Jolly hols in Dorset - any top tips?

[StringBeanJean]

Hi all,

Have plumped for Dorset for our hols this year. I don't know the area at all but from my googling think it looks amazing. I have images of exploring the beautiful coast, peering into rock pools, scoffing fish and chips and eating in nice country pubs in my head. There will be four of us - me and my dd(3) and my folks.

Can anyone recommend any self-catering cottages to me? Ideally somewhere a bit upmarket - I don't get many hols so budget not really an issue - but equally happy somewhere which will keep dd happy, like a farm or such like.

Any tips on places to visit and eateries would also be really helpful.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Weymouth is a typical traditional English seaside town. Head to the beach where your dd will be able to ride the donkeys, build sandcastles to her hearts contents, jump on the trampolines and watch Punch and Judy.

Monkey world is another fab day out.

Corfe Castle
Sea Life Centre
Chesil Beach has a nice little visitor centre for all ages

Agree on Weymouth. Also there is a Londis in the middle of town with a remarkably good selection of interesting bottled beers, if that floats anyone's boat (we were there over New Year). And the Castle Inn, West Lulworth, is CAMRA's cider pub of the year.

Thanks so much for all the recommendations, DD is going to love it. Can't wait!

Dorset is a big county so pick your area wisely so that you're not doing too much driving. Lyme Regis is on the west side - good for fossil hunting as well as buckets and spades although most of this part of the coast is shingle not sandy. Weymouth is lovely although traffic can be difficult getting in and out of town.

We did the steam train Corfe Castle to Swanage the other year. Brownsea Island is great for wildlife and red squirrel spotting. The Swannery at Abbotsbury is supposed to be good too.Bournemouth has nice sandy beaches.

We've been a couple of times and had great holidays both times.

Weymouth has a great park and ride system which is a lot cheaper than parking by the seafront or in the town centre. We always use it.

I agree, the steam train is lovely and there is a lovely little traditional sweet shop and bakery by the Swanage stop. We had lots of fun crabbing on Swanage beach last summer.

We stayed in Poole last year but this year will stay closer to Weymouth so we are more central to the bits we like.

Also check to see if you are in the area at the time of the Bournemouth air festival. Bournemouth gets packed but the red arrows were absolutely amazing last year. We used the park and ride system they had put in place for this as well,and it worked really well.

Kimmeridge is meant to be great for fossil hunting.

I forgot to mention Moors country park which is a great day out and only costs the price of parking.

Sandbanks beach is lovely and easy to park, eat fish and chips etc.

Farmers Palmers gets great reviews, there's soft play and you can feed the animals.

Poole pottery was on our lists for rainy days - If I remember right, the kids can design their own pottery.

there's also the steam fare - which is often same weekend as air festival.

Be careful about speed cameras - my DH has twice had speeding notices following our holidays in Dorset, necessitating trips back for speed awareness courses.

My dad had the same this year MrsMoffat! He also had to make a trip back to Dorset!

*dh

We stayed in a lovely self catering property in maiden newton. The owner was also converting a garage at the time.

From there we visited Lyme Regis, Weymouth, Portland Bill, the Great Dorset Steam fair (for fil!), Dorchester, corfe castle and there's an old steam train we went on too.

What do you want from Dorset?

Traditional seaside holiday: Weymouth Esplanade
Surfey: Bridprot/ West Bay
Jurassic Coast: Charmouth or Lyme
Child friendly activities: Bournemouth
Good access to everything + coffee shops: Dorchester
Off the beaten track Dorset village: Yetminster, Chetnole

Do the guided fossil walk at Charmouth. My DC's still talk about it and it was fun for the grown ups too.

We stayed in Poole last year with 3yo dd. Not as pretty as some other bits of Dorset, but we had offer of a cheap caravan. Things we enjoyed -Sandbanks and the other beaches between Poole and Bournemouth, Monkey World, And also drove to Peppa Pig World in Hampshire -took about an hour. If you are in Poole area, the main Poole park is great for young kids -mini train and pedaloes.
Regretted not doing Swanage or Corfe as sounds lovely. We did stop at a model village on way home, which dd enjoyed -can't think what it is called now, but not the more famous one at Corfe!

Remembered model village -Wimborne Minster!
Should have said -Sandbanks very child friendly beach -easy access, nice play area, calm sea, lovely sand, lots of facilities etc.

The open-top bus from Bournemouth-Sandbanks-Swanage is a really good way to see this part of the Dorset coast. The bus goes onto a ferry across Sandbanks. If you get a day-rider then you can hop on and off at various points.

Studland beach on the way to Swanage is a nice sandy beach for children and we enjoyed Durlston country park for a scenic walk along the coast. This Easter we are going to Weymouth and I hope to go to Lyme Regis and Charmouth as I haven't done that part of Dorset yet. Weymouth town center suprised me by being a bit run-down but it is a good central base

The visitor centre at Chesil Beach has a lovely cafe for lunch.

Portland Bill
Durdle door
Lulworth castle

Lyme Regis during festival week is great, as there is so much going on, you don't really need to go anywhere else. We went to west cliff? (broadchurch) for the day. There are lovely little coastal villages about two with nice pub grub and stunning views. We collected lots of fossils at Lyme. the mill bakery can't be missed, breakfast there is a must! There is a nice Sandy beach which is very sheltered so calm waves.

Reference food. If you like seafood then book the crab house cafe at ferrybridge in Weymouth. The oasis at Overcombe is great cafe/bistro. No 6 in Dorchester for french cuisine. The stable in Weymouth and bridport for pizza and cider. Weymouth is run down but can't beat the beach for traditional seaside fare. If you prefer more secluded beach then try Burton Bradstock with Hive Cafe (more seafood!)