What are the top things to do Bournemouth? Lets see, the main thing to look out for when choosing hotels in Bournemouth is how close the hotel is to the town centre and the numerous sights and attractions. With so much to do within the town, you should choose a hotel within walking distance of the beaches and gardens.
Most Bournemouth hotels are concentrated in this area anyway, so the best thing to do is work out which attractions you most want to be near, and then look at the hotels on offer. We’ve put together some of the must-see attractions in Bournemouth to help you plan your trip.
Top things to do in Bournemouth
Bournemouth Pleasure Gardens
The world famous ornamental Pleasure Gardens are divided into three areas, the Lower Gardens by the sea, the Central Gardens in the town centre and the Upper Gardens. The gardens are simply stunning to behold and a wonderful reminder of the Victorian era – so much so that they are now Grade II listed. Definitely, one of the top things to do in Bournemouth.
The Alum Chine Gardens boast an award winning tropical garden from the 1920’s and provide a lovely place to sit and look out over the bay and the blue flag beach below, only a short walk from most hotels in Bournemouth town centre.
Similarly the Italianate Gardens in Boscombe have the feel of a secret retreat, somewhere to escape the commotion of daily life. In all, there are gardens covering over a sixth of Bournemouth, and you are never far away from a dose of horticultural bliss.
The Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum
One of the highlights of Bournemouth is the grand old Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum, set in East Cliff Hall, the home of Sir Merton Russell-Cotes. The building was designed by John Frederick Fogerty and is an impressive mix of the Renaissance with Italian and Scottish baronial styles, lavishly and ostentatiously decorated and packed full of eclectic treasures from around the world.
Sir Merton and Lady Russell-Cotes collected these treasures on their travels through Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, America and Hawaii and then used East Cliff Hall as a showcase for their collection. The museum has recently had a £3 million overhaul and is a wonderful place to wander around.
Highlights include the Japanese collections and the Victorian art and sculpture, as well as a selection of Pre-Raphaelite art. There is also a beautiful landscaped garden set on the cliff top. A number of the finer hotels in Bournemouth are located very close to the museum.
The Oceanarium
For a taste of nature’s wonders head down to the pier and the nearby Oceanarium. Right on the doorstep of most Bournemouth hotels it is a must-see attraction. Inside they have recreated a number of marine habitats including the Amazon and the Great Barrier Reef and the selection of marine creatures from clownfish to sea turtles, and from stingrays to sharks, is exceptional.
There is also an interactive dive cage set amongst Great White Sharks and Manta Rays to get the pulse racing.
The Bournemouth Eye
The Bournemouth Eye is a balloon tethered to the ground by a steel cable that lifts you 500ft above the ground. Once up there you can experience spectacular views of Fawley Power Station, the English Channel and the whole of Bournemouth as well as miles and miles of the Jurassic Coast Line and the Isle of Wight.
Bournemouth Beaches
No list with things to do in Bournemouth would be complete without mentioning the outstanding beaches – beaches that have won awards year after year. Clean, sandy and stretching for miles and miles, they are the very reason Bournemouth exists.
They run for seven miles in total, from Hengistbury Head in the east to Sandbanks in Poole. They are perfect for swimming and offer surfing for all levels. Recently, they have also become the site of Europe’s first artificial surf reef in Boscombe, made from 55 giant sandbags which form a ramp for the waves and create a consistent high quality break.
Not for beginners, this break has started to attract surfers from all over the UK and only added to the growing water-sports activities on offer in Bournemouth.
As well as these attractions, you can use Bournemouth hotels as a base to explore further out, from nearby Christchurch and the massive Christchurch Priory to Poole and the Waterfront Museum, or ferries out to Brownsea Island (with its famous red squirrels) or to Wimbourne Minster and beyond.
Best of all are the miles and miles of Jurassic Coastline to explore throughout Dorset.
For more things to do in Bournemouth and surrounding area, check out our page on Bournemouth Tourist Information or if you’ve decided to visit, Compare the best deals on Bournemouth Hotels