This is truly a place you should visit at least once when in the UK. We had a short 3-day cycling trip here. Everything was wonderful — from the scenery to the people. Just a note: you should prepare an offline map before coming, as in some areas the signal is very weak and you can hardly use online maps.

The rebirth of Foxlease Park, nice to see it back up and running, volunteered here back in February? And it was just nice to see it with life and music... Nice little room in the coach house, could do with an extra pillow, but nice time.

When the sun dips behind the trees and the light softens, the New Forest becomes pure magic. Walking along winding paths — sometimes straight through the woods — feels effortless with the fresh scent of nature all around. 25 km passed without me even noticing, just chilling, absorbing the atmosphere, and enjoying the calm. Perfect time of day to visit if you want peace, beauty, and that grounding forest energy. ⭐️ Highly recommend: come in the late afternoon, slow down, and let the forest do the rest #newforest

Went there with my father now 94, loved the cars, remined him of the old days, we used to have fords then. Only comment is the coffer shops when busy seems to take forever. otherwise great place to visit.

The New Forest is a brilliant place for families, especially with kids. The free-roaming ponies, donkeys, and other animals make it feel magical, and places like the Wildlife Park add more chances to see deer, otters, and birds. There are plenty of easy walking trails too, such as at Bolderwood Deer Sanctuary, and lots of open spaces that are perfect for picnics. Camping is well set up with designated sites, ranging from rustic fields to family-friendly spots with toilets and showers. Wild camping isn’t allowed, but the official sites give you space for kids to play and a good base to explore. Shops are small village stores or farm shops rather than big supermarkets, and toilets are generally available at visitor centres, though sometimes basic. The park doesn’t really have a big lake for swimming or boating, and indoor play options are limited, so it’s very much an outdoor destination. If you’re prepared for nature, fresh air, and a slightly rustic feel, the New Forest is a wonderful family escape where children can explore freely and see animals up close.

Beautiful place to go loads of open spaces for people to walk and cycle. Large areas for children play. Beautiful river at brockenhurst where you can often see horses and foals, cattle and sometimes donkeys and pigs.

Gorgeous place, well worth a visit if you appreciate nature. The ponies are such a treat to see. It’s also great for beginner cyclists as it has the Old Railway route created by Cycling UK. I felt like I was in a renaissance oil painting at times because the sights were so beautiful. Make sure to get out early to admire the sights as it gets very busy in August.

This is truly a place you should visit at least once when in the UK. We had a short 3-day cycling trip here. Everything was wonderful — from the scenery to the people. Just a note: you should prepare an offline map before coming, as in some areas the signal is very weak and you can hardly use online maps.

The rebirth of Foxlease Park, nice to see it back up and running, volunteered here back in February? And it was just nice to see it with life and music... Nice little room in the coach house, could do with an extra pillow, but nice time.

When the sun dips behind the trees and the light softens, the New Forest becomes pure magic. Walking along winding paths — sometimes straight through the woods — feels effortless with the fresh scent of nature all around. 25 km passed without me even noticing, just chilling, absorbing the atmosphere, and enjoying the calm. Perfect time of day to visit if you want peace, beauty, and that grounding forest energy. ⭐️ Highly recommend: come in the late afternoon, slow down, and let the forest do the rest #newforest

Went there with my father now 94, loved the cars, remined him of the old days, we used to have fords then. Only comment is the coffer shops when busy seems to take forever. otherwise great place to visit.

The New Forest is a brilliant place for families, especially with kids. The free-roaming ponies, donkeys, and other animals make it feel magical, and places like the Wildlife Park add more chances to see deer, otters, and birds. There are plenty of easy walking trails too, such as at Bolderwood Deer Sanctuary, and lots of open spaces that are perfect for picnics. Camping is well set up with designated sites, ranging from rustic fields to family-friendly spots with toilets and showers. Wild camping isn’t allowed, but the official sites give you space for kids to play and a good base to explore. Shops are small village stores or farm shops rather than big supermarkets, and toilets are generally available at visitor centres, though sometimes basic. The park doesn’t really have a big lake for swimming or boating, and indoor play options are limited, so it’s very much an outdoor destination. If you’re prepared for nature, fresh air, and a slightly rustic feel, the New Forest is a wonderful family escape where children can explore freely and see animals up close.

Beautiful place to go loads of open spaces for people to walk and cycle. Large areas for children play. Beautiful river at brockenhurst where you can often see horses and foals, cattle and sometimes donkeys and pigs.

Gorgeous place, well worth a visit if you appreciate nature. The ponies are such a treat to see. It’s also great for beginner cyclists as it has the Old Railway route created by Cycling UK. I felt like I was in a renaissance oil painting at times because the sights were so beautiful. Make sure to get out early to admire the sights as it gets very busy in August.

Fantastic beach especially for dogs, as there’s plenty of space for them to run around. There’s lots of space for yourself which is great if you hate crowded beaches. It’s also a good place for a walk as the beach is big. The beach is half pebbly half sandy. Alternatively, there’s also a cliff walk.

Hengistbury Head has it all! Beautiful beach, Gorgeous views - even to the Isle, Rich floral, Fascinating landmarks etched in history, And a hike to cap it all. It does not get better than this!

This is a wonderful place saved by my Dad. When he was alive he designed the coastal defence against this place being destroyed. The groynes and the dredging of sand to help protect the beaches. Couldn't be more proud of him for this. His ashes are at the top overlooking the Isle of Wight. God bless you Dad you were the best. Please if anything make the parking cheaper or free and remember it would not be there if it wasn't for my brilliant father.

We recently visited Head beach and it was an absolutely breathtaking experience! The beach boasts pristine, soft sand that feels wonderful underfoot and stretches as far as the eye can see. The water is an inviting shade of turquoise, perfect for swimming or simply soaking up the sun. The scenery is stunning, with waves lapping at the shore. Whether you're looking to relax with a book, enjoy water sports, or take a leisurely walk along the shoreline, this beach has it all. Amenities are conveniently located, including clean restrooms, and lovely outdoor and indoor dining options nearby for a refreshing bite or a cool drink.

This was such a beautiful place to visit, with panoramic views over to The Isle of Wight and Avon Beach.

The beaches in Bournemouth are brilliant that I cannot favour one over the other. It’s a sandy beach along the cliff. There’s a good stretch of grasslands cliff side to walk. Those who don’t prefer walking, can just hit the beach from the closest car park which is about 5-7 minute walk. There is a paid parking and 1 hr free parking as well, watch out for timings. There are cafe and toilet facilities as well

This is a wild and beautiful spot which is at its finest out of season, when the wind blows and the surf is up. There's a large car park and lots of walkers enjoying the headland and the beaches. The headland can be blustery and exhilarating but down on the lagoon side it is more sheltered.

Beautiful sandy beach. Perfect spot for sunbathing, reading, people watching and walking. I stayed in Sandbanks and was lucky there was a footpath leading straight onto the beach. I walked the promenade to Bournemouth. Roughly an hour and half's leisurely walk. Maybe less, I get distracted, and there's a lot to see along the way. And of course, ice cream opportunities! The only down side was the curious dogs. It's a dog friendly beach so no leash required. Luckily I'm not afraid of them but it was a tad annoying! All in all, one of the best beaches in the UK.

Outstanding, beautiful beach. Fine yellow sand, almost white. Water is clear and on a sunny day you can see to the bottom at the waters edge. There's life guards and there's even a cash machine next to the beach if needed. It's wonderful, a jewel of a beach. A little bit of Miami beach along the coastline of Poole, Dorset without the 10hr flight.

Sandbanks Beach is now my favourite beach in England. The sand is soft, white, and truly beautiful. There’s plenty of space to relax, so it never feels too crowded. The beach is long and much wider than others I’ve visited around the country, which makes it perfect for a peaceful day out. There’s also convenient parking and a lifeguarded area for added safety. I loved taking long walks along the shore, it’s calm, scenic, and just what I needed to unwind.

One of the most beautiful beaches I’ve seen in England ,definitely worth a visit! The sand is golden, wonderfully soft, and very fine-grained, so it never hurts your feet. The sea is crystal clear, bright blue, and perfectly clean. Especially in August, there are plenty of sunny, bright days. The beach is long and wide, yet it doesn’t get as crowded as other beaches. Both the sand and the water are spotless. There’s a National Trust car park ,lucky for members! At the entrance, there’s a mobile café where you can get drinks and snacks. In short, it’s the perfect summer holiday beach. I highly recommend it, and I’d like to thank everyone who works to keep this place so beautiful.

This is one of my favourite beaches. The sand is really light, there is a ice cream/coffee hut and a food hut, toilets and lifeguards. There are little beach huts to rent also. Bbqs are allowed but it is a well maintained space so there are plenty of bins. There is a gentle shelf here so it doesn't get too deep too quick. Mostly there is a minimal current so safe for kids. Lots of parking but it does fill up. Its flat and easily accessible so no long trek for little ones and those that struggle a bit with mobility. Great for water sports as there is a harbour near by with lots of space for boarding etc. Poole harbour itself is awesome to explore.

Cozy place to go to the beach with or without company. Very good restaurant close by and the sandy beach is just lovely. Lifeguards is just next to you in the beach, makes you feel much safer.

Dog friendly and very clean beach, toilets and parking is right there. Recommend bringing your own food and drink as only one place to eat right on the beach. Great day out with dogs

Stunning place to visit. The staff were incredible, lots of poeple dotted around to talk to, give information and show you the local animals. Lots of different trails you can follow on the map depending on how much walking you want to do.

A nice sunny day out but didn't see any squirrels. Food wasn't up to normal NT quality. A lovely place to visit but could do with more benches

Had a wonderful 3rd trip to the island with my partner - they have some great new hides - we saw a lot of wildlife and young wildlife too. Definitely be returning! Walnut cake in the cafe was fab & the volunteers were all awesome!

A real hidden gem! Took the ferry from Poole Harbour (around 20 mins) and spent a fantastic few hours exploring Brownsea Island. It’s a National Trust site, so well looked after and full of natural beauty. Lovely woodland walks with loads of wildlife – we spotted all sorts of birds, several red squirrels, and even a deer! Peaceful, scenic, and perfect for a relaxing day out in nature. Bring comfy shoes and maybe a picnic. Highly recommended!

Amazing place to visit. Access through ferry from poole harbour unless you've a boat and im guessing there's considerations even if you do. Ferry was 15 return per person and these go every 30 minutes and stop at 5 pm with a break at lunchtime. The island is reasonably flat with paths around. The north of the island is more concerned with bird watching. The south of th island is more to do with the scout movement. There is a tea and snack stand near the scout shop. The national trust owns most of the island and there a further cost of around £10 to go in. Very beautiful and tranquil and worth checking out. There is also a small bus you can take around the island.

Fabulous day out. Caught the ferry, on the Quay opposite Tesco Express, at £14.50 each. There were no concessions for the disabled or those over 65's, there was a long que, but they ushered us onto another ferry, doing the river cruises, and they dropped us of, which was great. On Brownsea Island I was able to get in free, being my daughter's carer, so I just had to pay for her and my hubby. We took her disability parking badge, but they didn't ask for anything. It's not a far walk from the car park, just round the corner. Cost us about 12.50 for 6 hrs. There are all-terrain wheelchairs to hire on Brownsea, free of charge and children's buggies, also free. Though I struggled to push it around on the rubble tracks and had to turn back and return it, the volunteer commented that she knew that this was a problem. But then happily booked us on the shuttle bus for the tour, which was brilliant, and our guide Tony, was great, he gave us a great commentary around the island. It takes 40 minutes. We ate in the cafe. In our rush to leave the car park to get to the ferry, we left our bag with food drinks etc. in our car. So bought some water on the island, ( to my horror £3.30 each 500ml bottle, it is, Re:water, a metal, reusable bottle though ) only to find they had a water station, with free tap water. I should have just asked. We didn't think we had time to pick anything up from the Tesco Express opposite the ferry station in Poole Quay. The restaurant staff were great, very helpful and could cater for my gluten-free vegetarian daughter, they expressed how they take it very seriously in the kitchen, to prevent cross-contamination, that a member of staff, washes down everything first then kits up to prepare the food. And they then bring it out themselves. Our food was lovely, fresh and tasty. Great friendly staff in there, they work very hard. Very helpful staff all over Brownsea. The ferry was a very smooth crossing, and friendly informative staff. All in all, a great little trip

Brownsea Island is National Trust. If you are N.T member you only have to pay for the ferry crossing. Non members have to pay ferry plus enterance fee. There is lots to see and alot of walking. They have numerous hides on one side of the island to watch the various water fowl. There is also a colony of Red Sqirrels apparently you can see them behind the church. Plenty of places to have a picnic. They have a lovely café by the jetty offer nice selection of drinks and snack. Would definatelty go back again as in.

The pier itself is alright. Although, other than the zip line, restaurant and doughnut stand, there is nothing of interest for adults. A couple rides for the kids but is a bit pricey. The amusement arcade at the start of the pier are very busy due to them being the only decent one in the area. Great view from it though

A beautiful sandy beach and pier with the feeling of the Mediterranean to it. Plenty of eating places and things to do. Excellent for evening walks and just for relaxing. I would highly recommend to visit during summer with the good weather and longer days. Ideal for families and for those who want to chill!

The view was absolutely stunning — the sea, the fresh breeze, and the peaceful atmosphere made it such a relaxing experience. There’s something magical about being near the water. We really enjoyed our time there and would definitely recommend it to anyone visiting the area. A perfect spot for a calm walk or just to take in the beauty of the coast!

Beautiful spot with stunning sea views and a relaxing atmosphere. Great place for a walk, photos, or just enjoying the ocean breeze. There are fun activities nearby, plus cafés and ice cream stalls. Perfect for families, couples, or anyone visiting Bournemouth!

The beach is beautifully maintained and provides a perfect balance between relaxation and activity. Families appreciate the safe swimming waters, lifeguard-patrolled zones, and gentle waves that make it ideal for children. Those seeking adventure can enjoy water sport such as surfing, while the picturesque pier adds a touch of classic seaside charm with arcades, cafés, and entertainment.

Too expensive, only. Three kids rides at the £3 for 1 token it's only about three , to four little rides rides and a duck pik up is a skydive cable?Go is from Endo pair back to beach.Edge but not open the big will is great sea life aquarium centre what's fantastic sandy beaches restaurant on pier bloody expensive

Great day out here, love the soft sand, clear waters, most people ruin it by leaving their trash behind, don't be that guy. Many reasonable places to stay and eat, cheaper and more options in town centre for some things, for accommodation a bit away from the sea front is cheaper. Didn't get on the observation wheel so can't comment. The weekend was way too busy and there were too many crowds but it could be because there were cheer leading competitions in the area, you can avoid them by moving further along the coastline or doing a week day visit. For those keen walkers you can walk from the coach/ train station to the sea front too.

Great pay out on a diverse range of fun machines. After getting what I wanted, I tried to get rid of my remaining 2p coins, only to come out with 2 more prizes!

I like coming here with my partner to play pinball, however the machines are set-up completely incorrectly! Currently, there are 3 positioned in the corner all at an angle. There’s only room for one person to play a machine at a time, otherwise you’re bumping shoulders. I also wish they’d kept some of their older cabs from days gone. Getting rid of Sega Rally was a huge mistake!

I liked it here, deffo not that cheap, most games has really short rounds and to continue playing after you die you need to add more coins, but it is like any other arcade hall. I thought they had a good selection of games racing Sims and shooters. Even some cooler simulations, claw machines and other classics etc... make sure to bring cash as the card machine there charges you £1.99 to take out cash. But if you have any notes they trade them for coins for free. Most machines take contactless with a few exceptions.

Fantastic place to take the kids, we spent a lot of time playing all the machines and enjoying the whole pier area, I needed help while in the amusements with directions and places to go so I asked a worker within the amusements called Kevin, he was brilliant! He was very kind and helpful and helped me with all my questions regarding the area. He even told me of local eateries and places to take the kids within the Bournemouth area. I totally recommend visiting this area of Bournemouth

Team member Danny showed some of the most heart warming acts of kindness I have ever seen. You made Mums visit to the arcade today in Bournmouth extra special awarding her a toy dragon! Thank you so much, you don't know how lovely your gesture was. Give this man a pay rise! We'll done Danny!

Absolutely rammed, 2p machines didn't have a lot of prizes in when we got there so maybe they don't refill them quickly enough. The pier itself was closing by 6pm which is weird for the middle of the summer holidays.

I loveeee this arcade!! It’s great! Everything is really cheap- most of the games are £1 and there’s a mixture of coins and contactless so there’s something for everyone. Great variety of games as well! When I’m back in Bournemouth I’m going straight there 👾🕹️!!

Great oceanarium to see a large variety of sea creatures including sharks penguins and a giant turtle! There is a small kids area halfway round for a little break and a couple of cafes with small areas to eat. It is a bit of an odd layout and there can be a bit of a wait for the lift to get to the buggy park. Having the tunnel to see the sharks being fed is great fun. It took us about 1.5 hours to go round and listen to one of the talks.

I went to the oceanarium for their shark feeding experience and it was so much fun! The guide, Lucas, was very nice and explained the whole process very well. After the experience I walked around the rest of the oceanarium and the place as a whole is very interesting with a lot of animals I haven't seen at other aquariums or ocenariums. Over all a fantastic place to visit!

A visit to Bournemouth Aquarium proved you can spend time while making the most of the town, making it an excellent choice for families particularly those with young children. The compact yet thoughtfully designed space offers an engaging mix of marine life and educational content, ideal for a half-day excursion regardless of the weather.Accessibility is a standout feature: a dedicated pram park, full wheelchair compatibility, and clear stair routes ensure smooth navigation for all visitors. The staff are courteous, well-informed, and deliver informative feeding talks throughout the day, adding real value to the experience. A Blue Light discount is also available, which is a welcome gesture. Minor areas for improvement include inconsistent hand sanitiser availability and a need for slightly better overall cleanliness. The on-site café offers convenient refreshments but has limited seating and premium pricing. The small indoor play area caters well to toddlers but feels restrictive for children aged 7 and above.Crowds build quickly, and some viewing areas can feel cramped during peak times. Visiting early or on a weekday will provide a more relaxed and immersive experience.Verdict: A well-executed, family-friendly attraction with strong educational value and thoughtful accessibility. Minor operational tweaks would elevate it further such as more interactions and more sea life. Highly recommended especially for little ones.

I just wanted to take the time and probably ramble a little on how amazing Chris was with my son when we came for the penguin experience. It was my son’s 10th birthday present, so had a lot of high expectations. A little back story my son Nicholas fell in love with penguins at Bournemouth oceanarium and had a small penguin teddy since he was a baby. And his love has just grown over the years. When I saw that you had this experience I knew it would an amazing present for him. I want sure what to expect but still what expectation I did have were far exceeded!! Chris was amazing, friendly, kind and patient. His knowledge was mind blowing and we learnt so much. You can honestly see and feel the love and care Chris has for all the animals you have. This is a great day out! Loads to learn and see and the team are amazing!

We went for the Penguin Keeper Experience and it was incredible and so worth the money!! Chris was friendly and he was amazing at showing us around, teaching us things and giving us the best experience possible, thank you. We got a private tour of the aquarium, got to feed the fish and otters and most importantly got a lot of time with the penguins. It was such a fun date morning and I would highly recommend ! 🐧

Loved every minute here. At first apprehensive about comming as ut looks small but dont let that deceive you. It's got loads to see and do here with many educational boards and things to do. Loved the penguins and the shark tunnel. The jellies were cool to see to and the cute kids play area too. Located on thr beach iys a lovely little side quest of your at the beach or just passing through. Staff were helpfull and kind.

I really liked this place! When it was suggested that we visit I was sceptical as I am in my 50's and thought this would just be for the kids. In the end I spent over 3 hours here- looking at the penguins , sharks, fish and other creatures that were there. They all seem to be will looked after, and I thought it was really worth the entrance fee.

Art gallery and museum in a well thought out Victorian setting, and thoughtful inclusiveness. Such a beautiful architectural building and gardens blending old and contemporary, located on the seafront pedestrian walkway half way up the hill east of the Promenade, with large public car park a minutes walk away. Wonderful modern cafe and charming sea views. All the staff were very friendly, welcoming and helpful. Well worth a visit, allow a couple of hours. Entry charge to the galleries, but the cafe and shop are free to enter.

A real find! Not only does this gallery have an incredible main collection, it often has well curated special exhibitions - at the moment there is one on May Morris, which is well worth catching. The building itself is absolutely stunning, and a big reason to visit. All of the architecture is so interesting you'll spend half your time staring at the walls, ceiling and incredible views. The gallery has a number of paintings by Edwin Long, which are beautiful. I couldn't help but buy a number of prints. And the tea room makes a lovely sandwich too! This was my second visit and I'll be back again, no doubt.

An absolute highlight of my tour of Bournemouth and the surrounding areas, I just happened to go on a day when entry was free, however, I would definitely have happily paid full price, I did in fact make a donation. Once you get to the main museum part of the building, you will find a collection like no other. It is part art gallery, part museum rolled into one building that is as stunning on the outside as it is on the inside. My one tip would be, don't forget to look up at the ceilings in every room (they're nearly as wonderful as the collection)

We easily spent 2+ hours between the cafe and visiting the many rooms. It's amazing how much these people collected and what was considered acceptable in those days to be displayed to visitors. Those who appreciate the arts and crafts of the Victorian period will appreciate what's to be found here. Lifts are available to get you to most places in the building.

The jewel in Bournemouth's art and architecture crown. Fascinating Victorian collection in the home gifted to the town by Sir Merton and Lady Russell-Cotes. As well as the museum of the house there is extensive art galleries for the collection of paintings and sculptures and a exhibition gallery with regularly changing exhibits and displays. The cafe area, gift shop and family history introduction video's and displays, as well as the gardens are all free of charge. Just ask at reception. You'll spend hours and still discover some artifact you missed from last time. A five star rating is not enough for this museum and art galleries. Definitely more than a 'rainy day' alternative, the views of the beach, sea and purbeck hills are spectacular.

A truly delightful and almost hypnotic museum and art gallery, definitely a must-visit in Bournemouth. The Russell Cotes Art Gallery, with its extensive history, holds the unique distinction, not only of its blend of classic and contemporary art forms and styles, but how they seamlessly blend the two together in a fantastically visceral way. The staff are also very helpful and kind too. Definitely a place to get lost in if youre in the area!

if you love arts and history, this museum carried so much stories in objects and beautiful architecture. i would suggest to take the tour that usually happens in designated hour, the guide was really insightful and clearly a wonderful storyteller.

Went here on a lovely sunny and warm day which is great as a lot of the attractions are outside and ideal for young kids that can play in the play park and water splash areas. Not as many inside tank areas as in other sea life centres. Good access for wheelchair users. Blue badge parking adjacent to the premier Inn car park. Wheelchair accessible toilets are quite small.

I had a good time at Sea Life, everything was clean and the exhibits were well presented. That said, I’d recommend going on a weekend when the full experience is available. Visiting on a Monday meant only the drinks section of the gift shop (located at the exit) was open, and the food kiosks were shut, which was a letdown if, like me, you fancy a drink and a bite to eat during your visit. The signage could definitely be improved. We had to exit through the Shark section just to find our way out via the gift shop, and we weren’t the only ones, other visitors ended up following me through the same confusing route. Overall, it was a decent few hours out, but for a smoother, more complete visit, especially with family - I’d say stick to the weekend.

We visited on a weekday in early November and spent just over 2 hours here. We were very surprised at the size of the site and the large variety of animals housed here. The aquarium is spread out over a few buildings, each housing a themed exhibition from rock pools to rainforests and coral reefs. Each exhibit includes detailed information signs and screens providing more information about the animals and marine life houses here. They also host a variety of free talks and feeding sessions throughout the day and we found these to be very informative. Our highlight was visiting the seals in their open-air pool with underwater viewing area. In addition to the aquarium exhibits, there are also a variety of play areas and other attractions which would certainly keep younger visitors entertained (and could easily extend the visit from a few hours to a day out). There is also a gift shop and cafe at the exit. The site is fairly flat and there are tarmac paths throughout which would make it very accessible for prams, buggies and wheelchairs. There are also lots of signs and maps dotted around the site (as well as the free map they give you when you enter) so you can easily find the exhibits you are looking for. You are also able to pop out and return later in the day if needed. The staff here were all very friendly and helpful and also incredibly knowledgeable. They were a credit to Sea Life and made us feel very welcome. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to Sea Life Weymouth and would happily return in future.

Perfect place to visit with family or if you love sea life. It’s not as big as the one in London which I visited before, but it’s still a really nice one. If you can, try to get there around 1 PM so you can catch all the feeding times. The place is small but very well designed, and you don’t really need a guide. Just grab a map from the entrance and you’ll easily find your way around. The one thing I felt was missing was food. There were souvenir shops everywhere, but a coffee machine or a small snack corner inside would’ve been great. The only spot for a warm drink was the cafeteria at the exit. Other than that, it’s a fun and relaxing experience

We had a lovely visit to the Sea Life Centre in Weymouth. The staff were really friendly and welcoming, and the whole place was clean and well looked after. The kids enjoyed seeing all the different sea creatures, and it was a fun family day out overall. That said, we were quite frustrated that none of the refreshment shops were open until the very end. By the time we reached the exit café, it was a bit too late. For the price of the tickets, we were expecting a bit more from the experience. Still, we had a great time and made some nice memories.

Very accessible for a scooter user, only one bridge by the otters wasn't but there was another way around. The aquariums are indoors but you go outside to get to each one and to see the penguins and otters, be aware of this and have a poncho with you!

This is a really small Sea Life, 2 hours and you will have seen everything. The animals and fish appear well cared for. The staff are well informed, courteous and friendly. The cafe by the gift shop served good coffee and had a fair selection of snacks available.

This is truly a place you should visit at least once when in the UK. We had a short 3-day cycling trip here. Everything was wonderful — from the scenery to the people. Just a note: you should prepare an offline map before coming, as in some areas the signal is very weak and you can hardly use online maps.

The rebirth of Foxlease Park, nice to see it back up and running, volunteered here back in February? And it was just nice to see it with life and music... Nice little room in the coach house, could do with an extra pillow, but nice time.

When the sun dips behind the trees and the light softens, the New Forest becomes pure magic. Walking along winding paths — sometimes straight through the woods — feels effortless with the fresh scent of nature all around. 25 km passed without me even noticing, just chilling, absorbing the atmosphere, and enjoying the calm. Perfect time of day to visit if you want peace, beauty, and that grounding forest energy. ⭐️ Highly recommend: come in the late afternoon, slow down, and let the forest do the rest #newforest

Went there with my father now 94, loved the cars, remined him of the old days, we used to have fords then. Only comment is the coffer shops when busy seems to take forever. otherwise great place to visit.

The New Forest is a brilliant place for families, especially with kids. The free-roaming ponies, donkeys, and other animals make it feel magical, and places like the Wildlife Park add more chances to see deer, otters, and birds. There are plenty of easy walking trails too, such as at Bolderwood Deer Sanctuary, and lots of open spaces that are perfect for picnics. Camping is well set up with designated sites, ranging from rustic fields to family-friendly spots with toilets and showers. Wild camping isn’t allowed, but the official sites give you space for kids to play and a good base to explore. Shops are small village stores or farm shops rather than big supermarkets, and toilets are generally available at visitor centres, though sometimes basic. The park doesn’t really have a big lake for swimming or boating, and indoor play options are limited, so it’s very much an outdoor destination. If you’re prepared for nature, fresh air, and a slightly rustic feel, the New Forest is a wonderful family escape where children can explore freely and see animals up close.

Beautiful place to go loads of open spaces for people to walk and cycle. Large areas for children play. Beautiful river at brockenhurst where you can often see horses and foals, cattle and sometimes donkeys and pigs.

Gorgeous place, well worth a visit if you appreciate nature. The ponies are such a treat to see. It’s also great for beginner cyclists as it has the Old Railway route created by Cycling UK. I felt like I was in a renaissance oil painting at times because the sights were so beautiful. Make sure to get out early to admire the sights as it gets very busy in August.

Loved it! Took my 7 year old daughter today and a fantastic place to visit. All the staff are friendly and the animals well kept and cared for. Feeding the animals is a great experience for the children. The play area is great to relax and watch the kids have fun with seating for picnics. The tractor trailer tour is fun and free! Plenty of emphasis on hygiene and the toilets were very clean when I visited. Overall, I'd say a great place to visit for families with children of primary school age. You can easily go for the whole day but to be honest if not it's perfect for say 3 to 4 hours for a half day. Admission price is very reasonable and I feel excellent value for money. In summary, if you're in the area it's definitely worth a visit and my daughter can't wait to return.

Amazing! We went with our 22 month old a couple of days ago. It was brilliant. Activities every half hour or so. You can spend hours here easily. It's well laid out, and tailored for the kids. There's quiet zones for the kids and a huge park and ride on toys, and go karts! There's also a gift shop with indoor play, and a cafe, and a farm shop. Very reasonably priced given what's included. Fully recommend if you have children, and even if you don't we would still go!

Had a brilliant day out today with family, the youngest being 18 months old. Not too many animals but a fair bit of interaction with them which was nice. Lots of seating for picnics and resting, a nice big play area and trampolines, (not for over 90's tho) and the tractor ride was a "hang on for dear life" experience which we all thoroughly enjoyed, including the baby, lol. Am definitely coming back here again

Really brilliant day spent here with my almost 2 year old son. We went on the tractor ride, met lots of characters and fed lots of animals. The ducks all seemed a bit cramped but all of the other animals seemed to have lovely, clean and spacious areas. It was very sweet to be able to bottle feed the kids (baby goats 🐐) and ducks. It was a smaller site than I originally thought so managed to go around lots of times. Most of the staff were absolutely lovely, friendly and helpful.

What a great day out! With our lad who is just coming up to two years old, we had hours of fun. We went on a sunny Tuesday morning and turned out to be not busy at all. There was something different around every corner which included feeding goats, petting area, tractor rides and lots more, all included in the price. With friendly staff I Would highly recommend if you are thinking of going

We had such a fantastic day at Longdown Activity Farm with my 3-year-old son! He loved bottle-feeding the baby goats and calves, feeding the ducks, and exploring all the activities — from the brilliant sandpit and ride-on tractors to trampolines, play areas and even a tractor ride. There’s so much to do that kids never get bored! The animals all look well cared for and happy, not sad at all, which made the experience even more enjoyable. The staff are friendly, everything is clean and well-organised, and I really appreciated the many hand-washing stations with soap and sanitiser throughout the farm. A perfect family day out — we can’t wait to come back!

Superb day out. We go here every year. Lovely staff, plenty to do, hands on petting and fun for hours..well priced, not too busy amd an amazing farm shop to grab some treats. Perfect for toddlers up to big kids like us lot. Thanks guys. Always fun and a great mix with the park, tractor ride, petting, and not too much walking too. A gem of a place. See you next year 😊

This is a really stunning site not just a visit history but also to visit some of the wildlife. I saw a wonderful apex predator bird flying and doing it's thing for some 15 minutes and was just mesmerised. I tried to get some picture of the bird, not sure if anyone can make out what it is from them. This is very calm and peaceful place (can be best to dress for windy conditions though) and I feel incredibly grounded here.

This is a fabulous Iron Age fort that has various walking tracks up and around it. Best to keep dogs on a lead nearer the higher ridges as there are sheep grazing. There are lovely views of the surrounding countryside and Dorchester to the north. Come in from the south and visit the gorgeous church in the hamlet of Winterborne Monkton. The church is really worth a visit. Open at the weekend after 9am.

Dramatic Iron Age hillfort, one of the largest of its type in Europe, free to visit and well managed by English Heritage. A reasonably sized free parking area is situated a short distance from the base of the hillfort. The paths are quite clearly marked, though unsurfaced, so take care if visiting after rain. It takes a good 20 minutes to fully explore the site and complete a full circuit of the ramparts. On a clear day, the walk to the top is rewarded with impressive views over Poundbury and the surrounding countryside. Sheep graze the site to control the grass, so dogs must be kept on leads. Information boards around the site explain more about its history and features, though some of these had been damaged by sheep when I visited in April 2025.

Good for a walk. Amazing views. There is no shop or store so bring your own food and drink. Car park was small. Weekdays it's fine. It's a good place to visit.

Historical place with beautiful countryside views. Well behaved sheeps outside the fence as well

Visited October 2025. Small car park with free parking. Quiet, nice walk up the hill. The place is signposted with useful and interesting literature concerning the history of the castle. Be careful, can get slippery in winter/Autumn months even if its not raining, due to condensation. Easy walk. A good 2/3 hours would be more than enough. Also I would recommend getting a picnic while you admire the views of sheep meadows, fileds and the town in the distance.

One of the best hillforts you will see. As you walk around the edge of it with big drops on one side its easy to see for miles around. There's a pit hidden there with numerous stones used for sling shots. A lovely place to walk. If you take a dog have it on a lead because of the sheep.

This is a very impressive local museum with many top quality display areas but, for me, the visit was spoiled by the arcane charging system. We live 170 miles from Dorchester and were visiting solely to see the museum's current entertaining and informative Jane Austen exhibition. At the cash desk, I was frankly shocked to find that this would cost us £15 each. As avid museum visitors, we found such a charge for a local museum, albeit a rather good one, pretty extraordinary. I was already feeling grumpy when the very pleasant young woman at the till insisted that I must give my full name and email before I could have a ticket. I suggested that it was very unusual for museums to demand personal details before selling a ticket but she explained, very politely, that she could not issue a ticket without these. This left me totally bemused until I later received an email with a link allowing me to claim an annual museum pass. Neither of us had seen any obvious indication at the desk that even the casual visitor had to buy an annual pass to get in, and this was not explained by the assistant. Living so far away, we would certainly not be visiting again within a year and, in my opinion and based on my experience of local museums, £15 is an eyewateringly high price for a single entry. The most liberal local authorities offer free entry, as does my home town of Bedford to its equally impressive Higgins museum and gallery. Some charge £3 to £6 or £7. I would associate £15 with a major collection, which, lovely though it is, this is not

Being a history lover (weirdly it bored me at school 55-60yrs ago) I enjoyed my couple of hours here , especially the Roman mosaics, Victorian hall and the library. The building itself is also worth a second look especially the windows. The cafe looked nice but I didn't use it so can't comment , likewise the toilets.

Spent the day in Dorchester and explored the Dorset Museum & Art Gallery - truly fantastic! This museum is one of the best we've visited, with four floors of surprises around every corner…

What a fantastic place!! There is so much to see, from the prehistoric Dorset coast to Thomas Hardy connections. We were interested in the travelling Gladiators in Britain exhibition which was brilliant. Make sure you allow plenty of time to look round but the ticket does allow you to go back within 12 months.

Very disappointed that it closes at 17:00 hours yet at 16:10 they refused to let me enter because I was 10 minutes late and they needed to close the rooms. Also the cafe doors were locked. So you don’t close at 5:00, you close as soon as the last person leaves as long as it is before closure time. The woman just said come back tomorrow. I won’t bother!! Be aware that traffic getting in to and out of Dorchester is horrendous. I saw the beautiful church next door and got to wander around the local shops. Everyone else I met was friendly and helpful. Shame.

Great museum, lots of Jurassic coast fossils and sea dinosaurs. A fantastic collection of archaeological finds from local locations, Bronze and Iron Age, Roman and Medieval. Human skeletons and fascinating local history including Roman mosaics, funny phalluses and a hoard of Roman coins. Enjoyed the art gallery too especially the Alfred Wallis paintings.

Ticket is valid for a year. Staff friendly & knowledgeable We were directed to exactly the section we were most interested in - Thomas Hardy. Fabulous collection, wish we had more time

Lovely gardens with beautiful flowers and water features. The tea room is light and airy with a tasty menu. Good clean facilities and plenty of car parking. Their is also an interesting house to visit on the grounds but on this occasion we didn't go in.

We recently visited Athelhampton House & Gardens for a family day out, but decided not to go inside the house itself, as we had newborns and a toddler with us. Instead, we enjoyed the beautiful outdoor spaces. We spent a relaxing time in the secluded picnic area before exploring the impressive grounds, which featured a lovely walled garden, several water features, and plenty of exotic plants to admire. For lunch, we purchased food from the restaurant. Because we were sitting outside, the staff had to specially cater for us, as they normally only serve food indoors. This meant our meals came in takeaway containers, which wasn’t ideal, but understandable. My wife ordered two sandwiches (Cheese & Pickle, and Chicken Mayo) with side salads and drinks. The total came to nearly £30, and while the sandwiches were tasty, I felt they were a bit overpriced at £8-9 each. That said, the staff were polite and very attentive, and we had a lovely afternoon overall. We’d definitely consider coming back in the future - especially when we’re not navigating the gardens with a double pushchair!

One of the best houses to visit. You are left alone to walk around at your own pace and time. Was greated just inside the house with a very nice lady who had a lovely bubbling personality. The gardens are very good and large. The food in the restaurant is very good and reasonably priced. Well worth a visit and we'll worth the entrance price.

The house has an amazinly preserved Tudor kitchen, rivalling Hampton Court's. The rest of the house is also gorgeous with lots of original Tudor elements, along with later additions and adaptations. The gardens are stunning, with lots of little nooks and almost secret little gardens all cobbled together; perfect for exploring one sunny afternoon. The staff are friendly and knowledgeable. Lovely little restaurant and gift shop too. Spacious car park, with some electric charging points.

A very interesting house and gardens not too big or too small just right. The house has 29 rooms to view and the gardens take about an hour to view. You can take photos I. The house most unexpected. The tea room is lovely and allows dogs, they are also allowed in the gardens but not in the house. Plenty of parking including enough space for us to park our 6.36m long motorhome. All the staff were very friendly and you are encouraged to ask questions of them. I would really recommend his house and garden.

Lovely gardens even in the rain. The cafe is nice and has a decent size menu. The staff are lovely and the gardener is very knowledgeable

Lovely gardens with many quiet corners. River Piddle runs through. If you drive ev you can get one hour of free charging in the parking area.

You need more than a day to explore everything here!! That was our only complain. It is a great place to spend time with kids. No water related rides/pools for adults which we found disappointing as we came prepared for one (without checking in detail online). That's why the 4 star. There's a splash area for kids and that's it for anything water related as far as I can tell. Would give it 5 star purely for everything kids related. There's lots to explore here. I read on one the reviews to get a packed lunch and I'm glad I read it and we did bring something to eat during the day which did save us some ££!!. We went on a weekday during the school holidays and it wasn't that crowded. Parking is hassle free and they guide you to an empty spot. We went to Peppa Pig World first and managed to get on few of the rides without queuing for long. We found this to be better than Legoland based on our overall experience. Would be going back to explore the unexplored sections/rides hopefully soon!!

Paultons Park is a beautiful, well kept and very themed in the seperate of areas in the park. There is so so many family rides what everyone can enjoy. The ride access pass was so easy to use. The food in the Route 83 diner was really nice. Amazing price value in the shop & food outlets. The toilets was very clean. If the rides are getting to much you have got the gorgeous well kept gardens and animals to walk round. Paultons deserved the best theme park of the year as I had no faults with anything. 🤍

Stunning grounds, went in the summer and it was beautiful just been now(end October)and the work they have put into the grounds for Halloween are fantastic, great to see all the kids excited even before they got to the rides... So clean, the ground staff do an amazing job.. Definitely buy tickets in advance. And I would advise to take food and drink with u as it is a bit pricey. It's a cashless site but you can get a card on entry and put cash on it

Great theme park, not only for younger kids but also for big boys along with adults. Went in Halloween and it was all Pumpkins everywhere. Nicely decorated, enough rides. Visited for 2 days with short break, but if either young or old kids only or if managed properly, all rides and parks can be covered in a day.

Ample free parking, easy check in, well done with the halloween theme, waits on some rides are reasonable. Their phone app is super useful showing locations and waiting times. Staff is friendly, rides are all safe, place and toilets are clean. On stage shows were entertaining. Great place for a family day.

What a lovely experience for my little man, even we the parent joined in and had good fun. The organisation was excellent, friendly people good atmosphere. The fact that you get to ride on all the rides and fun fair they have to offer.Definitely recommending and we will be going again that is if mummy pig decide to have fourth piglet

The rides are good, waiting times not too bad. A spacious site with plenty of places to get food and drink. Ive reduced by 2 stars as, when my son lost his phone on a ride, they couldn't be less interested if they tried. They said there was nothing theu could do and didn't take our details in case they did find it. I do understand that this probably happens all the time but also bit of compassion isn't hard. Won't be going back.

What a fantastic gem of a place. The horses all have their own characters and are so well looked after. The staff here are all so friendly and knowledgeable and more than happy to spend time talking to you. There’s so much to do here for both adults and kids. We had the best time here thank you so so much.

My last visit was back in 2015 with my then 8yr old daughter, so it was only fair that I took my now 9yr old son to the same Horse Farm. It was lovely to see that it had some new improvements, but it was lovely to see it still had lots of the same things when I last visited. The horses all looked well loved and cared for, and its great to offer activities and mini history sessions to teach the new generations of the importance of our horses and how they helped Shape the world we live in today. My son loved the same things as my daughter, feeding the horses, riding the pedal go-cart, petting the rabbits and reading and listening to the history of the horses. It was a shame we didn’t get to go on a horse and cart ride, but that was our fault as we didn’t arrive til 12:30pm and with it being the summer holidays. The staff were all friendly, the main man, who seemed to be here there and everywhere was great, I believe it was the same gentleman who let my daughter sit in the front of the horse and cart ride. The facilities were clean and reasonable. We didn’t eat here, but the cakes looked good. Easy to find and lots of parking spaces. Thoroughly enjoyed my visit again and will continue to recommend it to anyone who is holidaying in the area. I also got a lovely head hug from UNO 🥰

A really good, fun day out. We took our daughter for her 2nd birthday and we all loved it. The staff are incredibly friendly and welcoming and full of fascinating information and you can tell they have a genuine passion for the animals. It was great to step back in time and see the vintage machinery, the old farm ways and the world war Mockups. All related to horses through the years. What was really nice was the free rides and games dotted about and refreshing that there wasn't an extra fee for these. There is a western themed cafe with a really good choice of food and kids menu and the portions are really generous. I had the ploughman's and was not disappointed. We spent a full day here and will definitely come back to this hidden gem.

A Wonderful Day at Dorset Heavy Horse Centre From the moment we arrived, the warmth and friendliness of the staff made us feel completely at ease. Everyone was welcoming, helpful, and clearly passionate about what they do. A special mention goes to Richard, the owner, whose deep knowledge and enthusiasm for the heavy horses truly brought the experience to life. His informative talks added so much value and made the visit both educational and enjoyable. The entire day was a delight—peaceful, well-organised, and full of charm. Whether you're an animal lover, a history enthusiast, or just looking for a pleasant countryside escape, this place ticks all the boxes. Highly recommended for families, couples, or anyone wanting a unique and memorable outing.

Really excellent. My 3 year old loved it and was entertained for nearly 4 hours. The day was well rhought through choreographed with friendly, helpful and knowledgeable staff offering a variety of talks and activities. Although the horses are the star attraction, there's other animals and things to do in the old way tgat is becoming a lost art. Spoiler alert, you'll leave feeling a lot better than when you enter.

The Farm was well worth a visit. The heavy horses are beautiful and it was worth going just to see them. The talks were interesting and informative. The WW1 trench was unexpected but educational. There are a lot of play areas and animals for children to enjoy and it is certainly a place I would take grandchildren if I had them! We turned up on spec and had no problem getting in, however we were warned that the previous day coach parties filled the place up. So, I would book in advance in the future.

I’d definitely recommend this place for families with little children, children can feed animals & brush ponies’s hair, wagon ride, & tractor ride, & so much more activities. They also have a very sweet staff with so much information about different kinds of horses, breeding, & wagon history. if i were the owner i’d add pony rides for double fun. & thanks again everyone was so sweet 🙏🏻 Love from Kuwait 🇰🇼❤️

We were looking for a fun outdoor activity for a while. Archery was new to us. Our instructor Glenn was brilliant! Very safe environment, surrounded by trees and wanted squirrels :) I think we just became an experts in archery! Definitely will come back! Thank you!

We had an absolutely fantastic afternoon at Insight Activities, and a huge part of that was thanks to Glenn. His guidance and support throughout both axe throwing and archery made the experience not only great fun but also easy to pick up and enjoy. Glen struck the perfect balance of being professional, knowledgeable, and encouraging, while also keeping the atmosphere relaxed and full of laughs.

A few weeks ago a group of us went to Insight Activities and did the MedievalTrio for my daughter’s birthday. It was absolutely brilliant! Nick who taught us, so knowledgeable and fun, we all had a great time. Good value for money as well! Thank you!

We visited Insight Activities for a family session of Archery. 2 adults and 2 kids, 8 & 6yr olds. Nick was fab coaching us all, straightforward simple instruction with slight adjustments throughout the session to help hone what little skill we had! The kids absolutely loved it and now we’re researching local clubs to pick it up as a new hobby. Adults equally enjoyed the challenge and had a little friendly competition whilst the kids shot at a zombie. Something for all of us. Worth noting not to be put off by the rain, there’s a couple of sheltered areas. Thanks again for a fun filled afternoon Nick!

A really excellent day for the family or any sort of group really. Glenn was our course instructor - he was outstanding. Clearly a high degree of knowledge but importantly very approachable and made the day all the more fun. Highly recommend. Picture here of the kids and Glenn.

We had an excellent morning doing the Medieval Trio. Our instructor was great and made it so fun, and gave us really helpful tips to help our archery skills. The crossbow and axe throwing were great too. Would recommend to anyone- three people in their 30s and two in their 60s loved it!

Great day out for my team. It was fun and interactive and lovely setting in the forest. Nick was a great instructor and very good at what he does. Thanks again. The whole team thoroughly enjoyed it

Went to the brewery experience today and it was fantastic. Emily hosted the experience and was a fantastic guide, incredibly knowledgeable and offered some wonderful insights into the world of beer making as well as Hall and Woodhouse. A highly recommended brewery experience

Great tour led by Emily. Knowledgable and helpful. Obviously passionate about the brand and business. Loads of beer to taste at the end of the tour. Would highly recommend. We didn’t stay but a great discount if you take the tour and stay for lunch . Did make a few cheeky purchases in the shop. With the online offering I’ll probably become a loyal customer.

Booked the Brewery Experience for £25 which was a brewery tour that came with beer tasting! Andy was amazing, he was very knowledgable of the drinks and the whole brewery process! Would recommend going on a Saturday as he's only available every Saturday! Ended up going home with some drinks we've tried during the tasting and everything was amazing! Definitely recommended if you're heading to Dorset!

What a hidden gem of a place, always liked Badger beers but had the chance to do a brewery tour for my 40th Birthday and had a great time. The tour guide Carl was brilliant, learnt all about the brewery and the history of the brewery and then entered the wonderful industrial area where all the magic happens, fascinating place and great beer samples after the tour. So would I recommend this place for a good day out? Absolutely, O, and the restaurant is brilliant too serving great food and fresh beer. The only thing that was lacking was the shop, for such a unique brewery the shop seemed a little bare and lack of choice, no beer towels for instance but still not the end of the world and a great day out, highly recommended.

Fantastic time! Went for the brewery tour and stayed for food and a drink. Emily, our tour guide, was incredible. A walking encyclopedia of all things beer. Can't recommend this tour enough.

What a gorgeous place. The restaurant is wonderful, with well presented, delicious food. There is also a lovely little shop selling H&W products at reasonable prices. The staff are all really friendly. Overall it is well worth visiting. ..and next time I might take the brewery tour! Three years on and I was back again....Still a wonderful place, with the loveliest of staff.

I went on a Brewery Tour here and really enjoyed it. It was very comprehensive and took well over two hours . Apart from looking around the whole brewery and the brewing process, it also involved a trip onto the top of one building allowing some lovely views across Blandford Forum and also the Old Brewery Building. Seeing the bottling plant in action was also good especially as it is the bottled variant of this beer that first brought this brewery to my attention. Parking was quite tight mainly as the venue is let out for conferences and courses. The tour ended with a complimentary drink at the end.

Interesting town museum which has objects and documents of the town and its industries. It’s larger than it looks and you can spend some time rambling around the rooms. The building was the priest’s house and then a pub. There’s a small shop and a garden with good views over the valley

If you are fit enough you really need to walk Gold Hill which was made famous by the Hovis adverts. The museum is at the top of the hill, it is small, free to enter and full of interesting stuff. Is one of those places where you can breeze through and see a few things that interest you or spend ages looking at everything. Sadly we've got to the age where we recognised some of the exhibits from grandparents homes. The staff were friendly and helpful and we enjoyed the visit.

Picturesque views:) Small little village. It was very windy and rainy day when I visited so couldn’t explore much but managed to take a few nice shots, I think? 😉

Wonderful little gem. It's free to enter, with option to donate at the start/finish. Two floors of themed rooms with reference to Shaftesbury and the area. Very interesting, learnt loads. Well laid out with lots of information and very friendly and helpful guides on hand. Excellent Unfortunately we didn't see outside due to the torrential rain, but the inside displays were a dry, great distraction.

Fantastic little bit of history with plenty for the kids to do. Beautifully presented with a sprinkle of humour 👌 All for a donation. So please do sa it's run by volunteers.

Gold Hill, Shaftesbury. We visited here on the way back from a week in Dorset. It is simply Stunning! So picturesque and pretty. There was also a Christmas Market with plenty of stalls and shops to browse around. A truly beautiful place and well worth a visit.

A very interesting and well layed out museum, walking through the different rooms in the building you get a learn about the history of shaftesbury and see aftifacts dating back. Also told here is the story of the peach family who made a difference in their shop here. It's free to enter here and certainly adds a nice touch to gold hill. Please note the manaquin next to the fire truck was very life like 😂

Worth a visit, especially if you have the English Heritage membership and have been to nearby Stonehenge. There isn't a lot left of the old castle, but it is in a nice, elevated position overlooking the "new" Salisbury Cathedral. We spent an hour or so looking around the ruins and admiring the lovely autumnal colours in the surrounding countryside. There is a small shop on site, it sells the usual memorabilia and EH stuff (always seems to be a new mead variation to buy). The staff members were friendly and helpful, we had a pleasant conversation. About 25 car parking places, the road up to it is quite steep and narrow, but there are passing points on every corner.

One of my favourite days out, this place had such beautiful views, great history and the people who worked here were very welcoming, up for a chat and overall friendly, also got some ice cream which i was quite happy they had a decent amount of vegan options. You can easily spend a good few hours here just walking around and reading everything, even just sat relaxing. Great place for dogs to come and run about, even children and it was fun watching the sky divers. i'd love to revisit here in the future. (For anyone wondering, you pay for the small middle part over the bridge, all the outer bits you can walk around for free)

Staff super friendly and helpful. Lovely to explore and learn. Only managed few photos as having fun with kiddies exploring. Little gift shop and picnic benches. Beautiful views and dogs welcome on leads.

Interesting place to visit. Cadw free entry. Has toilets and visitirs centre/shop does hot and cold drinks. Friendly staff. Car park free. Original cathedral foundations on the outer ward. Inside the inner castle is well described on info plaques. Stunning views of Salisbury.

Beautiful views of the surrounding area and the town of Salisbury. You can see the cathedral clearly from one of the walls. Lots of history related to kings of the past. Highly recommend if you’re a tourist buff and it doesn’t take too long to explore.

Incredible, eerie, lovely place to take an autumn walk. Literally layers upon layers of history. Hiking around the perimeter of the hillfort is a must for the beautiful views across Salisbury and the Wiltshire countryside.

Nice little wonder around was surprised that it was free with our Cadw membership If you are turning up you know what to expect but was definitely worth a vist. Another pile of stones listed hahaha

Absolutely amazing place. Really cool planes with access to almost all of them- a dream for boys of all ages. The staff is incredibly nice and knowledgeable and enthusiastic and passionate. Most of them were either flying one of these planes themselves or were engineers, hence you can learn a tone about aviation. If you lucky you can also watch skydivers from hanger 3. Best museum we ever visited.

We loved the hands on aspect of the museum, you are allowed to climb in the cock pits of some planes, and the staff so friendly and knowledgeable, we leant alot about the history of the spit fire and Lancaster, plus some other interesting planes. The 12 and 8 year olds loved it too. Thank you.

It’s one of the most best aviation museums in the uk. Boscombe down aviation collection is very family friendly, informative, interactive, very historic and the ticket prices are very fair. Also you can go in a lot of different cockpits of different types of military aircraft. Also if you are lucky they sometimes bring out their Hawker t1 and turn on its engines. The location is great for people who live near by but it pretty hard to get to if you live far away but, I don’t mind. It is also really close to RAF Boscombe down which is pretty cool. If you love going into the cockpits of planes Boscombe aviation would be GREAT for you!!!! ｡◕‿‿◕｡

Fabulous place to visit! A great place for kids and adults alike to get the opportunity to get up close with aircraft from the past. There are few places where children are encouraged to climb into displays in a museum but here they certainly are! The staff are incredibly friendly and always up for a chat. Would recommend visiting to anyone!

What a lovely experience! This collection of planes and helicopters, including a great number of aircraft cockpits which you are invited to climb into is worth a visit. The staff are all volunteers who do their roles with such passion and all have a wealth of experience that they are very willing to share with you.

A surprisingly large collection from what we expected. Comprehensive collection of mainly cold war jets and cockpits with nearly all fully accessible within historic hanger. New flying corp section newly opened. Located on the edge of Old Sarum airfield with free parking. Refreshments and food available outside plus also brewery tap room.

Great afternoon at this place. Lots of history and boards to read but also they let you climb into the cockpits of the planes that are open! Absolutely amazing staff who are all volunteers and most are retired pilots themselves so well worth a visit!

Well worth a visit with your English Heritage membership. Quite a lot of the castle remains despite it getting blown up during the Civil War... Can spend a good couple of hours exploring the building and grounds. It's not really all that important site, but there is an interesting audio tour worth doing that explains about a lot of the history of the building and those who owned it. As ever, the staff in the little shop / café were extremely nice and very friendly.

Most interactive castle that I’ve ever been to! It was really fun to look around all of the rooms and the stairs are still intact in most of the castle so exploring the rooms and where all of the people used to be was wonderful. The views from the top of the castle were fantastic and would definitely recommend. Staff in the office were really lovely and friendly too. The drive up is a little fun…think one way road but it’s actually two ways. Great English Heritage site and really enjoyed our time here! Was really quiet too.

We had a great time exploring the castle and grounds, not sure why we hadn't been before! Well worth a visit but would suggest bringing a picnic there is no cafe and the little shop there had sold out of all cold drinks after the bank Holiday!

A Magical and Romantic Historical Gem! Old Wardour Castle is an absolute treasure! From the moment you arrive, the breathtaking setting—nestled among rolling hills, lush forests, and a serene lake—feels like stepping into a fairy tale . The ruins are beautifully preserved, offering a fascinating glimpse into medieval history while still evoking the grandeur of its past . What makes this place truly special is its romantic atmosphere. Whether you're exploring the spiral staircases, admiring the panoramic views from the towers, or discovering hidden nooks like the charming grotto, every corner feels enchanting . The 18th-century banqueting pavilion by the lake adds an extra touch of elegance, making it a dreamy spot for weddings and photography . The site is perfect for a peaceful day out—bring a picnic, wander the grounds, and soak in the history. The staff are friendly, and the information boards provide just the right amount of detail without overwhelming visitors. Plus, the drive up to the castle is an experience in itself, with stunning scenery at every turn . If you love history, architecture, or simply beautiful landscapes, Old Wardour Castle is a must-visit. Even in ruins, it’s one of the most picturesque and atmospheric places I’ve ever been. Highly recommend!

Although a little hard to drive to down those narrow single country lanes, it is a lovely place! The audio guide is great to get an overview of the history. But even without it is a stunning location.

Visited today it was a little further a field than what I expected and lots of bendy narrow roads to get to. I enjoyed the audio tape that came with the ticket and the displays dotted around. There was even a trail and some fun activities for kids sort of like a “ would you rather…” tale. Enjoyed the grounds And the beautiful forest too. Liked that you could go all the way up to the 4th floor and see the amazing views. It is also dog friendly, dogs were in the castle with their owners! A lovely place for a picnic. You could even fish I think from one of the many jetties over the lake . I also noticed the #WessexRidgeway goes right past there. Definitely worth a visit. @thewobbleyOwl came with me.

​Old Wardour Castle is a ruined 14th-century castle located in the beautiful countryside of Wiltshire, England, near the village of Tisbury. Known for its unique hexagonal design and rich history, it is a popular site managed by English Heritage. The road to drive there is a bit narrow (one lane), tricky if incoming trafic, but once there is well worthy Superb place !!!

Well worth a visit. We opted for the Garden Package, as the timing didn’t work for the castle’s guided tour. The gentleman at the entrance was very helpful and clearly explained our options. The gardens are stunning, and the castle itself is equally impressive. A lovely experience overall.

Really loved these castle ruins owbed by English Heritage. Its free to visit and there is so much information and history posted all around. The the views from here are also stunning. The car park is very close by and you donate £3 to use it. There are benches around the castle so you can relax and enjoy the scenery. Well worth a visit for all the family and you can bring your dog.

A great ruined castle to visit (and free), but with limited investment compared to some other nearby ruins; not a lot of the castle left but enough to give a really good impression of the scale and original layout. Good signs in place to give some information about the site too. Could use some extra funding for repairs and upkeep of the main structure. Option to donate at the car park.

A hidden gem of English Heritage. Free to enter the ruins. Walk around the moat (dry of course). Lovely place for a picnic.

Four of us were looking for a reasonably priced day out and found Sherborne Old Castle for FREE. Parked for free just outside and walked up and around. Beautiful old ruins and fantastic informative boards all around. For us to visit the other castle would’ve been £80.

Access. Getting to the castle by car is not difficult. The roads are not bad and you can park in the castle grounds. A wheelchair user will require a little assistance up to the castle grounds as the path is a bit bumpy. The shop is nice and small, stocked with English Heritage goods. There are no facilities here. The castle is impressive for its size and the grounds are large and you can sit on a bench around the main wall by the entrance. The grounds are flat and the lawn well kept, so access is good for most. There is no climbing and there is surprisingly a lot to see, especially surviving stone work details. There are signs around the site explaining interesting facts about the building, it's structure and history. You can easily spend an hour at this location if you are in no rush and want to take pictures. The building and it's ground are good for children, just keep them away from the long grass areas.

We visited Sherborne Old Castle a recent Sunday afternoon in June, and pretty much had the place to ourselves. Firstly, a word of warning: make sure you find the right castle, and don't get confused by Google Maps pointing you to the other (newer) castle! Another warning: there are no toilets (except the porta-potty that the English Heritage guy uses behind the entrance office). To the ruins themselves: we dedicated about an hour or so to walking around the site and reading the information signs. Also, make sure you find the entrance to the moat and walk all the way around. The moat entrance is on the opposite side to the castle gate, facing the train tracks. Unfortunately, the moat finished 3/4 of the way round, so we had to walk all the way back round to exit.

Sherborne Abbey is truly stunning—its architecture is remarkable and the atmosphere incredibly peaceful. Although I am Buddhist, I felt a deep sense of calm and serenity while sitting inside. I spent quite some time there meditating, and it was a beautiful experience. Staffs were very friendly and welcoming. Well worth a visit.

What a splendid site and wonderful interior with some of England’s earliest fan vaulting. The town is obviously very prosperous, which also means good coffee and food. We visited during a Sunday service, and were able to sit in the side and enjoy the choir and organ.

Beautiful Abbey, first time visiting. Lovely chap and his dog at the gift shop. Lit a candle for those we’d lost. Well worth a visit. Remember to make a donation

Such an impressive cathedral. The ceiling and stained glass windows were truly amazing and the volunteers and staff were dedicated to keeping it looking wonderful.

Stunning Church with so much history. The Abbey is free to to enter which is fairly unusual these days. when visiting for a look round you do need to check if there is a service on. There are no toilets on site, but the Abbey tea rooms just next door does have toilets and there are very good toilets in Digby Road opposite.

Worth a visit. lots of local history to read with in , Beautiful staindglass to see .Also a nice remberance area & book of names open to view.

Magnificent Benedictine abbey built of beautiful golden stone, with a truly stunning interior. The incredible ceilings, towering arches and wall paintings come together to make for a dramatic spectacle inside, further enhanced by the beautiful stained glass windows. The abbey has had a storied history, which is detailed on a small leaflet available inside, and you can walk around at leisure to take in the all the details. The abbey is free to visit, donations are welcomed and there's a small gift shop inside. Sherborne itself is a very attractive market town with a pleasant park near the railway station, and some very picturesque streets; well worth a look around while you're visiting.

Super visit for 3 or so hours. Loved all the animals who were friendly. Lots of activities for kids including safe and study trampolines in several places and indoor soft play. Wine samples a plus and we did take a bottle home too. Would recommend to people travelling around for young kids especially.

Good relaxing farm, lovely animals and great interactions. Lovely grounds, can feed all the animals when you purchase the food. Indoor softplay, trampolines and play structures. Nice woodland walk and fairy trail forest. Only point would be the Wooden play structure is starting to look tired and could do with a refresh. Food on site but didn't try as bought a picnic a d lots of benches to sit at. Chilled atmosphere and good price point.

We visited Cholderton Rare Breeds Farm for Highland Cow Day and absolutely loved it! The staff were welcoming, friendly, and clearly passionate about the animals. The Highland cows were the highlight of our trip — such a special experience to see them up close. The farm itself is beautifully kept, with lots of different rare breeds to meet, and it has a really relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere. Everything felt well-organised, and it was easy to spend hours exploring. We had such a fantastic time that we’re already planning our next visit — we’ll be back on the 18th! 100% would recommend this farm to anyone looking for a fun, unique, and memorable day out.

beautiful setting! We had such a lovely day there and all the staff we interacted with were lovely! This was such a great place for us to meet our friends as it's right in the middle for us. We will definitely be back for another visit! I think it's very reasonably priced for the entrance fees and also for the bucket of feed which you keep the bucket to refill next time, great way of saving waste on paper bags. Plenty of space for outdoor picnics and great play areas too, including a soft play and trampoline's for the kids to use. We had a lovely walk on the woodland and our kids enjoyed hunting for all the fairy doors! It's also great because it's not a huge place you can actually do all the stuff in one day and not feel rushed of you want to see it all.

Totally fell in love with this little farm! I turned into a kid for the day. Fantastic game and the staff were so friendly and amazing. What was supposed to be a quick visit before going into somewhere else turned out to be a full day visit and the last ones to leave.

Such a wonderful place. All the animals are so happy and have such lovely spaces. I loved feeding all the lovely sheep, goats, alpaca and more. And also the food was really good! I wasn't expecting it only because people are there for the rare breeds and usually the food is secondary because people will still eat it. But it was so good!

We absolutely love Cholderton! We come here quite often. Being able to feed the animals is great and the animals are very friendly. My little boy has the best day when we come here, highly recommend. (Good price too!) 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Plenty of parking, free to cadw, English heritage, and historic Scotland. Very Busy even at 10am. Free Busses taking visitors down every 5 to 10 mins. And bringing back. No going on the stones. Very impressive visitors centre. Toilets, shop, cafe. All wheelchair friendly. Great audio guide app. Friendly staff. Soooo many nationalities visiting. Heard soooooo many languages. Wonderful place to visit. Better when not so many people, but over a million people visit so not any quiet time.

Stonehenge is such a fascinating and historic site, the place is visible from the road itself and is also very good for capturing photos, especially during sunrise or sunset when the light hits the stones beautifully. The visitor centre is well-organised with clear information about the history and significance of the site. Definitely a must-see spot in the UK

Fascinating experience. This place is free to visit for English Heritage and National Trust member. There is shop, cafe, toilet and exhibition at the visitor centre. Shuttle bus is available every 5 to 10 minutes to take visitor from visitor centre to the stones. But if you choose to walk to the stones and enjoy it is convenient too. The staff are extremely helpful and friendly. Plenty of parking and it’s free if you are an English Heritage member or else you need to pay £3.

I didn’t go through the visitor center — instead I took a lovely, easy path through the fields. The walk was beautiful and peaceful, and it leads you right up close to Stonehenge without needing to pay. The site itself is amazing and well-kept. Totally worth it, especially if you prefer a quiet nature walk over the crowded official route.

Stonehenge is iconic for a reason—the sight of the massive stones rising from the landscape is truly impressive. The visitor centre has good information and a shuttle that takes you to the monument, making the experience smooth and well-organized. Parking is available on-site and easy to navigate, though it can get busy during peak hours. The walking trail around the stones is well laid out, offering great views from different angles. You can’t get too close, but the path still gives you plenty of opportunities for photos and quiet moments to take in the atmosphere. Overall, a memorable visit if you appreciate history, engineering, or a unique landscape.

Absolutely breathtaking! Visiting Stonehenge was such an unforgettable experience. The site is peaceful, fascinating, and has this incredible sense of history and mystery about it. Seeing it in person is completely different from photos, it really makes you stop and take it all in. The area is well maintained, the shuttle service is convenient, and the museum and exhibits add great context to what you’re seeing. We went as a family and everyone enjoyed it. Even the kids were amazed by how massive and perfectly arranged the stones are. Definitely worth the trip if can squeeze it in when visiting England! If I was local, would be cool to see during the winter and summer solstice.

Decent place to visit. 1. 30 pounds to visit is outrageous. Better to walk the trail (visitor car park to stonehedge- 30 min each way) and view for free. 2. After reaching the entrance a lad would ask if you have tickets, if you say no he will show you from where to enter the trail. 3. There's a long queue for the bus, to and fro, wait time is minimum 15 mins, walking could be quicker

We had a fabulous day out at Stourhead. The views and walks were amazing. The house was also so interesting! Unfortunately I can't rate it a 5 star this time as the lake had blue-green algae (lots of good warning signage though) and the flower beds and gardens were looking very dry and a bit unkempt. We will definitely visit again in Spring!

Lovely walk around a lake. Easy access and nice views. Busier than expected at October half term. Good setting off point for other walks outside the grounds of Stourhead house. Large car park, pub (check opening times), farm shop.

One of the most beautiful places ive visited recently, the architecture and the scenery is just amazing, absolutely perfect for a family to visit or walk the dog . Stourhead estate on the Wiltshire-Somerset border is the perfect day out for everyone. A breathtaking 18th century landscape garden with lakeside walks, grottoes and classical temples is only the beginning. You can also visit Stourhead House, a Palladian mansion with a fantastic regency library and beautiful art collection. Then why not climb the 205 steps to the top of King Alfred's Tower, an amazing red-brick folly, for vistas over Dorset, Somerset and Wiltshire, or explore one of our Iron Age hill forts.

We went on a weekend in October and there were queues to get in, but once on the grounds it didn't feel too busy at all. The autumnal colours made made the scenery all that more stunning. If you don't want to grab a sit down meal before or after your walk, I'd recommend packing a picnic

Excellent place for a day out, lots of things to see! Definitely one of my favourite National Trust places so far, highly recommend it! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

We had a lovely day at stourhead visiting with my parents. The National trust House and gardens was really well set up. Probably the best National trust House and gardens for children to visit - obviously have to be careful of them around the lakes but lots of interesting things for them to do and see including in the house. The house itself you could only see downstairs which was slightly disappointing but the bits that you could see were really impressive - that included interesting architecture plus an extensive set of paintings, the furniture and the library outstanding from my perspective. The volunteers were really enthusiastic and explained about the different rooms and previous owners of the building. The house gardens and lakes are of course also very photogenic. The walk around the lakes takes about an hour we stopped on occasion because it was very hot to look inside the different grottos and buildings around the lake. Most of the refreshments and facilities are up near the house so it's worth getting ready for the walk. There are some steep cobbled sections which can be slippery in wet weather. We found a photographic exhibition was very interesting actually displayed in the gardens of the house.

Second time visiting, but in the rain which was different altogether, in a good way. Lots of features to look at when walking the vast grounds and the house is interesting, full of beautiful books and furniture as well as paintings with hidden features. Definitely worth a visit.

We have visited the festival of light for a few years and this year’s has been our best experience yet! The lights were very well thought out and we thought that the theme was fantastic! The animals on the drive round safari were also more active than usual which was brilliant too.

Brilliant day out! So much to do and see here. Especially if you visit when the lanterns are out. The animals were all well looked after and settled in their enclosures. We went through the safari twice as the animals were just incredible! Would love to visit again soon!

Festival of lights is incredible! We had a lovely day at the drive through safari and a wonderful evening taking in the wonderful lights. This is the 4th time I have been to a festival of lights and this was by far the best one!

Great family day out with the choice to opt out of the safari should you wish. Plenty for children to do to keep them occupied and the Bat Cave is a great experience too.. The Festival of Light is becoming an annual visit for us and we love the different themes each year. This year's Wallace and Gromit and Chicken Run went down a storm with the children..🥰

We were at longleat for the festival of lights and enjoyed a full day exploring the park including the jungle cruise and safari bus. There was plenty to see and do one of the favourites was the bat cave and on both trips the staff were very helpful and informative. In the evening we enjoyed an amazing light festival and Christmas stalls.

Wow!!!! What an amazing day. Can't wait to do it again some time. The whole day had the wow factor. The safari was amazing, the light festival exceeded our expectations. We were able to take our own food, we could navigate the day at our own pace. So much to see, good variety of animals to see and up close too. Not too over crowded, loved the big tent for children to do activities in, sit down and relax on bean bags without having to pay additional charges, good value for money and will definitely recommend. A wonderful treat for the family.

Such wow factor. Everything was great. A bit busy and wet onThe Saturday but Friday was lovely and relaxed. We saw soooo many animals up close and the Farmhouse is stunning. We will be back!

We have visited the festival of light for a few years and this year’s has been our best experience yet! The lights were very well thought out and we thought that the theme was fantastic! The animals on the drive round safari were also more active than usual which was brilliant too.

Brilliant day out! So much to do and see here. Especially if you visit when the lanterns are out. The animals were all well looked after and settled in their enclosures. We went through the safari twice as the animals were just incredible! Would love to visit again soon!

Festival of lights is incredible! We had a lovely day at the drive through safari and a wonderful evening taking in the wonderful lights. This is the 4th time I have been to a festival of lights and this was by far the best one!

Great family day out with the choice to opt out of the safari should you wish. Plenty for children to do to keep them occupied and the Bat Cave is a great experience too.. The Festival of Light is becoming an annual visit for us and we love the different themes each year. This year's Wallace and Gromit and Chicken Run went down a storm with the children..🥰

We were at longleat for the festival of lights and enjoyed a full day exploring the park including the jungle cruise and safari bus. There was plenty to see and do one of the favourites was the bat cave and on both trips the staff were very helpful and informative. In the evening we enjoyed an amazing light festival and Christmas stalls.

Wow!!!! What an amazing day. Can't wait to do it again some time. The whole day had the wow factor. The safari was amazing, the light festival exceeded our expectations. We were able to take our own food, we could navigate the day at our own pace. So much to see, good variety of animals to see and up close too. Not too over crowded, loved the big tent for children to do activities in, sit down and relax on bean bags without having to pay additional charges, good value for money and will definitely recommend. A wonderful treat for the family.

Such wow factor. Everything was great. A bit busy and wet onThe Saturday but Friday was lovely and relaxed. We saw soooo many animals up close and the Farmhouse is stunning. We will be back!