Travel to Bournemouth

Travel to Bournemouth

Bournemouth has a long history as a leading seaside resort and enjoys a reputation as a prime holiday destination for its stunning golden beaches, which stretch along the seafront for over seven miles. Combined with sheltered, clear bathing waters, the beaches have always been one of the town's major tourist attractions and during the summer they provide the ideal place for sunbathing, swimming, building sand castles, paddling and surfing.

Transportation to Bournemouth

Visitors to Bournemouth can choose from a good range of transport options for getting here. Bournemouth International Airport provides regular connections to many domestic and European destinations, and offers easy access to the city centre. Other nearby airports include Southampton, while the London airports are also within easy reach.

Trains serve Bournemouth from London in less than 2 hours and from other destinations across the UK. Visitors can also reach the town by bus, and nearby Poole has a port providing ferry links to the European mainland.

In Bournemouth itself, an extensive bus network serves the inner city and surrounding suburbs. It is also easy to get around on foot or by bicycle, while many visitors choose to hire a car for the duration of their stay.

What to see

Bournemouth offers visitors a wide range of modern and historical sights. The impressive Victorian Pleasure Gardens are located in the centre of the town, next to Bournemouths seafront and shopping area. The gardens are home to the Bournemouth Eye, a huge helium-filled balloon with a basket that lifts passengers up to around 500 feet, which is the highest public lookout point in Bournemouth.

The Bournemouth Pier is famous for its arcade, featuring many of the latest state-of-the-art video games and seaside slot-machine amusements. It is also home to Bournemouth International Centre (BIC), the towns most prestigious venue for entertainment, conferences, exhibitions, leisure activities, festivals and concerts. The Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre is also located here, featuring a large Victorian-style interior and Bournemouths Pier Theatre offers regular seaside comedies and farces.

Daytrips

If you want to stay local, the Dorset Belles, a popular boat cruise operator, offers a variety of trips for tourists in and around the Bournemouth area.

Those who are up for exploring farther afield, the medieval port of Poole is located just five miles west of Bournemouth and offers plenty of tourist attractions and activities including the famous Poole Pottery. Salisbury, located 28 miles from Bournemouth, is home to some of Englands most historic landmarks including the world-famous Salisbury Cathedral. Brownsea Island is a popular National Trust nature reserve. This important island of heath and woodland is located at the mouth of Poole Harbour.

Activities and leisure

Bournemouths many parks offer fine opportunities for walking, cycling and other leisure pursuits. The towns beaches, particularly the southern ones, provide superb conditions for surfing. Bowls is also a popular pastime and can be practiced at over 15 individual bowling greens in the Bournemouth area.

Safety issues

Bournemouth is by and large a relatively safe place to visit, and tourists have no reason to feel in danger or intimidated at any time here. Despite the low risks to your safety, we strongly recommend that you take out sufficient travel insurance before embarking on your journey.