Bring the family for a day out and step behind the scenes of a Hollywood movie or bestselling novel in stunning Dorset. You can find your own Jurassic Park on beaches sprinkled with fossils and smuggler's caves or trace Thomas Hardy novels on open heaths and vales. The southwest county's dramatic coastline is an outdoor sculpture gallery with arches, stacks and coves carved by Mother Nature herself, a must-see attraction in Dorset. Casual amblers and serious ramblers alike can trek ridgeways between Bronze Age burial mounds and castle ruins. With so many incredible places to visit in Dorset you’ll leave knowing exactly why this county is incredibly popular for vacations and staycations alike.
Places to visit in Dorset
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Nothe Fort (operated by Weymouth Civic Society)
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Enjoy concerts, fairs and family events at this Weymouth attraction, winner of our Small Visitor Attraction of the Year Gold Award 2024.
Top 10 places to visit in Dorset this summer
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Take a Dorset adventure this summer for top-notch seafood, squirrel spotting, cool hotels and Instagrammable villages.
Go behind the scenes at Sunderland Empire Theatre
Tread the same boards as a young Charlie Chaplin, Laurel and Hardy and the Beatles on a tour of this enchanting old Edwardian theatre.
Location: Sunderland, Tyne and Wear
Rainy Day Activities: Sunderland Museum
Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens is a great place for the whole family to spend the day – and it’s free.
Location: Sunderland, Tyne and Wear
Animal antics at Down at the Farm
Down at the Farm is one of Sunderland's most popular farms, home to a wide range of rare breed animals including giant tortoises, alpacas, raccoons, donkeys and red deer.
Location: Sunderland, Tyne and Wear
Calling all food lovers to Holmfirth Food and Drink Festival
A weekend of tasty treats, markets, live music and entertainment in Holmfirth.
Location: Holmfirth, West Yorkshire
Building sandcastles and rock-pooling at Seaburn beach
Experience the natural beauty, dramatic sky and bracing sea air, and indulge in fish and chips and ice-creams from the cafes along the seafront.
Location: Sunderland, Tyne and Wear
Settle down on Sunderland's award-winning beaches
Grab a blanket, a picnic and your favourite flip flops, and head down to the beautiful twin-beach resorts of Roker and Seaburn.
Location: Sunderland, Tyne and Wear
November events: Get inspired at the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival
Listen along to amazing performances at the UK’s largest international festival of new and experimental music.
Location: Huddersfield , West Yorkshire
Take in a weekend of jazz at Marsden Jazz Festival
Hear old school traditional to cutting-edge contemporary jazz at Marsden Jazz Festival.
Location: Marsden, West Yorkshire
July events: Holmfirth Art Week
Over 400 artists combine art, music, comedy, theatre and literature for the UK's largest open art exhibition.
Location: Holmfirth, West Yorkshire
Explore an ecological paradise at Marsden Moor
Walk, cycle or climb your way across this rugged wild landscape steeped in history that has inspired people since prehistoric times.
Location: Marsden, West Yorkshire
Go Walrus hunting at Sunderland Museum
Discover the inspirational statue behind the Lewis Carroll poem Walrus and the Carpenter.
Location: Sunderland, Tyne and Wear
July events: Sunderland International Airshow
Pack a picnic, head to the beach and lie back for dazzling aerial acrobatics, classic aircraft, live music, fireworks and traditional seaside fun.
Location: Sunderland, Tyne and Wear
Sunderland’s magical Christmas Lights switch-on
Recognised as signalling the beginning of the festive celebrations, the annual Christmas switch-on is a tradition Sunderland is proud to keep.
Location: Sunderland, Tyne and Wear
Experience Victorian life at Blists Hill Victorian Town
At Blists Hill Victorian Town you can travel back in time to experience the sights, smells and tastes of 19th-century England.
Location: Ironbridge Gorge, Shropshire
Fly high at RAF Museum Cosford
Here you can experience aviation life in wartime including the chance to see the world's oldest Spitfire.
Location: Cosford, Shropshire
A stately experience at Weston Park
See what it is like to live like an Earl in this beautiful stately home.
Location: Weston under Lizard, Shropshire
Explore Hawkstone Park Follies fantasy land
Spend the day exploring an historic woodland fantasy with cliffs, crags, caves, deep woods and towers built hundreds of years ago.
Location: Weston under Redcastle, Shropshire
Take a trip back to where the Industrial Revolution began
Ironbridge Gorge has World Heritage status for its unique contribution to the birth of the global Industrial Revolution in the 18th century.
Location: Ironbridge, Shropshire
Full steam ahead on a loco driven by you
Many would love the chance to drive a steam engine, well now's your chance: become a train driver for the day at Telford Steam Railway.
Location: Telford, Shropshire
Exploring rural Herefordshire
Cider, swans and spectacular views. Three reasons why you’ll love Herefordshire.
Location: Herefordshire
A perfect Cornish getaway
This peaceful village used to be a hotbed for smugglers but remains a Cornish delight to escape to at any time of the year.
Location: Cawsand, Cornwall
