Bournemouth Beach Cottages

Bournemouth Beach Cottages and the Dorset Coast

Nearby towns and coastal areas

Poole is one of the most useful places to visit from Bournemouth, especially if you want a harbour setting, boat trips, shops and access towards Sandbanks. Sandbanks itself gives you a more upmarket beach area, with Poole Harbour on one side and the open coast on the other. It is one of the UK’s most stylish seaside resorts so a good option for a different kind of beach day without travelling far.

Christchurch lies to the east and offers a quieter town setting, with a harbour, riverside walks, restaurants and access to Mudeford and Hengistbury Head. Boscombe and Southbourne sit along the same coastline as Bournemouth but feel more local and less central. Further west, Swanage, Studland and the Isle of Purbeck are realistic day trips if you want a different part of Dorset’s coast.

Nearby beaches

Bournemouth Beach is the main beach and runs for miles along the seafront. It is sandy, easy to access and backed by a promenade, cafés, toilets, beach huts and family facilities. This is the beach to choose if you want a classic seaside day with everything close by.

Boscombe Beach sits just along the coast and has its own pier, beach cafés and a slightly more relaxed feel than the busiest central section. Southbourne Beach is another good option if you want a quieter stretch of sand while staying close to Bournemouth. To the west, Alum Chine and Branksome Chine offer sandy beaches with a more residential feel, while Sandbanks gives you one of the area’s most popular beach settings.

Points of interest and things to do

Bournemouth Pier and the Lower Gardens are the obvious starting points in the town centre. The gardens lead down towards the seafront and make it easy to move between shops, cafés, the beach and the pier. The town also has cinemas, theatres, restaurants, bars and family attractions, which helps when the weather is not right for a full beach day.

Hengistbury Head is one of the best local places for walking, views and a break from the busier seafront. Poole Harbour adds boat trips, water-sports and routes towards Brownsea Island, while Christchurch gives you riverside walks and a more historic town setting. Bournemouth is best for visitors who want a sandy beach holiday with plenty nearby, rather than a quiet village stay.