There’s little better than experiencing a popular resort away from the crowds - you’ll score the best seafront table, shun the crowds and bag a great accommodation deal at the same time! 

When the kids are back at school, autumn and early spring are perfect for a well-being break on the south coast.  

Perhaps you want to de-stress and decompress. Stroll along the miles of prom, spend time at any one of the beachside eateries or simply gaze across the infinite horizon. Stay overnight in a Bournemouth Beach Lodge and you’ll experience it all, waking up to the sound of the waves. 

To feel totally immersed in nature, reap the benefits of Nordic bathing at Saltwater Sauna on beautiful Sandbanks Beach. Enjoy golden sunsets and sunrises, crips autumn and winter mornings, moody skies and stormy weather fronts, all from the comfort of this beach-side sauna.   

If you’re after a new challenge, nothing’s better than getting out on the water. Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, three-resorts-in-one, offer more than 25 different water sports, arguably more than anywhere else on the coast. 

Historic gems? You’ll find a surprisingly impressive line-up here – head to Bournemouth’s Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum, visit historic Christchurch with its 11th century Priory wander the Monastic lawns, the ruins of a vast Norman castle, and drop in to the Red House Museum which tracks the town’s history from the Ice Age to present day. 

Just beyond Christchurch, opulent Highcliffe Castle is a romantic Grade 1 listed building with a fascinating history and five miles west from Bournemouth, Poole Quay boasts views across the largest natural harbour in Europe.  

When it comes to green space, few coastal resorts rival the acres of gardens, park lands and nature reserves of this coastal region.  Bournemouth’s Middle and Upper Gardens slice right through the heart of the town and lead all the way to Poole.   

Don’t miss Poole Park, award-winning Compton Acres, one of the finest privately-owned open gardens in the UK, Christchurch Botanic Garden or Kingston Lacy, a reimagined Venetian Palace with acres of formal gardens and parkland in the Dorset countryside. 

To get up-close to nature, hop on a ferry from Poole Quay to the National Trust’s Brownsea Island, home to the rare red squirrel, while to the east of Bournemouth you’ll find Hengistbury Head, this Site of Scientific Interest provides stunning views across Christchurch Harbour and the Isle of Wight.  

Think these resorts are just for fun in the sun? Come and dig into cultural treasures - museums, galleries, gardens and churches. Get active on the water or mindful in nature, these coastal gems are worth exploring deeper. 

Funded by UK government