Bournemouth and Poole
Bournemouth and Poole together hold TEN Seaside Awards signifying safe, clean holiday beaches. There are seven miles of golden sands running from the east, on to Studland in the west, Sandbanks beach (winner of more European Blue Flags than any other British resort), continuing past the entrance to Poole Harbour and down to Studland Village in the Isle of Purbeck.
If you enjoywatersports, Poole and Bournemouth are definitely the place for you, the choice is endless from Sailing, Water-skiing, Paragliding, Jet Skis and Banana Rides to the more sedate Pedaloes and Boat cruises.
Whatever you are looking for in a holiday, you will find it here. There are sensational shops set in wide pedestrianised boulevards, restaurants full of culinary delights catering for every taste, great nights out at thetheatres hosting the summer shows, cinemas, night clubs, festivals and fireworks, affordable hotels - the choice is endless, come and see for yourself !
Go out and about in Poole and visit the famous Poole Pottery Business or stroll along the quay and watch the fishing boats and yachts sail by. Poole has a lot of history. You can learn more by going to the Waterfront museum where you will hear the Smuggler's tale!
If you just want to lay around and soak up the sun then you will find great beaches like Sandbanks, that are clean and safe with lots of watersports on offer.
Bournemouth and Poole together hold TEN Seaside Awards signifying safe, clean holiday beaches. There are seven miles of golden sands running from the east, on to Studland in the west, Sandbanks beach (winner of more European Blue Flags than any other British resort), continuing past the entrance to Poole Harbour and down to Studland Village in the Isle of Purbeck.
If you enjoywatersports, Poole and Bournemouth are definitely the place for you, the choice is endless from Sailing, Water-skiing, Paragliding, Jet Skis and Banana Rides to the more sedate Pedaloes and Boat cruises.
Whatever you are looking for in a holiday, you will find it here. There are sensational shops set in wide pedestrianised boulevards, restaurants full of culinary delights catering for every taste, great nights out at thetheatres hosting the summer shows, cinemas, night clubs, festivals and fireworks, affordable hotels - the choice is endless, come and see for yourself !
Go out and about in Poole and visit the famous Poole Pottery Business or stroll along the quay and watch the fishing boats and yachts sail by. Poole has a lot of history. You can learn more by going to the Waterfront museum where you will hear the Smuggler's tale!
If you just want to lay around and soak up the sun then you will find great beaches like Sandbanks, that are clean and safe with lots of watersports on offer.
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Poole Quay
A hive of activity, the quay has a long history dating back to Roman times. A few hundred years ago, Poole was one of the countries foremost fishing ports with boats from the town voyaging all the way to the Grand Banks and Newfoundland for cod. As with any sea-port, piracy and smuggling were big business; the town was sacked by the Spanish in 1405 as retribution for the raids of Harry Paye, and in 1747 the Custom House was raided by 60 angry smugglers anxious to reclaim their seized contraband. Now a little more relaxed, Poole Quay is home to leisure boating and many pubs, some with live music. From Fisherman's Dock walking west, past the ugly apartment block built on the site of the famous Poole Pottery will bring you to the commercial part. Here you can see live concerts, and every summer Tuesday evening the quay is given over to motor-cycles, thousands of them, vintage to modern, well worth a look! |
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Poole Harbour
You may have heard of Poole Harbour and the Sandbanks area before, probably not because of all the activities on offer but more likely because of the hype & fame surrounding its multi-million pound properties that line the harbour & Sandbanks peninsular. Maybe you have even heard of the world class fine sandy beaches that stretch for 7 miles from Sandbanks all the way past Bournemouth, Boscombe & on to Hengistbury Head. The mega priced properties are an attraction all to themselves, making for a great walk around the harbour promenade & the Sandbanks peninsular. More importantly than any of the above is that Poole Harbour is an amazingly good location for watersports! It is an exceptional environment in which to learn watersports. Basically, for those looking to take courses such as beginners windsurfing lessons there really isn’t a better place to learn. The beauty of this top UK watersports location is that the harbour gradually shelves from ankle deep to over head high water; you pick your desired depth & pretty much know that whenever you jump (or fall) off you will be at that same level of water & if you go anywhere it will be being blown into shallower water by the wind! There is a specially designated area of the harbour that is only for watersports users, giving loads of open space to blast around & not worry about hitting any boats! The effective season for watersports in Poole Harbour is from May through to October. You can go outside of these months but it will be pretty cold & only for the truly dedicated (or mad). |
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Bournemouth International Centre
When it comes to entertainment, events, exhibitions and conferences, the recently refurbished Bournemouth International Centre (BIC) is the South's premier venue. Along with its sister venues, The Pavilion Theatre and Ballroom and The Pier Theatre, the BIC is owned and managed by Bournemouth Borough Council. Together, these venues offer some of the best entertainment on the south coast. The BIC is close to the centre of Bournemouth, the Pier and famous Gardens. Featuring big name stars in Shows, Musicals and top Rock and Pop Concerts, this is a 'must do'. Visit the BIC website here  |
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Live Music
The area is well served when it comes to live entertainment, and boasts some fine live music venues, from the Lighthouse and BIC, to more intimate venues such as Mr Kyps in Poole. There is also a thriving pub music circuit (although the new licensing hours seem to have had a negative effect). Of particular interest is the Green Room in the Portman Hotel (Bournemouth) which strives to give young talent and established bands a showcase, and the Lord Nelson on Poole quay, well known for its Sunday afternoon and evening bashes, and Wednesday evenings in the summer. The Malt 'n Hops can be relied on for good rock bands and the Grange Southbourne have dancing to live music most Fridays and Saturdays throughout the year. And there's no shortage of local talent either (witness the number of music shops in the conurbation). |
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Adventure Wonderland
Located opposite Bournemouth International Airport this children's theme park is constantly expanding, adding new rides and features. It is an all inclusive park combining the fun and games of the Alice in Wonderland story with the outdoor adventure rides of the main park and the undercover Lost Aztec World of Wild Thing, a 10,000 square feet indoor play centre for 2 to 12 year olds. Adventure Wonderland is also home to the largest themed hedge maze in the South and several shops and cafes. More information at www.adventurewonderland.co.uk |
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Monkey World
This internationally-acclaimed 65 acre ape rescue centre, as featured in the television programme Monkey Business, is home to over 150 primates of 15 different species. It currently houses the largest group of chimpanzees outside Africa and has rescued chimps from abuse and cruelty in many countries, rehabilitating them into large social groups. In addition to chimpanzees, Monkey World is also home to Orangutans, Gibbons, Ring-Tailed Lemurs, stump-tailed macaques and several types of monkey. Other visitor attractions include a large adventure play area, pets corner, woodland walk, cafe and gift shop. More information at www.monkeyworld.co.uk |
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