5 Rainy Day Activities for the Family in West Dorset

Two things are certain in the UK: cups of tea will be drunk in excess, and rain is never far away. 

A downpour whilst you are holidaying is never ideal…. then add restless children into the mix, and you could be in for a long day. Luckily, stunning West Dorset boasts a variety of rainy-day activities, so you can keep the family entertained whilst you wait for the rainclouds to blow over on your Jurassic Coast holiday at Newlands Holiday Park.

Here, we give you 5 of our favourite local rainy-day activities, for children of all ages.

Seal’s Cove

Our first pick of the local area is the brand-new adventure and soft play centre in Bridport. Seal’s Cove is perfect for children of all ages, and has generated a lot of buzz in the local area since opening in summer 2022.

Seal Cove’s aquatic theme breathes an adventurous ethos, which is perfectly fitting to the coastal local area. Promising an ‘unforgettable day out’, the indoor adventure park features soft play, climbing and dining area that are sure to please the whole family.

‘The Reef’ soft play caters for children of all ages. 0–3-year-olds can enjoy the secure baby area, whilst the older ones can let off steam in the many tunnels, slides and interactive zones. Feeling brave? Take the plunge down the 4-metre drop ‘Big Wave death slide’. Whilst the kids are bounding around the soft play areas, adults can relax in the Barbaroasters coffee bar, which serves delicious cakes, sandwiches, paninis, hot drinks and more. Seal’s Cove is also home to Jurassic Ridge, one of West Dorset's premier indoor climbing centres! Beginners can take a lesson with a qualified instructor and more experienced climbers can enjoy an unsupervised climb.

Seal’s Cove is located on the opposite side of Bridport to us – taking only 20 minutes to drive!

Visit the Seal’s Cove website for more information

View the route from Newlands Holiday Park to Seal’s Cove

Lyme Regis Marine Aquarium

Keeping with the aquatic theme, we give you our next pick – Lyme Regis Marine Aquarium. Dorset has many brilliant aquariums that are worth a visit, but our recommendation today takes you to Lyme Regis. This family-run aquarium was rated as the UK’s third-best offering, and was included in Trip Advisor’s 25 Best Aquariums in Europe.

Children of all ages will love viewing and learning about a wide range of fish, which is brought to life by interactive and informal talks that Lyme Regis Marine Aquarium are well-known for. The types of fish to see here include (but are not limited to) lobsters, dogfish, hermit crabs, rock goby, sea scorpions and tub gunard. There is also an opportunity to hand feed the mullet and hold a starfish!

Lyme Regis is a beautiful area that is vastly popular among tourists and locals. If the weather manages to brighten up, enjoy visiting the beach, playing crazy golf or eating at one of the many local pubs, restaurants and cafés. Find out more about Lyme Regis.

Located just a 13-minute drive from us, Lyme Regis Marine Aquarium is a must-visit.

Visit the Lyme Regis Marine Aquarium for more information

View the route from Newlands Holiday Park to Lyme Regis Marine Aquarium

Bridport Electric Palace

Bridport Electric Palace is one of the best entertainment venues in the local area. It plays host to live entertainment acts most nights, acts as a cinema and also puts on many seasonal holiday-related events!

The variety that Bridport Electric Palace boasts ensures that there is always an act that the whole family will love. The venue is renowned in the UK and is a regular feature of the circuit of a-list comedy, live music and theatre acts. Just a few names of comics that have recently visited include Milton Jones, Ed Gamble and Jenny Eclair.

If you’d rather watch a film, Bridport Electric Palace screen movies most days! On offer are not only new blockbusters, but award-winning movies of the past and children’s movies, with screenings at various times of the day to cater to film fanatics of all ages.

The venue is only a 20-minute drive from us!

Visit the Bridport Electric Palace website for more information

View the route from Newlands Holiday Park to Bridport Electric Palace

West Bay Discovery Centre

The multi-award-winning West Bay Discovery Centre is situated in scenic West Bay. The family-favourite centre teaches visitors about the history of the iconic area which was also the setting of popular drama ‘Broadchurch’ – and a stone’s throw from Bridport.

Older children will enjoy the various exhibitions, exhibits and guided walks that West Bay Discovery Centre offers.

An area you will learn about is the geology of the local area! Fossils are the centre of much of the history in West Bay and Charmouth – where we’re based! We’re sure that learning more about the history of the Jurassic Coast will make you love the area even more!

West Bay Discovery Centre is only an 18-minute drive from our park!

Visit the West Bay Discovery Centre for more information

View the route from Newlands Holiday Park to West Bay Discovery Centre

Newlands Holiday Park

When it’s raining you sometimes don’t feel like venturing out. At Newlands Holiday Park, we really have everything you need to keep the whole family entertained from dusk til’ dawn … on rainly days why not just enjoy our fantastic family facilities!

Why not burn off steam in our large indoor swimming pool and then relax with some fantastic food and drink in the contemporary Tow Bar! When you’re done with lunch, older children might enjoy playing pool in the bar area!

Next on the hit list should be Kidz Zone! This features indoor and outdoor play areas – though we’d recommend little ones staying inside when it’s dreary outside! The indoor area is packed with fun things for children of all ages (and big children too – we see you, adults). The latter part of the indoor area features arcade games, air hockey and more, and a separate section for 4-7-year-olds includes age-appropriate attractions to ensure everyone is content.

View our website for more information on facilities

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