Municipal Gardens has a range of newly refurbished equipment that provides a challenge for children of all ages but is only recommended to the age of 12 years. It includes:

• a fortress climbing frame with a tube slide, climbing walls, bridges, poles and nets
• a games area with anagrams, four in a row and reversi as well as a kitchen hob and kaleidoscope
• a second slide for younger children
• a network of houses for smaller children to climb around and play in
• toddler swings
• double swings
• swings
• a rope swing
• a tyre swing
• a balance course
• a roundabout
• a spinning disc
• a wobbly pirate ship with a steering wheel
• sea creature springers
• a seal seesaw
• a Cinderella seesaw
• a picnic table and
• seats for adults.

 

Municipal Gardens has a multi-use games area and you can play basketball, football, hockey and cricket. There is also a skateboarding area and an outdoor gym.

There are also gardens and open areas to walk through and picnic in.

Nearest Town: Aldershot
County: Hampshire
Nearest Postcode: GU11 3EP

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic and a blanket.
Facilities: None.

How Long We Spent There: 1.5 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly

Parking: There no car park but you can usually find a space on one of the nearby residential roads. Be sure to find one that does not have parking restrictions. We try Cargate Avenue (GU11 3EP), Upper Elms Road (GU11 3ES), Cargate Hill (GU11 3AA), The Warren (GU11 3AB) and Lansdowne Road (GU11 3ER).
Cost of Parking: Free

Information Written: June 2017
Information Checked: August 2023

 

 

 

Finding Fossils

Fossils can be found all over the beach, including:

• fossil shells 

 

• shark teeth 

 

• ray teeth.

You don’t need any special equipment to find the fossils but it is a good idea to bring some towels, containers, and kitchen roll to keep them safe.

The best time to look for fossils is from about an hour before low tide. 

 

 

Other Things to Find

As well as fossils, you can find bits of driftwood, seaweed, shells, crabs, and hermit crabs.

 

 

 

 

Billy’s on the Beach

We always round our trips off with a visit to Billy’s on the Beach, a relaxed, child-friendly beach restaurant and cafe.

 

 

 

 

Watch the Sunset

Billy’s has recently been named as one of the top 25 places in the world to watch the sunset – listed with places like Florida, Bora Bora, and Mexico!

 

 

 

 

Access to the Beach

The car park is next to the beach so access is generally easy but it can be difficult with a buggy because you have to climb down a steep, stoney slope. 

 

 

 

Access is easier from the slipway next to Billy’s.

 

 

 

 

The Tides

Be sure to check the tide times before you visit.

The beach is a sandy expanse (with shingle) when the tide is out but the sand disappears quickly as the tide comes in. 

 

Nearest Town: Bracklesham Bay, Near Chichester
County: West Sussex
Nearest Postcode: PO20 8JH

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic or eat at Billy’s on the Beach. 
Facilities: Picnic tables, cafe, snacks, ice creams, toilets, accessible toilets. 

How Long We Spent There: 4 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly

Parking: There is a pay and display car park. It can be very busy on warm days.
Cost of Parking: Various

Wildlife You Might See: Sea creatures and seabirds.

Information Written: January 2017
Information Checked: February 2023

 

Highcliffe Beach

The views from the clifftop car park are spectacular.

 

 

 

 

You can see along the coast for miles in both directions and out to the Isle of Wight and The Needles.

 

 

 

 

 

Cliffhanger Cafe

The Cliffhanger Cafe is a child-friendly cafe next to the car park.

On arrival the staff gave us a highchair, a colouring book and some crayons.

 

 

 

 

The Tides

At low tide, the beach is an expanse of sand and shingle.

At high tide the beach all but disappears.

 

 

 

Be sure to check the tides when planning your trip – I have been caught out on a number of occasions by the unusual ‘Double High Waters’ here. 

 

 

 

 

Finding Fossils

Along the beach we noticed some lumps of clay lying on the beach that were full of small, grey shells and tubes. Some were visible on the outside of the clay and some were hidden inside. 

 

 

In about fifteen minutes we managed to collect 7 fossils.

They were whole and quite small – most were less than 2cm long.

 

 

 

 

The Cliffs

The cliffs can be unstable so we do not look for fossils on or near the cliffs.

They are also made of clay so you can get very muddy when you visit.

 

 

 

 

 

To Reach the Beach

The are two routes from the car park down to Highcliffe beach.

There is a path down the cliffs, which has a sea view but is steep with some stairs. 

There is an easier route that can be accessed through a green gate on Waterford Road (by Cliffhanger Cafe) at the entrance to the car park. It doesn’t have any stairs and has a smooth and less steep surface.

 

 

Highcliffe Play Area

If you find yourself waiting for the tide to change, or just fancy a play, then have a look at the nearby Highcliffe Play Area.

 

Nearest Town: Highcliffe, near Christchurch and Bournemouth
County: Dorset
Nearest Postcode: BH23 5DG

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic or try the Cliffhanger Cafe. 
Facilities: Ice creams, snacks, picnic tables, cafe, toilets and accessible toilets.

How Long We Spent There: Full day.
Buggies: Buggy friendly if you use the easier route to the beach (detailed above).

Parking: Large car park
Cost of Parking: Various depending on the season.

Wildlife You Might See: Sealife and seabirds.

Information Written: November 2016
Information Checked: July 2022

 

The Location

The aquarium has a beautiful location, right next to Bournemouth beach and pier.

 

 

 

 

The Areas

Inside, it is divided into areas, including the Great Barrier Reef, Penguin Beach Encounter, Otter Oasis and the Abyss.

 

 

 

The Sea Life

We watched as an array of tropical and marine fish swam past (including sharks, rays, eels, catfish, piranha, clownfish and pufferfish) and gazed at jellyfish, small crocodiles, turtles, lizards, otters and penguins.

 

 

Things to See

As well as the animals, Oceanarium has an underwater tunnel running under the Great Barrier Reef area,

 

 

 

a café with a fantastic view of Bournemouth beach,

 

 

 

 

a virtual reality shark diving cage,

 

 

 

 

puzzles, trails and educational games throughout, 

 

 

 

 

and an underwater themed play area.

 

 

Nearest Town: Bournemouth
County: Dorset
Nearest Postcode: BH2 5AA

Opens: Daily

Adult Cost Range: From £13
Child Cost Range: From £9
Free if: Under 3 years

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic or eat in the cafe. 
Facilities: Picnic tables, cafe, snacks, ice cream, drinks, toilets and accessible toilets.

How Long We Spent There: About three hours.
Buggies: Buggy friendly.

Parking: There are car parks around Bournemouth.
Cost of Parking: We use Pavillion Car Park, which is a short walk away and costs from £1 per hour. 

Animals You Might See: Tropical and marine fish, sharks, rays, penguins, moray eels, catfish, pacu, clownfish, pufferfish, lobster, jellyfish, nautilus, crocodile, turtles, lizards and otters.

Information Written: May 2016

 

The Inhabitants

Inside, a winding walkway led us past rays, sharks, jellyfish, starfish, otters, small crocodiles, iguanas, frogs, clownfish, anemones, piranhas, turtles, coral and seahorses.

 

 

 

The highlights of our visit were watching rays waving as they glide by

 

 

 

 

seeing sharks slip silently through the deep and

 

 

 

 

gazing out from an underwater tunnel.

 

 

 

 

 

It took about half an hour to walk through the aquarium (without including a stop at the play area).

 

 

 

 

 

The Blue Reef Café

Next to the aquarium is the Blue Reef Café – a small café with a sea view. 

 

 

 

The Play Area

Along the way, there is an outdoor play area with play equipment that includes:

• a play ship
• a whale springer
• a motorbike springer
• a spinning disc
• a sandpit
• some wooden puzzles
• picnic tables. 

The springers and ship were for children from 18 months to 6 years old.

 

Nearest Town: Portsmouth
County: Hampshire
Nearest Postcode: PO5 3PB

Opens: Daily

Adult Cost Range: £5 to £14.99
Child Cost Range: £5 to £9.99
Free if: Under 3

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic or eat at the Blue Reef cafe. 
Facilities: Cafe, snacks, ice cream, picnic area, toilets, and accessible toilets. 

How Long We Spent There: 2 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly

Parking: There are parking spaces along the seafront and next to the aquarium.
Cost of Parking: Free

Animals You Might See: Tropical and salt water fish, small crocodiles, sharks, rays, turtles, frogs, iguana, lizards, otters, jellyfish, crabs and lobsters.

Information Written: March 2016