This week I have Fran from Back With A Bump sharing her favourite things to do in Poole. She lives in Northampton with her husband and 2 daughters, but quite clearly is a font of knowledge for all things Poole! We had a caravan holiday there about 20 years ago when I was a child and I am so glad to see them crop up again here.
Somewhere Free : Upton Country Park
Upton Country Park is a lovely place to visit in Poole. Okay, it’s not technically free if you’re driving there as you’ll need to pay to park but it’s a fantastic park for the kids to explore. There are beautiful gardens and trails to explore. It’s a perfect place to pack up a picnic and head for some family fun. There’s also a lovely café there too…but as is usually the case, it’s not cheap!
Somewhere For The Whole Day: Monkey World
Monkey World is a great place to visit if you’re down in Dorset. It’s only about a 30 min drive from Poole and you can easily spend a whole day here. Personally, I could watch the chimps for hours, as think they’re hilarious! I love the whole ethos of Monkey World and how they have rescued so many monkeys from cruel conditions to rehabilitate them.
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Related Post: Entrance is £14 for adults and under 3’s are free. Blue Peter badge holders get in free too so last time it was only the two of us we had to pay for as Poppy was two and Ella has a Blue Peter badge!
Somewhere Outdoors: Hamworthy
Hamworthy is my favourite area of Poole and somewhere I’d really like to move to. There is a lovely play park which is right next to the beach. Last time we visited they were renovating the paddling pool area too which will make it even better to visit! There’s toilets and a small café too if you need them.
Somewhere To Eat: The Guildhall Tavern
The Guildhall Tavern sounds pretty much like an average pub, but it is in fact a lovely French restaurant. We visited here at Easter when we had a real heat wave, and sitting in their courtyard was like being on holiday. We had a delicious platter of fruits de mer which we all enjoyed tucking into!
If you want good old fish and chips then Harlees, on the front is always good. They have a restaurant upstairs if you want to eat in. We’ve been here loads over the years and it never disappoints!
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If you’re by the seaside, then going to the arcades are just as much of an essential as having fish and chips and ice cream. Poole has an arcade on the front which is ideal for whiling away the time and playing on the 2p slots. Our girls will spend ages playing on these, usually in the hope of winning a small sweetie!
