For those who’re searching for family-friendly issues to do in Poole you’ve come to the best place. On this Dorset vacation spot information I’m sharing what to do in Poole with children 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 shortly get costly. That’s why we like to combine issues up with low cost and free issues to do.
Listed here are among the locations go in Poole totally free:
1. Upton Nation Park
Upton Nation Park to the west of Poole has 160 acres of parkland to discover together with playgrounds, huge open fields, wildlife areas and formal gardens.
There’s additionally a craft studio, kids’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 must pay for parking. Obtain the Ringo App for cashless cost.
Discover out extra about visiting Upton Nation Park.
2. Discover Poole Previous City and Quay
If you wish to calm down by the water, decide up a ship journey round Poole Harbour or catch a ferry throughout to Brownsea Island then Poole Quay within the Previous 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 youths).
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 college 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. Canines 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 proper place for a picnic with 110 acres of parkland, massive play parks, a saltwater lagoon and lakes. Don’t overlook some chicken seed to feed the swans and geese.
For those who do have a couple of pennies 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 Previous 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 examine opening occasions.
Discover out extra about Poole Lifeboat Museum.
Issues to do in Poole when it rains
Poole is a superb place to calm down and discover when the solar is shining. However how are you going to entertain the youngsters 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 youths aged as much as 11-years-old at this smooth play centre in Poole Park.
There’s indoor and out of doors seating for adults in addition to a restaurant.
Discover out extra about this smooth play centre in Poole.
8. Pottery Studio at Poole Park
Nice inventive throughout a visit to the Pottery Studio in Poole Park the place you may beautify your individual pots whereas having fun with a cuppa and cake.
Discover out extra in regards to the Pottery Studio.
9. Lemur Landings
In case you are searching for smooth play areas in Poole then Lemur Landings delivers this and extra.
There’s imaginative play for little ones, a climbing wall and an excellent cafe. Excellent for a moist day in Dorset!
Discover out extra about Lemur Landings.
10. Bowling and cinema at Tower Park
Catch the most recent flick or problem your children 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 street 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 capturing gallery, making this someplace you may simply fill a number 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 primarily based actions function massive of the listing of issues to do. Right here’s a number 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 security, golden sands and family-friendly amenities.
You’ll additionally discover a strip of seaside on the within of Poole Harbour which is shallow and best for babies to paddle in at excessive tide. Remember the underside is slitty because the tide does out.
For those who’re a household with a pet it’s a must to perform a little extra analysis to seek out Dorset seashores which can be dog-friendly all 12 months spherical.
Listed here are some dog-friendly seashores in Bournemouth and in Poole to avoid wasting you the leg work.
14. Water sports activities
If you wish to discover ways to paddle board or kite board lookup 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 vary in one among 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:
Remember that whereas canines are allowed on most boats journeys, they don’t seem to be 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 children 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 number of wild life recognizing journeys you’re assured to sight a mermaid – Dorset Belle’s captain is an skilled.
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 homeowners and tenants, the home and grounds had been gifted to the borough of Poole and finally opened to the general public in 1976.
This and the nation park are actually taken care of by the council and a crew of volunteers. You may go to the park totally free and take a tour of the home on chosen dates all year long for a small price.
In entrance of the home is a gorgeous garden the place you may picnic, play ball video games and calm down.
Discover out when Upton Home is open.
18. Compton Acres historic gardens
Compton Acres is an absolute gem and ideal for a scorching day while you need to discover some shade along with your children 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 area the place you’ll discover enormous carp basking within the solar.
The gardens are very cleverly achieved, making them really feel a lot greater 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 kids’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 youths 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 proper place for households to go on a sunny or moist day in Poole.
It has 13 indoor and out of doors 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 below 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 children are into Scouting or Guiding then they’ll 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 purple squirrel which have discovered refuge right here away from aggressive gray squirrels on the mainland.
You may attain Brownsea Island by ferry from Poole Quay or Sandbanks. Please bear in mind that canines should 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 children.
Right here’s a video from our final journey to the world.
Discover extra days out in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Eire in my huge spherical up of 101 UK sights for households.
