Dorset is in the South West of England on the English Channel coast and is famous for the amazing stretches of fine, sandy beaches and varied shorelines that yield up such treasures as the Jurassic Coast!
There are wide chalk downs here as well as low valleys and beautiful coves and islands. Ports at Portland, Poole and Weymouth as well as an international airport, make it easy to reach and there is a wide variety of accommodation to suit every budget.
There are many historic houses, theatres, art galleries, shopping towns, festivals and events and 185 million years of earth's history in the ninety five miles of coastline making up the Jurassic Coast - a great spot for fossil hunting and beach combing!
If you love walking, Dorset is for you. In fact, cyclists, hikers, climbers, holiday makers, travellers, students, kite flyers, peace seekers, windsurfers, anglers, golf enthusiasts and horse riders rate Dorset as one the United Kingdom's best holiday spots!
Why not check beaches nearby as we have 56 beaches in Dorset, or have a look at our list of Dorset dog friendly beaches, or even our United Kingdom Blue Flag beach list.
Dorset Coast Search Bar
Where would you like to go? Use our search bar to search across all our local listings, ideal for finding that nearest spot to visit:
Want some ideas on where to visit?
Every favourite location must be visited for the first time. Want some ideas, why not check out the below small selection of coastal locations, including beaches, activities, things to see and do, places to stay and eat:
- 7th September 2019-8th September 2019The Food Rocks festival was started by top chef Mark Hix with the main aim of promoting the produce of the local area around Lyme Regis on the Dorset coast.The festival welcomes top chefs, exhibitors, locals and visitors to Lyme Regis, the main stage showcase offers a mix of interactive cookery demonstrations, talks and tastings across the 2 days.The money raised goes to good causes split between the RNLI and the Fishermen’s Mission.
- 29th August 2019-1st September 2019The Bournemouth Air Festival is 4 days of varied flying programme, entertainment, live music and evening fireworks.
- Highcliffe Castle is a grade I listed building situated on a cliff-top site overlooking Christchurch Bay, Dorset. The castle was built in the early 1830s by Charles Stuart, 1st Baron Stuart de Rothesay in a Gothic Revival style on the site of High Cliff house, a Georgian Mansion. The design, by William Donthorne, has carved Medieval stonework salvaged from the Norman Benedictine Abbey of St Peter at Jumieges and the Grande Maison des Andelys.
- Brownsea Island offers a varied and beautiful landscape for enjoying the wonders of nature; from the patchworks of woodland, heath and grassy fields in the peaceful and secluded interior, to the cliffs and beaches of the coastline, which offer breathtaking views across the harbour to the Purbeck Hills. No motor vehicles exist on Brownsea Island making it the perfect place to relax. For the more energetic it is possible to explore the island on foot or you can just find a remote spot an enjoy a nice picnic.
- Bournemouth’s East Cliff beach is situated between Bournemouth and Boscombe Piers and this is a great sandy family beach. Land train goes along promenade between the two piers. The East Cliff Railway or East Cliff Lift, is a funicular railway and links the seaside promenade and Bournemouth East Beach with the cliff top and the town behind. Facilities include toilets, parking, cliff lift, cafe/shops and seasonal lifeguards.
- Highcliffe beach is sand and shingle beach with groynes below grassy cliffs. The beach has areas marked for swimmers and watersports, providing safe conditions. Highcliffe beach also provides good access to the fossil hunting clay cliffs at Barton on Sea. The beach has a large car park and most facilities are by the car park or a short walk to Highcliffe.
- Surfing and Paddleboarding – Surf Steps is based on Bournemouth beach, 500m from Boscombe pier.
- Maumbury Rings is a Neolithic henge within the town of Dorchester in Dorset, England. The rings are a large circular earthwork, 85 metres in diameter, with a single bank and an entrance to the north east.
- Canford Cliffs beach is a shallow sloping sandy beach, although as the tide comes in the amount of sand available is limited. The beach is below a steep sandy cliff which means you have steps to go down to get to the beach. Facilities include parking, toilets (with disabled facilities), food kiosks, and lifeguards in the summer.
- Monmouth beach is sand and pebble beach situated to the West of the Cobb and the beaches stretches over 1km away from the town. Monmouth beach is named because the Duke of Monmouth landed here in 1685 in an attempt to get the crown from King James II. Facilities include parking, food, toilets, chalets and beach huts. You also have access to Lyme Regis itself.
- Worbarrow Bay beach is mainly pebbles with a little sand. The beach has a steep shelf and so swimmers will be in deep water very fast. Popular anchorage for boats due to the steep shelf, meaning boats can come right into the bay and anchor a few metres from the beach. No facilities and no parking, with the best parking option being to park at Tyneham car park and walk the last half mile.
- Weymouth Pier is approached by a rather long pathway that runs around the edge of the ferry terminal. The pier itself is split into two, a commercial ferry terminal and public areas. Entertainment includes an amusement arcade situated in the rebuilt theatre. The pier is a popular location for sea fishing.
- Knowlton Church is a ruined Norman church, built within a neolithic henge monument. The henge enclosing Knowlton Church is only one of three henges and associated earthworks. However, Church Henge is the best preserved. Nearby is Great Barrow, the largest round barrow in Dorset. Aerial photographs reveal a large number of ploughed-out barrows in the immediate vicinity.
- The Central beach at Swanage is a great family beach set within a Victorian town with a pier. Swanage is a nice traditional family seaside resort whilst the beach is a sandy beach and is part of a larger stretch of sand that lasts for approximately 2km. Facilities include pier, promenade, cafes/restaurants, shops, children’s play area, beach huts, seasonal lifeguards, toilets with disabled facilities, showers and car parking.
