Poole, Dorset
Accommodation, restaurants & cafés, & tourist attractions

Poole Quay Customs House (Copyright Mark Simons)

Poole (Dorset)

Poole sits anchoring the Jurassic Coast at its eastern end. Its large and busy harbour an exciting prelude to the world heritage coastline. No matter what your age or the time of year you visit there is something for everyone to do and see. Miles of safe, clean, sandy beaches, the proud winners of countless Blue Flags, it is the perfect spot for families, watersports enthusiasts or for those just wanting to get away from it all. The beaches have excellent facilities, with a number of shore-line cafes, hotels and restaurants and it is possible to hire pedaloes and kayaks and for the more adventurous to have a go at sailing, kite and windsurfing under the expert eye of the watersport schools. Events are held along the beach at different times of the year; beach volleyball, fireworks and the Animal Windfest, to name a few, but many take a more traditional approach to enjoying the beautiful seaside and making sandcastles, paddling and ice-cream eating being the must-do activities.

Away from the beaches and back to the town - the busy quayside has undergone a major transformation in the last few years and there is still more to come. Despite the removal of Poole's famous pottery from the quay it remains an interesting place to while a way a few hours; historic buildings, smuggling alleys and museums now jostle for position along side up-market flats with fantastic views out to Brownsea Island, Old Harry Rocks, the Jurassic Coast and beyond. There are numerous pubs and places to eat, from the chippie kiosk to high-end restaurants. There is no end to the variety, size and cost of the boats that frequent the harbour from tiny dinghies to the yachts of dreams. The boats of the mega-rich are seen moored up at the quayside and are definitely worth an envious glance. Poole is also home to the world famous powerboat builders Sunseeker and their boats are often in and out of their yard on the dockside, getting the finishing touches. A ride on a super-yacht may not be in everyone's budget but there are loads of other opportunities to take to the water, allowing visitors to have undoubtly the best view of the Jurassic Coast, a good look at the National Trust's Brownsea Island and perhaps a glimpse of its elusive red squirrels or try their hand at a spot of fishing. From May to September a number of well-attended evening activities take place along the quay.

A gentle walk from Poole Quay through the pedestrianised High Street will take you to the Dolphin Shopping centre, a large, indoor mall with almost a 100 shops, recently refurbished and all the usual high street brands and more besides can be found. A few more paces will bring you neatly to the bus interchange and minutes from the mainline station with regular trains to London and further down the Jurassic Coast to Weymouth. Poole also has a great arts centre, "Lighthouse", which regularly holds concerts and theatre productions and is the home base for the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. If you are looking for high speed thrills Poole speedway is just a stones throw from the town centre, greyhound racing is also held here several times a week.

Beyond the town Poole still has loads to offer. Ten minutes in the car will see you to Tower Park leisure complex. Having recently undergone a revamp, it now boasts an excellent waterflume park, Splashdown, a 10-screen cinema, Gala bingo and newly re-fitted Bowlplex 10 pin bowling alley. There is also a wide variety of restaurants giving loads of options for dining; it's a great place for the whole family to spend the day, rain or shine. A few minutes the other way will take you to the internationally famous gardens; Compton Acres, some of the most beautiful you will see. A lot of work has been done on the gardens in the last few years, and they are just stunning whatever time of the year you visit.

Whether you are 2, 22 or 102 it's a great place to visit on the World Heritage Coast.