10 Family Days Out Dorset

Family Days Out in Dorset: Adventures for All Ages

*Dorset offers extraordinary variety for families, from beaches and
castles to aquariums and adventure parks. The county’s manageable size
means even destinations at opposite ends can be combined in a day, and
the mix of indoor and outdoor attractions means weather rarely ruins the
plan. Here are the best family experiences Dorset has to offer.*

Animal Encounters

Monkey World

This 65-acre rescue centre near Wareham houses over 250 primates rescued
from laboratories, circuses, and the illegal pet trade. The stars are
the chimpanzees, including survivors of appalling mistreatment who now
live in social groups as close to natural as captivity allows.

The park featured in the TV series Monkey Life, and many visitors arrive
knowing individual animals by name. Beyond the emotional connection,
there’s serious conservation education here—children leave
understanding why keeping primates as pets is cruel and why habitat
destruction threatens these species in the wild.

Brownsea Island

This island in Poole Harbour is famous for red squirrels—one of the
few places in southern England where this native species survives. The
boat trip adds excitement, and the island offers peaceful walking trails
through woodland where squirrel sightings are almost guaranteed.

Brownsea also matters to Scouting history: Robert Baden-Powell held his
first experimental Scout camp here in 1907. A small exhibition tells the
story, and Scouts still make pilgrimages to this birthplace of their
movement.

Abbotsbury Swannery

The only place in the world where you can walk through a colony of
nesting mute swans, Abbotsbury Swannery has existed since medieval
times. In May and June, hundreds of swans hatch cygnets in nests along
the reed-fringed shores of the Fleet Lagoon—an extraordinary sight and
sound.

The twice-daily feeding times (at noon and 4pm) gather the swans in
spectacular congregations. Children can hold feed cups and experience
swans taking food almost from their hands—magical and slightly
alarming in equal measure.

Dinosaurs and Fossils

The Dinosaur Museum, Dorchester

This small museum in Dorchester provides the perfect introduction to the
Jurassic Coast’s prehistoric past. Exhibits include full-size dinosaur
reconstructions, hands-on activities for children, and displays
explaining how fossils form and what they tell us about ancient life.

The museum works particularly well as preparation for fossil hunting:
children who understand what they’re looking for are far more likely to
recognize finds on the beach. Allow an hour or two before heading to
Lyme Regis or Charmouth.

Fossil Hunting at Charmouth

Joining a guided fossil walk is one of the best family activities in
Dorset. The guides from Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre know exactly
where to look and how to identify finds, and they make the
200-million-year history of the Jurassic Coast accessible to children of
all ages.

Even without a guide, the beach at Charmouth is perfect for family
fossil hunting. At low tide, the rocks are scattered with ammonites and
belemnites—the spiral and bullet-shaped fossils that are the commonest
finds. Most children find something worth keeping.

The Etches Collection

Near Kimmeridge, this remarkable museum displays the life’s work of
Steve Etches, a plumber who spent decades recovering fossils from the
local cliffs. His collection includes complete marine reptiles and
specimens that have rewritten scientific understanding of Jurassic
ecosystems.

The museum is more specialized than Dorchester’s Dinosaur Museum but
rewards curious older children and adult fossil enthusiasts. The story
of Etches himself—a self-taught amateur who made globally significant
discoveries—is inspiring.

Castles and History

Corfe Castle

The ruined castle rising above its village is Dorset’s most dramatic
historic site. Children love exploring the tumbled walls and towers,
climbing up to viewpoints, and hearing stories of the Civil War siege
and the brave Lady Bankes who defended the castle against Parliament.

The castle runs regular children’s events including archaeology
workshops, medieval crafts, and dragon hunts. The combination of castle
visit and steam train ride on the Swanage Railway makes an excellent
full day out.

The Tank Museum, Bovington

The world’s best collection of tanks and armoured vehicles draws
families from across Britain. Exhibits range from World War I
‘landships’ to modern main battle tanks, and children can climb aboard
some vehicles and experience simulators.

The museum hosts regular tank demonstrations where vintage vehicles
thunder across the arena. These events are spectacular and loud—ear
protection for small children is wise. The museum also tells the story
of tank warfare in accessible ways that help children understand this
aspect of 20th-century history.

Water Fun

Splashdown Poole

When the weather isn’t beach-friendly, this water park provides indoor
and outdoor pools, flumes, and water play areas. The indoor section
operates year-round; the outdoor slides open in warmer months. It’s
unashamedly commercial but genuinely fun for children of all ages.

Beach Days

Weymouth Beach offers the classic family seaside experience: donkey
rides, Punch and Judy, ice cream, and miles of safe, sandy beach.
Studland Bay provides a more natural setting with clear water and views
to Old Harry Rocks. Both beaches have good facilities and lifeguards in
summer.

For something different, the rock pools at Kimmeridge Bay offer hours of
exploration at low tide. Children with nets and buckets can find crabs,
shrimp, anemones, and small fish in the pools—a living biology lesson
among the fossils.

Active Adventures

Swanage Railway

Steam trains exercise an almost magical attraction for children, and the
Swanage Railway runs beautifully restored locomotives through some of
Dorset’s finest scenery. The route from Norden to Swanage passes
beneath Corfe Castle, and Thomas the Tank Engine events draw enormous
crowds.

Moors Valley Country Park

On the Dorset-Hampshire border, this country park offers tree-top
trails, adventure play areas, cycling paths, and a narrow-gauge railway.
The play facilities suit all ages, and the surrounding forest provides
space for walking, cycling, and simply running around.

Adventure Parks

Farmer Palmer’s near Poole focuses on younger children with gentle farm
animals, tractor rides, and play areas. Dorset Adventure Park near Corfe
Castle offers more thrilling experiences including water slides and the
UK’s longest outdoor slip-n-slide. Both provide reliable wet-weather
options.

Planning Family Visits

Dorset’s compact size means most attractions are within an hour’s
drive of each other, but trying to pack too much into one day leads to
tired, grumpy children (and parents). One major attraction plus beach
time or village exploration generally works better than rushing between
sites.

School holidays bring crowds to the most popular attractions. Corfe
Castle, Lulworth Cove, and the beaches near Weymouth can be extremely
busy on sunny summer days. Arriving early, or choosing quieter
alternatives, significantly improves the experience.

Many attractions offer family tickets and annual passes. If you’re
spending a week in Dorset, National Trust membership pays for itself in
castle, coast, and garden visits. Rainy day backup plans—the Tank
Museum, Splashdown, indoor attractions—save many a holiday from
disappointment.