Location: Poole
Top Things to do in Poole
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The 10 Best Things to do in Poole, England
Coordinates: 50°43′N 1°59′W / 50.717°N 1.983°W / 50.717; -1.983
Restaurants in Poole
1. Brownsea Island
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,407 reviews
Owned by the National Trust, Brownsea Island is dramatically located in Poole Harbour, with spectacular views across to the Purbeck Hills. Thriving natural habitats - including woodland, heathland and a lagoon - create a unique haven for wildlife, such as the rare red squirrel and a wide variety of birds, including dunlin, kingfishers, common and sandwich terns and oystercatchers. The Outdoor Centre invites you to come and follow in the footsteps of Lord Baden-Powell and the very first Scouts who camped here in 1907. Scout and Guide Groups can camp and get stuck in with activities such as archery and low ropes and we also offer Eco Adventure Camping as an opportunity for the general public to come and experience the great outdoors. The perfect day's adventure - this island wildlife sanctuary is easy to get to but feels like another world from the moment you step ashore.
Reviewed By martinsomers32 - Bristol, United Kingdom
Excellent visit to a hidden gem on the South coast after a pleasant boat trip the island was a good p!ace to walk and explore with a good place to see rare red squirrels with peasants peacocks and wild deer good views on a clear day.
2. Sandbanks Beach
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,813 reviews
Naturally beautiful, with its golden sand, Sandbanks Beach has been designated by the European Commission as one of the few areas in the United Kingdom which has achieved the highest standard of cleanliness. Sandbanks has held the highly coveted international Blue Flag for the past 30 years and offers a designed area for barbeques and swimmers. New slacklining posts have been installed. Equipment is available to hire from the beach office. Activities at Sandbanks include crazy golf, a children's play area and the Sandbanks Beach Cafe. The number 50 Wilts and Dorset bus from Bournemouth Station to Swanage stops near to the beach (generally every half hour in the summer). There is a car park next to the beach that holds 550 cars, 5 for disabled use.
Reviewed By charmainef308
Stunning come visit!!! Amazing blue flag beach, calm, quiet and wonderful views in all directions. Lovely to watch the sail boats go Past and watch the day go by.
3. Poole Harbour
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,987 reviews
Reviewed By 512joannea - Stoke-on-Trent, United Kingdom
Well we’re away we like to visit all the different harbours.. So we thought we’d take a walk on this one.. Beautiful harbour lots of lovely boats to see.. Plenty of benches to sit and relax on to watch the world go by.. Must see if your in Poole..
4. Farmer Palmer's Farm Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,257 reviews
Reopen for 2021 on Monday 12th April. Sign up for our Newsletter via the Farmer Palmer's website for the latest updates. Online Pre-Booking Essential. Full details on the "News Page" on our Website. Family-run visitor attraction near Poole in Dorset, the Palmer's have designed everything for children 8 years and under! Opened in 1998 the attention to detail and happy, friendly staff make all the difference to delivering great customer service.
Reviewed By 996deedeed
This place is ideal for children of any age, especially the under 12s. Staff are superb and helpful, there are so many activities such as cow milking, goat feeding, pig racing, handling a guinea pig, a tractor ride, adventure playground, several flavours of ice cream, a restaurant with hot and cold food, bouncy castles and so on. We went with 2 year old toddlers and early teens and we all had an amazing time. Entrance fee is not cheap but do ask for what discounts are on. Once inside, some activities require an additional small charge.
5. Compton Acres
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 983 reviews
Reviewed By Pinkertonx - Hereford, United Kingdom
We've not been for some 20-odd years and apard from the new entrance and cafe, nothing has changed. The gardens are absolutely wonderful - the formality of the Italian gardens; the jungle woodland gardens full of cameila and rhododendrons, and the flowing Japanese garden with stunning photogenic views. We arrived for lunch and had a stupendous ham, egg and chips - huge amounts of off-the-bone wonderful ham! Then our walk around the gardens before revisiting the cafe for tea and cake. Then back into the garden for a second walk around before finally ending up at the plant centre and buying a lovely Pittosporum tobira 'Variegata' with the most wonderful scent! We'll be back!
6. Brownsea Island Ferries
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 663 reviews
Reviewed By carolinef361 - Salisbury, United Kingdom
Great day saw red squirrels a deer and baby peacocks.Restaurant did lovely steak pasties and the boat trip was full of information.Well worth cost.
7. Sandbanks Ferry
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,431 reviews
Reviewed By DodgetheViper - Telford, United Kingdom
This chain ferry operates from Sandbanks to Shell Bay. If you are in Bournemouth or Poole this ferry provides a quick short cut for access to Studland And the Isle of Purbeck. No booking is required just turn up drive or walk on and pay at the toll booth on the Shell Bay side. The ferry runs frequently and only takes a few minutes to do the crossing but it does save a long drive round. Be warned though in the holiday season it does get very busy and there’s long queues in the specially marked ferry lanes on the sandbanks side.
8. Condor Ferries - Day Trips
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 169 reviews
Sail high-speed on a day trip from Poole to Guernsey onboard Condor Liberation. Your day trip experience starts onboard with comfortable lounges to sit in with seat upgrades available, delicious food and drink to enjoy and up to 40% savings in the Adore duty free shop. There is a variety of fun things to see and do on Guernsey, so visit our website and get ready for your adventure to begin!
Reviewed By JulieWilson66
Very impressed with all the efforts made by Condor to ensure crew and passenger safety and confidence in these difficult times of travel during Covid. I think they did an excellent job
9. Branksome Chine
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 224 reviews
Reviewed By T2994ASrogerh - Poole, United Kingdom
Branksome Chine is a fabulous place to go, always busy but much better than other nearby beaches. Parking can fill up quickly but you can park nearby in the side roads. Good restaurant/café and beach shop Lovely promenade that allows you to walk all the way to Bournemouth and beyond Canford Cliffs village is a short walk from here If you cross the road you can walk through the Chine all the way to Penn Hill My favourite local beach
10. Poole Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 416 reviews
Reviewed By B940ATjonathanl - Somerset, United Kingdom
If your in the area and you want a free day out then this place is just the ticket ..Huge boating lake with pedalos and kayak hire ..The lake alone would take an hour too walk round ..Crazy golf , lawned areas for picnics and lazing around ,a cafe , ice cream parlour and free parking ..lovely.
