Destination: Poole

Poole is internationally famous for its award winning beaches, beautiful harbour, sailing and the pottery that carries the town’s name.  Poole is becoming acknowledged as the south coast’s St Tropez.  Lying between the Purbeck Hills and the New Forest, the harbour enjoys five unique islands, fabulous scenery, wonderful wildlife and exhilarating water sports with excellent facilities for boating and water sports, including windsurfing and jet skiing.

Poole is an ideal place to relax in lavish surroundings especially with its five kilometres of safe, clean, sandy beaches including the world famous Sandbanks, winner of many European Blue Flags, which indicates the beaches, have consistently met high standards of management and cleanliness. In peak season it is ensured that sands are sifted, cleaned and raked on a regular basis, in addition litter is cleared throughout the day.  Specific dog-free zones and activity areas for boarders and swimmers are part of Poole’s commitment to provide a fun and safe time for all ages.

Much of Poole’s history is visible on the quay which offers a great fun packed day out for all the family with its bustling atmosphere, restaurants, cafes and pubs plus there’s always lots of visiting yachts and vessels to see.

The Quay offers fabulous views across Poole Harbour, Europe’s largest natural harbour, tempting you to take one of the many harbour cruise boats available to take a closer look, or set sail for the National Trust's Brownsea Island with its peaceful wooded walks and wide variety of wildlife.  Poole is also one of the most popular areas in the south-west of England for fishing and deep-sea fishing and mackerel-fishing trips regularly depart from the Harbour.

One of the town’s major tourist attractions is the exciting Cockle Trail, with the aid of a leaflet, available from Poole Welcome Centre on Poole Quay simply follow the 78 brass plaques to be guided through over 750 years of Poole’s history whilst strolling along the cobbled streets around the Quay and Old Town.  Along the way you can discover smugglers and ghosts and see the Georgian and medieval architecture enlivening Poole’s romantic seafaring and trading history. 

With a wide selection of fabulous restaurants for every taste to choose from, al fresco dining with fabulous harbour views is an option that adds to Poole’s lively continental atmosphere.  Poole has excellent shopping facilities; the large Dolphin Shopping Centre is situated in the centre of Poole, offering some of the best under-cover shopping in the area with over 100 shops, including a number of High Street chains and many smaller, independent specialist shops.  

Poole is well provided with other amenities including excellent museums and art galleries, with many exhibitions providing interesting information about its history. The Waterfront Museum situated next to the Quayside is home to the Poole Local History Centre, whilst the Scaplen's Court Museum displays many interesting exhibits and local artefacts. The Study Gallery is one of Poole's most important art galleries and houses a large collection of mid-20th century art works, whereas the Poole Lighthouse - Poole's newest centre for arts has a number of excellent exhibitions, such as contemporary photography and modern digital art.

There are various towns close to Poole, offering a huge selection of tourist attractions.  These include Bournemouth, Christchurch, Boscombe, Wimborne and Salisbury, which are all well worth a visit when staying in Poole.

Things to see and do

Tower Park Leisure Complex, Poole

Poole Pottery, Poole

Waterfront Museum, Poole

Royal National Lifeboat Institution Museum, Poole

Brownsea Island, Poole

Scaplen's Court Museum, Poole

Farmer Palmer's Farm Park, Poole

Upton Country Park, Poole