Dorset’s landscapes are the setting for the rural traditions preserved in Thomas Hardy’s novels and for Enid Blyton’s childhood adventures; a place where green ridges link villages of thatched cottages, heathland and chalky downs. Along the Jurassic Coast – England’s only natural World Heritage Site – cliffs hide fossilised dinosaur bones, storm-battered rock arches and some of the country’s loveliest golden beaches.
Beyond these, green uplands contain Iron Age hillforts, medieval market towns like Sherborne and grand country manors, such as Kingston Lacy.
Folk traditions are still celebrated. Meet a horned Dorset ooser at the Dorset Museum and Art Gallery in Dorchester, dance at the Purbeck Valley Folk Festival and discover the local dialect that refuses to die in the poetry of William Barnes and, more recently, PJ Harvey’s novel Orlam.
On beach days, there’s a choice of traditional seaside towns or wilder, natural stretches. Some of the UK’s best fish restaurants lie nearby, while modern British restaurants showcase foraged ingredients and wood-fired cooking.
For more Dorset inspiration, see our guides to the region’s best hotels, restaurants, beaches and things to do.
In this guide:
How to spend a weekend
If your time is limited, the Isle of Purbeck (not actually an island but a peninsula and nature reserve) offers the best of Dorset, topped by atmospheric ruins and surrounded by a wildly beautiful coast. Studland Bay has some of the UK’s most appealing beaches; stay at The Pig on the Beach, a relaxed, country house hotel known for its food.
Knoll Beach is a long strip of soft golden sand, backed by dunes and with shallow, clear water. Swim, sunbathe, hire a paddleboard from Studland Watersports, then pop back for lunch at The Pig. For dinner, Shell Bay restaurant is encased by glass, with sea views and has an inventive menu of fresh fish and seafood.
Further inland, at Corfe Castle, the National Trust has created an audio guide that explores the thousand-year-old ruins; climb to the keep’s platform, the “Kings’ View”, for a panorama. Afterwards, escape the touristy village for a cider and some barbecue chicken at The Scott Arms in nearby Kingston. The beer garden has views back across to the castle, which is often subsumed in mist.
Alternatively, take the vintage steam railway from Corfe Castle to Swanage for a hit of seaside nostalgia, and fish and chips beside the gently shelving sand bay.
On the second day, drive 30 minutes to Durdle Door, a sea arch that’s one of Britain’s most famous natural landmarks. Admire it down on the shingle beach or, if you fancy a dip, take the steps down to the calmer Man o’ War Beach, just behind. On the way back, visit the perfect crescent of Lulworth Cove, then walk up into the village for a drink on the terrace at the Lulworth Cove Inn. You can discover how the cove was formed in the nearby visitor centre.
On the final day, plot a walk along the South West Coast Path, stopping perhaps for a wild swim in the natural, sea-cut pool at Dancing Ledge. Just inland, the Square and Compass pub is a popular meeting point for walkers, with an ample garden, a tiny fossil museum, free-range chickens and live folk music in summer. If you’d rather explore Purbeck on two wheels, mountain and electric bikes can be hired at Cyclexperience.
How to spend a week
If you’ve longer to spend in Dorset, take in more of the coast; a hill fort; a historic town and a chalk giant. In north Dorset, Sherborne is brimming with historic sights. The arrival of The Sherborne – an art gallery and café inside a stately home – makes the town a smart choice for a few days. Don’t miss the majestic Sherborne Abbey and Sherborne Castle, actually a Tudor mansion.
Halfway to Dorchester, the Cerne Abbas Giant is a mysterious 180-ft figure drawn into the hillside. In and around Dorchester, you’ll find Maiden Castle, one of the largest iron-age hillforts in Europe; the Dorset Museum and Art Gallery; Thomas Hardy’s cottage and his house, Max Gate.
For the rest of the week, base yourself either near Lyme Regis and Bridport, or in Weymouth and Bournemouth. Weymouth has a pier, aquarium and quay, where there’s good crabbing, plus seafood at Catch at the Old Fish Market. Before leaving for Bournemouth, admire the endless shingle spit of Chesil Beach from a viewpoint by the Olympic rings sculpture at Portland Heights.
Bournemouth has an impressive array of beaches, beginning with its lively main beach and continuing to more natural stretches, like Hengistbury Head. Other highlights include the Sobo Beach café and cocktail bar on the sand at Southbourne (Ibiza vibes in Dorset) and Brownsea Island, for red squirrels and quiet walks. Take the ferry there from Poole Harbour.
If basing yourself near Bridport instead, visit the golden cliffs at West Bay, then pop to the Watch House Café for a crab sandwich. Bridport itself has a good choice of global cuisine. Alternatively, it’s a 10-minute drive to the gorgeous walled garden restaurant at Parnham Park.
Walkers could climb up to the Golden Cap, further west of Bridport, while exploring the South West Coast Path. Stay afterwards for a sauna and a sundowner on Seatown’s pebble beach, with sea views from The Anchor Inn. Contrast the clifftop views with a four-hour hike through the otherworldly vegetation of the Undercliffs at Lyme Regis.
The story of this seaside town, with its ancient sea wall, The Cobb, is told at the Lyme Regis Museum, where you can also learn about Mary Anning and see ichthyosaur fossils. There’s also the eccentric Dinosaurland Fossil Museum. For some fossil hunting of your own, head to nearby Charmouth beach.
When to go
Sun worshippers and families on school holidays will love Dorset’s coast during summer, so this is when the beaches will be at their busiest. Though there are always quieter places to lay your towel, you might want to visit either side of summer to avoid the crowds.
May and June are the best time for walkers, when the air is cooler and spring flowers are out. September to October is when the holidaymakers have gone but the sea is still warm enough to swim in, making this a good time to visit for people without children and watersports enthusiasts.
Where to stay
Luxury living
This small group’s winning formula benefits from glorious Jurassic Coast beauty at its Dorset outpost, The Pig on the Beach. It’s all about warm interiors imbued with a sense of nostalgia, informal yet pin-sharp service, and a locavore-friendly restaurant worth pigging out in.
Double rooms from £225.
Read our full review here.
Boutique beauty
The Seaside Boarding House may have the white simplicity of an Edward Hopper seaside property but this is one of Dorset’s coolest examples of coastal lodging, decked in nautical retro-chic details and home to a lauded restaurant – though it’s the spectacular clifftop location that makes it so special.
Double rooms from £195.
Read our full review here.
Budget bolthole
The Anchor Inn, sat beyond snaking lanes and tucked between scarped cliffs on the edge of a little known Dorset village, is a destination gastropub serving elevated British classics. It is also a boutique hideaway that cocoons guests amid the sound of rolling waves.
Double rooms from £150.
Read our full review here.
How to get there and how to get around
Though it forms part of the south coast, Dorset can be reached easily by car from both the east and west. It’s a good idea to decide which section of coast you want to head to before you start your drive south, as once you’re deep into the county, there’s only the A35 acting as an unofficial beach road between places.
If travelling by train, Weymouth is well served from London and elsewhere, while Sherborne is on the Exeter line. Some beaches between Bournemouth and Poole have a train line between them, though it’s sometimes easier to get the bus along Dorset’s coast.
Try the Purbeck Breezer service in East Dorset or there’s the Jurassic Coaster further west. Expect lovely clifftop views from the open-top floor.
Know before you go
Tourist office: visit-dorset.com
Travel time from London: From two hours by car and from 1 hour 50 minutes by train.
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.