Pack a picnic

Indulge your nostalgic side while in Bournemouth and set off for a good old-fashioned picnic. Roll up a travel rug or two and pack a picnic basket with some of your favourite things. We’ve picked five of the best picnic spots for you to try out when you take your break in Bournemouth.

1. The Beach - all seven miles of it! One of the best places to take a picnic with stunning views, amenities to hand and lots of space to spread out.

2. Bournemouth Upper, Central or Lower Gardens. Our award winning gardens provide beautiful landscapes and flora and fauna to marvel at whilst having your picnic here. The Lower & Central Gardens  have beautiful flower displays year round and live bands in the bandstand during the summer months. Hire a deckchair or two if you prefer to sit back, relax and listen to the music whilst enjoying your picnic. Upper Gardens are slightly more secluded for a picnic away from the hub of the town centre but still only a short stroll away. Listen to the trickle of the stream that runs through the gardens, framed by beautiful Victorian trees - you won’t want to leave!

3.Cliff top views. Along the whole stretch of our seven miles of beach we have cliff top views of the bay which are stunning. Dotted along the cliff tops are viewing areas and you can find grassy areas where you can settle in with your picnic. Try East Cliff or Boscombe Cliff Gardens.

4. Head to the enchanting New Forest National Park with your picnic. Marvel at the wild ponies which will be grazing freely around you whilst you tuck into your picnic. You can explore the New Forest either by car or by hiring bikes.

5.Studland Bay is a short chain ferry ride away from Poole- another of Bournemouth’s neighbours’. Stunning views will tempt you to take your picnic here. Studland Bay is protected from wind and storms by the impressive Old Harry Rocks, a spectacular chalk headland that has seen many shipwrecks in its time.

Remember when you have your picnic, please leave behind only your footprints.

Historic Fact: If you take a picnic in the Upper Gardens – look out for the ornate Water Tower which was built in 1885 and operated the ornamental fountains. The ornamental fountains couldn’t be saved but the water tower still stands proud.