Naturally, it is all a matter of taste and preference as to which beach is the 'best' one. The closest is Lulworth Cove at just 5 miles which is shingles and pebbles. However, if you have the strength and not too many buckets and spades to carry, the walk up and over from Lulworth to Durdle Door is worth it as there are two wonderful shingle beaches in a really lovely spot.
For us, the award-winning beach of Studland Bay is the most beautiful. The National Trust owns it so for those of you with NT membership you can park in the car park free of charge. The car park is very close to the ticket cabins for the Sandbanks Ferry. For you others, you can park on the private road and walk through the dunes along a very pleasant path. As you approach the beach in your car, you will start to see lots of parked cars and you will need to park as close to the bus stop on the opposite side as you can and then walk along the path behind the bus stop down to the beach - 10-15 minute walk. The beach is pretty eclectic with many gay men and naturists (naturists are restricted to one section of the beach and the dunes) but also lots of families on all parts of the beach and dunes. In total, it takes about 40 minutes from leaving Manor Farm Barn to parking your bum on the golden sand of this beautiful beach.
There are also many coves and beaches along the Dorset coast - a World Heritage site - and hopefully the Ordnance Survey map, which we have left for you, will help you discover them. Just five miles from the coast at Lulworth Cove or about 25 minutes drive from Studland Bay which renowned for its wonderful beaches and dunes, it is well located for both summer and winter holidays.
Other possible tourist attractions of interest might be:
Farmer Palmer's, this famous Dorset Farm Park offers a fantastic day out for children with many activities involving farm animals - http://www.farmerpalmer.co.uk
