Are you looking for things to do in Bournemouth? The largest town in Dorset has plenty going on (some of them even free). Home to five award winning Blue Flag beaches, and plenty of activities for everyone, Bournemouth is a must visit for locals and tourists alike.
If you’re planning a weekend in Bournemouth, or perhaps staying for a little longer, or even just visiting for the day, check out these great ideas to discover during your visit.
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- Bournemouth Oceanarium
- Laser Quest
- Outdoor Treasure Hunt
- Mr Mulligans Indoor Golf
- Oasis Fun Indoor Centre
- Rock Reef
- Smugglers Cove Adventure Golf
- Bournemouth Gardens Mini Golf
- City Sightseeing Bus
- Explore Bournemouth Pier
- All Fired Up Pottery Painting
- Bournemouth Beaches
- Lower Gardens
- Bournemouth Big Wheel
- Russell-Cotes Art Gallery And Museum
- Bournemouth Land Train
- Bournemouth Aviation Museum
- Escape Rooms
- Jurassic Coast Bus Tours
- Hengistbury Head
- Littledown Centre
- Castlepoint Shopping Centre
- Park Yoga In Bournemouth
Bournemouth Oceanarium
Pier Approach, BH2 5AA
Perfect for the whole family, you can discover over 150 species of fish in the Bournemouth Oceanarium.
Use your entrance ticket to return during the day to make the most out of everything Bournemouth has to offer.
Buy discounted tickets for Oceanarium Bournemouth
Laser Quest
Glen Fern Rd, BH1 2LZ
On a rainy day in Bournemouth, why not try Laser Quest. It’s open daily between 10am – 10pm (9pm on a Sunday), and is suitable for children over 6 years old.
Related post – Bumper list of things to do in Dorset
Outdoor Treasure Hunt
Explore Bournemouth with an outdoor treasure hunt. This is a unique sightseeing experience with 40 different clues which will be sent to you via email. You can choose your own date once you have purchased the treasure hunt and also choose your own start time.
Pre-buy your outdoor treasure hunt
Mr Mulligans Indoor Golf
Exeter Rd, BH2 5AF
Located in the BH2 complex, you can play across three different indoor adventure golf courses, each with 9 holes. This is one of the many places to play adventure golf in Bournemouth.
Oasis Fun Indoor Centre
Glen Fern Rd, BH1 2LZ
Home to an indoor soft play area, adventure golf course, six lane bowling alley and an American Diner, the Oasis Fun indoor centre is a great stop when the weather isn’t so good.
Rock Reef
Bournemouth Pier, BH2 5AA
For the young and not so young. The activities in Rock Reef are suitable for all levels including a vertical drop slide, high ropes obstacle course, 28 clip and climb climbing walls and a 65 meter indoor cave experience.
Smugglers Cove Adventure Golf
Address: Pier Approach, BH2 5AA
Themed to the towns smuggler history, enjoy an 18 hole adventure golf course at Smugglers Cove Adventure Golf with views across Bournemouth beach and out to sea.
Bournemouth Gardens Mini Golf
Lower Gardens, BH1 2AQ
Open during daylight hours, you can play some classic mini golf in the Lower Gardens. A popular family activity during the whole year.
City Sightseeing Bus
Beginning and ending behind Hot Rocks restaurant next to Bournemouth Pier, you can enjoy the hop on hop off sightseeing bus. Travel along the 22 stops on route, enjoying the sights, and exploring the area.
You can get on and off the bus as you choose to visit places in both Bournemouth and Poole. Tickets can be purchased for either a 24 or 48 hour period.
Book a 48 hour family sightseeing bus ticket for two adults and up to three children
Explore Bournemouth Pier
Bournemouth pier is a Victorian pier dating back to 1856 when it began life as a wooden jetty.
Today you can enjoy a variety of activities and restaurants along the pier, including the aforementioned Rock Reef.
During peak season between April and October, there is a small charge to access the pier, however this price is payable only once throughout the season if you keep your ticket.
Access is free if you have a pre-booked table at Key West, or a ticket for Rock Reef. Bournemouth Pier is also home to Pier Zip.
Key West Bar & Grill is one of the best places to eat in Bournemouth with a great view.
Located on the end of Bournemouth pier, you can travel 250 metres to the shore. Starting 25 metres above the sea why not see the sights of Bournemouth as you glide through the air on a zip wire.
The minimum height to enjoy the zip wire is 1.3 metres, and as long as there is no inclement weather conditions, the attraction will be open.
You can expect to spend around an hour to an hour and a half on your PierZip experience from start to finish.
All Fired Up Pottery Painting
Located just off Bournemouth Square is All Fired Up Ceramics Cafe. This is a great way to spend a couple of hours pottery painting and being creative. Select your ceramics piece from the wide range available and be as creative as you like.
Finished pieces will then be glazed and fired and ready for collection in around seven days.
Bournemouth Beaches
Whether you’re looking to spend the day on the main Blue Flag award winning Bournemouth Beach in the centre, or perhaps looking for a quieter beach along the coast. There is a beach to suit everyone and plenty of space to discover and enjoy.
Alum Chine beach is definitely a locals favourite as well as being an award winning Blue Flag beach in Dorset. The beach has a cafe and public toilets as well as parking nearby.
Related Post – Beach walks in Bournemouth
Lower Gardens
Enjoy the stunning floral displays that change with the seasons as you take a relaxing walk through the Lower Gardens. Located between the pier and the town centre, there is always something happening.
Time your visit to enjoy one of the many festivals happening through the year, or relax in the amazing scenery in one of the cafes dotted through the green space.
Bournemouth Big Wheel
Located right next to the pier, you can enjoy stunning views out across the ocean, or across the Lower Gardens.
Running until 10pm every day, you can also enjoy the night time views as you reach heights of over 100ft.
Russell-Cotes Art Gallery And Museum
Located on East Cliff promenade with stunning views across the sea, the Russell-Cotes art gallery and museum was once one of the last Victorian houses to be built in England.
This Bournemouth museum is open Tuesday to Sunday between 10am – 5pm. The exhibitions change through the year, so return visits are a good idea to discover the new exhibitions.
Bournemouth Land Train
Tired legs? Why not enjoy a trip on the land train running between Bournemouth pier and Boscombe pier. The train runs through the Summer months until the end of October, and weekends through the Winter.
Bournemouth Aviation Museum
Just next door to Adventure Wonderland and opposite Bournemouth airport is the Bournemouth Aviation museum.
The museum is open daily throughout the year, home to a variety of aircraft, aero engines, cockpits and some ground vehicles.
Escape Rooms
Bournemouth is home to a wide variety of escape rooms. Can you escape the room in the time given to you? Play in teams for two or three people or more. Check out the escape rooms in Bournemouth.
Jurassic Coast Bus Tours
If you’d like to see some more of the Jurassic Coast, then you can take half day bus tours from Bournemouth.
During the scenic drive, you’ll have the chance to take in views of West Cliff, Sandbanks and Poole Quay. You’ll have three hours of free time to explore Durdle Door and Lulworth Cove at your own pace.
Hengistbury Head
Hengistbury Head is a popular tourist spot to visit in Dorset. A headland between Bournemouth and Mudeford which juts out into the English Channel.
Hengistbury Head is also known as a local nature reserve managed by the local council. The headland marks the start of the Stour Valley Way which runs all the way to Stourton in Wiltshire.
The area is perfect for walks along the beach, and through the forest paths. Hengistbury Head beach is also very dog friendly.
Littledown Centre
Located just outside of the main town, you’ll find the Littledown Centre. If you’re looking for a leisure centre with fitness suite and swimming pool, then this is a great place to visit.
The Littledown Centre’s swimming pool includes lane swimming and also a splash pool for the younger visitors.
Castlepoint Shopping Centre
If you like shopping with free parking, then just outside of the main town, you will find Castlepoint Shopping Centre.
Discover retails stores such as New Look, Asda, Sainsburys, Next and M&S.
Park Yoga In Bournemouth
Between May and September, you can take part in Park Yoga for FREE.
Bournemouth Central Gardens – Opposite the Town Hall, park yoga begins at 9.30am. If you’re driving to Bournemouth, then there are plenty of parking options available.
Slades Park Pavilion Bournemouth – The park yoga sessions take place next to the pavilion (Ensbury Avenue, Bournemouth BH10 4HG). Free parking is available at the weekend at Slades Park.