The 10 Best Budget-friendly Things to do in Poole, England

Get Lost Sailing provides various speed boat trips from Poole Town Quay. These include an hour Wet & Wild trip, a two hour sea safari, whole boat charters, photography excursions and special events.

RNLI College Discovery Tour : Find out how our crews and lifeguards are trained with a behind the scenes 90 minute tour of the RNLI College. Each tour is conducted by one of our dedicated volunteer tour guides, providing a passionate and insightful look at the work we do here at the College. During your 90 minute guided tour, you will be given the chance to explore the RNLI College and its training facilities, including our world-class Sea Survival centre, which hosts the wave tank and Lifeboat simulator (subject to availability). RNLI College ALC Tour: Visit our world class centre of excellence in lifeboat engineering, production and maintenance. The 60 minute tour goes behind the scenes to see where we build new all-weather boats, refit, repair and maintain the all-weather fleet as well as our hovercraft, the College training fleet and other local inshore relief lifeboats.

The Watersports Academy is the premier water sports centre on the South Coast. Located at the Sandbanks Hotel and on the edge of Poole Harbour, The Watersports Academy offers thrill seekers, pleasure seekers and family fun seekers a host of exciting water-based activities. From kitesurfing to kayaking we offer the largest variety of water sports in the area.

At Poole Museum discover the colourful history of this ancient port town and its people, and learn about the amazing environment of Poole Harbour, on four floors of art, archaeology and social history. The recently extended and re-displayed museum (all year, except Mons in Winter)has a terrace with stunning harbour views, and activities for all. Medieval Scaplen's Court Museum is open Aug and its tranquil herb garden May - Sept afternoons. ALL FREE.

Owned by the National Trust, Brownsea Island is dramatically located in Poole Harbour, with spectacular views across to the Purbeck Hills. Thriving natural habitats - including woodland, heathland and a lagoon - create a unique haven for wildlife, such as the rare red squirrel and a wide variety of birds, including dunlin, kingfishers, common and sandwich terns and oystercatchers. The Outdoor Centre invites you to come and follow in the footsteps of Lord Baden-Powell and the very first Scouts who camped here in 1907. Scout and Guide Groups can camp and get stuck in with activities such as archery and low ropes and we also offer Eco Adventure Camping as an opportunity for the general public to come and experience the great outdoors. The perfect day's adventure - this island wildlife sanctuary is easy to get to but feels like another world from the moment you step ashore.

Dorset Cruises offer boutique private charters and award winning ticketed events aboard 1938 vintage motor yacht, Dorset Queen. Dorset Queen is a recognised UK Historic Ship and believed to have been involved in the Dunkirk rescues. She is now available for weddings, corporate entertaining, gin cruises, Champagne & oyster cruises, Afternoon High Tea and more.

We are a family run local business provding a daily ferry service to Brownsea Island, we have Harbour and coastal cruises throughout the season and we have boats which do a regular service from Poole to Wareham. We cater for parties, weddings, and all your celebrations. We pride ourselves on being the original family company on Poole Quay and our customer service is second to none!

Dorset's No.1 cruise operator with a wide range of cruises departing from Poole Quay, Swanage Pier, there's something for every taste. For more information please visit our website or our ticket office at Poole Quay pier.

Naturally beautiful, with its golden sand, Sandbanks Beach has been designated by the European Commission as one of the few areas in the United Kingdom which has achieved the highest standard of cleanliness. Sandbanks has held the highly coveted international Blue Flag for the past 30 years and offers a designed area for barbeques and swimmers. New slacklining posts have been installed. Equipment is available to hire from the beach office. Activities at Sandbanks include crazy golf, a children's play area and the Sandbanks Beach Cafe. The number 50 Wilts and Dorset bus from Bournemouth Station to Swanage stops near to the beach (generally every half hour in the summer). There is a car park next to the beach that holds 550 cars, 5 for disabled use.