Things To Do during Winter in Dorset

Dorset has some fantastic attractions and activities which are open throughout the winter months.

With both indoor and outdoor things to do, you can head outside when the weather is bright and sunny, and choose to visit somewhere inside for rainy days. 

So, if you are visiting Dorset during November, December, January or February, there are over 200 things to see and do during your trip.

Winter days out for the family

If you’re wanting a bit of fresh air but still want to keep warm, get the kids (and grownups) running about on a game of Laser Tag. Or for older children, why not try some bushcraft and survival skills where they’ll learn to make their own fire to keep warm.

For younger members of the family there is indoor soft play at Seals Cove in Bridport or Lemur Landings in Poole. Both have cafés where parents can enjoy something to drink as the little ones play to their hearts content.

The county town of Dorchester is home to some great family friendly museums. At the Dinosaur Museum, there’s fossils, skeletons and life-sized dinosaurs for a hands-on and interactive experience. There are hundreds of teddies to be seen at The Teddy Bear Museum or go back in (Egyptian) time at the Tutankhamun Exhibition.

Poole’s Splashdown Waterpark offers indoor flume rides and is really popular with families and older children. Nearby there's lots of choice for places to eat and drink, as well as a cinema and ten-pin bowling, so if it's raining this is the perfect indoor venue.

Budget friendly things to do in winter

A day splashing about in the pool is always fun for the kids and easy on the wallet. There are indoor swimming pools at Wareham, Dorchester and Bridport.

The beaches at Charmouth and Lyme Regis are some of the best in the county for finding fossils of the marine creatures and dinosaurs that once lived here millions of years ago. And you’re in luck because winter is one of the best times of year to find fossils on our beaches, especially if you’re fossil hunting after a storm.

At the Lyme Regis Museum you can learn about 185 million years of the earth’s history as well as the story of Mary Anning – a famous fossil collector who lived in Lyme Regis and contributed to the world’s knowledge of prehistoric creatures. There is a small entry fee to go into the museum with children under 6 years admitted for free.

If you've got children under 5 years old, they get in for free at Museum of Jurassic Marine Life, The Blue Pool, The Keep and Nothe Fort.

For children under 3 years old, Monkey World, The Tank Museum, Museum of East Dorset, Teddy Bear Museum and The Dinosaur Museum offers discounted tickets or free entry.

Accompanied by a paying adult, children under the age of 14 get free entry to Swanage Pier. Children under 16 get free entry to Dorset Museum. Young children sitting on the lap of an accompanying adult at The Rex Cinema do not need to buy a ticket.

Wet weather days

No matter what the winter weather throws at you, there are always options for staying indoors.

Weymouth SEA LIFE Adventure Park is home to over 2,000 creatures, including otters, rescued sea turtles, sea lions, Fairy Penguins and Humboldt Penguins, Blacktip reef sharks, seahorses, jellyfish, rays, a beautiful array of tropical fish species and lots more.

At the end of Bournemouth Pier, you’ll find Rock Reef – an indoor climbing centre with 28 themed climbing walls suited for beginners and experienced climbers. The Stairway to Heaven will test your balance, and the HighLine aerial obstacle course will test your courage. If you make it around the course first time, take on the challenge again, this time blindfolded!

Cinemas are always a good option for rainy days and you can choose from Wareham, Dorchester, Swanage or Wimborne Minster.

Wildlife watching during winter

You might think that wildlife will be hibernating in winter but there are more than 20,000 over-wintering birds who migrate to Britain’s shores every year from harsher climates such as Scandinavia, Iceland and Russia.

Migrant species include Bewick Swans, Brent Geese, Avocets and the unusual looking Spoonbill which attracts wildlife enthusiasts from far and wide.

The best places to see these winter visitors is on the wetlands of Poole Harbour, The Fleet Lagoon which backs onto Chesil Beach and the RSPB reserves at Arne, Radipole and Lodmoor. The Wild Chesil Centre on the causeway between Weymouth and Portland is a fantastic place to learn about the wildlife which lives on Fleet Lagoon, and is free to visit too.

You can also take a winter boat trip with Greenslade Pleasure Boats and the experts from The Birds of Poole Harbour who will tell you all about the birds and where they have migrated from. Join them on one of their wildlife safaris with a chance of seeing the Big Five - White-tailed Eagle, Peregrine, Marsh Harrier, Hen Harrier and Goshawk.