Put a Dorset Spring in your step

With breath-taking walks, mouth-watering food, top family attractions and a vast array of activities, we have plenty of ways to put a Dorset spring in your step!

It’s the season when the countryside bursts back into bloom and we can’t think of a better time to book a break away to our beautiful county. So, visit Dorset this spring for a lift that will last all year!

Take in Dorset's fresh air

Spring is a great time to explore the Dorset coast and countryside. Glorious spring walks and cycle rides await you at every corner.

As Dorset explodes into colour and the sound of birdsong fills the air, there really is no better time to get out and enjoy the inspiring scenery. Whether it’s the jaw dropping coastline or the abundance of breath-taking countryside, it’ll be a walk you remember forever.

A great idea for a spring day out is a visit to one of Dorset’s country parks, there’s always plenty going on!

Young families will love the Superworm Activity Trail, Play Parks and all-ability cycle trails at Moors Valley Country Park. Teens can ride the zip wires and aerial obstacles of Go Ape, go on a Segway adventure or battle the enemy in a live action combat game through the woods. And there’s plenty more to get involved in too, from gentle woodland strolls and mindfulness trails to falconry experiences.

A Treasure Trail is a really fun way of getting the family away from their screens and discovering new places (not to mention you’ll burn just as many calories as a Zumba class!). Simply buy your chosen trail, download at your convenience and you can solve a secret spy mystery, a dastardly whodunit or find the location of hidden buried treasure!

Spring colour weekends

Dorset’s splendid houses and gardens are waiting to show off their spring time bloom.

Take in the incredible burst of colour at Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens as their Camellia Groves and Magnolias burst into life.

The daffodils will be carpeting the floor at Minterne Gardens followed by the dazzling rhododendron display and the perfectly pink Cherry Avenue.

In late spring, the National Trust's Kingston Lacy house and gardens is one of most popular places in the county to see bluebells, with thousands of people coming to see the spectacular sea of flowers.

With dozens of stately homes and gardens in Dorset opening their doors for the year ahead, we’re sure you’ll want to keep coming back to enjoy the specialities of the season and we don’t blame you!

Go fossil hunting in Dorset

Feel the fresh, salty sea air on your face as you take part in Dorset’s favourite hobby – fossil hunting! After the winter storms, the beach floor is fresh with new exposed fossils making spring one of the best times of year to hunt for your very own ammonite.

Our stunning coastline isn’t called the Jurassic Coast for nothing. It gets its name due to the incredible number of prehistoric finds that can be found along Dorset’s beaches with Lyme Regis and Charmouth being hotbeds for some of the most spectacular fossil finds. Keep your eyes peeled and you can find your own unique keepsake from a lost world!

You can find more information about all the great events happening in Dorset this spring within our What’s On guide.

Welcome the new arrivals

Spring is lambing season in the countryside and visitors will delight in seeing the cute new-borns hop and leap in the open fields. For families with small children this a magical time, with the opportunity to get up close and personal with the new arrivals.

Farmer Palmers holds petting and feeding sessions for the new-born lambs, a chance to meet the other baby animals and don’t forget to look out for the Easter Bunny!

May sees the arrival of the first cygnets at Abbotsbury Swannery, certainly one of the cutest holiday snaps you can take while in Dorset!

Things to do whatever the weather

We all know the rhyme: March winds, April showers bring forth May flowers – oh yes, the spring months come paired with some very interchangeable weather!  But fear not, we have inspiration for whatever the British meteorological system throws at us!

If you’re fortunate enough to be blessed with beautiful blue skies on your holiday, take a look at our list of top 10 things to do when it’s sunny. From that first ice-cream on the beach to a ride on a steam train, you’ll have plenty to keep you occupied.

If the coin falls on the other side and you end up with weather for ducks, our ideas for what to do on a rainy day will put the ‘spring’ back in your step in no time!

Start planning your Spring break to Dorset now!

There really is no other destination in the UK quite like Dorset during springtime!

Along with the huge range of things to do and events on offer for you and your family this spring, we are also proud to have some of the friendliest B&Bs, plushest hotels and prettiest self catering cottages and campsites with the most stunning views.

Find your perfect home from home by browsing our excellent selection of accommodation. See you soon!


• Hotels
• B&Bs
• Self Catering
• Farmhouses
• Pubs & Inns
• Caravan and Holiday Parks
• Campsites

Discover Dorsetthis Spring

2024 Foodie Festivals

From March to November, Dorset's food & drink festivals showcase the counties best local produce.

May Half Term

There's lots of events for all ages this May Half Term school holiday.

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