Laura & Ella

Whether you’re making a full weekend of it or sneaking in a few hours either side of the wedding, there’s loads to explore around Poole, Bournemouth and the Jurassic Coast. Sandbanks & the sea 🌊 Sandbanks Beach is one of the most famous beaches in the UK - often ranked among the best for its golden sand and calm waters. There’s a saltwater sauna right on the beach, perfect for warming up before (or after) a bracing dip in the sea. If you’re feeling energetic, Sandbanks is also a hub for watersports, including paddleboarding, kayaking and jet-powered water activities. Watching from the beach is entertaining too! If all that sea air leaves you craving dry land, head to nearby Compton Acres - a beautiful 1920s garden with peaceful walks and a lovely tea room. Poole Quay & the Harbour ⚓ Poole Quay is always lively, with boats coming and going, restaurants, cafés and ice cream stops. If a mega yacht is in town, you won't be able to miss it! Check out the Sunseeker factory, RNLI, and Poole Museum. You can take a short ferry across to Brownsea Island, famous as the birthplace of the Scouting movement and home to red squirrels. Boats typically run roughly hourly. From the quay you can also hop on short harbour cruises or even take a longer boat trip across to the Jurassic Coast or down to Swanage - a brilliant way to see the coastline from the water and learn about this beautiful part of the world. Slightly further afield (great for rainy days)🌳 Upton Country Park - Free entry to the grounds, with beautiful walks, a brilliant adventure playground, mini golf, pottery painting and craft activities - ideal for slightly older kids. Kingston Lacy - A National Trust house and gardens, great for a slower pace or a wet-weather day. Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum - A wonderfully eccentric historic house in Bournemouth, packed with art and unexpected treasures. Wimborne Minster - A charming market town with cafés, independent shops and a much-loved model village, home to the famous Wareham teddy bears. Studland and the Isle of Purbeck 🐚 Take the 4-minute Sandbanks Chain Ferry on foot or by car across to Studland, and explore miles of beautiful, unspoilt coastline. From Shell Bay (great to eat at the restaurant) to Studland Bay, Knoll Beach, Middle Beach and South Beach, you’ll find four miles of golden sand, wide open skies and big sea views. You can pre-book a session at the Studland Sauna Hut, and follow the coastal path via The Pig on the Beach for refreshments. Continue on towards Old Harry Rocks, where the chalk stacks mark the eastern edge of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site. Step back in time at Corfe Castle, a thousand-year-old ruin with sweeping countryside views - listen out for the steam trains of the Swanage Railway puffing past below. For a gentler adventure, explore The Blue Pool - a former clay pit turned magical, colour-changing lake, with an easy woodland walk and a fairy-door treasure hunt that kids love. The Jurassic Coast (World Heritage Site) 🦖 The Jurassic Coast stretches for miles, offering a breathtaking mix of wild scenery and deep geological history. From Studland, walk out to Old Harry Rocks for sweeping sea views and one of the most photographed landmarks on the coast. Further west, Lyme Regis is world-famous for fossil hunting, where you can search the shoreline for ancient remains dating back to the age of the dinosaurs.