades are also available at the beach making it a full day out."

"Overcombe beach is just to the east of Weymouth and is very popular for windsurfers, kite surfers and kayaks. Sitting next to Preston Beach, Overcombe has its own cafe with a car park attached. Dogs are welcomed onto Overcombe beach all year round."

"Three miles of golden sand lie right by Weymouth’s historic harbour and town centre. Offering traditional seaside attractions, such as puppet shows and trampolines, Weymouth Beach is perfect for families."

"Address: Weymouth, Dorset, DT3 6PP, England, UK A notable grassy area enjoying an elevated position on a steep cliff top, the Bowleaze Cove is centered around an especially scenic stretch of shingled beach, where the River Jordan meets the waterfront. A popular spot for flying kites and walking dogs, many people choose to come here simply for the views and on-street parking spaces can be found nearby, together with a cafe. Open hours: daily - dawn to dusk Admission: free"

"In the north east of Weymouth, Bowleaze Cove is a sand and shingle beach. The beach also lies on the Jurassic Coast and is next to the popular Fantasy Island Funfair. There is plenty of parking available next to Bowleaze Cove, with refreshments from The Sunset Bar and restaurant, The Beachside and Cafe Oasis."

"Preston Beach ends when you reach Bowleaze Cove, where the river Jordan cuts across the shingle and sand beach to run into the sea. There’s a small funfair up this end of the beach, as well as a café. You’ll also find the ice cream parlour where I once worked, age 15!"

"Water quality: excellentDogs: October-AprilCar park: Waterford Road (Sat nav: BH23 5DA) Pay and display or local amenity parking clock applies. Just a five-minute drive from the New Forest border, the shingle and sand beach at Highcliffe has numerous groynes and a moderate slope, flattening to shallow sandy flats that are exposed when the tide retreats. Behind the beach are cliffs and a shoreline promenade, which provides access to the town and to the coast road at the top of the cliff."

"This Café/Bistro is THE place to go if you are in the mood for some fresh seafood. Located right on the Esplanade with a perfect view of the seafront, this small family-run seafood restaurant not only uses locally sourced food but also boasts a head chef who was born and trained in the town. The menu offers a range of fabulous seafood options including mussels and calamari for starters and Hake, Arctic Char, Haddock and much more for mains."

"South Winner of Best Seafood Restaurant at Food Awards England 2019. Seabeats is a family restaurant in Weymouth, owner and head chef Adam Foster was born in Weymouth and studied at Weymouth College. Seabeats opened in April 2017 and within 18 months this restaurant was already receiving high praise and awards."

"Living in a seaside town means there’s no shortage of opportunities to get a good old-fashioned serving of fish and chips. But the amount of competition here means you’ve really…"

"Fresh local and sustainable seafood in our restaurant on the Esplanade at Weymouth — and right by the sandy beach and sweeping bay. Relaxed and stylish but there’s theatre and buzz at Rockfish, a restaurant who understands sustainability and are committed to helping the livelihoods of fishermen and safe-guarding fish for the future. The menu is also available completely gluten free should that be what you need."

"09/06/2021: Rosie came running to the door from cleaning a table the the second we walked up. She was fun and Personable the second we walked in. Sat us somewhere we liked and looked after us!"

"Circo Lounge is in a great spot in the heart of lovely Westbourne. The restaurant is completely dog friendly. Why not enjoy breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner or just some drinks."

"A spin-off from Boscombe veteran Cafe Boscanova, South Coast Roast is part third-wave coffee shop, part bright-eyed cult (everything's "awesome"; the beef sandwich will, apparently, change your life). It certainly justifies its self-confidence on the coffee front. A flat white (£2.50) was superb."

"Cool cups of locally roasted coffee await you at South Coast Roast. To complement their caffeinated offerings, this independent café also has an enticing breakfast and lunch menu made from locally sourced food suppliers. Their brunch menu is also quite impressive!"

"Whether you own a bar, restaurant, pub, club, private hire space, pop-up and/or run events, you can take advantage of our full suite of products. Explore one or more from the below."

"Start with the classic burgers, add cheese and bacon or both!. Why not add your own toppings to make it your own combination from mayo, lettuce, pickles or onions. You can also add mushrooms, mustard, relish, peppers and hot sauce if you choose!"