Bournemouth beach

The southern coastline of England is littered with magnificent coastal resort towns. One such destination is the historical spa town of Bournemouth. Located in the southwestern English county of Dorset, Bournemouth was originally a fishing village that grew to prominence in the 19th century. This was largely due to its clean water, fresh air and tranquil atmosphere, which attracted a host of Victorian society.

From 1885, the town developed into a spa settlement as a result of the construction of its first spa hotel and has since continued a stunning growth. Each year, thousands of visitors flock to this charming township from all over England, the rest of the United Kingdom and Europe.

Bournemouth International Airport is at its busiest between May and September, as this is when the majority of tourists come to the golden shores of the town. Winter can be very cold, so tourism basically diminishes into nothingness at this time until the warmer months spring forth. The airport handles both scheduled and charter flights from within the United Kingdom and continental Europe.

Flying into the city of Bournemouth is not the only way for tourists to reach the resort. With excellent roads around England and an extensive rail network, the town can be accessed by car hire, bus or train from almost every major city. If travelling by car rental, try to drive in the early morning or late at night as the midday traffic close to Bournemouth can get congested during periods of summer.

When in Bournemouth, head to the Square. This is a great place to start sightseeing or exploring. Several cheap Bournemouth hotels can be found around the Square, but some of these establishments are noisy at night. Bournemouth boasts an enormous range of accommodation to suit the needs of almost every traveller, so you won’t have trouble finding quieter digs if that’s what you are after.

Visitors can stay busy in Bournemouth by discovering what this interesting little town has to offer. The beaches are the number one attractions. More than seven miles of beaches stretch along the Bournemouth coastline, providing ideal spots for sunbathing, swimming and spotting a breathtaking sunrise or sunset. Spend some time exploring Bournemouth Pier, too.

Other sites away from the beaches include the Russel Cotes Museum and Gallery, the local Oceanarium, the Bournemouth Eye, Boscombe Artificial Surf Reef and the Atrium Gallery of Bournemouth University.

Bournemouth hosts a couple of festivals throughout the year. One of the largest and most alluring is the Bournemouth Air festival, which occurs in the warm month of August. Bournemouth’s pride festival, Bourne Free, is a gay and lesbian parade that welcomes many thousands of visitors annually.

Next to cheap Bournemouth hotels stand some important shopping districts. The main shopping district is found close to High Street. Here, shoppers will find nation-wide shopping stores including Marks & Spencer and Debenhams.

An evening out in Bournemouth is likely to be one to remember. The town radiates a famous nightlife, although with this comes some major downers. The streets at night can get very crowded with tens of thousands of revelers and a large population of hen and stag party-goers frequent the night spots. Some areas, such as Boscombe High Street, should be avoided altogether after the sun goes down if you don’t want to encounter rowdy youths on a night out.

John is a guest blogger from Bournemouth Hotels Online – a hotel guide and reservation service for Bournemouth.