This weekend (13 to 15 Nov) · All of Dorset
Open all year
A former Cistercian monastery turned private family home, set on the banks of the River Axe with around 30 acres of award-winning gardens and ponds. The gardens change through the seasons, from spring bulbs and tulips to summer roses and dahlias, autumn colour in the arboretum, and a working walled kitchen garden growing vegetables and pumpkins.
Open all year
Ruined hilltop castle in the Isle of Purbeck, partly destroyed during the English Civil War. Visitors can explore fallen walls, spot murder holes and arrow loops, and take in wide views across Purbeck. A thousand years of royal and family history, from Henry I to the Bankes family, unfolds across the site, appealing to both adults and children.
Open all year
A subtropical garden set in a sheltered woodland valley with its own micro-climate, close to the Fleet Lagoon and Chesil Beach. It holds notable collections of camellias, magnolias, rhododendrons and hydrangeas, alongside a Victorian garden, Burma Rope Bridge and views of the Jurassic Coast. There is a coffee shop, gift shop and plant centre on site, with free car parking and dogs welcome on leads.
Open all year
A historic wildlife site on the Dorset coast where visitors can walk among a colony of nesting mute swans. Hand feeding sessions take place daily alongside a talk from the swanherd, and families can enjoy the Brambly Hedge Trail, a willow maze and pedal go-karts. There is also a herb garden, a reed cutter's display and a café.
Open all year
A Grade I listed 19th-century castle set in grounds with direct access to a sandy beach and the nearby Steamer Point nature reserve. Room hosts share the history of the building and past residents, including department store founder Harry Gordon Selfridge, who once lived there. The grounds suit a relaxing stroll or a family picnic, and there are tearooms on site.
Open all year
A maritime museum in Poole's Old Town telling the story of the town and its people shaped by the sea. Visitors can see three immersive galleries, an Iron Age logboat nearly ten metres long, interactive displays and family-friendly trails, with free entry. The site also includes Scaplen's Court, a preserved medieval merchant's house with a walled herb garden.
Open all year
Poole's historic quayside, where tall ships, fishing boats and Sunseeker powerboats come and go, and boats leave for harbour cruises, Swanage and Old Harry, and for Brownsea Island every 30 minutes in season. Explore the Old Town on the Cockle Trail, head up to the viewing platform of the Sea Music sculpture, try crabbing or sit with the life-size statue of Lord Baden-Powell. Shops, cafés, restaurants and pubs line the quay.
Open all year
Pleasure boat trips departing from the quayside in Poole, giving views of Poole Harbour and the Dorset coastline. Cruises last around an hour, with booking preferred in advance though visitors can also turn up at the kiosk on the day.
Open all year
One of the largest and most complex Iron Age hillforts in Europe, its huge multiple ramparts, begun about 2,400 years ago, enclose an area the size of 50 football pitches. Entry is free at any reasonable time in daylight. The small car park gets busy at peak times. Chalk paths can be uneven and slippery, so wear sturdy footwear; the site is very exposed, and dogs must stay on a lead as sheep graze here.
Open all year
A walking and cycling route starting at Wareham Quay, running past the town's railway station and into Wareham Forest. It links with a longer circular trail through heath and woodland, suiting those wanting a short stroll or a longer forest walk.
Open all year
A striking natural limestone arch on the Jurassic Coast, reached by a steep path and steps from either Lulworth Cove or the cliff-top car park. The shingle beach suits confident walkers rather than those with mobility difficulties, and swimmers should take care as the shore shelves steeply with a strong under-tow.
Open all year
The Wessex Ridgeway is a long-distance trail crossing Dorset's rural heartland along a chalk ridge. It passes villages such as Cerne Abbas, takes in views across the Blackmore and Marshwood Vales, and finishes at Lyme Regis on the Jurassic Coast. The walking route covers around 62 miles, with a separate multi-use section for walking, cycling and horse riding.
Open all year
Upton House, a Grade II* listed Georgian mansion, stands in 160 acres of parkland, woodland and formal gardens with 2.6km of shoreline and plenty of wildlife. Wander the botanical Walled Garden, let children play at Spurrier's Play Park, or see local artists' work in the Gallery Upstairs above the Tea Rooms. Admission is free every day, all year, and the park is open until dusk; car parking charges apply.
Open all year
A walk up the pine-topped hill on the Symondsbury Estate, along a permissive path from the estate's free car park. It takes about 45 minutes, with a steep but steady slope to the summit and panoramic views of West Dorset, East Devon and out to sea. Sheep graze in the fields and on the hill, so close every gate and keep dogs on leads. Wear walking boots or wellies on rainy days.
Open all year
A heritage steam railway running 12 miles through the Purbeck countryside between Swanage, Corfe Castle, Harmans Cross, Herston Halt and Norden. Trips offer views of Corfe Castle and a chance to break the journey at stations along the line, including a railway museum at Corfe Station. Steam trains run most weekends year round and daily from April to October, with vintage diesel trains also in use.
Open all year
A rocky bay of shale below layered cliffs, overlooked by Clavell Tower and known for rock pools, fossils and some of Dorset's best surf. Ledges of harder limestone let you walk out and see fossils in the rock. The clear water is good for swimming and snorkelling, and surfers and windsurfers come all year for the waves, including the reef break at Broadbench.
Open all year
A deserted village evacuated in 1943 for wartime military training, now part of the Ministry of Defence's Lulworth Ranges. Visitors can see the ruined Row of terraced houses and the restored church and school, which hold exhibitions about the village and its former residents. A picnic area is set among restored farm outbuildings, and a mile-long walk leads on to Worbarrow Bay.
Open all year
A 180ft chalk figure of a club-wielding man cut into a hillside above the village of Cerne Abbas. Its age is uncertain, though a recent archaeological study suggests it may date from around 700-1100AD, pointing to a late Saxon origin. A gentle walk leads from the village to a viewing area off the main road, with a picnic spot near the car park; direct access to the figure itself is restricted to prevent erosion.
Open all year
Soft golden sand at Sandbanks, which has won the Blue Flag more times than any other UK resort. There's a café, mini golf, a children's play area and RNLI lifeguards. The beach can be reached by ramp, with a beach wheelchair and Mobi-Mat matting from May to September. Dogs aren't allowed on the main beach from 1 May to 30 September, but can use the stretch from the western end of the promenade to Haven Point all year.
Open all year
Sandy beaches by Bournemouth Pier, on the edge of the town's historic gardens, with cliff top walks and views to the Isle of Wight. Restaurants, cafés, mini golf and amusements are close by, and RNLI lifeguards patrol. From 1 July to 1 September the free KidZone scheme helps reunite lost children with their families. Dogs aren't allowed on the beach from 1 May to 30 September.
Open all year
Sculpture by the Lakes is a sculpture park at Pallington, near Dorchester. Allow at least an hour and a half, with plenty of places to sit or picnic along the way. The park needs a ticket, best booked ahead, while The Makers Yard is free to enter. Children under 14 are not admitted because of the deep, fast-flowing water. Well-behaved dogs on leads are welcome in most areas, and paths can be muddy in wet weather.
Open all year
A family-friendly country park and forest offering adventure play trails and tree-top challenges. Visitors can explore 1000 acres of woodland, meadows and lakes on foot or by bike, try adventure golf or a mini Land Rover course, or ride the narrow-gauge steam train. Dogs are welcome, and wheelchair and mobility tramper hire is available.
Open all year
A gently shelving beach of pebbles and sand, famous with Lyme Regis for its fossils, especially in the winter months. Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre runs guided fossil walks from February to September; collect only from fallen or beach material, never dig in the cliffs. After large cliff falls, stay away from the cliffs, and check tide times as you can be cut off. Dogs are welcome all year on East Beach.
Open all year
The Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum fills a historic clifftop house on Bournemouth's East Cliff. Its richly decorated galleries hold fine art, sculpture and treasures from around the world, gathered by the Victorian collectors Sir Merton and Lady Russell-Cotes, alongside a changing programme of exhibitions. The café looks out to sea. The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday and on bank holiday Mondays.