Dorset Days Out Guide (2026)
Dorset attractions - Top things to do in Dorset, England
Dorset offers Jurassic Coast scenery, beaches, gardens, museums, wildlife attractions and historic sites across Bournemouth, Poole, Weymouth and Dorchester. There’s plenty to explore throughout the year.
Find things to do, places to visit and days out in Dorset.
Browse by attraction type
Offers & Ideas for Things to Do
Cheap Days Out and Tours - Save up to 60%Family Holidays - Lodges, Cottages & Holiday Parks
Family & Kids Things To Do - Save up to 60%
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Adults & Couples Days Out - Save up to 50%
Afternoon Tea for Two - Save up to 40%
Go Ape - Treetop Outdoor Adventure
Active & Adventure in Dorset
Go Ape Moors Valley - Ashley Heath
Go Ape Moors Valley is a high wires adventure course in Moors Valley Country Park, West of Ringwood in... read more
Active (sporting) things to do
Sandbanks Crazy Golf - Poole
Sandbanks Crazy Golf in Poole, BH13. Find opening hours, admission prices, map and contact details... read more
Active (sporting) things to do
Splashdown Poole - Poole
Splashdown Poole is a family waterpark with indoor and outdoor areas in the Tower Park entertainment centre Poole... read more
Active (sporting) things to do
Animals & Nature in Dorset
Abbotsbury Swannery - Abbotsbury, Nr Weymouth
Abbotsbury Swannery is the home of a managed colony of swans in Abbotsbury near Weymouth... read more
Animals & Nature
Arne RSPB Reserve - Wareham
Arne RSPB Reserve in Arne, Wareham, BH20. Find the latest opening hours, map and contact details... read more
Animals & Nature
Donkey Walking Adventures
Donkey Walking Adventures, Beaminster
Animals & Nature
Dorset Heavy Horse Farm Park - Verwood
Dorset Heavy Horse Farm Park is a heavy horse rescue centre with horse related activities plus children's play areas about 5 miles North West of Ringwood... read more
Animals & Nature
Fancys Family Farm - Portland
Fancys Family Farm in Portland, DT5 1FR. Find the latest opening hours, map and contact details... read more
Animals & Nature • Free entry
Farmer Palmer’s Farm Park - Organford, Poole
Farmer Palmer’s Farm Park is a farm attraction with children's play activities near Poole... read more
Animals & Nature
Monkey World Ape Rescue Centre - Longthorns, Wareham
Monkey World Ape Rescue Centre is a primate centre home to rescued and endangered primates of all kinds as seen on the TV show Monkey Life... read more
Animals & Nature
Moors Valley Country Park
Moors Valley Country Park, Horton Road, Ashley Heath, BH24 2ET
Animals & Nature
Oceanarium - Bournemouth
Oceanarium is an indoor attraction set over two floors and features a wide range of aquatic creatures from around the world... read more
Animals & Nature
Putlake Adventure Farm - Langton Matravers, Swanage
Putlake Adventure Farm is an all-weather children's activity farm attraction 2 miles from Swanage in Dorset... read more
Animals & Nature
Arts & Crafts in Dorset
The Clay Studio - Christchurch
The Clay Studio in Christchurch, BH23 1AE. Find the latest opening hours, map and contact details... read more
Arts and crafts • Indoor activities
Gardens in Dorset
Compton Acres - Poole
Compton Acres is 5 beautifully themed gardens, Italian Garden, Wooded Valley, Rock and Water Garden, Heather Garden and Japanese Garden set over 10 acres... read more
Gardens to visit
Kingston Maurward Gardens - Dorchester
Kingston Maurward Gardens in Dorchester, DT2 8PY. Find the latest opening hours, map and contact details... read more
Gardens to visit
Historical & Heritage in Dorset
Abbotsbury Abbey
Market Street, Weymouth, Dorset, DT3 4JR
Historical • Free entry
Corfe Castle - Corfe Castle, Wareham
Corfe Castle is the ruins of a 1000 year old castle on a mound overlooking Corfe village between Swanage and Wareham... read more
Historical tourist attractions
Fiddleford Manor
Fiddleford, Sturminster, Newton, DT10 2BX
Historical
Jordan Hill Roman Temple
Bowleaze Coveway, Weymouth, DT3 6PL
Historical
Kingston Lacy - Wimborne Minster
Kingston Lacy is a large country mansion, gardens and estate covering 8500 hectares... read more
Historical tourist attractions
Kingston Russell Stone Circle
Abbotsbury, Weymouth, Dorset, DT3 4JX
Historical
Mapperton - Beaminster
Mapperton in Beaminster, Dorset, DT8 3NR. Find the latest opening hours, map and contact details... read more
Historical tourist attractions
Knowlton Church and Earthworks
Knowlton, Wimborne, BH21 5AE
Historical
Maiden Castle
Maiden Castle Rd, Dorchester, DT2 9EY
Historical
Nothe Fort - Weymouth
Nothe Fort in Weymouth, DT4 8UF. Find the latest opening hours, map and contact details... read more
Historical tourist attractions
Portland Castle - Castletown
Portland Castle is a coastal fort built during the 16th century by Henry VIII and located on the island of Portland overlooking Portland harbour... read more
Historical tourist attractions
Sherborne Old Castle - Castleton, Sherborne
Sherborne Old Castle is the ruins of a 12th Century fortified palace, surrounded by a dry moat, that was once home to Sir Walter Raleigh... read more
Historical tourist attractions
Winterbourne Poor Lot Barrows
Winterbourne Abbas, Dorchester, DT2 9XD
Historical
Family & Kids Activities in Dorset
Crazy Monsters - Blandford Forum
Crazy Monsters is a children's indoor play centre in Blandford Forum. The centre has a three tier play frame with biff bags, slides, ball pool, spinners and an aerial glide... read more
Kids days out • Indoor activities
Lemur Landings Soft Play - Poole
Lemur Landings Soft Play is an indoor soft play centre for children up to 11, North East of Poole... read more
Kids days out • Indoor
Museums & Galleries in Dorset
Beaminster Museum - Beaminster
Beaminster Museum in Beaminster, DT8 3NB. Find the latest opening hours, map and contact details... read more
Museums & Galleries • Indoor
Blandford Town Museum - Blandford Forum
Blandford Town Museum in Blandford Forum, DT11 7HQ. Find the latest opening hours, map and contact details... read more
Museums & Galleries • Free entry • Indoor
Bridport Museum - Bridport
Bridport Museum in Bridport, Dorset. Find the latest opening hours, map and contact details... read more
Museums & Galleries • Free entry • Indoor
Dinosaurland Fossil Museum
Coombe Street, Lyme Regis, Dorset, DT7 3PY
Museums & Galleries
Dorset County Museum - Dorchester
Dorset County Museum is a museum with artefacts and collections of items relating to Dorset and it's past located in the county town of Dorchester... read more
Museums & Galleries
Gillingham Museum - Gillingham
Gillingham Museum in Gillingham. Find the latest opening hours, map and contact details... read more
Museums & Galleries • Free entry • Indoor
Gold Hill Museum and Garden - Shaftesbury
Gold Hill Museum and Garden is a local history museum with a garden in Shaftesbury... read more
Museums & Galleries • Free entry
Purbeck Mineral and Mining Museum - Corfe Castle
Purbeck Mineral and Mining Museum in Corfe Castle. Find the latest opening hours, map and contact details... read more
Museums & Galleries • Free entry • Indoor
Terracotta Warriors Museum
High East Street, Dorchester, Dorset, DT1 1JU
Museums & Galleries • Indoor
The Dinosaur Museum - Dorchester
The Dinosaur Museum is a museum about dinosaurs in Dorchester town centre... read more
Museums & Galleries • Indoor
The Dorset Teddy Bear Museum - Dorchester
The Dorset Teddy Bear Museum is an indoor family attraction about teddy bears in Dorchester... read more
Museums & Galleries • Indoor
The Keep Military Museum - Dorchester
The Keep Military Museum is a museum about the Devonshire and Dorset military regiments, West of Dorchester town centre... read more
Museums & Galleries • Indoor
The Tank Museum - Bovington
The Tank Museum in Bovington, BH20. Find the latest opening hours, map and contact details... read more
Museums & Galleries • Indoor
The Tutankhamun Exhibition - Dorchester
The Tutankhamun Exhibition in Dorchester, DT1. Find the latest opening hours, map and contact details... read more
Museums & Galleries
Tolpuddle Martyrs Museum - Tolpuddle, Dorchester
Tolpuddle Martyrs Museum in Tolpuddle, Dorchester, DT2. Find the latest opening hours, map and contact details... read more
Museums & Galleries • Free entry
Wareham Town Museum - Wareham
Wareham Town Museum in Wareham, Dorset. Find the latest opening hours, map and contact details... read more
Museums & Galleries • Free entry • Indoor
Weymouth Museum - Weymouth
Weymouth Museum in Weymouth, Dorset. Find the latest opening hours, map and contact details... read more
Museums & Galleries
Other Places to Visit in Dorset
Wimborne Minster Model Town - Wimborne Minster
Wimborne Minster Model Town is a model village set amongst gardens in the village of Wimborne Minster... read more
Other places to visit
Sandworld
Lodmoor Country Park, Preston Beach Road, Weymouth, DT4 7SX
Other places to visit
Theme Parks in Dorset
Adventure Wonderland - Hurn, Christchurch
Adventure Wonderland is a theme park with an indoor Aztec-themed children's play centre, plus 30 outdoor rides and attractions aimed at children up to 12... read more
Theme Parks
Transport & Railways in Dorset
Swanage Railway - Hurn, Christchurch
Swanage Railway in Swanage, Dorset. Find the latest opening hours, map and contact details...
Transport days out
Dorset Gift Experiences
From family outings and children’s activities to days out for adults and couples, Dorset offers plenty of attractions and scenic places to explore.
Page Updated: 24th May 2026