things to do around dorchester, dorset

[bea]

woo hoo! summer hols are fast approoaching!... we've booked in at a place near Dorchester and was wondering what to do around the area...

we'll be four adults and 5 kiddies... ages 6, 4, 3, 2, and 9 months!

best beaches? places to eat with and without children, fossil hunting? attractions, play grounds? activities? seafood???

anything!

thanks....

ask shoshable if you can find her about she's a CM with children of similar ages in thte area.

I know of farmer palmers and that's about it.

fossil hinting - lyme regis
monkey world at wareham
btw - we have stayed in the area several times,
and havent found a really child friendly hotel, would you mind saying where you are staying?

ooh yes forgot monkey world. weymouth beach as well - not sure how far you are form portland bill - a lighthouse.

we're staying in Tincleton...
i just find that everytime we go on holiday... we have a fantastic time but i'm never really armed with much knowledge about the area.. and then about a month after we get back, i keep reading about all the fab places what we missed out on.. so this time i'm going to be ready and armed!!!

Kingston Maurward - Dorch
brewers quay, time walk - Weymouth
Me - Portland

sealife centre, the nothe fort, abbottsbury swanary & farm

Sharkeys (soft play)

20 years ago I went to a fab aquarium type place in Weymouth. Not sure if its still there.

A good day out is getting the steam train park and ride to Swanage beach and then getting the train home again.

Another good day out is getting the ferry from Poole over to Swanage/Studland and spending the day on the beach.

Bovington army museum is good, my DS loved it!

Both of mine like a visit to Blue Pool, it is beautiful, a nice walk with a couple of play areas and a really nice tea room that does yummy cream teas.

There is a dinosaur museum in Dorechester but i've never been there and there is also a maize maze near there too.

Portland Castle is worht a visit too, you can get the ferry over from Weymouth harbour and stay for a bit. Portland Bill is also good, the kids ahve to be over a certain height to climb the lighthouse, I think an average 4 year olds height if my memory serves me correctly.

Kingston Maurward is fab, take the mindees there a lot,

Ringstead Bay great for fossils

Poole way there is:

Honeybrook Farm at Wimborne

Wimborne Model Village

Moors Valley Country Park

And if it ever gets nice weather Hamworthy park, great paddling pool and new play equipment.

Blandford Camp Military Museum

Kimeridge fantastic for fossils, steam train at Corfe Castle, jousting at Lulworth Castle, Monkey World, Tank Museum, Blue Pool, Sea life center, Homer Simpson at Cerne Abbas if it hasn't washed away! Ringstead Beach, Abbotsbury,

Farmer Palmers is great for that age.

Dinosaur museum very old fashioned, cramped, and more suitable for older children IMO. Lots of small labels which we then had to "translate" for our 5 yr old. Plus, because we'd promised a visit, we had to queue for 45 mins just to get in - summer holidays on a rainy day.

Another vote here for jousting at Lulworth Castle - was brilliant - just check it's on.

Monkey world was excellent too.

great ideas... thanks for the warning on the dinosaur museum as i thought that might be a good place to go as dd is dino mad at the moment!

keep them coming!

The beach at Sandbanks, in/near Poole is lovely - clean with lots of lovely sand!