You’ll find plenty of things to do in Bournemouth, whatever the weather. Visit top Bournemouth attractions like Bournemouth Pier or experience its top-rated activities like sailing around Poole Harbour. Bargain hunters won’t want to miss shopping in Bournemouth while couples and families alike can enjoy Bournemouth's culture. Check out the best places to eat in Bournemouth and get a taste of the local food, before experiencing some exciting Bournemouth nightlife. Getting around Bournemouth couldn't be easier however you choose to travel, and you can rest easy knowing you've enjoyed all of Bournemouth's entertainment before heading back to your hotel in Bournemouth for a great night’s sleep on a super comfy bed.
Shopping in Bournemouth
Shopping centres
Castlepoint is the largest shopping park in the country and is sure to give you plenty to choose from, with over 40 shops, restaurants and cafés and a large area of 3,000 free parking spaces. Shopping options include spacious stores including Sainsbury’s, Marks & Spencer and Asda, as well as plenty of popular high street brands including Topshop, TK Maxx, Waterstones and many more. Rest your weary feet and enjoy a brew or light bite and one of the three coffee shops, or head to Nando’s or Frankie and Benny’s with food to please the whole family. It’s easy to reach this shopping haven – it’s located just off the Wessex Way A338 that heads in and out of Bournemouth. There’s a bus stop right by Nando’s with direct links to the town centre, and most doors are open from 9am-8pm.
If the weather’s a bit nippy and you’d rather stay indoors, pay a visit to the Sovereign Shopping Centre at the heart of Boscombe. You’ll find it on the outskirts of Bournemouth and less than a mile from our Bournemouth East (Boscombe) hotel. It’s conveniently connected to the town’s main car park – a multi-storey with reasonable hourly rates – and has many more shopping options nearby. Usually open 8am-8pm during the week and with 54 shops, cafés and coffee shops, the shopping centre houses the perfect jumble of high street names and independent boutiques, as well as a Lidl store. Both Café Boscanova and the English Rose Café (named in our places to eat guide) are great independents nearby that we’d recommend for a bite to eat.
A central shopping location which mustn’t be missed is Bournemouth Arcade. Less than five minutes from our Central Bournemouth hotel, it offers sheltered shopping with premium retailers underneath a picturesque Victorian roof. A well-trodden route between the popular shopping haunts of Old Christchurch Road and Westover Road, it offers a variety of shops and pretty displays for window shoppers to enjoy (especially at Christmas!). Find high street names Waterstones, Ernest Jones and White Stuff, as well as independent jewellers and L’Occitane.
Sovereign Shopping
The Arcade
