Fancy a weekend in Bournemouth together with your toddler? I went a couple of weeks in the past, let me present you what we bought as much as…
Reggie and I took off to Bournemouth for the weekend to benefit from the seashore, the limitless potentialities for ice cream, and all of the several types of autos we may presumably discover.
We’d been invited to remain within the tremendous cool and stylish Shell Home, only a few minutes from the seashore. It was a good looking base to discover the Bournemouth neighborhood, and I’d advocate it to all. Try the pics under.
Bournemouth was nice. TBH I’m fairly smitten with that a part of the UK proper now, and have been testing the RightMove potentialities since I returned. I at the moment stay in Hampshire, it’s completely doable. However, sufficient about my by no means ending deliberation about the place I ought to stay, right here’s what me and my toddler did in Bournemouth for a beautiful and memorable weekend.
What to Do With Toddlers in Bournemouth
Nicely, it’s what we loved there anyway.
1. West Cliff Lifts / Funicular
The West Cliff Funicular was only some minutes’ stroll from the place we had been staying at The Shell Home. My 2 and a half yr previous son beloved it.
Get on on the prime (or backside by the seashore) and also you’ll journey a couple of minute up or down the cliff. You’ll get to see nice views throughout the sandy seashore, and it’s fairly helpful for getting round too. It was in-built 1908, ‘earlier than the Titanic!’ the man working the carry proudly advised me.
It’s signposted as a carry, however the identical man was telling me how actually, it’s a funicular. Nicely, seeing as that phrase is extra enjoyable to say, let’s follow that.
The West Cliff’s Funicular’s two automobiles function in tandem, offering a fast and picturesque path to get to the place you need to be. It operates seasonally and was £2.75 once I was there – below 5s had been free.
2. Playground at Alum Chine
Clearly there are various playgrounds within the Bournemouth space, however this one is on the seashore WITH SAND to cushion the tumbles. Excellent.
It was additionally subsequent to a restaurant, which I didn’t strive however appeared well-liked for households. It was additionally on the Land Practice’s route, which is how we discovered it within the first place. The Land Practice, which was embellished with Peppa Pig on our journey, makes a cease there and turns round, so it’s a simple go to.
In addition to a pirate ship in the midst of the playground, there have been additionally stations for water play and sand play, an enormous slide, swings and plenty of posts popping up from the bottom to stability on. Nice little park!
Reggie and I stayed at Bournemouth Seashore Hideaways’ beautiful Shell Home. It was only a few minutes stroll to the West Cliffs Funicular and never removed from city. It was additionally simply not far away from one of many Hop On Hop Off stops. Nice location!
It’s the within that actually stuns although – simply have a look at the photographs under.
With 5 king bedrooms (one with a bunk mattress too), a big lounge, massive eating space and open plan kitchen, 4 bogs and outside area, it’s good for households.
We stayed for 2 nights and beloved having this backyard to calm down in. We ate our breakfast on the market, and I loved an al fresco G+T in nap time (nice location to get again for the nap schedule).
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The Shell Home
The decor right here has bought me rethinking my entire home – beloved the pastel vibes. It’d even be an incredible area for a hen get together, in case you’re wanting. In addition to the rooms right here, there are one other three on the highest ground too!
3. Metropolis Sightseeing Hop On Hop Off Tour
The Bournemouth Metropolis Sightseeing Hop On Hop Off Tour was nice. I used to be feeling fairly burned out on the solo parenting and maintaining with Reggie’s fantastic pleasure for all the pieces, together with the ten second consideration span. So, sitting on a bus for an hour, the place he was blocked in on the seat, was simply what I wanted for my journey to Bournemouth with a toddler.
He was thrilled sitting on the highest of the open prime bus, and waving in any respect the little individuals going by. I used to be having fun with the breeze on a sizzling day, and appreciated the guided tour. I additionally beloved being so excessive that we may see into the wealthy individuals’s gardens and homes from our seat.
It took us by means of Westbourne, the Carlton Cliffs space, round Sandbanks, and we ended up in Poole. We bought off at Poole Quay, like many of the bus clientele.
We had a stunning two-hour look spherical and a little bit of (disappointing) lunch, after which rode the bus again once more for Reggie’s nap. It dropped us proper close to The Shell Home on the West Cliff cease.
If in case you have the time, I’d undoubtedly advocate spending longer at Poole Quay and doing a ship journey of some type. I’d go to Brownsea Island subsequent time!
4. Bournemouth Seashore
Bournemouth Seashore makes for probably the greatest free days out within the UK. It has seven miles of golden sands, lined with ice cream parlours, cafes, eating places and beautiful coastal walks.
Certainly one of my favorite moments of this journey was Reggie and I sharing a dinner at West Seashore Restaurant by Bournemouth Pier. We’d managed to bag some solar loungers that had an enormous signal saying you needed to pay, however nobody appeared bothered, and lay there with a rooster burger and chips, and an orange squash to share. Excellent. It was so sunny and wonderful, the entire expertise was absolute vacation vibes!
We additionally had a extremely pretty night simply enjoying within the sand, and paddling on the shore after going to Rockwater Restaurant. I’ll return to Bournemouth, simply to do that after dinner.
5. Bournemouth Oceanarium
Certainly one of my NCT associates advised me how nice Bournemouth Oceanarium was for little ones, and ever since I’ve wished to take Reggie. I can say with the voice of expertise that it is nice for little ones, even those that appeared to completely ignore the animals and simply make a beeline for the lifts and stairs.
No real interest in feeding time within the lizard home, however all of the curiosity for going up and down within the lifts. That’s Reggie!
Among the finest issues in regards to the Bournemouth Oceanarium was the very fact you’ll be able to go out and in all day upon getting your ticket. It’s proper on the seashore, so we saved coming out to see what was taking place. And in once more. And out. And in…
Some actually attention-grabbing animals in there although – need to go on my own subsequent time.
6. Bournemouth Land Practice
It’s now two weeks for the reason that nice weekend in Bournemouth with my toddler, and that is what I’ve heard about most since.
The Land Practice.
He beloved it.
We went on it efficiently the primary day – simply managing to catch the final one of many day from the Oceanarium as much as Branksome Chine. However, the following day we tried to get it, and it didn’t flip up.
This, is Reggie’s favorite story from the journey: The Time The Practice Didn’t Flip Up.
When it did arrive, it was nice! The motive force and his assistant had been tremendous pleasant and we managed to get the buggy on simply sufficient. Reggie beloved all of the stops, and waving at individuals as we went alongside. We did the loop and got here again once more to the Oceanarium, which handed about an hour for £8.50.
Because it was the final one of many day, we couldn’t take all of it the best way to Boscombe Pier – however you might. You could find all the small print of the Bournemouth Land Practice right here.
7. Bournemouth Large Wheel
Yep, up we went. Whether or not this is without doubt one of the finest issues to do in Bournemouth with toddlers is all the way down to your toddler, however I loved it!
Reggie, not a lot. After being determined to go up he was able to get off after one rotation. Fortunate for us, we bought three!
8. Poole Park and Railway
Oh Poole Park was nice.
We had a stunning time driving the Poole Park Railway as quickly as we arrived. And the doorway on Google Maps led us to an excellent playground for some toddler enjoyable. It was subsequent to The Ark, which was a group centre with a restaurant and… gentle play.
It was probably the greatest gentle performs I’ve been to truly. My two and a half yr previous beloved it, and it was straightforward for me too. In Southsea the place I stay we’ve got this huge one known as Exploria, and it’s only a huge overstimulation (for me) each time we go.
The one in The Ark was an incredible dimension for an hour’s leisure, and the cafe served very nice jacket potatoes too!
Extra issues to do in Bournemouth for toddlers
Try my information to a weekend in Dorset if you wish to discover the county additional afield. Go to Bridport, Lyme Regis and West Bay with my insider information.
English Heritage and Nationwide Belief websites could make for an excellent journey out for a toddler – there’s typically plenty of area for a run round, they usually often get in without cost too. The closest ones to Bournemouth embody Christchurch Fort and Kingston Lacy.
We had an incredible weekend in Bournemouth, and because it’s solely an hour or so from us, I do know I’ll be again!
