If the thought of dwelling on busy Bournemouth beach on a sunny Saturday fills you with dread, Sandbanks beach in Poole offers a welcome alternative. A fifteen minute drive from Bournemouth town centre, Sandbanks is more ‘undiscovered paradise’ than ‘overcrowded Costa del-Dorset.’ As soon as you arrive, the atmosphere here is noticeably different to that at Bournemouth, and it becomes clear why a wealthier, more mature audience chooses Sandbanks as their weekend playground.
The blue flag-winning beach itself stretches noticeably wider than the sands at Bournemouth, creating a greater sense of space and tranquillity. In the height of summer FC Watersports Academy provides beach and sea entertainment in the form of kayak and pedalo hire, beach volleyball, banana boat rides, rib boat rides and wakeboarding tuition to boot! Yet despite the wide choice of activities in and around the water, those seeking a day of undisturbed sun-basking will not be disappointed either. Head a few metres down the beach and the hustle and bustle seems a million miles away. But a word of warning, on a windier days the beach has been known to kick up a mean sandstorm! Swimming into the flat expanse of sea that stems from the famous beach is very safe and guarded by lifeguards over the summer months.
Numerous beach-front food outlets and shops selling beach essentials such as sunscreen, buckets and spades, and children’s swimwear will relieve the more forgetful beach goer! Modern and stylish beach huts set further back from the beach may catch your eye, but unless you’ve got the odd ten thousand pounds a year to spare, a windshield and towel will have to make do! The cosmopolitan Jazz Café offers patrons indoor or outdoor seating, with evening music entertainment for those wishing to extend their stay.
Had enough of sand? Starting to resemble a blushing lobster? To escape the beach, simply cross the road and you are at Poole harbour, a marina-cum-watersports-haven. Beach babes and surfer dudes will appreciate FC Watersports’ shop, situated on the harbour side of the Quay. Downstairs, hardcore board and wind-riders can lust over the latest Cabrinha, O’Neil, JP, and Switchblade gear, whilst upstairs clothing by Animal, Roxy, Quiksilver and Reef is available for men and women. Next door, both Le Café, a friendly family-run bar and Café Shore, a bigger, stylish bar/restaurant offer tempting seafood and very reasonably priced beverages. Cosmopolitan-types will love the array of exotic cocktails offered in Café Shore.
All that sun, sea, sand, shopping and schmoozing can be exhausting. Take a break from it all and escape, by visiting Compton Acres. The famous gardens are just three quarters of a mile from Poole Harbour and offer fabulous views of the sea and Studland peninsular. Still not satisfied? Loch Fyne restaurant will tempt seafood-lovers whilst Canford Cliffs village provides even more choice of bars and restaurants.
Sandbanks offers an award winning beach, stylish bars, one of the best places for windsports in the country and impressive modern architecture. For a closer peek into the lives and homes of some of Sandbanks’ most exclusive residents, as well as catching a glimpse of the beautiful Brownsea Island, take a boat trip from Bournemouth Pier.
