I love the Bourrnmouth Gardens on a nice sunny day grab a deckchair by the bandstand and listen to…read morethe live instrumnetall band playing whilst tucking into a Ice cream. They also have artists selling their paintings near by and also a big aviary where there is also refreshments available so you can sit down and relax. Also look out for the squirels as they are very friendly and will pop up and say hello to you whislt you are sitting on one of the benches, so watch your food.. Crazy golf also available in the gardens. Also sponsered by Bournemouth football club is the big air balloon ride that takes you up on the spot so you can see all the scenery of Bournemouth.

Bourenmouth Garden is a vibrant place with lots of activities going on particularly in the summer…read moretime. Firework dsiplay is one of many activities that should not be missed in the summer weekends. Tennis playing in a beautiful leavy environment is a wonderful experience. The whole area is properly maintained with lots of beautiful decidous shrubs and tress full of colourful blossom throughout spring and autumn. Those who enjoy painting and sketching pictureque garden scenes would not miss this place too. Recently parking charges have been introduced and that has really spoiled the principles of freedom for the less advantageous people when they want to bring their children out to this place especially when many people have lost their jobs and incomes. It is a shame to charge people when they really need a free and healthy family leisure time with their kids.

This is an excellent park. There is vast grass areas to the front and back where one can picnic,…read moreplay games etc. The are often events going on in the summer, such as Proms in the Park, children's events, and as well as exhibitions of various kinds in the House, which is very beautiful. At the back of the house, pathways lead to the harbour and there are board walks out into the reeds which is wonderful for bird spotting and other flying fauna. Schools often make trips here. On a warm day , it really is lovely to walk down on Holes Bay on the board walks - you can feel very far from the busy life so near by.

Upton Country park lays in a peaceful part of Poole and is renowned for its house and Peacocks. The…read morepark is all within the grounds of Upton house and consists of a walled garden large pond with ducks etc, and tea rooms with regular art exhibitions. One of the main draws is Upton country parks Peacocks after problems with thefts in the past the peacocks have cage built homes now but are free to roam the grounds displaying for anyone who takes an interest. There is plenty of parking and plenty of room and open spaces for picnics and fun with the family. We regularly walk the dog in the grounds and its nice just to wander and get lost in the beauty of the grounds.For a free day out this is a great place.

We had a view of this park from our hotel room. I watched many a children play in the massive…read moreexpanse of grass. I saw a lot of people exercising and taking leisurely walks. It looked so nice and peaceful, with a lovely view of the harbor, we decided to also take a stroll through the park. I can see why this would be a great place to watch fireworks or have a festival. There is a lot of space to be able to lay out a picnic blanket. There isn't a lot of stuff to block the views. Quite a lovely place to spend an afternoon. This park is also close to tourist sights and the Mayflower Memorial, which is located across the street. It's not a huge site but it's interesting and historical, especially if you are an American on holiday.

I never know Mayflower Park existed in Southampton for the first four years I was here. Its a…read morewonderful little park down in Southampton between Town Quay/Dock Gate 4 and Dock Gate 20. Generally hosts all the fireworks for events and celebrations for Southampton and the parties for any major new cruise ships leaving or entering Southampton waters, its an ideal place to take photos of the large cruise ships coming in! There are some great views of the new super huge cruise ships, as they come all the way past into the Mayflower Terminal. Also host the Southampton Boat Show in September. Easily accessible from West Quay Road along the front in Southampton, first exit after Town Quay heading towards Millbrook before you get to De Vere Grand Harbour Hotel.

This is one of the best country parks we've ever been to - it was fantastic and entertained people…read morefrom thirty-something to two years old. On arrival, we took our parking ticket for payment on exit, and tried to heave our jaws back up from the floor at the prices of parking. We went in October, not in half term, during the week and paid £5.50 for about 4 hours, maximum charge apparently £8. The visitors centre is in a very nice barn-type buidling, with a gallery space and attached to an extremely nice cafe. The staff in the visitors centre were very helpful and spent time telling us what things we could do with the children (in a nice way. There is a very well equipped park a few minutes walk from the visitors centre which has the added attractions of a lake view and a small ride on steam train that goes round, with stations, tunnels etc. It was closed which I was relatively pleased about as, with 4 children, I knew it would have cost me my remaining arm and leg. But they were thrilled just to see the little stations, bridges, tracks and tunnels. The park itself has a variety of climbing equipment, zipwires, sandpits etc etc. Next to that is a large lake and picnic area with lots of ducks, and cheeky seagulls. Beyond is apparently an 18 hole golf course. We decided after playing to go forest-side and there are acres and acres of forest with a picnic area at the beginning. The forest is extremely well tended and clean, there was no rubbish or dog muck which made a nice change. We walked around the forest (using the map from the visitors centre) for a good hour and a half without seeing a single other person. We went to the lookout, which has picnic areas around and has a great view, as you would expect. A large wooden structure where you could shelter from the rain if necessary, and picnic. Afterward we followed the path down to the treetops trail which was a bit hair raising but totally safe, obviously. Then on to the play trail, a mile or so round walk with some fantastic equipment on the way - nothing i'd ever seen anywhere else. A wooden replica ants nest the children could climb around, a spiders web to climb over, a wooden maze etc etc. There is also a Go Ape centre on site, for those more adventurous and we watched people zip wiring and climbing high up in the tree tops. Finished off with a trip to the very very nice cafe for hot chocolate and cakes - this is a fantastic day out and when I say it all out loud the initial moaning at the parking charges is pathetic really. £5.50 for a wonderful outdoor experience is not a lot, is it! Definately highly recommend.

Moors Valley is a free day out (excluding parking) and you can visit in most weathers and still…read morehave a great time. It's based near the New Forest and has acres of woodland around the main centre. The most expensive thig you will have to pay for here is the car park, but after that if you manage your visit you can have a free day out (apart from the obligatory ice cream of course.) There are a range of woodland walks that you can go on and the famous play trail with lots of activities for the children to stop and play on as you get some exercise. You must note the only toilets are at the train station and the visitor centre so visit before heading off into the woods. There is a train, ice cream stalls, cafe, bike hire, bbq areas, nature trails and plenty of things for the whole family to do in the outdoors. Take a picnic and enjoy it by the lake. I can't reccomend it high enough.

One of a number of pine clad 'chines' (valleys cut in the cliffs) in the area. This one has had a…read moremillion pound tart up, and boasts a children's play area with water, nature trail, flower beds, bandstand, basketball court, cafe, crazy golf, loos, and is served by a noddy train.

Beautiful country park run by Dorset County Council, in a spectacular cliff top location, with…read moreviews to the Isle of Wight. There is parking (reduced rates for Friends), loos, and a Visitor Centre, serving tea/coffee, with a wider range from Acorns Cafe adjoining the Centre. A rugged battery mobility cart is available. (The castle is being renovated until 2011, to create a Jurassic Coast Visitor Centre, and so the proper cafe - The Lookout - is also closed for now). The park is staffed by rangers, who post details of the wildlife to be seen each day in the Visitor Centre. There is a dolphin watch hut on the cliff top - look inside to see sightings on the blackboard (peak month is May). No chemicals are used, so the meadows and clifftops are chock full of wildflowers, including many varieties of wild orchid. There are many resident and visiting birds, and a TV in the Visitors Centre shows live pictures of the nesting seabirds on the cliffs. There is a hide, and observatory. Wonderful walks, including past the lighthouse (open many Sundays in summer).

Quaint little cove with a pebble beach, excellent ice-cream shop and I recommend the tiramisu…read moreflavour :o) It's real picture postcard stuff!

The remains of a Roman fortress, although I am certain there was an Anglo Saxon dwelling of some…read moresort before that. This is a wooded area with rings, that get larger and larger going outward, or smaller as they go inward. The rings, of earthen mounds, are what remains of the Roman Fortress. People come here to have pic nics, play frisbee, walk the dog, fly kites, get hay fever, and what is best, play 'wide games'. (The sort when you are in teams, with 3 'lives' each, with objectives to accomplish whilst trying simultaneously to avoid the other team or kill them.) No real life killing, hopefully. I haven't been to play games for a while, well not that sort anyway, but it is a great place. Now I come to think of it, the last time I was there, I was waiting for the RAC!! See, a good landmark to give them!

I loved walking round the Badbury Rings, the wild flowers there are amazing and there are loads of…read morebutterflies. The views are absolutely stunning. I was lucky to have the place near enough to myself, and i can't imagine that it would ever seem really busy because it is so big. Really interesting, nice to be able to try and imagine the place in its days as a fortress.