Introduction
What to do
Where to eat
When to visit
How to get there
Where to stay
Hiring a car

Bournemouth travel guide

Bournemouth Tourism | Bournemouth Guide

You're Going to Love Bournemouth

With a population of 163,600, Bournemouth is a must-see destination in England, United Kingdom. It is one of the most popular cities to visit in the country. Bournemouth deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.

Where to Eat in Bournemouth

If you’re looking for affordable options, WestBeach Restaurant (Pier Approach) and Connaught Brasserie (30 West Hill Road) are great picks. For delicious green meals, TWELVE EATERY (12 The Triangle) and Art Sushi (42E Poole Rd) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in Bournemouth.

When to visit Bournemouth

Bournemouth in February
Estimated hotel price
£71
1 night at 3-star hotel
Bournemouth in February
Estimated hotel price
£71
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Bournemouth in July, when the average temperature is 17 °C, and the highest can go up to 22 °C. The coldest month, on the other hand, is December, when it can get as cold as 1 °C, with an average temperature of 4 °C. You’re likely to see more rain in October, when precipitation is around 100 mm. In contrast, April is usually the driest month of the year in Bournemouth, with an average rainfall of 40 mm.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to Bournemouth

Plane

When flying to Bournemouth, you’ll arrive at Bournemouth (BOH), which is located 4 miles from the city centre. The shortest domestic flight to Bournemouth departs from London and takes around 18h 55m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Bournemouth, followed by South Western Railway. The train journey from Bournemouth to London takes 1h 59m and costs around £19 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Leeds, expect to pay about £1,145 for a 7h 59m trip. The train station in Bournemouth is called Bournemouth, and is located 0.8 miles from the city centre.

Car

Another option to get to Bournemouth is to pick up a car hire from London, which is about 93 miles from Bournemouth. You’ll find branches of GREEN MOTION and Turo, among others, in London.

Bus

You can travel by bus to Bournemouth using National Express or FlixBus. From Southampton, the bus ride to Bournemouth takes 50 miles and will cost you around £17. From London, the ticket costs about £22 for a journey of 130 miles. The most popular bus station is Bournemouth University, located 1.8 miles from the city centre of Bournemouth. Bournemouth The Westbourne is also a commonly used station, and is 1.0 mile from the city centre.

Plane

When flying to Bournemouth, you’ll arrive at Bournemouth (BOH), which is located 4 miles from the city centre. The shortest domestic flight to Bournemouth departs from London and takes around 18h 55m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Bournemouth, followed by South Western Railway. The train journey from Bournemouth to London takes 1h 59m and costs around £19 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Leeds, expect to pay about £1,145 for a 7h 59m trip. The train station in Bournemouth is called Bournemouth, and is located 0.8 miles from the city centre.

Car

Another option to get to Bournemouth is to pick up a car hire from London, which is about 93 miles from Bournemouth. You’ll find branches of GREEN MOTION and Turo, among others, in London.

Bus

You can travel by bus to Bournemouth using National Express or FlixBus. From Southampton, the bus ride to Bournemouth takes 50 miles and will cost you around £17. From London, the ticket costs about £22 for a journey of 130 miles. The most popular bus station is Bournemouth University, located 1.8 miles from the city centre of Bournemouth. Bournemouth The Westbourne is also a commonly used station, and is 1.0 mile from the city centre.

Airports near Bournemouth

BRSBristol
LHRLondon Heathrow
LGWLondon Gatwick

Airlines serving Bournemouth

Lufthansa
Good (7,044 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,334 reviews)
British Airways
Good (6,836 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,588 reviews)
Delta
Excellent (7,935 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (3,790 reviews)
Iberia
Good (2,698 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,446 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (780 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (8,696 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,215 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,563 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (9,243 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,349 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (346 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,069 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,275 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (9,967 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (1,851 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,203 reviews)
Show more
Find flights to Bournemouth

Where to stay in Bournemouth

Average rates range from around £93 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to £235 and up for a 5-star experience. There are also lots of holiday rental options in Bournemouth, with prices from £31 to £269 per night. Downtown is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, holiday rentals in Bournemouth are about 63% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.

Where to stay in popular areas of Bournemouth

Most booked hotels in Bournemouth

See all
Harbour Hotel & Spa Christchurch
4 stars
Excellent (8.5, Excellent reviews)
£189+
View
Holiday Inn Express Poole
3 stars
Excellent (8.2, Excellent reviews)
£97+
View
Hilton Bournemouth
4 stars
Good (7.9, Good reviews)
£105+
View
Shah of Persia, Poole by Marston's Inns
4 stars
Good (7.9, Good reviews)
£62+
View
Travelodge Bournemouth Seafront
3 stars
Good (7.7, Good reviews)
£45+
View
Haven Hotel
4 stars
Good (7.5, Good reviews)
£158+
View

Hiring a car in Bournemouth

Hiring a car in Bournemouth costs £45 per day, on average, or £89 if you want to hire it for 2 days.

Expect to pay £1.30 per litre in Bournemouth (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between £15.58 and £20.77. Compact (Citroen C3 Aircross or similar) is the most popular car type to hire in Bournemouth, while also 48% cheaper than other types, on average.

Hiring a car in Bournemouth costs £45 per day, on average, or £89 if you want to hire it for 2 days.

Expect to pay £1.30 per litre in Bournemouth (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between £15.58 and £20.77. Compact (Citroen C3 Aircross or similar) is the most popular car type to hire in Bournemouth, while also 48% cheaper than other types, on average.

Best car hire deals in Bournemouth

Mini

2 adults, 2 Bags

£22/day

Mini

Compact

4 adults, 2 Bags

£24/day

Compact
Find car hire in Bournemouth

Bournemouth Travel Guide - View the KAYAK Bournemouth city guide for the best Bournemouth travel tips. To help you organise your Bournemouth trip ideas, this Bournemouth visitors guide provides travel information and trip tips about how to get there, where to stay, what to do, where to eat and more.