Having lived in Bournemouth for 3 months, we mostly visited friends and not the town itself. The most interesting things are not in the city itself but outside (unless all you want to do is lie around in the sun on the beach…) Here a few that are accessible by foot, bike or public transports:
West of Bournemouth:
- a walk along the quay in Poole
- a day without cars on Brownsea Island, an unhabited island accessible only by ferry
- a bike journey or a hike between Shell bay and Swanage (Studland and Godlingston Heath National Nature Reserve and Durlston Country Park and National Nature Reserve)
East of Bournemouth:
- Christchurch
- many hikes in the New Forest National Park
- the famous Stonehenge (by car)
- by train and ferry to the Isle of Wight
Tips: Frida's Tearoom is the perfect place to finally try on of those famous British afternoon teas! Bike hire: OnYerBike Bournemouth Bike shop
Hengistbury Head is situated below Christchurch and is easy to reach by bus from Bournemouth. We drove to the Tuckton Tea Gardens and walked from there following the River Stour and its modern houses and boats. Hengistbury is a quiet place, the beach is not very busy as it is a pebble beach.
