Our top 10 Dorset tourist attractions

Dorset is a sunny and cheerful county that attracts visitors year after year. One of the main reasons people choose to come back is that there is so much to do. There are seaside towns to visit, beaches to relax and play on, exciting activities to try and beautiful nature to explore. We’ve chosen 10 of the very best Dorset tourist attractions to help you choose where to go and what to see.

1 Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door

Easily one of the most recognisable sights of Dorset, Durdle Door is a spectacular natural limestone arch which hangs over the sea at the end of a lovely shingle beach. It can be accessed via a steep coastal path over the cliffs from Lulworth Cove. This stunning and impressive natural cove, formed over 10,000 years ago, is another of Dorset’s star attractions. If you don’t fancy the walk, you can take a motor boat service from the cove to see Durdle Door from a different angle.

Pitch up on Lulworth Cove or choose the perfect Durdle Door camping spot.

2 Lulworth Castle

Also in the Lulworth area and situated imposingly in beautiful and extensive park land is the fantastic Lulworth Castle. The building was originally built as a hunting lodge and has a fascinating history – including a disastrous fire in 1929. You can climb to the top of its tower, from which you’ll get a stunning view of the countryside down towards the above mentioned cove. The grounds are great to wander through and there is a playground for kids.

Entrance costs adults £5, children £3 and under 4’s go free.

Browse our selection of campsites near to Lulworth Castle.

3 Monkey World

Those with kids will have a fantastic day out at the Monkey World monkey sanctuary near Wareham. There are over 250 rescued and rehabilitated primates here, with the chimpanzees being the most famous. And after seeing the animals, kids can get up to their own monkey business running around in the large play area.

You can buy a family ticket for £35, or adult tickets cost £11.25, and children between 3 and 15 cost £8.

Stay overnight at one of these campsites near Monkey World.

4 Sherborne Abbey

After a day running wild with the kids you may fancy something a little quieter- I know I would! Head to the beautiful town of Sherborne, which is full of medieval buildings and small shops. Here you’ll also find the lovely Sherborne Abbey, which you can visit any time between 8am and 6pm in the summer (8am to 4pm in the winter). There are guided tours which you can arrange in advance through the website.

5 Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum

On a rainy day (and let’s face it, the UK summer has its fair share of rainy days), head to Bournemouth for a cultural day at the excellent Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum. The fantastic Art Nouveau building and its contents as well as an extensive fine art collection were donated to the people of Bournemouth by Sir Merton Russell-Cotes, a former mayor of the city.

The fascinating collections and temporary special events can be seen for free between October and March – with low admission charges in place from April to September.

6 Lower Gardens

Also in Bournemouth are the lovely and relaxing Lower Gardens. Here you can stroll among the pleasant flowerbeds along a winding waterway. Small, pretty bridges allow you to cross over the water, and it is a nice place to sit for a picnic lunch in the sun or on one of the shaded bench areas. Visiting the gardens is completely free.

7 Chalk giants

Another of Dorset’s famous sights which never fails to impress is the Cerne Abbas Giant, which at 180 foot tall is Britain’s largest chalk figure. You can discuss the many theories about the giant’s origin – which is believed to date back to the Iron Age. Also in Dorset is the Osmington White Horse. Created in 1808, this is the only chalk horse in England to have a rider.

8 Brownsea Island

For some of the best natural beauty Dorset has to offer, take the boat to Brownsea Island. Nature thrives here – from the island’s famous red squirrels, to plants and woodland, to birds such as kingfishers and oystercatchers. It’s a peaceful haven for nature and for us humans, too! Half-hourly boat services run from Poole Quay and Sandbanks.

9 Portland Bill Lighthouse

Portland is a fascinating place with a rich and colourful heritage. It is famous for its stone, which is used for important buildings all over Britain – including St Paul’s Cathedral in London. Less famous, but no less interesting, is the Portland Bill Lighthouse. You can take a 45 minute tour of the lighthouse, which has been guiding ships for nearly 300 years.

Admission costs £4 an adult, £3 a child, or £10 for the family – please note that they do not accept card payments.

10 Badbury Rings

This ancient site of Badbury Rings, only a few minutes away from Wimbourne Minster, is an impressive Iron Age hill fort and lying just outside the outer ditch is a series of Bronze Age barrows. Also linked to the Romans and King Arthur, the area is supposedly haunted by the ghost of a wounded warrior. It’s worth driving here via Beech Avenue – an impressive and pretty tree-lined road.

The County of Dorset has many dedicated visitors who come back year after year. We hope this list keeps you and your family busy on your first Dorset holiday – or gives you new and fresh ideas for your return trip!