Get under the ocean at Sea Life Adventure Park, then climb the tower for 360º views of the Jurassic coast. Paddle and dig at Weymouth Beach, then sculpt your own masterpiece at SandWorld. Or head to Dorchester for the skatepark, dinosaur centre, and many museums.
Head to Dorset Snowsport Centre to brave the Big Kicker. Feed and cuddle the cuties at Abbotsbury Children’s Farm, and see the setting for Enid Blyton’s Noddy at Studland Bay. Meet over 250 primates in a 65-acre sanctuary at Monkey World. Then discover a miniature world at Corfe Castle Model Village.
Jump on the ferry to Brownsea Island for woodland, wetlands, and wildlife. Meet adorable animals, take a bouncy tractor-trailer ride, and explore outdoor play at Farmer Palmer’s. Make like Meryl Streep and walk The Cobb at Lyme Regis, then explore the marine life of the Jurassic coast at the Lyme Regis Aquarium.
Ride the Dorset hills on Pecorama, the finest 7.25-gauge railway in the country, with great bay views. Feed the birds and handle the snakes at Axe Valley Wildlife Park. Watch the cygnets hatch at Abbotsbury Swannery. And find 300 military machines from every major conflict since the First World War at the Bovington Camp Tank Museum.
Swim, surf, sail, and dive on the Jurassic coast. Coasteer and explore the cliffs and coast with Land and Wave. Kite-surf, sea-kayak or just dip your toes in the sea. Cycle to real-ale pubs with all the sting taken out of the hills with West Dorset Electric Bike Tours. Or hike the geological South West Coastal Path.
Ride the RIBs at Lulworth Cove, fish the deep sea from Lyme Regis, and birdwatch in Poole harbour. Discover the country lanes on horseback with Sandford Stables, shoot clay at Wyld Court, and tackle the high ropes at Tunnel Treetops. Or take on the clifftop course at Lyme Regis Golf Club with its views over Portland Bill and Lyme Regis.
Drop the pace a little with a tour and a pint of Dorset Gold at Palmer’s Brewery. Head to atmospheric Chesil Beach, a 15-mile shingle bank split from the land by a brackish lagoon. Fancy a wood-fired sauna on the beach? Contact Shoreline Sauna. Or take a trip into history at Mapperton Manor, Forde Abbey, and Thomas Hardy’s cottage.
Climb indoors or out with Rockburn at Bridport. Have a crack at Real Tennis at Hyde Real Tennis Club. Call into the Jurassic Coast Farm Shop for fresh meat, veg, fish, fruit, and salad. Spend your nights in club- and bar-heavy Weymouth where the evening ends staring out across the moonlit bay.
