Dorset’s beaches are nicely varied and, Bournemouth aside, are often not as busy as those in Devon and Cornwall. Stretching along the south coast, they can be long, continuing for miles.
First, decide whether you want a beach for watersports, swimming or entertainment. Then choose between soft, golden sand or pebbles and translucent water. Wildlife conservation takes place among the dunes at Studland, while West Bay has an impressive cliff face to marvel at. Chesil Beach, meanwhile, is an 18-mile, natural barrier of shingle against the sea. Feeling nostalgic? Dorset has some charming, traditional resorts – try Swanage or Weymouth.
All our recommendations below have been hand selected and tested by our resident destination expert to help you discover the best beaches in Dorset. Find out more below, or for more inspiration, see our guides to the region’s best hotels, restaurants and things to do.
Sandbanks
Expensive beach houses lie at one end of the sandy, Blue Flag beach, which is broken up with groynes. The sea is generally calm and, behind the peninsula, there are lovely views across the harbour to Brownsea Island. There’s a shack serving cakes, coffee and ice cream, as well as beer and cider on tap.
Insider tip: A regular chain ferry takes cars and foot passengers across to Shell Beach at Studland, meaning you can combine both in one trip.
Area: Poole, East Dorset
How to get there: Drive from either Poole or Bournemouth. There’s a large car park between the beach and harbour.
Bournemouth Beach
Impossibly golden, seven-mile swathes of sand lie below the cliff line at Bournemouth. The main town beach is the most sociable, with lots to do. If you want to escape the report’s brashness, retreat to the lush Lower Gardens or the Oceanarium. Otherwise, ride the observation wheel and scream as you zip wire back from the end of the pier.
Insider tip: Check in advance if the vintage cliff lift and the land train, which runs along the promenade, are in operation as they can be closed by landslips.
Area: East Dorset
How to get there: There are large car parks on either side of the pier.
Solent Beach
In a quiet, natural setting, this beach is for walkers who follow the sand dunes rolling east to Hengistbury Head. The sand and shingle stretches between the groynes are often empty. Swallows swoop in the field above the dunes, which is ideal for kite flying.
Insider tip: Mudeford Sandbank, on the other side of the Head, is home to the UK’s most expensive beach huts. A land train can take you back to the Hengistbury Head car park.
Area: Bournemouth, East Dorset
How to get there: The Solent Beach car park and the Hengistbury Head car parks are just a few minutes’ drive from each other.
Knoll Beach
In the sunshine, the turquoise shallows and pale, fine sand of the unspoilt nature reserve at Studland cannot be beaten anywhere on the south coast. A bank of grass-tufted dunes lends privacy to the narrow stretch at Knoll, meaning you can relax as you gaze out at the white teeth of Old Harry Rocks. A large National Trust café sells all kinds of refreshments.
Insider tip: To inspect Old Harry Rocks more closely, Studland Watersports runs kayaking trips to see them.
Area: Isle of Purbeck
How to get there: Knoll Beach has its own car park, at the tip of the Isle of Purbeck.
Swanage Beach
The pleasing sweep of golden sand at this Victorian resort town is sheltered by green headlands at either end. It’s a Blue Flag beach that shelves gently, and it’s recommended for families and for leisurely swimming. Walk down the pier and look back at the painted beach huts, low-key cafés, showers and fish and chip shops along the promenade.
Insider tip: Swanage’s heritage railway is great fun, with vintage carriages to explore and journeys by steam to Corfe Castle and back.
Area: Isle of Purbeck
How to get there: There are car parks in town, near the train station.
Lulworth Cove
Hollowed out by the sea, this steep-sided, horseshoe cove, with a silver shingle beach and boats bobbing about, is good for a picnic or a paddle. Walk up the western side to see Stair Hole, where waves are bursting through the soft clays in an effort to form another cove. There’s a visitor centre too.
Insider tip: Lulworth Castle (closed Friday and Saturday), in East Lulworth is a 17th-century hunting lodge that has since been rebuilt after a fire. Climb 112 steps for views from the tower.
Area: South Dorset
How to get there: There’s a large car park a short walk away.
Durdle Door
This iconic beach is famous for its rocky arch or “door”, created by waves breaking through a natural wall of Portland limestone about 10,000 years ago. The views from the cliff above are memorable and steps take you down to the shingle beach facing the arch below. The beach is pounded by waves with no lifeguard, so isn’t great for swimming.
Insider tip: For a swim in calmer water, climb back up to the cliff then down the other side of the headland. This scenic Man O’War beach is cupped by a cliff and sheltered by an offshore reef.
Area: South Dorset
How to get there: A large car park sits on cliffs a 15-minute walk away from Durdle Door.
Chesil Beach
Chesil Beach is a geological wonder, and to understand it, you’d best take an aerial view of it, either from Portland Heights or from the road at Abbotsbury. It’s an 18-mile-long shingle spit, which backs onto Fleet lagoon, where the “bouncing bomb” was tested. Experience sweet isolation and embrace the power of nature as you climb down to the waves.
Insider tip: At the Dorset Wildlife Trust Centre, book a trip on the Fleet Explorer, a shallow boat, to see old war remnants and to learn why Fleet is a wildlife haven.
Area: South Dorset
How to get there: It’s a 10-minute drive from Weymouth. There’s parking and information about the local wildlife at the Dorset Wildlife Trust Centre by the beach.
Seatown Beach
The golden pebble beach at Seatown is rather under-the-radar. The pebbles make a satisfying “shhhh” sound when waves sift through them and the clear sea is good for swimming, though there’s no lifeguard. The Golden Cap towers above the cliffs at one end.
Insider tip: Beside the beach, there’s a sauna and The Anchor Inn, which has a cliffside beer garden and a lovely fisherman’s cottage next door, sleeping four.
Area: West Dorset
How to get there: It’s five minutes by car from Chideock. There’s a car park just next to the beach.
Charmouth Beach
A mix of sand and shingle, Charmouth is good for fossil hunting on the West Beach towards Black Ven, which is where Mary Anning found an ichthyosaur. At low tide especially, this is a great beach for families, with a calm sea and more sand exposed that slopes gently into shallows. East Beach has small ammonites and belemnites to find among the shingle.
Insider tip: It’s also a good spot for paddleboarding, near the river mouth at low tide. The section is easily accessed with all your gear from the Foreshore car park.
Area: West Dorset
How to get there: There’s a choice of car parks beside the beach.
How we choose
Every beach in this curated list has been expertly chosen by our destination expert, to provide you with their insider perspective. We cover a range of areas and styles, from popular city beaches to lesser known corners – to best suit every type of traveller. We update this list regularly to keep up with the latest openings and provide up to date recommendations.
About our expert
Natalie Paris
I’ve been holidaying in Dorset for more than 20 years, enjoying the region’s uncrowded natural sights. My perfect day there includes a yomp along coastal cliffs followed by a swim, fresh mackerel and folk music in the pub.