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
Top 10 places to visit in Dorset this summer
Featured
Take a Dorset adventure this summer for top-notch seafood, squirrel spotting, cool hotels and Instagrammable villages.
Kingston Lacy: an Italian palace in Dorset
Home to a rather fabulous collection that includes pieces by Rubens, Van Duyck, Titian.
Location: Poole, Dorset
Visit a movie star house
Discover Bathsheba's 'Everdene Farm' from Far From the Madding Crowd in Dorset.
Location: Beaminster, Dorset
A botanical treasure trove on the Jurassic Coast
Sniff your way around the award-winning Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens, a coastal haven filled with rare and exotic plants from all over the world.
Location: Abbotsbury, Dorset
Visit one of Capability Brown’s finest landscapes
Celebrate Capability Brown’s tercentenary as you explore 42 acres of Sherborne Castle's beautiful gardens and soak up the beauty, peace and tranquility of this natural setting.
Location: Sherborne, Dorset
Admire sculptures under blue skies in Dorchester
Get up close to beautiful works of art while exploring the glorious Dorset countryside at Sculpture by the Lakes.
Location: Dorchester, Dorset
October events: Be wowed by Abbotsbury's Illuminate
Discover an illuminated winter wonderland at one of Dorset’s finest annual events.
Location: Abbotsbury, Dorset