Should you’re on the lookout for family-friendly issues to do in Poole you’ve come to the suitable place. On this Dorset vacation spot information I’m sharing what to do in Poole with youngsters together with free locations to go to, issues to do when it rains, household sights and dog-friendly days out.
Need extra concepts for household holidays and days out? Learn my ideas for smashing household journey and join my publication.
Free issues to do in Poole for households
Days out can rapidly get costly. That’s why we like to combine issues up with low-cost and free issues to do.
Listed below are a number of the locations go in Poole free of charge:
1. Upton Nation Park
Upton Nation Park to the west of Poole has 160 acres of parkland to discover together with playgrounds, vast open fields, wildlife areas and formal gardens.
There’s additionally a craft studio, youngsters’s exercise golf equipment (bookable), a splash fountain, pétanque space, Parkrun on Saturdays and Sundays (junior) and even Yoga classes (bookable).
To discover the parkland, playgrounds and walled gardens you simply have to pay for parking. Obtain the Ringo App for cashless cost.
Discover out extra about visiting Upton Nation Park.
2. Discover Poole Outdated City and Quay
If you wish to chill out by the water, decide up a ship journey round Poole Harbour or catch a ferry throughout to Brownsea Island then Poole Quay within the Outdated City is the place to go.
It’s a vibrant space to go searching with bottle inexperienced tiled pub fronts, timber body buildings and extra trendy additions with open fronted eating places.
In addition to choosing up a harbour sightseeing tour, you may climb up the ‘Sea Music’ sculpture by artist Sir Anthony Caro for a seagull’s eye view of the Quay (there’s an exercise sheet about it for teenagers).
3. Poole Museum
Go to the free Poole Museum to find the story of the city from pre-history to trendy occasions.
The museum additionally has a devoted space for arts and crafts for youthful guests and a programme of faculty vacation actions.
Discover out extra about visiting Poole Museum.
4. Sandbanks Seashore play space
A beautiful little distraction from the seaside at Sandbanks is the playground, which is by the Pavilion.
There’s sand diggers, a big rope climbing body and rockers. Canine are allowed on a lead.
There’s additionally journey golf beside the play space.
Discover out extra about Sandbanks Play Space.
5. Poole Park
That is the right place for a picnic with 110 acres of parkland, massive play parks, a saltwater lagoon and lakes. Don’t overlook some fowl seed to feed the swans and geese.
Should you do have a few cents to spend there’s an ice cream store and loopy gold course.
Discover out extra about Poole Park.
6. Poole Lifeboat Museum
Poole is the house of the RNLI and you’ll find out extra about its historical past on the Outdated Lifeboat Museum.
This free place to go to in Poole provides you an opportunity to see one of many historic lifeboats in a former lifeboat station. Name to test opening occasions.
Discover out extra about Poole Lifeboat Museum.
Issues to do in Poole when it rains
Poole is an excellent place to chill out and discover when the solar is shining. However how are you going to entertain the children when it rains?
Heres some locations to go in Poole then it’s moist:
7. The Ark Tender Play
There’s three ranges of indoor enjoyable for teenagers aged as much as 11-years-old at this tender play centre in Poole Park.
There’s indoor and outside seating for adults in addition to a restaurant.
Discover out extra about this tender play centre in Poole.
8. Pottery Studio at Poole Park
Nice artistic throughout a visit to the Pottery Studio in Poole Park the place you may embellish your individual pots whereas having fun with a cuppa and cake.
Discover out extra in regards to the Pottery Studio.
9. Lemur Landings
If you’re on the lookout for tender play areas in Poole then Lemur Landings delivers this and extra.
There’s imaginative play for little ones, a climbing wall and a fantastic cafe. Good for a moist day in Dorset!
Discover out extra about Lemur Landings.
10. Bowling and cinema at Tower Park
Catch the newest flick or problem your youngsters to a bowling competitors at Tower Park the place you’ll discover Cineworld and Hollywood Bowl.
Discover out extra about issues to do at Tower Park.
11. The Lighthouse Poole
Catch a family-friendly present at The Lighthouse – Poole’s theatre.
Discover out what’s on at The Lighthouse.
12. Mr Mulligans Journey Golf
Simply down the highway in Bournemouth you’ll discover Mr Mulligan’s journey gold centre with 18 indoor holes to maintain you entertained on a moist day.
There’s additionally pool tables, ping pong and a taking pictures gallery, making this someplace you may simply fill a couple of hours is it’s raining exterior.
Discover out extra about Mr Mulligans in Bournemouth.
Seashores and water actions
Poole sits on the coronary heart of the South Coast of England, so seashores and water based mostly actions characteristic massive of the listing of issues to do. Right here’s a couple of of them:
13. Poole seashores
The Poole shoreline is awash with sandy seashores – simply head south and also you’ll discover one.
Sandbanks, Shell Bay and Branksome Chine are rated the perfect for the protection, golden sands and family-friendly services.
You’ll additionally discover a strip of seaside on the within of Poole Harbour which is shallow and ultimate for young children to paddle in at excessive tide. Bear in mind the underside is slitty because the tide does out.
Should you’re a household with a pet it’s important to do some extra analysis to search out Dorset seashores which are dog-friendly all yr spherical.
Listed below are some dog-friendly seashores in Bournemouth and in Poole to save lots of you the leg work.
14. Water sports activities
If you wish to discover ways to paddle board or kite board search for Simple Riders.
They provide classes from the sting of Whitley Lake at Sandbanks, also called Poole Harbour. They supply all of the tools and a spot to alter in one in all their vans.
Discover out extra about water sports activities classes and tools rent from Simple Riders.
15. Poole boat excursions
There are a number of firms providing board journeys alongside the Dorset coast from Poole Quay and Harbour:
Bear in mind that whereas canine are allowed on most boats journeys, they aren’t allowed on Brownsea Island.
16. Mermaid recognizing with the Dorset Belle
Not your common boat journey however one which I do know would attraction most to my youngsters is mermaid recognizing with the Dorset Belle.
These particular ‘fishing journeys’ go away from Poole Quay and head out to the bay seeking legendary sea creatures. In contrast to a whole lot of wild life recognizing journeys you’re assured to sight a mermaid – Dorset Belle’s captain is an knowledgeable.
Discover out extra about boat journeys with the Dorset Belle.
Poole sights
Right here’s some Poole sights for households:
17. Upton Home
Upton Home was constructed within the nineteenth Century by Christopher Spurrier whose household made its fortune from the Poole and Newfoundland fishing commerce.
After a succession of householders and tenants, the home and grounds had been gifted to the borough of Poole and ultimately opened to the general public in 1976.
This and the nation park are actually sorted by the council and a crew of volunteers. You’ll be able to go to the park free of charge and take a tour of the home on chosen dates all year long for a small charge.
In entrance of the home is a lovely garden the place you may picnic, play ball video games and chill out.
Discover out when Upton Home is open.
18. Compton Acres historic gardens
Compton Acres is an absolute gem and excellent for a scorching day once you wish to discover some shade along with your youngsters and/or canine.
The gardens are break up into themed areas from Italian impressed gardens full with statues, grottos and a villa, to water gardens with waterfalls and a Japanese impressed house the place you’ll discover big carp basking within the solar.
The gardens are very cleverly accomplished, making them really feel a lot larger than the ten acres that they cowl. You get to see the gardens from plenty of totally different angles with view factors, criss crossing paths and stepping stones throughout ponds.
There’s additionally a youngsters’s exercise space with a teepee, station and animal sculptures.
Discover out extra about Compton Acres.
19. Farmer Palmers Farm Park
This exercise farm to the west of Poole and is billed as a prime time out for teenagers as much as the age of about eight. It has animal petting, play areas and farm-themed rides.
Discover out extra about Farmer Palmers Farm Park.
20. Splashdown
This waterpark is the right place for households to move on a sunny or moist day in Poole.
It has 13 indoor and outside flumes starting from light slides for newbies although to high-speed shoots for adrenline junkies, tyre rides with whirlpools, and black holes.
For toddlers there’s splash zones appropriate for beneath fives and you should purchase a mixed attraction ticket to entry the neighbouring Lemur Landings Tender Play.
Discover out extra about visiting Splashdown in Poole.
21. Brownsea Island
In case your youngsters are into Scouting or Guiding then they are going to know all about Brownsea Island which was the positioning of Lord Baden-Powell’s first camp in 1907.
It’s additionally a haven for wildlife together with about 200 endangered crimson squirrel which have discovered refuge right here away from aggressive gray squirrels on the mainland.
You’ll be able to attain Brownsea Island by ferry from Poole Quay or Sandbanks. Please bear in mind that canine usually are not allowed on Brownsea Island.
Discover out extra about visiting Brownsea Island.
Issues to do close to Poole
Dorset is filled with household pleasant days out. For extra concepts for issues to do in Poole, Bournemouth and past, check out my information to things to do in Dorset with youngsters.
Right here’s a video from our final journey to the realm.
Discover extra days out in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Eire in my large spherical up of 101 UK sights for households.
