Reef Encounter often gets overlooked! It's between Urban Beach and Boscombe Pier, on Sea Road.
Great food at very reasonable prices. Very child and dog friendly too :) Lots of games for kids and owner will present your dog with a gravy bone!
I love the growing character of Pokesdown (although I admit I am biased as I live there!). Crooked Book in Pokesdown is great - cafe (dog friendly) which also sells all manner of second-hand/vintage stuff.
Life is slowly being breathed back into Boscombe itself. Plans are going ahead to re-develop as flats the upper part of the Arcade (look up and see the beautiful windows). I'm sure this will attract more people and businesses to the arcade. I know someone who has recently opened a gallery in the arcade and it is full of fantastic stuff - but sadly not much footfall at the mo.
I agree the boscombe arts fair was a bit of a flop!
There are also plans to re-design the precinct - if you are in the Sovereign Centre, the plans are on one of the empty shop front windows, next to H&B or Claire's?
And thank god for the charity shops - they're what's kept the area going over the past few years apart from primark Some really interesting ones opening up in the precinct and on Christchurch road...
Boscombe Pier and the green spaces in town are beautiful. I chatted with the head gardens guy recently and Boscombe/Bournemouth have been winning lots of awards for their green spaces :)
Wow, sorry OP if I've slightly hijacked your post! I'm just generally thrilled at seeing Boscombe/Pokesdown emerge with all its quirkiness and character :)
p.s. I thought the Aquarium was great, as did my godson (3) when we took him to see it...