Bournemouth

Where to base yourself in Bournemouth largely comes down to which side of the pier, and how central, you want to be. East Cliff has long been the town's grandest hotel address, with a run of large seafront hotels set on the clifftop above the Lower Gardens, offering sea views and the shortest walk down to the pier and beach; it suits visitors who want a classic, full-service seaside hotel experience with spas, pools and restaurants on site. West Cliff, on the other side of the pier, has a similar cluster of hotels in a slightly quieter setting nearer Alum Chine, and works well for those who want the same easy beach access with a touch more calm in the evenings.

Staying in the town centre, around the Square and Old Christchurch Road, puts restaurants, bars and the shopping streets on the doorstep, with the beach still an easy downhill walk away; this suits visitors who plan to split their time between the seafront and the town rather than staying seaside all day. It also tends to offer the widest range of guest houses and independent B&Bs at more moderate prices than the seafront hotels. Boscombe and Southbourne, a short bus ride further east, appeal to those wanting a quieter, more local feel, with smaller guest houses and self-catering options and a growing choice of independent cafes along Christchurch Road.

Prices in Bournemouth rise sharply in July and August and around the Air Festival weekend, when the largest seafront hotels can book out weeks ahead, so visitors planning a summer trip are best booking well in advance regardless of area. Outside the school holidays, particularly in spring and autumn, rates ease considerably and even the grander East and West Cliff hotels can offer good value for a seaside break with far fewer crowds on the beach itself.

Bournemouth's attractions cluster around the seafront and town centre, with most reachable on foot or via the seafront land train.

• Bournemouth Pier anchors the seafront with amusements, a rock-climbing wall and zip line, and remains the best vantage point for views along the bay in both directions.
• Bournemouth Beach stretches for seven miles of fine golden sand, holding Blue Flag status and backed by beach huts, deckchairs and a run of seafront cafes.
• Oceanarium, next to the pier, is a small aquarium built around a walk-through tunnel, home to sharks, rays, clownfish and a rescued sea turtle.
• Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum occupies a lavish Victorian villa on the East Cliff, built as a private house and filled with the original owners' collection of art and curiosities from around the world.
• Lower Gardens run in a landscaped ribbon from the seafront up into the town centre, with mature trees, a miniature putting green, bandstand and the Bournemouth Aviation Museum's static displays nearby.
• Boscombe, a short walk or bus ride east along the coast, has its own restored pier, an artificial surf reef and a growing cluster of independent cafes and shops along the seafront and Christchurch Road.
• Compton Acres, a few miles west towards Poole, is a series of themed formal gardens set above Poole Harbour, including Japanese, Italian and rock gardens developed over the twentieth century.
• A boat trip from Bournemouth Pier or Poole Quay gives access to Poole Harbour, Brownsea Island's red squirrels and peacocks, and the sandbanks and chalk stacks of the Jurassic Coast further west.

As a resort built on its beach, Bournemouth has a long-standing tradition of fish and chip shops and seafront cafes serving cream teas, ice creams and simple grilled fish, many clustered around the pier and the beach huts along the promenade. The town centre and Boscombe have both developed more ambitious independent dining in recent years, with Christchurch Road in Boscombe in particular known for its small cafes, bakeries and restaurants covering everything from Sri Lankan and Vietnamese cooking to specialty coffee. Dorset's wider food identity shows up on Bournemouth menus too, with Poole Bay crab and lobster, Dorset cheeses and local ales from breweries in the surrounding countryside all fairly easy to find. Bournemouth also holds a seafood festival on the seafront each summer, and the town centre's Square and Old Christchurch Road host regular street food and farmers' markets that bring together local producers alongside the more familiar chain restaurants and bars that cater to the student and visitor crowd.

Bournemouth itself is a built-up seaside town with no camping within its boundaries, so anyone wanting to pitch a tent needs to look just outside the town, in the flatter farmland and heathland that surrounds Poole, Christchurch and the towns just across the Hampshire border. This part of Dorset and south Hampshire is gentle rather than dramatic, a mix of arable fields, river valleys and heath, with the New Forest a little further north offering a change of scenery for those who want woodland walks alongside their beach days.

Wild camping is not legally permitted anywhere in Dorset or Hampshire without the landowner's consent, unlike parts of Dartmoor further west, so a stay near Bournemouth means booking into one of the established touring parks and holiday parks in the surrounding countryside rather than pitching informally on the coast or heath. Several of the larger sites within reach of the town offer a good spread of facilities, from simple grass touring pitches to holiday parks with pools and on-site entertainment, which suits families wanting a base for the beach without the cost of a seafront hotel.

Being close to the coast, sites in this area can catch a stiffer breeze than inland Dorset, so a well-anchored tent or awning is worth having even in high summer, and conditions are noticeably calmer once you move a few miles inland towards Ferndown and West Moors. The most reliable months for camping near Bournemouth run from April to September, when the beaches are at their best and most local sites are fully open; several reduce facilities or close entirely over the winter, so it is worth checking opening dates before planning a visit outside the main season.