Poole Travel Guide | Best Things to Do & Places to Visit

Poole is a historic coastal town in south-east Dorset, best known for its enormous natural harbour, bustling quayside and the sandy beaches around Sandbanks. Together with neighbouring Bournemouth and Christchurch, it forms one of the largest seaside destinations on the south coast of England.

The harbour has shaped Poole for centuries and remains at the heart of the town today. Visitors can watch boats from Poole Quay, take a harbour cruise or ferry to Brownsea Island, explore the narrow streets of the Old Town or try sailing and other watersports on the sheltered waters of Poole Harbour.

Away from the waterfront, attractions include Poole Park and Compton Acres, while the beaches at Sandbanks are among the best known in Dorset. Poole is also a useful starting point for exploring the Isle of Purbeck, with the Sandbanks Ferry providing a direct route across the harbour entrance to Studland.

Best Things to Do in Poole

Poole Quay

Poole Quay is one of the best places to start a visit to Poole. The historic waterfront overlooks the harbour and is lined with pubs, cafés and restaurants, with fishing boats, pleasure craft and larger vessels continually coming and going.

Many of Poole’s harbour cruises and boat trips depart from the quay, including ferries to Brownsea Island. Poole Museum, located close to the waterfront, explores the town’s maritime and local history and is free to visit.

The quay is particularly lively during the summer, when regular events and entertainment take place along the waterfront.

Poole Old Town

Immediately behind the quay is Poole Old Town, the historic heart of Poole. Its narrow streets contain some of the town’s most attractive historic buildings and provide a fascinating contrast to the modern shopping areas further inland.

Highlights include the elegant Georgian Guildhall, the old Custom House and several historic merchants’ houses that reflect the wealth generated by Poole’s maritime trade. The Old Town is compact and can easily be explored on foot as part of a visit to Poole Quay.

Poole Harbour

Poole Harbour is one of the largest natural harbours in the world and one of Dorset’s most distinctive landscapes. Its extensive sheltered waters contain several islands, including Brownsea Island, and are surrounded by beaches, heathland, woodland and nature reserves.

The harbour is particularly popular for sailing, windsurfing, paddleboarding and other watersports. It is also internationally important for wildlife, with extensive mudflats and saltmarsh providing feeding and wintering grounds for large numbers of birds.

Some of the best ways to experience the harbour are from Poole Quay, Sandbanks or on one of the many harbour cruises.

Poole Boat Trips & Harbour Cruises

Taking a boat trip is one of the best ways to appreciate the size and scenery of Poole Harbour. Regular cruises depart from Poole Quay and travel between the harbour’s islands, with views of Brownsea Island, Sandbanks and the surrounding coastline.

Depending on the season, visitors can also take boats to Brownsea Island, cruise along the Jurassic Coast towards Swanage or travel up the River Frome towards Wareham.

A boat trip can also be combined with other attractions, making it possible to spend part of the day exploring Brownsea Island or continue to Swanage by boat.

Poole Park

Located between the town centre and the harbour, Poole Park is one of the town’s most popular green spaces. The park covers around 110 acres and includes a large boating lake, open lawns, gardens, children’s play areas and sports facilities.

A waterside path runs around much of the lake, making the park a pleasant place for a stroll, while cafés and recreational activities make it particularly popular with families. The park is within walking distance of Poole town centre and provides a quieter alternative to the busy waterfront around Poole Quay.

Brownsea Island

Brownsea Island lies in the middle of Poole Harbour and is one of the most popular places to visit from Poole. Managed by the National Trust, the island is particularly famous for its population of red squirrels and its mixture of woodland, heathland and coastal habitats.

Visitors can explore a network of walking trails, enjoy views across the harbour and discover the island’s connections with the beginnings of the Scout movement. Brownsea is reached by passenger ferry, with regular services operating from Poole Quay during the visitor season.

Sandbanks & Sandbanks Beach

Situated at the entrance to Poole Harbour, Sandbanks is famous for its beautiful sandy beach, harbour views and some of the most expensive waterfront properties in Britain.

Sandbanks Beach has a wide stretch of golden sand and is particularly popular with families, while the more sheltered harbour side of the peninsula is a major centre for sailing and watersports. At the western end of the peninsula, the Sandbanks Ferry crosses the narrow entrance to Poole Harbour, providing a direct route to Studland and the Isle of Purbeck.

Poole Beaches

Sandbanks may be Poole’s best-known beach, but there are several other excellent sandy beaches along the coastline towards Bournemouth. Canford Cliffs Beach has a quieter setting beneath wooded cliffs, while Branksome Chine Beach offers a wide stretch of sand with good facilities and easy access from the surrounding residential areas.

The beaches are connected by the seafront promenade, making it easy to explore different sections of the coastline on foot or by bicycle.

Compton Acres

Compton Acres is a privately owned ornamental garden at Canford Cliffs, between Poole and Sandbanks. Created in the 1920s, the gardens cover around ten acres and are divided into a series of contrasting themed areas.

Highlights include the Italian Garden, Japanese Garden, Wooded Valley, Rock and Water Garden and Heather Garden. There are also cafés, a gift shop and plant centre, making Compton Acres an enjoyable place to spend a few hours away from the busier beaches and waterfront.

Splashdown Waterpark Poole

Splashdown is a large indoor and outdoor waterpark at Tower Park and one of Poole’s most popular family attractions. The waterpark has a wide variety of flumes and slides, ranging from gentler rides for younger visitors to faster and more adventurous attractions.

As most of the waterpark is indoors, Splashdown is also a useful option for families looking for something to do in Poole when the weather is less suitable for the beach.

Upton Country Park

Situated on the northern shore of Poole Harbour, Upton Country Park combines more than 160 acres of parkland, woodland, gardens and shoreline with the historic Upton House.

There are walking and cycling trails, formal gardens, children’s play areas and a café, while paths along the shoreline provide attractive views across Holes Bay. Entry to the country park is free, although parking charges apply.

Watersports and Activities in Poole

The sheltered waters of Poole Harbour make the area one of the UK’s leading destinations for sailing and watersports. Beginners can take lessons with local sailing and watersports centres, while experienced participants have access to a huge expanse of relatively sheltered water.

Popular activities include dinghy sailing, windsurfing, paddleboarding, kayaking, kitesurfing and wing foiling. Boats can also be hired from several locations around the harbour, ranging from small self-drive motorboats to sailing boats and larger vessels.

See our Dorset activity guides for more information about sailing, boat hire, windsurfing and other watersports, including where to learn and where equipment can be hired.

Scenic Bus Trips from Poole

Poole is a good starting point for several scenic bus journeys along the Dorset coast. One of the most popular is the Purbeck Breezer 50, which travels from Bournemouth and Poole to Sandbanks before crossing Poole Harbour on the Sandbanks Ferry and continuing through Studland to Swanage.

Other services provide useful connections between Poole, Sandbanks, Bournemouth and attractions around Poole Harbour. Travelling by bus can be particularly convenient during the busy summer months, when car parks at popular beaches and attractions can fill quickly.

See our Scenic Bus Trips from Poole guide for routes, places to visit and useful connections.

Shopping, Cafés and Restaurants

Poole’s main shopping area extends from the Dolphin Centre through the pedestrianised High Street towards the Old Town and Poole Quay. The Dolphin Centre has a mixture of well-known shops, cafés and other services, while independent businesses can also be found around the town centre and Old Town.

Poole Quay is one of the best areas for eating and drinking, with a good selection of pubs, cafés and restaurants overlooking the harbour. There are further places to eat around Ashley Cross, Canford Cliffs and Sandbanks.

Planning Your Visit to Poole

Parking in Poole

There are numerous public car parks in and around Poole town centre. Visitors heading for Poole Quay and the Old Town will generally find the town-centre car parks most convenient, while separate parking is available at Poole Park, Sandbanks and other attractions.

Parking around Sandbanks can be particularly busy during warm summer weekends and school holidays, so arriving early or travelling by bus can be a good alternative.

Getting to Poole

Poole has good public transport connections and can easily be visited without a car. Poole railway station is within walking distance of the town centre, Old Town and Poole Quay, with direct train services towards Bournemouth, Southampton and London as well as west towards Dorchester and Weymouth.

The town is also served by local and regional buses, while passenger ferries and boat services provide connections across Poole Harbour and to destinations including Brownsea Island and Swanage.

When to Visit Poole

Poole can be visited throughout the year, although summer is the busiest period, particularly around Sandbanks, Poole Quay and the harbour. This is also the best time for beaches, boat trips and watersports, with the widest choice of seasonal services available.

Spring and early autumn can be particularly enjoyable for exploring the harbour and attractions with fewer crowds, while winter is a quieter time to visit and can be excellent for birdwatching around Poole Harbour.