Top 30 things to do and attractions in Christchurch

Highcliffe was brilliant, what a fantastic place to go! Every bit of it took my breath away, I couldn’t stop saying wow look at that. The zig zag to the beach was easy for anyone to use, the beach was amazing. When I went it was hot and sunny. No benches to sit on only big rocks or the beach. Can’t wait to go again and walk to the light house!!!

Got in at 1.15pm, and inside of castle tour was at 1.30pm. For only £3 extra was able to go into rooms not available to the public normally and get a really good storytelling volunteer guide named Sue. Very interesting and engaging. Exploring after that the grounds and eating cake were a plus. Love how its dog friendly for the cafe and their selection of food. Quite a historic place, very happy to have randomly found it on the map and making a detour.

Highcliffe Castle was built between 1831 and 1836 by Lord Stuart de Rothesay. Vast quantities of medieval French masonry was shipped across the channel and used in its construction, making it appear older than it actually is. Kings, Queens and the rich and famous have all stayed here over the years. The castle interior was destroyed by fire in the 60s but grants from Heritage and Lottery funding have been used in its restoration. It's a truly beautiful building with so much history! There's a lovely walk down to Highcliffe Beach as well.

Went to highcliff castle had a look round the outside, after I purchased a cream tea in the cafe there & 5 bus fares each way from Weymouth didn't have enough for the £10 entrance fee, castle is in a good place by the sea, the grounds are well kept and the castle looks good from the outside

Highcliffe Castle is a beautifully restored building located just back from the seafront on the Dorset Coast. Well worth a visit. Plenty of open space for children and dogs to run about. There are tours inside the house if you wish to pay for a ticket and explore the rooms. There is a lovely café/restaurant on site with outdoor and indoor seating. Very clean well maintained toilets too. I should imagine it can get very busy at peak times, although there is a good amount of parking space. A short walk to the nearby beach is available. Usually very quiet, and dog friendly as it is away from nearby Mudeford and Christchurch.

Looks magnificent on the outside but a bit disappointing on the inside in my opinion. Has been restored post 2 fires in the 60's but not quite back to its former glory, I don't mind the brick wall etc.but the modern style staircase just doesn't suit the style.

Amazing! Before you start your journey you can watch a very short informational video. Only issue I had was there was no reset for the video. Very friendly and helpful staff!

Gorgeous area, we went in the evening and the pub was lovely, we sat outside. It's a shame that food stops at 8pm and they closed at 9pm but it was really lovely. Can't wait to visit again.

There's a great view from here to the Isle of Wight and you can catch the ferry to Hengistbury Head beach. There are some interesting buildings and a cafe with a fabulous view. There's a big car park and a park all on level ground.

It was a Sunday afternoon and we made a brief stop at this unusual spot. Wandering among the fishing gear and listening to the Herring Gulls, we saw the ferry which will take you across from Mudeford Quay to Hengistbury Head. We took this five minute ferry ride and took a short walk in strong wind among the beach huts on the other side. A nice place to use the sandy beach on a warm day.

Visited at the weekend on the way from HighCliff to Poole. This was recommended to us as a good place to go to try crabbing. We arrived mid/late afternoon. It was very busy. The car park is quite big but it was full. However, if you wait a little while, a can will become available as people seems to come and go. Crabbing gear is readily available for purchase in the shop for a few £. There were lots of people already crabbing on the quay. Most were very successful with a large number of crabs in their bucket. We did try our hand at it but came up empty handed. We bought 2 sets of lines. On 2 occasions we did a crab clinging onto the bait bag but as we reeled the line in the crab jumped off at the last moment. If we do it again next time, I think I would get a basket instead as I think people had more luck with that. We stayed for an hour and had a nice experience. This is a great place if you have kids. Recommended.

Best place for crabbing in the new forest. Loads of car parks, the beach near by, Avon beach is a nice walk to some sand and refreshments. The quay offers a great pub and cafe and sea food shop for great food or just bait.

Great place for crab fishing, short walk from Avon Beach which has nice beach all be it mostly shingle so bring your water shoes. Fishing trips,boat tours, short ferry ride available to Hengestbury Head. Nice Pub on the Harbour. can get busy so arrive early.

Coastal bliss alert! 🌊🏖️ This hidden gem is like a warm hug for your soul - and your wallet, because parking is a dream (no bank-breaking fees here, yay!) 🤑! The on-site pub, shop, and cafe are the ultimate trio, serving up grub that's so good, you'll forget about the impending doom of adulting 😂. Ice cream for the kiddos? Check! Ice cream for the adults? Double check! 🍦 The beach is a pristine playground, perfect for building sandcastles that'll rival the greats. And when the kiddos get bored, just whip out the crabbing gear (available for purchase, because priorities 📦) and watch them go from grumpy to giddy 🦀! All in all, this spot is a masterclass in relaxation, fun, and not wanting to leave 🌊😢. Can't. Wait. To. Go. Back! 👏👍 5 stars!

Incredible Norman priory now in use as the local parish church. One of the longest parish churches in the UK, it still has an amazing amount of medieval features to see. It's like walking into a proper cathedral! Don't miss the 'miraculous beam' plus the fabulous misericords in the chancel.

Very old and beautiful ⛪️ church from the XI century. Large in size as many cathedrals in the country and is famous for a miracle dating very old times happening when the church was built. A definitely must see when visiting the town. Car park near - not too expensive with "Ring Go" - (2h / 2.5£)

Christchurch Priory is a beautiful 900 years old church with more added on over the centuries,set in the beautiful coastal town of Christchurch in Dorset With it's magnificent architecture and the beautiful stained glass windows it's something you shouldn't miss when visiting Christchurch.I've seen such lovely and helpful Stewarts happy to answer any questions.Needless to say the stewart told us a fascinating story as to why the steak is called "sirloin" when James I was visiting the Priory. The entrance is free but if possible please give whatever you can afford

We made but a short stop here on a visit to Christchurch, but it was a rewarding visit. The story of Christchurch Priory goes back to at least the middle of the 11th century and its architecture and features testifies to the succeeding centuries. One particular detail I found interesting was the poster explaining the history of the name "Christchurch", which is linked to the building of the church. There is a legend called the "Miraculous Beam" which was lifted in place by an unknown carpenter one night. The carpenter was never seen, and was believed to be the carpenter Jesus. The name of the church, and later the town, was then changed to Christchurch.

Nice tranquil place. 70+ steps to get to the museum at the top.

Absolutely beautiful Church and so well maintained. There is a real sense of peace and calm here. The model of the Priory inside the Priory is wonderful with the sound of the bells and people singing hymns. The cafe is a great place to eat with high quality food and a wide range of options. A beautiful place to visit and well worth a visit.

A really beautiful, peaceful place. Well worth a visit. After you've wandered around the priory, climb the narrow staircase up to the museum and enjoy the views of the surrounding area. When you come back down, visit the tearooms to top up with cake and a drink.

stunning area that's very calming, lots of wild life and horses live on the marsh.

Beautiful area of unspoilt marshland. Has wooden walkways for high time and wet weather. Always lots of birds and wildlife to observe.

Stanpit Marsh is peaceful and no wonder it is a refuge for birds and their watchers. Livestock roam and swans feel safe. No fewer than 300 species of birds have been seen here over the years. A great feeling of openness and space. Weather benevolent or harsh, nature abounds at the marsh.

A great place for peace and tranquility just ten minutes walk from the hustle and bustle of Christchurch High St. Beautiful ponies with their foals feeding at the riverside and a great variety of bird life too:-)) Just one warning- if entering from the Civic Offices gate don’t attempt the path to your right - although shown as a marked route it has been impassable for at least two years- waterlogged and boggy- you will definitely lose a wellington boot (or two!)....a great shame as this was a nice circular route before...

Lovely place for a walk and mindfulness

Great place to visit and see the harbour and the amazing wildlife there including this glossybibis

During times when tide is not in, wonderful path to walk down either in the morning or at night. Horses often grazing around the marsh. Bird Sanctuary also down the path. Bench placed at the end of the path to look out onto the river.

Friendly staff - have lots of information about the town and it's attractions. Attached is the Regent Centre which has both a cinema and stage. It also display local arts work which you can buy.

Informative, gave a lot of ideas of places to go and see

People with local knowledge. Where to find local shops, public loo's. General tourist information.

Helpful staff in this beautiful town and wonderful Dorset

Like the Regent Centre theatre first class

The staff knowledgeable and patient.

Really friendly and helpful

Nice piece of history our old Mills.

So crazy to think how old this place is. Love the history of it. Definitely worth a look

A beautiful historic location on the river. A great place for artists and crafters to exhibit their work, very busy.

(Translated by Google) Rather, the mill has exhibits, pictures, and works by local artisans or artists that can be purchased. In good weather, when it is open, it is free to walk through. It has two levels, where you can see the museum's remaining mill wheel and tools, as well as the aforementioned fair. What can be seen is always changing. (Original) A malomban inkább helyi kézművesek vagy művészek kiállításai, képei, munkái vannak, amelyek megvásárolhatóak. Szép időben, amikor nyitva van, ingyenesen végigjárható. Két szintje van, ahol meg lehet nézni a múzeum megmaradt malomkerekét, és szerszámokat, illetve a fent említett vásárt. Mindig változó, hogy mit lehet látni.

(Translated by Google) Picturesque building of a water mill. A wide rake on the top protects against debris. (Original) Malerisches Gebäude einer Wassermühle. Oberseitig schützt ein breiter Rechen vor Treibgut.

Lovely place full of history. It is free entry, but a donation if you are able is suggested. They have booklets with info at desk for 50p each (they will help guide you a little). There is alot to see including artifacts from the Victorian era and the last few hundred years, plus local items , stone jars, kitchen items, pieces relating to the old workhouse where the museum stands and older artifacts and info from iron age etc. There is an upstairs too with so much info, if you are interested in history give it 2 hours and unlike places like British Museum it is not too overwhelmed with pieces so you can give each piece the time it deserves. There is also things for the kids to do (probably over 3 is best for them to enjoy it, but younger would enjoy dinosaurs) - inside there are old dolls and farms to look at, dress up to play and activities and info at lower height level to enjoy. Outside there are big dinosaurs to enjoy as well as a herb garden (perhaps more to see in summer, was quite bare when we went in march!) And some beautiful trees and flowers. They have a cafe and courtyard seating too. Access: I do not believe they have a lift and alot of artifacts are on second floor. Though the museum entrance is wide, the rooms with artifacts are small and the outside has a few steps up and down in places, i imagine a pushchair for example, would struggle so wheelchairs too, is my personal opinion placed here to help people decide if it is right for them.

A small museum with lots of local history and finds. Includes an Egyptian room plus two rooms dedicated to local archaeology. Outside are some gardens with a few dinosaur sculptures, which will be of interest to young children. We'll worth a visit if in the area.

Really enjoyed my visit here. It has something for everyone including dinosaurs in the garden for the young and young at heart. It is located in an old building that used to be the workhouse. It covers the history of the local area from the ice age to present day. I particularly liked the photographs where I could recognise areas ,appreciating how much they've changed. It really has something for everyone, including a cafe selling delicious cakes. When I visited there was an art exhibition showing an artist with a wide skill set. Like so much it was made all the more special by the friendly and helpful volunteers. A really great community resource.

I love the atmosphere. The museum is organized and clean. The garden is beautiful and the house full of history!

Great place to visit old workhouseovely garden took my mother in law with limited walking she enjoyed. The kitchen had a lovely traditional fireplace. All free. Worth making donation and have lovely kind staff who serve in cafe also. Easy parking also. Sue & bebe very lovely staff.

Great place to visit. We would highly recommend and it's free (donations welcome). Very informative with interactive parts for children. We visited in October so the gardens were lovely and autumnal. Christchurch itself is a really lovely place to spend a few hours too, very pretty.

An excellent museum with attractive gardens run by friendly and knowledgeable volunteers. Well worth a visit for adults and children. Donations welcome.

Really beautiful quay to spend time with family, friends, or alone. We can bring our picnic mat/picnic blanket, children can play in the playground area (Quomps Play Park), Quomps Splash Park, a gazebo we can use, river cruises, self-drive motor boats, some restaurants & food stalls, or just enjoy the beautiful scenery...

Beautiful quay, with info boards, sheltered seating, bandstand, plenty of ducks and swans, a solar powered duck feed machine (£1.50, card only) or duck food at the mill cafe if open (£1, cash or card) There is a wishing well too. Nice little park/walking area and charged parking right there 👍 Disabled: parking is charged, spaces are right near the turn around spot at the quay. Good amount of room to sides but is onto the road if unloading wheelchair etc from back.

Lovely place to visit. Hiring a motor boat could be a lot of fun too. Also the Christchurch food festival takes place here and it's quite nice as an experience too.

Beautiful quay, with info boards, lovely seating, bandstand, plenty of ducks and swans , pletty for kids to do,a cafe and parking. Duck feeding machine.

We enjoyed a pleasant walk along the Quay, we stopped at Boat House for something to eat.

Beat way to enjoy with family go to this place do boating enjoy kids waterpark n do picnic and enjoy the nature

This was a very interesting church full of history & lovely stained windows

A very scenic place for a quick tour. The beach was clean. Nature reserve beside the beach also nice a stroll and picnic. Also the high cliff castle and the canteen beside the castle is excellent for lazy afternoon. Canteen was not seen any hot food menu but lots of cake and ice creams to choose from. Canteen has clean Toilets. The steamer point also has public toilet and shower. Car parking cost was £3 for two hours via pay by phone app. There was enough space when I visited but parking was surely limited. I saw a sign for overflow parking area nearby. Lots of beach hug on the beach front probably can be hired. Cafe facilities were there on the beachfront seems popular from the queues.

Love the beach here and the nature reserve. It's a great place to cool down after a long hot day on the beach.

Nice place for family with kids

Lovely and serene place to walk, nice and cool

A haven for wildlife, birds singing and peaceful environment. Informative great little visitor centre!

This is a simple pleasure, and if you have never been before, a delight to wander through and discover. There are grand views, secret old places, twisting paths and at the far end, Highcliffe Castle and the promise of coffee and cakes.

I found the parking slightly cheaper than the more popular Mudeford quay which is only a pleasant 20 min walk along in front of the beach huts and pass the cafe.

Nice, big beach. Perfect for a relaxing day or long walks.

Mixture of pebbles & sand (more sand when the tide is out). Gentle sloping beach with regular wooden groynes. Rows of beach huts behind wide promenade. Ice creams, lunches, drinks, etc., all catered for at nearby bars/booths. Good for kids. Nice, safe, quiet surroundings. Access to beach from nearby car parks.

It's a beautiful place for a day out at the beach. You got all the necessary stuff to enjoy the beach. Restaurants, takeaways, bakery ice cream. You name it... Very fun to go .

Absolutely lovely area away from the main tourist area sorry Bournemouth is not even close

We were there on August 12. We liked the beach. There are small sandy places on almost every beach, your feet don't hurt as much there as on a shallow stone. The sea was cool, but you get used to it quickly. The children couldn't be pulled out of the water. There is a public toilet, shower, parking, cafe to eat and buy ice cream. Very good!

Beautiful landscape, clean, great area to relax. My favourite beach so far.

Our happy place. We usually park in Highcliffe and walk the promonade through to Avon Beach to Mudeford quay. Always stop in the middle of Avon Beach for a cup of tea and fabulous fish and chips. Lots of pretty beach huts.

We came here for the soft play. Parking was easy and pretty cheap (we now have a season pass and 3 hours is included in that, which is great!). Reception staff were lovely. Bathroom facilities were plentiful and I noticed that there were wheelchair accessibility aids (I do not use a wheelchair so cannot comment on their usability). The soft play is new and it shows, everything is clean and colourful. It is a great size for 0-5 year old children and would work great if you were hanging around with a little one while others were in a class. Price wise it's pretty good, £3.50 for 55mins, although I'm sure you wouldn't get chucked out immediately after your session. It is next to the café which offers a dinner deal after 4pm, which I am interested to try out. The centre is a lovely small size and as a result I signed up for the waiting lists for a bunch of kids activities they offer.

My son and his friend did the teenage fitness pass one day during the half-term. Both boys had a great time and burnt off loads of energy. The staff at reception are amazing and will help you with booking classes/activities and membership advice if you are interested - this is not required. None of us are members but we were still able to turn up on the day and book in for swimming, table tennis, squash. (They could have done more within the price but the boys were done at this point) The lovely lady at reception even checked with us on the way out that we did not want to book any more activities and that everyone enjoyed their visit. My only disappointment is the cafe doesn't seem to open anymore.... I remember when there used to be a meal deal. As teenagers we would all spend the day doing various activities and get lunch, using up all our energy, and catching up with friends during the holidays. Lunch and refillable drinks were affordable. The whole place was full of people from school. It's was a shame to see the cafe closed and not buzzing like it used to be. Now few people seem to use the teenage pass, I suspect because it's hard to book online and I personally i assumed you would need membership now.

I haven't been here since I was a teenager until I signed up for the gym for a month. It has to be the worst gym in dorset. Its so outdated and expensive. It costed me £57.20. The gym is designed for older people or newbies. The equipment is from the 1960s and from all the tvs in the gym they claim its been refurbished. The last refurbishment must of been in 1920s before the recent one lol. Also the gym equipment what you can use is rusty or ripped. I asked for refund after the second day which they gave me an email address to contact. Basically they said I could only get back £25.70 as I already used the membership for two sessions. Each session is £10.50. But if im right £10.50+£10.50= £22.00. So if you minus £57.20-£22.00 =35.20. So basically I lost £12.00 if I wanted that £25.70 back. I used the gym for the month or I mean the best I could. Avoid two rivers meet at all costs. I definitely won't be stepping into that place again. Awful gym and BCP Council need to sort it.

Two Riversmeet Leisure Centre in Christchurch is such a great local facility that offers such a wide variety of activities. I particularly enjoy the yoga and pilates classes, as the teachers all really engage with everyone in the range of class's that I've been to. It's also great to see the upgrading of the swimming pools that now have very smart surrounds, and as well as the great gym there are so many other activities and classes of all kinds to book and enjoy for all ages on their website or in reception.

I didn’t get as far as the pool! Parking was an issue and so I left the car park and rang reception. After 20 minutes in a queue (constantly being told I was number 1 in the queue!) I gave up and left a message requesting a call back. Nothing. I’m sure the facilities are great, but the organisation of the reception team and the website is very poor

Good pool. Friendly staff. Shame there's not a bar or a cafe. Would be nice to get a snack or a drink after one of the evening lane swims

Why pay for parking when you pay to use the facilities?? As if things aren't expensive enough in life..

Enchanting whistlestop visit. Prices at cafes are a little imaginative but overall a pleasant visit.

Such beautiful day at Christchurch harbour , enjoyed the Sunday food festival 27th/may/2024

Fantastic experience, great area and entertainment for the kids.

Wow very scenic, lovely weather 23° harbour side there are bars and cafes, eateries, ice cream Van's, shops, bandstand, swans, boats, lots of lovely walks riverside, or along the dock lands & park. Very clean very tidy place to visit, lots of qwerky stores too look around, places to wine and dine too.

Such a beautiful place!

A great place for a walk. A more sheltered part, looking inland, if it’s blustery or the exposed headland up high for impressive views of the coast and the Isle of Wight on a sunny day.

Lovely place to visit - especially if you have young children as they can catch crabs off the promenade + it's so much fun! Nice Pub + cafe it's a great place to visit.

Car park nearby. £10 max for 4 hours. The smell of flowers is lovely. Mixture of sand and pebble beach. The beach front was terrific and the view stunning. The walk by the mud and marches has quite a few mosquitos but other than that nice and quite just wear insect repellent.

Had a lovely walk around Hengistbury Head and the visitor centre, well worth the visit, large car park and plenty of space even at the weekend when we visited, stunning views!

Amazing Waffles & Coffee at Hengistbury Head Visitor Centre! Best coffee I have had in a while and the waffles were out of this world! All named individually from little parts of Southbourne! Super clever, thank you for having us and can’t wait to come to the Perseid Stargazing Event on Tuesday!

Lovely day out. You can catch the land train if you want to wait and don't want the walk It's expensive though. Or you can walk over the hill. Great little cafe on the beach but shame you have to walk to the toilets. The beach huts are adorable . The beach is nice. Good sand.

Good to understand iron age etc and the local area. The walk around the head is mainly tarmac and takes less than two hrs. Scenic and varied, coast, small headland. The car park is £6.00 for two hours.

Great visitor centre with gift shop and outside courtyard serving great coffee and snacks. A delightful stop after a circular walk on Hengistbury Head. Enjoy amazing views across to the Isle of Wight and Christchurch Harbour. Parking available, and a bus to the town of Christchurch for those who prefer not to drive.

The walk to the coastguard lookout at the top of the hill is worth doing for the view. The path is good under foot for most of the way, but as you get close to the top, it becomes narrow and tricky, especially if you have mobility issues. It has a very large car park, so I expect it gets very busy in the summer months.

The Hayloft is one of Christchurch's oldest buildings and a precious jem. It's a not-for-profit gallery, run by CADArts (Christchurch and District Arts), for the past 20 years. It hosts frequently changing exhibitions, showing a wide variety of talented local artists and craftspeople. Always a warm welcome and something new and exciting to see. Well worth a visit.

Lovely little art gallery close to the high Street in Christchurch with exhibitions by local artists. Friendly atmosphere. Interesting to look around and no pressure to buy. The exhibits change regularly so there is always something new to see.

Visited the Hayloft Gallery to see Lorraine Finney's maiden Photo exhibition, a great venue for displaying Lorraine 's work. Most enjoyable experience. Bring your walls to life.

Feb. 2017. Delightful exhibition of art by Jill Clark BA complimented by a selection of jewelry, scarfs and photographs by local artists. Well worth a look.

It's a bit small, but gives reasonable space upstairs and down for art exhibitions. It's reasonably central: just off the main street. Close to car parks.

Small but perfectly formed art gallery. Artist in residence changes often, so always worth a visit.

Okay, but not in the main hub of the town, so people only visit if they know it's there or if the use the car park opposite. Car parking in Christchurch pricey.

Great walk, mixture of woods, heather and good paths. Stunning views over to Isle of Wight

The views from St Catherine's Hill are just stunning, on a clear day you can make out the Needles. The sky just stretches forever. I love taking my dog for a good run about up here. There are usually plenty of other people walking their dogs, as well as hikers, cyclists and joggers. There are lots of very clear paths, but it never feels very busy. Being up here is so good for my mental health.

A perfect and unexpected spot in BCP, offering stunning views of the Isle of Wight, Hengistbury Head, the Priory, and the River Avon.

Can walk there from our road-Dudmoor Farm Road-and well worth it-we do it every few days! 👍

The New Forest is pretty flat, as far as national parks go, so there are very few places to get an amazing view. If that's what you are after then come here. A SSSI, on the edge of a housing estate, you can walk here for an hour or two and feel renewed. Also there are some strange buildings on the top! If you park near the local parade of shops, when you're done The Bunker does a good coffee.

Beautiful place, big and enough hills to tire you out, went to walk to dog here yesterday and it was divine. 🌳🐕 ❤️

Beautiful place … nice view nice forest :)

Really lovely park for younger children. It's focus is on under 10s with a couple of bigger rides including the pirate ship and the baby coaster the Run Away Train. My 4 year old loves it as she can go on most rides alone, it even has a baby log flume that's not too high and only goes round one. There I'd lots of things to do here, Rides, large play park and a hedge maze. Almost everything is included in the price including the Crazy Golf and character meet and greets. There is a large indoor soft play and theatre shows across the day including a interactive dance with the stars show, so plenty to do it if the weather turns. The lovely team from Pony Palace also run pony rides in the animal area at £4 each which both my children enjoyed it. From an accessibility point of view, the walkways around the park are all wheelchair accessible but the rides aren't set up with accessibility in mind so you'd need to be able to walk a few steps to access most rides. From a sensory viewpoint, avoid the soft play as it is very noisy and has air cannons going off too. The park doesn't have an official queue assist scheme because most of the time the queues are 10/15 mins or less. However, on bust days they will accept access cards and the ride exit but this is at the discretion of the ride operators and not widely known about within the staff. The best selling point is the staff, they all seem to love being there, happy and entertaining and will go out of their way to help. Great park for under 10s with things to keep older siblings occupied.

Adventure Wonderland is a charming spot with a delightful indoor experience, perfect for families, especially during the winter season when outdoor attractions are closed. The indoor activities are not only captivating but also a lot of fun for the kids. The highlight was definitely the special touch of Santa giving presents, adding a magical festive vibe.

A super fun day out. So it may not be as polished as larger theme parks but the heart and character of this place really shines through. We have been twice now and both my daughters absolutely loved the day and where able to go from ride to ride with no waiting, meet the actor staff (Alice, Mad Hatter and Queen of Hearts) and have soft play. The actors are so great with the kids and my daughter followed Alice around asking loads of questions. The rest of the staff are so polite and always willing to help. Would definitely recommend for a family day out.

We had a wonderful afternoon at Adventure Wonderland. The rides were really fun and my 3 year old had an awesome time as well as us adults. The petting zoo and horse/pony rides was really great value for money and the staff were really friendly and patient. We grabbed some lunch which was nice, and what you'd expect. The maze was really fun and we had a good time navigating our way out. My toddler really enjoyed the ride on tractors (make sure you have plenty of change with you!) some of the park is a little outdated but overall, was incredibly impressed with the activities on offer. Would highly recommend

I came here with mt MIL and my 3 year old son as a treat to see Chase from Paw Patrol. That part of the event was really brief but made my little dude really happy 😊 The amusement park itself was great fun! My son is quite little so he couldn't get on some of the rides yet but he was still able to enjoy at least 2 or 3 of the actual rides. In the end, the actors from the 25 minute long Alice in Wonderland play production joined the children on the rides, which was really sweet! The maze took us about 20 ish minutes to complete and was really cool (will look fsr better in summer when it's lush and green though!!). The sand pit was nice (but we didn't manage to find any golden Nuggets, we wondered if they hadn't been returned after exchanged in the gift store 😅 maybe it was just us though haha). The indoor soft play area was huuuuge and had lots of different climbing and swinging apparatus that kept my little monkey entertained for ages. For roughly £20 a ticket I'd say we absolutely got our moneys worth that day!! We have a lovely time and will definitely return again one day 🥰

We had a great day out! The kids could easily spend the entire day here - after the rides and the hedge maze we had a picnic. A few more rides and then on to the large indoor soft play area (witg cafe). Adventure Wonderland is great for smaller kids as all rides are available to them - unlike some larger theme parks that may only have a few suitable rides.

Great day. Staff are very helpful, friendly and stay in character. The kids always enjoy themselves. Plenty to do, with the rides, pony rides, bouncy castle, soft play, park and maze. Foods not too great for the cost, but other than that it's great. Good fun, clean and pretty local for us.

Amazing place for a morning stroll or even a day at beach ⛱️ very well organised as many paths for walk, parts of beach that allow dogs, a place for a coffee or a breakfast, ice cream and toilets but what impressed me the most was the cleanliness! A lot of rubbish bins but also, nice people caring for this beautiful place. Every time I come here, it makes my day!

Beautiful beach, largely sand, nice & clean. Great views. Gentle sloping sea (albeit pretty rough when we were there). Quiet with a few surfers, families, couples & the odd dog. Dog friendly. Car park right at the top of the cliff with a fairly easy short walk / slope / steps options to the beach below. Restaurant & toilets available. Really enjoyed

The beach is beautiful and fairly quiet. Pebbly beach with sand at low tide. Food vendors available in the car park. Car parking itself is reasonably priced, and the beach is literally just behind it

Awesome location for a day out. Large car park with plenty of parking.

Excellent, offering easy access to Highcliffe Beach for coastal walks and relaxation, as well as proximity to Highcliffe Castle. It's also a good base for exploring the New Forest. And very tidy too!

Very beautiful location and not too difficult to go back up the stairs. Food vans located at the top and bottom. If you’re wanting a scenic walk this is your place.

Long stretch of pebble beach with easy access from the very large car park at the top. There were a lot of dogs running around when we visited. The beach was very clean.

This was a visit just on a whim. I visited on a Wednesday early afternoon. There's plenty of parking. You enter through a nice little gift shop and straight into the exhibits. There is a lot to keep your interest and you are allowed into many of the cockpits and you can walk around the remainder of planes, helicopters and even a few fire engines. There are a lot of exhibits and I spent well over an hour and a half without realising and didn't even spend time on some of the exhibits. I can recommend this great little museum. There are even a couple of viewing platforms for watching the airport runway across the road.

We had a really lovely time at BAM. The staff were really helpful and it was such a fun and hands-on experience. We took our two year old and he was completely dazzled by the amount of planes on show. It’s not a polished museum but that’s the charm and fun of it. We paid £20 for 2 hours of exploring, and playing in all kinds of planes, busses and fire engines. Not sure who had more fun, the two year old or his 35 year old father!

Great place to visit for adults and kids with hands-on experience of vintage aircraft, you can sit in cockpits of the RAF search and rescue helicopter and other jets and aircraft. Friendly knowledgeable staff on hand to help and a cafe and picnic benches. There are some raised viewing platforms to watch aeroplanes take off and land from bournmouth airport over the road, I would highly recommend for aircraft enthusiasts.

It's a small museum it's £10 for adults and £5 for children, you can sit in some of the planes , it has refreshments and snacks it's a good one to visit. It also has some raised platforms where you can watch the planes taking off from Bournemouth airport a great place to visit

Nice experience for future pilots 😉 Brilliant for children interested in planes. Great space for picnic, nice little cafe, and a place to watch real airplanes take off or land in Bournemouth airport.

One of the coolest museums I've been in in a while. They have a large collection of aeroplanes and model planes. The staff is also extremely friendly, they took time to answer all of our questions.

Excellent value for money, spent 3 hours there with our 1 and 2.5 year old who all loved sitting in the planes and climbing the stairs. Great facilities and excellent access for double pram wheelchair etc. Will definitely be returning.

Nice, big beach. Perfect for a relaxing day or long walks.

Lovely beach a dog friendly from October to May I believe. Not loads of parking so would probably struggle to find a spot in the summer

Pretty small beach with a great view of the Isle of Wight and coast. Expensive but good restaurant. Sandy beach and looks like good swimming. You can take a ferry across to the sandbank and the nature reserve. There is a fish and chip take away and shop and toilets. Car parking is close.

Nice quiet beach. Not much there but if you want a quiet day it's lovely

Avon Beach I visit most days walking the dog... for us its a few minutes walk, but there is plenty of parking. Great sea views and looking over to Highcliffe, Barton and Milford on sea. The Isle of Wight is also in view here. The local restaurant is The Noisy Lobster... it comes recommended, and summer time we enjoy fish and from their stall.

Lovely place two car parks , the noisy lobster , for your food amazing, a small bakery and deli 5/3/25 overcast but still very enjoyable will be back

It's very nice seaside here! There'ra two cafes, sauna, promenade; Beautiful view and good walk with fresh see air! I'll be back here again!

We took our children for a skiing taster session which was only £5 each for 45 mins. They had a great time and really want to go back. The instructor was really good with them.

Fab adventure playground with pirate ship to explore. £6 entry, £3.50 for adults but you get this back by buying a drink in the café. Great for 3+ active kids.

We visited this place whist on holiday. My son loved the Ringo experience- staff were very friendly and helpful. We ate at the restaurant afterwards, really good choice of food and lovely atmosphere inside with real fires. The play park provided lots of entertainment, a great place for families.

Grandchildren had a taster ski session. in their own words it was awesome! Ben the instructor was very good and patient. They definitely want to do it again. and again

We have a 3 and a 6 year old and have done several lessons now at levels 1,2 & 3. They absolutely love it and have come on so well. Most importantly they love coming and enjoy the lessons so much. It’s always such a lovely start to our day and we love coming as a family. Thanks for having us!

We've been to Snowtrax Alpine Park many times now. My little one loves it, and so much so that today we've had her birthday party there! Pay per child and the parent gets in free too, plus a picnic lunch and a covered picnic bench for 2 hours. You can stay there all day though, if you like. The Alpine Park is great fun! An enclosed and tree covered outdoor trail of balance beams, climbing walls, platforms and swings, plus a zip line and the huge pirates ship to play in too! Take a picnic or buy from the little hut by the entrance, or alternatively head up the slope to the bar and restaurant for something more substantial. Great views of the dry slope from up there and a little kids play areas indoors too. Not tried the ringos yet but have heard great things! Thoroughly recommend!

Amazing place for little ones to run around and chill .

The castle is accessed via steps up a steep hill. At the top, there is a beautiful view of Christchurch cathedral. Just a very short distance from the castle is the Norman house. You can explore inside, and it has a little area that overlooks the river. Unusually, there were a lot of overflowing bins and rubbish on the ground near the benches and entrance way, which spoiled the enjoyment a little.

It was a great sunny day for me and my friend. It’s a beautiful spot to sit and relax. We were there in the spring and we were lucky enough to attend a choir competition which was held at the church and we loved it.

Next to the town. Beautiful old ruins next to the river. Next oi Churstchurch Norman Castle. 12th century Riverside Chamber block known as Norman House. Built in 1160. Both are free don't need tickets.

Beautiful, free to enter with small info board. By the stream, ducks in the long grass. A few steps to access.

What a nice experience to see the Castle and the Norman House ruins it was lovely to see the information board with pictures of how these buildings looked almost 900 years ago.

When I first saw the ruins,:it is what it is, I thought to myself: what a small medieval castle, and well kept. I went in and took several interesting pictures and decided to leave after a while. And I saw in a short distance a sign that seemed to be calling me... This is how I found out that my small castle was in fact a house, a bloody Normand house! Imagine me coming round with all my beautiful photos of a small castle.. It's always worth checking!

One of the nicest, most peaceful and beautiful places I have been to in a long time. This place is a complete gem. The walk along the waterways to the castle and Norman house, not to mention the priory, is so calm and relaxed. It is such a remedy to the busy working and commuting week. There are little stone arches that give the place character and the water is so clear you can see all the fish swimming. There is an abundance of life here from the ducks and fish to the squirrels running around and it just makes it feel alive but without any need to feel disturbed or annoyed by all the little creatures going about their day. I would like to make one point though, please do not feed any of the animals. It could actually be detrimental to their health. Anyway the ruins are wonderful with the greenery running around and through them. My words don't do justice here so see my pictures please. Also the priory is stunning with it's arches and stained glass windows and apparently it is the Romanesque style but I am no expert on this so correct me if I'm wrong. There is a lot to see in the priory but unfortunately it was closed when we visited. However outside there is a peaceful, quiet graveyard and on the other side of the priory, some benches and features including a sculpture of the bell ringers of the priory. (I have included a picture of this as well). So, if peaceful and relaxing is what you are looking for, this is the place. We were fortunate enough to be there on a very sunny day but I dare say it is just as beautiful on any weather!

Interesting little area for a walk.

Nice piece of history our old Mills.

So crazy to think how old this place is. Love the history of it. Definitely worth a look

A beautiful historic location on the river. A great place for artists and crafters to exhibit their work, very busy.

(Translated by Google) Rather, the mill has exhibits, pictures, and works by local artisans or artists that can be purchased. In good weather, when it is open, it is free to walk through. It has two levels, where you can see the museum's remaining mill wheel and tools, as well as the aforementioned fair. What can be seen is always changing. (Original) A malomban inkább helyi kézművesek vagy művészek kiállításai, képei, munkái vannak, amelyek megvásárolhatóak. Szép időben, amikor nyitva van, ingyenesen végigjárható. Két szintje van, ahol meg lehet nézni a múzeum megmaradt malomkerekét, és szerszámokat, illetve a fent említett vásárt. Mindig változó, hogy mit lehet látni.

(Translated by Google) Picturesque building of a water mill. A wide rake on the top protects against debris. (Original) Malerisches Gebäude einer Wassermühle. Oberseitig schützt ein breiter Rechen vor Treibgut.

Expensive parking in a car park that’s sadly dilapidated, full of weeds, needs new paint and stinks of piss. Several beers are around, very polite and friendly and non-threatening but still doesn’t create a particularly pleasant environment. The main reason I would visit the centuries because my medical prescriptions were sent to Boots but after today’s visit, I’m going to change. This Boots close early so I’m not always able to make it to the pharmacy to collect my medication after work, before their closing time. Most of the shops at Saxon Square shopping Centre close early in the evenings. As a result, cost a point shopping centre is looking to be a better option for me. Shops that stay open till later bigger shops and free parking. Most mobile phone networks don’t receive signal at Saxon Square shopping Centre. This can make paying for parking tricky. Keep cash just in case.

Very good 2 tier car park in the heart of town centre, good value for the location. Needs a face-lift but is the best choice to park for high street shops and hotel.

Some lovely craft stalls and nice shops. Busy. Only complaint would be car parking bays very tight so getting into and out of your vehicle is like taking a yoga class.

Lovely traditional market square not all bougie. Gentle atmosphere and not forcing to compete with large shops and malls culture. There is something for every age, Ice cream shop, Holland & Barrett type shop, Nero, Boots the Chemist and Pet shop and a few more small stores.

I love this place.many reasons, independent shops, clean and friendly. Plenty of cafes and eateries also the town offers some river walks in a plave that has some outstanding buildings and history.

Christchurch is a lovely place to visit, very clean and the locals are quite friendly. Didn't see any Pirates. 🏴‍☠️

Lots and lots of shopping to suit all budgets, Great places to eat and drink. Tucked around a fantastic square in the middle of Christchurch. Then you have the high street leading to the Priory and Quayside

I took my two daughters here this afternoon and they both really enjoyed it! There is a park more suitable for older children and a park opposite more suitable for little ones. It's really lovely and looks recently refurbished. There's a climbing frame in each park, slides, swings, roundabouts etc everything you would want in a park!

It's a bit of grass.... Two goal posts and a basketball type hoop. Frequently frequented by teenagers that leave their rubbish strewn about. Lots of friendly dog walkers.

Well im far to old to rate this place....but since they built a second play park next to the original fenced off park the activity has gone up. I am pleased to see the new play park well used. Its bright, modern and safe for your little rug rats. It would be good to see the council update the old park (they partially did). But a lot more thought needs to be given to that area, make it more fun for all ages....like the park behind christchurch firestation, or the excerise equipment along the beach front..... Who says play parks are just for kids :)

Small park, popular with dog walkers. The council have started an improvement programme here, and have installed some nice wooden benches.

Interesting new changes. Two wooden benches and some new trees, 2 of which have died.

Nice and safe place for kids. ;) There should definitely be a parent to watch there though because sometimes there are teens that are very rude and intimidating.

Safe and 2 separated ages one for very young kids one for slightly older kids, fenced off and no dogs

We visited Hatch gallery as we were pleased to catch it open on one of our visits to Christchurch and were keen to discover some local artists. We were the only people in the gallery apart from 2 people who we took to be the proprietors. Despite there being some lovely pieces in the gallery we found the 2 people in it to be less than helpful and engaging in that we walked around both floors with no contact whatsoever. It was more dissapointing when upon leaving a local person entered the gallery to a warm reception. We left empty handed and felt snubbed. Don't think we will be going back. Far friendlier galleries elsewhere in the local area.

Lovely little gallery. We chatted with the owner for ages and bought a couple items. First time in Christchurch and we loved it

Just bought a couple of paintings from this wonderful treasure trove of a gallery. Delightful owner who very welcoming and left us to rummage around without any pressure. Thank you. We’ll be back!

A fantastic little Gallery with a suprisingly wide choice of art, and must say they were very helpful with friendly advice regarding what I was looking for, without any pushy sales chat..thank you.

A friendly welcome, some stunning art, & interesting vintage items, can highly recommend!

Cracking gallery, genuinely interesting choice of new works by established and up and coming artists

Not very helpful I just want some Information about how to have a picture valued and all that they were interested in are new pictures

Perfect place for kids of all ages with two parks, one for younger aged and one for older

The 2 play parks and skate park are not bad, but sometimes there is a bad element there. Often there is broken glass at the skatepark and I watched from a distance as a 9 - 10 year old girl tried to steal my kids' stuff. Keep your eyes open and your kids close there.

Fabulous children's playground with a great mix of equipment for little ones and bigger children too. My grandchildren of 6 and 9 thoroughly enjoyed our visit, having spotted it from the road. Worth a visit.

Awful bumpy pitch ,entirely unsuited for football particularly for players landing heavily but with more care ,maintenance and attention for changing rooms , it could be a decent little ground

Small park in Somerford. There are 2 well equipped playgrounds for different kids ages. Also an area for bmx & skateboarding.

Good for the children. Looks nice in May.

Kids loved it so many things to keep there mind occupied with 2 parks to go in one for smaller kids one for older kids xx got a zip line xx