The Best Times to Visit Dorset

With a wide range of things to do come rain or shine, Dorset is a great choice for a cottage holiday all year round. Between our lists of the best places to see and the best things to do in Dorset, you won’t be short of ideas. But if that leaves you wondering when exactly to visit, read on for our month-by-month guide to this glorious coastal county.

Whether you’re looking to book during the school holidays or plan an off-season mini break for two, browse our handpicked Dorset cottages to complete your perfect holiday.

For any events and activities below, please check dates online beforehand.

Visiting Dorset in January

From stylish barn conversions to classic beach houses, bring some hygge to your January with a cosy cottage retreat in Dorset, complete with coastal walks, quaint English seaside towns and glorious stately homes.

Wrap up warm and explore the Jurassic Coast, keeping your eyes peeled for fossils, or saunter around the Kingston Lacy House gardens. Just over the border in Hampshire lies the New Forest, one of Southeast England’s prettiest patches.

And you’d be mistaken for thinking everything is hibernating during the winter months; according to the RSPB, there’s a high chance of spotting one of the Big Five birds (White-tailed Eagle, Peregrine, Marsh Harrier, Hen Harrier and Goshaw) on the Dorset coast at this time of year, as they migrate from harsher climates in the Baltics and Scandinavia. Warblers, keep an eye out for guided safaris in the Poole Harbour wetlands.

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Visiting Dorset in February

Whether you’re treating yourselves for Valentine’s Day or whisking the family away for February half term, there’s plenty about Dorset to fall in love with in February.

Couples could enjoy a weekend of romantic walks along the Dorset Path or lock themselves away in one of the county’s sumptuous spas. Then, head for a candlelit dinner in one of the county’s Michelin Guide restaurants or stay inside your cocoon and cook for yourselves, with an after dinner tete-a-tete beside a crackling log fire.

Those escaping with kids for the half term could choose between fossil hunting in Lyme Regis and Charmouth or fun, interactive museums. In Dorchester, there’s the Dinosaur Museum, the Teddy Bear Museum and the Tutankhamun Exhibition. Elsewhere, there’s a choice of oceanariums, one of the UK’s biggest water parks – Splashdown in Poole, and the steam train at Swanage Railway.

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Visiting Dorset in March

It’s mad March in Dorset with the arrival of spring and the Easter holidays. Stately homes explode with colour as spring flowers surface and many will put on Easter activities and events to make the most of these surroundings. Nature bursts into life elsewhere with the arrival of migratory birds along the coast. Head to Poole Harbour, Portland Bill or Durlston Country Park for a chance to see Osprey, Hobby and Cuckoo birds, among other species.

There are always the National Trust properties to fall back on, Kingston Lacy House and Athelhampton House to name two examples, and if you’re visiting around Easter there’s bound to be some themed walking trails and family activities to get involved with.

In Swanage, there are a couple of festivals to mark on the calendar: the Swanage Blues Festival and the Swanage Railway Victorian Weekend for train enthusiasts.

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Visiting Dorset in April

With the weather turning warmer, you can really make the most of the great outdoors in April. Visit one of the county’s beaches, go on a ramble along the South West Coast Path and enjoy a coffee, pint, cream tea or pub lunch al fresco in a beer garden with a sea view.

If the heavens open, fear not, Dorset can easily switch to a wet weather programme. Find your inner palaeontologist at Lyme Regis Museum and learn about 180 million years of Earth’s history, visit the Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens or enjoy some retail therapy. Swanage, Sherborne and Wareham are particularly well known for their boutiques. Make a day of it and break for lunch in one of the many cafes or restaurants. The Swanage steam railway is another good rainy day option which is great fun for all ages.

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Visiting Dorset in May

May marks the start of festival season in Dorset with the Cheese and Chilli Festival for foodies and Sherborne Abbey Music Festival for classical music lovers.

If you’re making the most of the May bank holidays or visiting with the family during half term, the National Trust properties will likely have activities and events on.

For adventurous families, there’s the chance to find their inner Bear Grylls during a bushcraft workshop in Brownsea, where a guide will teach you den building, foraging and fire making.

Of course, with the fairer weather, we wouldn’t blame you for wanting to spend all of your time at the seaside. Sandbanks in Poole is one of the best beaches in Britain with a longstanding Blue Flag status. There’s also Lulworth Cove and Bournemouth, among others (both dog-friendly).

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Visiting Dorset in June

If you’re not tied to the school holidays, June is a fantastic month to visit Dorset and enjoy that quintessential British seaside break before the high season crowds flock. Explore the Jurassic Coast’s top attractions such as Durdle Door, Old Harry Rocks and Lulworth Cove with its Stuart era castle, or take a boat tour and see the famous landmarks from another perspective.

And for something a little different, the Sae Seaweed Spa, a seasonal spa offering seaweed baths and treatments right on the beach, opens in Swanage in June. Meanwhile in Dorchester, you can find that summer vibe at The Watch House Cafe on Thursdays when they have their resident DJ playing.

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Visiting Dorset in July

School’s out – grab your buckets and spades, pack a picnic and while away your days on one of Dorset’s many fine, sandy beaches. There’s no end of fun in the sun at Studland, Lulworth and Weymouth beaches and to the east is Poole with Sandbanks and Splashdown waterpark.

This month also brings a swathe of outdoor festivals to suit all ages and interests. Camp Bestival at Lulworth Castle is one of the highlights for families. You’ve also got Jurassic Fields Music Festival, Tankfest at the Tank Museum for those with a passion for old trains and SandFest on Sandbanks beach, to name but a few. In addition, there are carnivals and summer fetes popping up all over the county; Swanage Carnival and Regatta and Wareham Carnival are two of the biggest.

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Visiting Dorset in August

In August, things really heat up – in more ways than one as the Great Dorset Chilli Festival comes to town. Beach bums, meanwhile, can look forward to sunny skies and temperatures in the low to mid twenties – ideal for a surf lesson, kayaking, a boat ride or just some alone time with a good book.

The festival calendar is chock-a-block with We Out There Festival, Purbeck Valley Folk Festival, Dorchester Cider Festival and Bournemouth Air Festival, to name a few of the shindigs you could attend. There’s also the Lyme Regis Regatta and Carnival if you didn’t catch the one in Swanage in July.

Dorset’s hinterland holds a wealth of adventures too, from swinging across the treetops with Go Ape to hiking and cycling trails. Whatever you get up to, make the most of your evenings too with an al fresco dinner at your luxury cottage and a sunset soak in the hot tub.

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Visiting Dorset in September

Enjoy the last of the summer sun while dodging the crowds by visiting Dorset in September, when there’s also a wide range of events to plan your visit around.

Foodies can look forward to the Dorset Seafood Festival and the Sturminster Newton Cheese Festival. Those looking for a bit of culture can enjoy country sports, food and entertainment at one of the county shows while those who appreciate the quirkier things in life can attend the Bridport Hat Festival.

Another fantastic reason to visit Dorset in September is the heritage open days. This is when many of the stately homes, castles and museums allow free admission to all visitors, making for a great budget-friendly day out.

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Visiting Dorset in October

Relish the start of autumn with a spectacular display of colours across the county’s landscapes and gardens. Sherborne Castle and Gardens hold an annual ‘Shades of Autumn’ event to showcase their natural beauty and Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens, too, are particularly vibrant at this time of year.

If you’re visiting for half term, there’s lots happening for halloween, from spooky walking trails and ghost hunts in the county’s creepy castles to pumpkin picking and potion making. Keep an eye out on the Visit Dorset website for the dates.

Elsewhere, enjoy walks along the coastline, shopping in Dorset’s boutiques and art galleries, tucking in to hearty food and generally following Mother Nature in downing tools and unwinding, ready for the winter ahead.

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Visiting Dorset in November

While it may be far too cold for a dip in the sea, you can still enjoy Dorset’s beaches in autumn and winter. Head down to Lyme Regis or Charmouth and look for fossils or wrap up and ramble along the South West Coast Path. The New Forest in neighbouring Hampshire also boasts scenic walks and cycling routes.

If you’re looking for somewhere to celebrate Bonfire night, you can find a number of organised fireworks displays and funfairs in Lyme Regis, Weymouth and Poole. Once Guy Fawkes night is out of the way, all attention turns to Christmas and Dorset becomes strewn with twinkly lights, none more dazzling than those at Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens after dark. And at Nutley Farm, there’s a 600 metre light trail complete with giant light up reindeers (as well as some real ones), projections and other surprises.

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Visiting Dorset in December

It’s easy to get into the festive spirit in Dorset’s chocolate box towns, all decked out with Christmas trinkets. Spend your days pottering around the boutiques for handmade gifts and turn to the Christmas markets after dark where you can enjoy seasonal treats, music and more retail therapy.

But nothing quite spells Christmas like a pantomime and Dorset doesn’t disappoint. Festive favourites such as Snow White, Aladdin and Cinderella take to the stages in Bournemouth, Weymouth, Poole and Wimborne Minster. Look online for dates before you travel.

Whether you’re looking for a pre-Christmas mini break or somewhere to host family and friends on the big day, we have luxury cottages perfect for the occasion. Or see in the New Year with party games and merriments in stylish, open lounges with all of your nearest and dearest.

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