Make the Most of Your Bournemouth Holidays By Reading This Guide

Situated on the southern coast of the UK, Bournemouth welcomes tourists with it's stunning landscape and beautiful coastline. The sea front overlooks the Isle of Wight and Poole Bay. The blue waters are a surfer's paradise and the numerous Bournemouth attractions draw large crowds every year.

The Oceanarium

Announced as Tourism Attraction Experience of the Year in 2008, the Oceanarium sees over 225,000 people each year. It is large, but not one that will tire out your kids. One can see a range of sea creatures such as otters, eels, stingrays, spiny-tailed lizards, sea turtles, sharks and fishes including lionfish, clownfish, pufferfish, piranha and much more. If people miss out on the feeding times, they can head back to their hotels in Bournemouth and visit the Oceanarium at the scheduled feeding times. Interactive features such as the Dive Cage and Global Meltdown are worth seeing.

The Square

The river Bourne flows by The Square which marks the centre of the town and is completely pedestrianised. Till 2000, this was a huge roundabout. One can see a blue plaque that marks the birthplace of Hubert Parry, a composer. There are several shops here and the Obscura café stands in the middle. The café houses a camera obscura, hence the name. One can choose to stay at a B&B in Bournemouth or a hotel near the Square.

Bournemouth International Centre

A range of events such as conferences, art exhibitions, rock shows, etc. are held here. With four major auditoriums, the centre can accomodate around ten thousand people. There's also a seasonal rink for ice skating lovers.

Gardens

Bournemouth has three gardens- the Upper, Central and Lower gardens. The War Memorial is situated in the Central gardens. The Upper gardens have a variety of walks along with great views. Just a few metres further from the Square, one will come across the Lower Gardens. Visiting them will be the best part of your Bournemouth holidays; they are the liveliest gardens with live bands, gymnastic displays, kids fun festival and the Bournemouth Pleasure Balloon. This helium balloon takes visitors to a height of 500 ft and provides views of the surrounding areas.

Something for kids

If you are worried about your kids not having enough fun, don't! Just bring them over to the The Good Play Café. This is a bright and colourful play centre designed for kids upto 8 years of age. Parents can grab a bite and relax while kids enjoy Bournemouth attractions to their fullest.

Of course, you'll find lots of activities on the beaches too!