I love the Bourrnmouth Gardens on a nice sunny day grab a deckchair by the bandstand and listen to…read morethe live instrumnetall band playing whilst tucking into a Ice cream. They also have artists selling their paintings near by and also a big aviary where there is also refreshments available so you can sit down and relax. Also look out for the squirels as they are very friendly and will pop up and say hello to you whislt you are sitting on one of the benches, so watch your food.. Crazy golf also available in the gardens. Also sponsered by Bournemouth football club is the big air balloon ride that takes you up on the spot so you can see all the scenery of Bournemouth.

Bourenmouth Garden is a vibrant place with lots of activities going on particularly in the summer…read moretime. Firework dsiplay is one of many activities that should not be missed in the summer weekends. Tennis playing in a beautiful leavy environment is a wonderful experience. The whole area is properly maintained with lots of beautiful decidous shrubs and tress full of colourful blossom throughout spring and autumn. Those who enjoy painting and sketching pictureque garden scenes would not miss this place too. Recently parking charges have been introduced and that has really spoiled the principles of freedom for the less advantageous people when they want to bring their children out to this place especially when many people have lost their jobs and incomes. It is a shame to charge people when they really need a free and healthy family leisure time with their kids.

Spectacular beach in built up Bournemouth. Amazingly, it's empty in November. But it still has soft…read moresand, easy access, lots of facilities, even some surf, so where is everyone? Oh yes, it's blowing a gail and been tipping with rain, maybe that's it. Still, highly recommended for all.

Soft golden sand, lifeguarded, blue flag beach. Overlooks Isle of Wight and Old Harry Rocks on the…read morePurbecks. Ideal for kids, but also popular with surfers, fishermen, canoists, beach volleyballers, sunbathers, you name it. The Pier has a shop selling buckets and spades, inflatables, newspapers etc, and also a cafe with outside tables. There's a pub (The Neptune), and the new and abfab Urban Reef bar and restaurant (with deli for beach picnics). Two lots of public loo nearby, plus hot and cold showers. Deck chairs, windbreaks, parasols and loungers can be hired - as can a wheelchair suitable for use on the sand. Also beach huts are available to rent by the day or week from the Seafront Office.

One of a number of pine clad 'chines' (valleys cut in the cliffs) in the area. This one has had a…read moremillion pound tart up, and boasts a children's play area with water, nature trail, flower beds, bandstand, basketball court, cafe, crazy golf, loos, and is served by a noddy train.

This is more than a beach it's an 18-mile shingle bank that defines the Jurassic Coast, which is a…read moreWorld Heritage Site thanks to all the dinosaur fossils. The day we were there the fishermen were pulling in what looked like mackerel by the bucket-load, and the sea was roughly and enthusiastically churning the pebbles along the coast. There's no easy way to get the scale of this feature except by bike (dodging cars along the main road) or driving to various towns along the way. An expert could tell from the pebbles in this photo that we were near Abbotsbury further West the beaches get increasingly child-friendly, and further East the pebbles are the size of potatoes sheltering Weymouth from the storms.

It's just wonderful. You just cannot believe it's there, even when standing on it. All those little…read morepebbles, for kilometres. We liked to stay there the whole day, but unfortunately hadn't the time. There are some nice places close to the street behind Abbotsbury whre you have an extraordinary view to the beach, the Fleet and St. Catherine's.

Christchurch Quay is at the end of Wick Lane just of the main high street one end and by the Priory…read moreart the other. There is a small play area for the younger children with a paddling pool that can be used in the summer. There is a large expanse of grass which is used for sports activities, picnics and in the summer hosts the Christchurch Regatta. There is also a band stand at Priory end which is used for public entertainment and shows. There are boats for hire in the summer and you can also get a ferry to Muderford Beach from here, once again in the summer. There are plenty of ducks and swans on the river here and children spend many a happy hour feeding them - though the swans have been known to get too close. There is a small cafe which enables you to get a drink and meal to warm you up during the colder times.

Beautiful country park run by Dorset County Council, in a spectacular cliff top location, with…read moreviews to the Isle of Wight. There is parking (reduced rates for Friends), loos, and a Visitor Centre, serving tea/coffee, with a wider range from Acorns Cafe adjoining the Centre. A rugged battery mobility cart is available. (The castle is being renovated until 2011, to create a Jurassic Coast Visitor Centre, and so the proper cafe - The Lookout - is also closed for now). The park is staffed by rangers, who post details of the wildlife to be seen each day in the Visitor Centre. There is a dolphin watch hut on the cliff top - look inside to see sightings on the blackboard (peak month is May). No chemicals are used, so the meadows and clifftops are chock full of wildflowers, including many varieties of wild orchid. There are many resident and visiting birds, and a TV in the Visitors Centre shows live pictures of the nesting seabirds on the cliffs. There is a hide, and observatory. Wonderful walks, including past the lighthouse (open many Sundays in summer).

This is an excellent park. There is vast grass areas to the front and back where one can picnic,…read moreplay games etc. The are often events going on in the summer, such as Proms in the Park, children's events, and as well as exhibitions of various kinds in the House, which is very beautiful. At the back of the house, pathways lead to the harbour and there are board walks out into the reeds which is wonderful for bird spotting and other flying fauna. Schools often make trips here. On a warm day , it really is lovely to walk down on Holes Bay on the board walks - you can feel very far from the busy life so near by.

Upton Country park lays in a peaceful part of Poole and is renowned for its house and Peacocks. The…read morepark is all within the grounds of Upton house and consists of a walled garden large pond with ducks etc, and tea rooms with regular art exhibitions. One of the main draws is Upton country parks Peacocks after problems with thefts in the past the peacocks have cage built homes now but are free to roam the grounds displaying for anyone who takes an interest. There is plenty of parking and plenty of room and open spaces for picnics and fun with the family. We regularly walk the dog in the grounds and its nice just to wander and get lost in the beauty of the grounds.For a free day out this is a great place.

A fabulous beach with some places of interest around if you get bored or burnt…read more The drawback is that it costs £8 to park here!!!! But if that doesn't put you off, then enjoy the lovely pale sands and the water which can feel warm! There's a shop and toilets (can't vouch for the state they'll be in) and a terrific view of Old Harry Rocks.

A lovely area to visit during the summer or the colder months. On one side you have lovely beaches…read more(naturist beach situated near the middle of the stretch between the ferry and Studland)and on the side which faces the inner harbour there are some fantastic walks to be had. This side tends to be quite quiet so you can find plenty of peace. Also a good spot for fishing with Flounder, Bass and Plaice in the area.