This weekend (13 to 15 Nov) · Weymouth and Portland
Weymouth and Portland covers Weymouth, Portland, Chickerell and Chesil Beach. Listings include Portland Bill Lighthouse, the Rodwell Trail, the Wild Chesil Centre and Weymouth SEA LIFE Adventure Park, plus sea kayaking, tall ship sailing from Portland Marina and boat trips. Events range from guided bat walks to art exhibitions.
Open all year
A working lighthouse on Portland Bill, standing 41 metres tall with its distinctive red and white tower. Visitors can climb 155 steps to the lantern room for views along the Jurassic coast, and explore displays in the refurbished visitor centre. Climbers must be at least 1.1 metres tall.
Open all year
Weymouth's sandy beach sits below the Georgian seafront, with a gently sloping seabed and clean water for swimming and water sports, making it a good choice for families. In summer there are deckchairs, a land train, sand sculptures and Punch and Judy, and RNLI lifeguards patrol from May to the end of September. There's ramp and level access, and beach wheelchairs can be hired.
Open all year
A fully surfaced, signposted 2-mile route between Weymouth and Portland along a disused railway line, suitable for walkers, cyclists and mobility scooters. It passes old station platforms and Sandsfoot Castle, with views across Portland Harbour, and is rich in birds, plants and butterflies. The walk can be extended to 4 miles using the Wild About Weymouth and Portland Legacy Trail.
Open all year
Nothe Fort is Weymouth's historic sea fort, with a maze of underground tunnels, a Victorian gun deck and a secret nuclear bunker to explore. Up on the ramparts there is a Second World War gun and views along the Jurassic Coast. Volunteers are on hand, there are trails to keep children busy, and the café serves light lunches and cakes. The fort is closed for maintenance from 2 November 2026 until February 2027.
Open all year
A 250-passenger cruise vessel departing from Weymouth Harbour, sailing along the Jurassic Coast towards landmarks such as Durdle Door and Lulworth Cove. Daytime cruises suit families, couples and groups, while evening sailings feature themed parties and live music, with indoor and outdoor seating and a licensed onboard bar.
Open all year
A quiet cliff top grassed open space above Bowleaze Cove, with wide views across Weymouth Bay to Portland, good for a picnic, a dog walk or flying a kite. Bowleaze Coveway, the road down to the beach, has a café, shops, a family pub, an amusement arcade and a funfair. There's free on-street parking, public toilets opposite the Oasis Café, and wheelchair access, though some inclines are steep.
Open all year
A secluded pebble cove on Portland's sheltered eastern side, popular for swimming, snorkelling and fishing, and thought to be the site of the first recorded Viking attack on the British Isles. The main path follows the road past Portland Museum and under the arch of Rufus Castle, then down steps on the South West Coast Path; another runs through woodland and the ruins of St Andrew's Church.
Open all year
A quiet pebble and shingle beach below flower-covered cliffs, with clear water that's safe for bathing and views across Weymouth Bay to Portland. Steep ancient tracks lead down from the National Trust car park at the top of the cliff, and there are no toilets. Dogs are welcome; use a short lead near sheep and nesting birds. The X54 bus stops at Kit Lane, about 3 miles away.
Open all year
A pebble barrier beach running 28km from Portland to West Bay, part of the Jurassic Coast and the reason Portland is joined to the mainland. At the Portland end, Chesil Cove is a popular place to sit on the beach, swim, dive and even surf, and anglers come all along it. The Chesil Beach Centre, beside the Fleet Lagoon, has a boardwalk giving easy access onto the beach.
Open all year
A family-run water garden on the edge of Chickerell, built on former clay pits and home to a National Plant Collection of water lilies. Grass paths wind through eight ponds, wetland planting and woodland, with a Monet-inspired bridge and a tropical house. There is a nature trail for children and a small museum on local history.
Open all year
An aquarium and adventure park in Weymouth with over 2,000 sea creatures, including otters, rescued sea turtles and a colony of fairy penguins. Attractions include the Ocean Tunnel coral reef display, the Caribbean Cove adventure play area with a galleon and lookout point, and an outdoor Splash Zone pool during summer.
Open all year
Guided sea kayaking, stand up paddleboarding and coasteering trips based in Castletown, Portland, with easy access into Portland Harbour. Trips explore the fleet lagoon, Chesil Beach and hidden coves and caves. Suitable for individuals, groups and families, with no experience required and double kayaks available for children as young as five.
Open all year
This museum on the Isle of Portland recreates the wartime dockyard from which US troops embarked for the D-Day landings in 1944. Visitors can handle original WW2 artefacts and weapons, climb inside military vehicles, or read information panels while taking in the dockyard setting. It suits all the family, and visitors are encouraged to dress in 1940s attire.
Open all year
Sailing trips aboard the tall ship Moonfleet, a gaff rigged cutter based at Portland Marina, suited to both beginners and experienced sailors. Passengers can either relax and watch the coastline or join the crew in tasks such as hoisting sails and taking the helm. Trips run most days but depend on the weather.
Open all year
A family-friendly visitor centre run by Dorset Wildlife Trust, offering interactive displays on the geology and wildlife of Chesil Beach and the Fleet Lagoon. Visitors can learn about the shingle beach's formation and the rare birds, fish and plants of the lagoon's Site of Special Scientific Interest. Fleet Explorer boat trips run from April to September, and the Salt Pig café overlooks the water.
Open all year
A windsurfing, kitesurfing and paddleboarding centre based within the National Sailing Academy grounds on Portland Harbour. It has an affiliated RYA school catering for all abilities, a shop selling watersports kit, and is a stockist of OneWheel electric boards.