Bournemouth!

purplepurple

Hi.. going to Bournemouth for 4 days next week... does anyone know of any money off vouchers for places/attractions there? We've never been before, so would welcome any ideas!
Thanks!:D

martin1018

Hi,
last week the 1018 family were in Swanage, just round the corner from Bournemouth. I found a number of vouchers in leaflets found in the tourist information offices. I think the 'Dorset attractions' or similar title were good ones. They had vouchers for money off all sorts of things.
We used some vouchers for theme museums in Dorchester (Tutenkamun, dinosaurs, teddys etc) but I found that unless you are VERY interested in the subject it was bit of a rip off. But that was the MSE'er in me coming out.
the TI office in Bournemouth is just off of the central shopping plaza at the bottom of the hills I think. I'm sure a Bournemouth resident will be able to tell you the road name.
Hope that you have a great time.
Martin
P.s. the weather there was nothing like the forecasts - they always said it would rain with thunder etc, but was always much better 'beach-type' weather.

Horasio

martin1018 wrote:

Hi,
last week the 1018 family were in Swanage, just round the corner from Bournemouth. I found a number of vouchers in leaflets found in the tourist information offices. I think the 'Dorset attractions' or similar title were good ones. They had vouchers for money off all sorts of things.
We used some vouchers for theme museums in Dorchester (Tutenkamun, dinosaurs, teddys etc) but I found that unless you are VERY interested in the subject it was bit of a rip off. But that was the MSE'er in me coming out.
the TI office in Bournemouth is just off of the central shopping plaza at the bottom of the hills I think. I'm sure a Bournemouth resident will be able to tell you the road name.
Hope that you have a great time.
Martin
P.s. the weather there was nothing like the forecasts - they always said it would rain with thunder etc, but was always much better 'beach-type' weather.

The last time I was there the Tourist Information Centre was on Westover Road

http://www.touruk.co.uk/dorset/dor_born.htm

martin1018

Forgot to mention - If you're into castles look at Lolworth castle. It really is well worth it, and the voucher booklet I spoke about has discount vouchers for here.
Monkey World is nice - Strange how the inhabitants look so familiar! lol
Sandbanks is nice, even if only to look at the multi-million pound houses, but has a great beach. A trip from there to Brownsea Island gets you a good look at the area, although a family ticket to both the boat trip and Island entry cost us £23.
If you cross on the car ferry (£2.80 each way) and head towards Swanage, just after you do a left turn and go down the hill there is a footpath on the left up to an obelisk (sorry about the spelling) and from there the view on a nice day just has to be seen to be believed. All of Studland, Poole harbour, Brownsea Island, across towards Christchurch and the Isle of Wight. Wonderful.

There is so much to do there you will never manage it all in 4 days. Be selective but get the info leaflets before deciding.

Spud_2

CCStar wrote:

The last time I was there the Tourist Information Centre was on Westover Road

http://www.touruk.co.uk/dorset/dor_born.htm

Yes, the TI office is still at the end of Westover Road (opposite the back of Beales).

Some top attractions in the area are: Monkey World, the Bournemouth eye (balloon), Corfe Castle + village, Poole Harbour/Quay, Bmth gardens/beaches and Sandbanks (best beach in the area IMO).

We recently took the open-top bus from Bmth Square to Swanage (no 150) which took about an hour. You get nice views and it goes over on the ferry. A very pleasant day out. Have a great trip!

hamsam

If you decide to go to Brownsea Island it is owned by the National Trust so worth looking at their site for the 2 for 1 voucher.

violetta

There is a wonderful country park called Westmoors (or could be Moors Valley) Country Park, just near Three Legged Cross (turn right towards Verwood at Three Legged Cross.) It is a little drive inland, but well worth it. We have been many times when on hols in Dorset, from when the kids were little to just recently. Last time we went, it was about £4 to park (plenty of parking amongst the trees so the car does not get too hot if it is sunny) and that was all to pay entrance fee wise. There is a little steam train (that costs extra) and a wonderful woodland trail with wooden play things (forts, Indian settlements, caterpillars, etc etc) for the children, then there is a Tree Top Trail where you go up a walkway (perfectly safe for kids) through the trees. There is a lake, an adventure playground, a picnic area, a shop, a tea room. On a nice day, you would have a lovely full day out there at minimum cost. There are all sorts of walks through the woods, around the lake, and so on.

We even went last year, just DH and I, now the kids are grown up, we like it so much. Fun for the kids and relaxing for the adults is how I would describe it.

Violetta

Coupon-mad

Yes, it is called Moors Valley. If you google it you will find it.

We were in the New Forest on hols 2 weeks ago and we went there because a friend recommended it (no leaflets were around for it anywhere, when I asked them if they wanted me to put some out at our holiday park they - very nicely - said 'no thanks, we don't need to as we are busy enough through word of mouth and repeat visits!').

There's a big play area, a large lake, parkland, pond-dipping, pine tree walk, tree-top trail (as mentioned above), wooden adventure play structures along the walk through the woods, and more I have forgotten about!

It was well worth a visit and as we stayed all day it cost the maximum £7 (parking is based on hours spent there).

Other places we visited were the New Forest Otter & Owl Sanctuary & Adventure Wonderland (google them for a map) as well as the Oceanarium, the Road Train and the big Park, all near Bournemouth Seafront. Incidentally, thru' trial and error we discovered some free onstreet parking around some hotels to the west of the Beaches, not far away from the fun!

HTH

purplepurple

Thanks so much everyone:D

apples1

We went on holiday there a couple of weeks ago. Had a wonderful time. Everywhere was so clean and well looked after. Don't know ages of your children but the park near Bournemouth beach (Lower gardens I think it was called) is a grass & flowers park not a swings park but had entertainment for children everyday. Almost all of it was free. Just turn up at the park in the morning from about half ten and there are games arranged for children etc. In addition to that there was an extra thing each day there too - punch & judy and magician one day (free) , craft the next (that was £2 each) etc. The hot air balloon is also in that park (although that is quite expensive!)

There is also a big free park with swings, slides, giant pirate boat and loads more at the bottom of allum chine. There is a car park there but you can park for free on the street just up the road from the car park. Excellent beach there too if weather ok plus a big free paddling pool (again spotlessly clean!).

We also drove to Sandbanks to watch the kite surfers and the windsurfers - free again and our daughter really enjoyed that!

We went on the open top bus which goes from Bournemouth town centre (just down the hill from the tourist info centre where they will give you times of buses, destinations and journey times) which was good fun.

We also went on the land train which rides along the prom. We went from Alum chine to Bournemouth & back. Your children may be too old to want all this but for our four year old it was a perfect holiday!

Before we went I typed in Bournemoth Tourist Information into Google and jotted down all sorts of emergency things to do if we had terrible weather, it included ice skating, indoor swimming, monkey sanctuary etc. All local to Bournemouth. i took the phone numbers etc with me just in case but didn't need them as we had pretty good weather really and found enough to do form the list above but suggest you do the same before you go whilst you have access to the PC!

Have a fab time

purplepurple

Thanks for that apples.. my two are 6 and 4 so it sounds perfect! and as my 4 year old's life revolves around trains he'll have the time of his life!:D