Favourite Holiday Resorts In Dorset

The beautiful county of Dorset in South West England is a fantastic place to visit for a family holiday, boasting great tourist attractions and well-equipped holiday parks as well as breathtaking scenery.

The sandy beaches and wide open green spaces are perfect for walks and picnics in the great outdoors, and the ancient Jurassic Coastline – famed for its fossils from the Jurassic era – has recently received UNESCO World Heritage Site status.

Whilst Dorset is rich in history and tradition, its larger resorts have been given modernising facelifts in recent years and now offer excellent facilities such as aquariums, cinemas, internet cafes, gyms and sports centres.

Kids with a taste for exploration will be spoiled for choice in Dorset – whether they're hunting for sea creatures in the many rock pools or trying to unearth the past on a fossil hunt. Pony treking, swimming and beach sports are all fun ways for families to spend time together during a break in Dorset, and the beautiful villages, unchanged for centuries, are ideal for relaxing with an icecream or an indulgent cream tea. Alongside the rural towns and villages, Dorset boasts larger towns with well-developed tourist infrastructures. The largest of the resorts is Bournemouth, with excellent shopping, dining and entertainment options as well as gorgeous beaches such as those of Sandbanks and Studland. Nearby, the town of Poole is famed for its beautiful harbour – the largest natural harbour in the world – and locally produced pottery.

There are dozens of holiday parks to be found along the South coast of Dorset, mainly surrounding Bournemouth and Weymouth, and these make a great base for exploring the wonderful countryside and attractions throughout the county. The South West Coastal Path, Britain's longest trail, can be picked up at Lyme Regis, and is the perfect way to explore the beautiful countryide on foot, horseback, pony or bicycle.

Close by lies the picturesque town of Weymouth, another tourist favourite, boasting attractions such as the Sea Life Centre as well as good cafes, restaurants and scenic walks.

Inland, the Roman town of Dorchester, famous to literary types as the home of Thomas Hardy (you can actually pay a visit to his cottage just outside the town), is a wonderfully scenic spot and a nice place to enjoy a bite to eat after heading out to see the legendary Ceme Abbas Giant, carved into the nearby hillside. The town also boasts a colourful weekly market, Roman ampitheatre and excellent museum.

In the North of the county, rural towns such as Blandford and Shaftesbury feel like you have stepped into a bygone age, and are great places to visit and soak up the old-worlde atmosphere. To the West lie Sherbourne and Beaminster, both charming historical towns surrounded by rolling hills, and to the East is Corfe Castle, a popular day trip amongst families staying at holiday parks in Dorset. The Isle of Purbeck, with its dramatic cliffs and pretty bays, is another favourite spot for families visiting Dorset.

With so much to see and do, Dorset resorts are perfect spots for family breaks, and the county's many excellent holiday parks are equipped with all the faciilties to make your stay in the county an unforgettable one.