Weymouth Visitors's Guide

To the south of England’s West Country you’ll find Dorset, and on its south coast lays Weymouth. Weymouth is relatively simple town, which offers a number of museums and attractions tied to its harbour and coastal region. It is also known for its riotous nightlife.

To get to Weymouth, one can take the A35 towards Dorchester, and then turn off for the A354 and follow the signs to Weymouth. By bus one can head from London Victoria and there’s an hourly train from London Waterloo. If you are planning a longer trip touring the country, it is possible to get ferries back and forth from Jersey and Guernsey to Weymouth, and from Jersey onward to France.

For a fun time, head to the Harbourside and follow the signs for Deep Sea Adventure. This venue is open all year round and is essentially a museum for all things under the sea. Its children’s play area is great, and the in-depth look at the sinking of the infamous Titanic is well worth a visit. Similarly one can head to Discovery, a science exhibition which prides itself on its interactivity and exhibits which can excite the whole family.

In the centre of Weymouth’s Old Harbour, one will find Brewers Quay, a quaint Victorian brewery which has been repurposed to make it into a family attraction. Inside one can find out some history about the area during the Victorian era, including a gruesome look at the Black Death.

At the entrance to the harbour, Nothe Fort has been made into a major attraction and is the best place to get the best views over the harbour and of Weymouth itself. Nearby is Weymouth Museum, with free entry and relics of Weymouth’s past it is a good location to round out your knowledge of the town.

Bennetts Water Gardens is outside the town, in Chickerell. This landscaped garden is home to a number of varieties of plants, particularly water lilies, and is open from spring to autumn. Also outside the city, at Lodmoor Country Park is the Sea Life Park and Marine Sanctuary, which specializes in local marine life like otters, penguins and rays. They also offer interactive water activities for children.

Weymouth has reasonable shopping options down St Thomas Street and New Bond Street. For eating out, perhaps the best region is along the old harbour, but in the city centre there is more choice. Weymouth is a particularly good place to eat locally produced food.

Perhaps surprisingly, Weymouth has a rocking nightlife. People from all over the south of England will come to Weymouth for a night out, mainly in the bars and clubs of the town centre. Rendezvous is Weymouth’s most popular club, but the best fun is usually to be had in the bars such as The Swan, and the Hogshead. At New Year, residents of Weymouth dress up, and it is known as Britain’s biggest fancy dress.

For hotels, Weymouth tends to err on the side of being cheap and cheerful. Bed and breakfasts abound, particularly around the seafront, and there are several camping sites within the vicinity of the alternative Weymouth hotels.