Bournemouth Car Rental  Bournemouth Hotel Discounts  Bournemouth Flight Discounts

Bournemouth Information and Bournemouth Tourism
(Bournemouth, Dorset, England, UK)



Bournemouth is best known for its spectacular golden beaches, which stretch for over 11 km / 7 miles along the seafront. The beaches, combined with sheltered, clear bathing waters, have always been one of the major tourist attractions in Bournemouth and during the summer, the sunny beaches provide the perfect place for sunbathing, building sand castles, paddling, swimming and even surfing, with improved waves following the recent introduction of an enormous artificial reef on the Boscombe side of the seafront.

Popular beaches in the Bournemouth area include Alum Chine, Durley Chine, High Cliffe and Southbourne, which are all easy to reach from the town centre. Tourism advice is available from Bournemouth's Tourist Information Centre (TIC) on Westover Road, conveniently located close to the Pleasure Gardens, the historic Victorian shopping arcade, the two Odeon cinemas and the Pavilion Theatre.




There are a wide variety of hotels available in central Bournemouth and the surrounding coastal stretches, making the friendly and lively seaside resort an accessible holiday destination for every pocket. Notable Bournemouth accommodation includes grand Victorian hotels, many well-known brands and also a number of independent lodging choices. Luxury cliff-top five-star hotels are surprisingly plentiful, such as the Carlton, the Menzies East Cliff Court and the Highcliff Marriott Hotel, while budget hotel deals and discounts are also available in some areas, including cheap bed and breakfast guest houses.

Bournemouth's spectacular Victorian Pleasure Gardens are situated in the heart of the town centre, next to the seafront and the main shopping area. Created in the 1840s for the Meyrick family, the Bournemouth Pleasure Gardens cover around 17.5 hectares / 45 acres and lie either side of the shallow River Bourne stream. These beautiful Pleasure Gardens have won many national awards and attractions here include flower borders with colourful bedding plants, picnic areas and the famous 'Bournemouth Eye', an enormous helium-filled balloon with an enclosed basket, carrying passengers to around 150 metres / 500 feet, the highest public observation point in town.

There are an enormous range of tourist attractions in this Dorset seaside resort, and these include the historic Bournemouth Pier - featuring many of the latest state-of-the-art video games and seaside slot-machine amusements; the Bournemouth International Centre (B.I.C.) - the town's most prestigious venue for entertainment, conferences, exhibitions, leisure activities, festivals and concerts; the Pavilion Theatre - a traditional theatre with a large a Victorian-style interior, the Pier Theatre - situated at the end of the long pier, with regular seaside comedies and farces; the Dorset Belles - a popular boat cruising company that provides a variety of trips for tourists in and around the area; Compton Acres - featuring seven spectacular gardens, including a stunning Japanese garden; and nearby Brownsea Island - a popular National Trust nature reserve, home to increasingly rare native red squirrels. More information on Bournemouth Tourist Attractions and Bournemouth Landmarks.

Bournemouth also has a number of excellent museums and art galleries in and around the town centre, providing interesting information on local seaside history and many other exhibitions. Some of the major cultural attractions in Bournemouth include the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum - one of the town's top museums housing an interesting mixture of artworks and oriental souvenirs; the Aviation Museum - home to one of the world's finest collections of ex-military and civilian vintage aircraft; and the nearby Waterfront Museum - a historic museum full of Poole history, including information about the Studland Bay Wreck.

There are many different guided tours of Bournemouth available, such as bus tours and walking tours. It is even possible to fly over the beachfront in a plane, and regular flights are provided at the nearby Bournemouth International Airport (BOH), offering some of the best possible views of this beautiful and friendly Dorset seaside resort

Bournemouth International Airport (BOH) Guide - useful Bournemouth International Airport (BOH) information.

More Bournemouth Information / Fast Facts and Orientation

• Country: England (south-west)
• Location: Dorset, south coast
• Area: 127 square kilometres / 50 square miles
• Population: 165,000
• Language: English
• Currency: pound sterling (GBP)
• Time zone: GMT / UTC and BST (British Summer Time), 5 hours from Eastern Standard Time
• Country dialling code: +44
• Telephone area code: 01202
• Religion: various religions
• Average daily January temperature: 7ºC / 45ºF
• Average daily July temperature: 25ºC / 77ºF

 
BOURNEMOUTH TRAVEL GUIDE...