Weymouth

For details of places to stay and things to do in Weymouth, please try the links on the left.

Stay in Weymouth and you'll be ideally situated to explore the World Heritage Coast. Visitors can choose from a wide range of hotels, guest houses, holiday parks and self-catering establishments.

When King George III left his bathing hut to plunge into the clear blue waters of Weymouth Bay, he really started something.

The royal visitor came to the town in June 1789 to treat a nervous disorder by submerging himself in the seawater, and people have flocked to bathe here ever since.

As he waded through Weymouth's gentle waves, the King must have been struck by the beauty of the bay, which is surrounded by the stunning Purbeck cliffs and watched over by the looming Isle of Portland.

This view still impresses Weymouth's visitors, who can see the place he stayed, the Gloucester Lodge, along with the magnificent listed Georgian terrace now taken up by many of Weymouth's hotels.

The town has not looked back since receiving the royal seal of approval and has become a modern resort that changes with the times, whilst retaining its heritage.

Weymouth has everything you need to make a holiday great, including a beautiful, sandy and safe award-winning beach. The shallow water is ideal for families with young children and the seaside fun of Punch and Judy, children's rides, pedalos and deckchairs create a very traditional scene.

The Esplanade that sweeps around Weymouth Bay has been extended so it is now possible to walk from the picturesque Old Harbour, past the Pavilion Theatre which hosts seaside entertainment each year, together with a mixture of shows and performances by well-known entertainers, and across to Bowleaze Cove.

The promenade walk to Overcombe offers breathtaking views of Weymouth Bay on one side, where there is always some water sport happening, whatever the weather, plus a chance to see one of Weymouth's two RSPB nature reserves on the other.

The Lodmoor nature reserve's grazing marsh is home to Bearded tits and Cetti's warblers all year. The autumn migration can be spectacular, with hundreds of swooping swallows and martins to watch, while a range of wading birds and ducks visit in winter. One of the largest breeding colonies of common terns in the south west can be found here.

A new Visitor Centre (May 2012)at Radipole Lake reserve contains fantastic new features including a media wall with live nest cams and footage from underwater cameras and remote night cameras, indoor seating, visitor toilets and catering for hot and cold drinks, food and a facility for visitors to order RSPB goods online. A new Family Trail is also open, complementing the duck-feeding and pond-dipping platforms already in place.

Weymouth town centre is close to the Esplanade and offers a range of independent and national chains, with Debenhams at its centre. As you walk around the town it is a good idea to look above the shop facades to the fascinating first floor architecture.

There are few towns that can rival the attractive scene that Weymouth's harbour presents.
One of the harbour's attractions is its lifting road bridge which is raised at set times to let boats in and out of the inner harbour marinas. Weymouth harbour is home to a wide range of vessels offering angling, diving and sightseeing trips. There are also several commercial fishing vessels bringing in crab, lobster, scallops and fish to be landed, weighed and sold. It is not surprising that many of Weymouth's quality restaurants are famous for their fish menus.

A railway track set in the harbourside road was last used regularly in the 1980s by trains serving the Channel Island ferries and it is perhaps an opportunity waiting to happen.

A walk to the end of the harbour's stone pier reveals a stunning view across the bay to the Isle of Portland, which is well worth a visit. It has beautiful scenery, a wealth of wildlife, a dramatic coastline, plus superb water sports.

OLYMPICS 2012 - Weymouth & Portland to host sailing events - click here for details.