The Best Things To Do In The Jurassic Coast Dorset

Last Updated on 3rd January 2023

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The Best Things To Do In The Jurassic Coast - Ultimate Dorset Guide

Dorset and the Jurassic Coast were places that I’d had on my UK bucket list for as long as I can remember and when we visited Nusa Penida in Indonesia and we discovered that Kelingking Beach reminded many travellers of Durdle Door and the Jurassic Coast as a whole, I couldn’t wait to explore it for myself.

Our trip through Dorset coincided with our 18-day South England road trip where we visited places such as Margate, Brighton, Cornwall and more so we were staying in our campervan, but as we enjoyed the trip so much, I’m already desperate to head back next summer and stay in a stunning glamping site.

If you’re wondering whether the Jurassic Coast is worth visiting, I can promise you that it 100% is. Dorset and the Jurassic Coast as a whole are some of the most gorgeous places in the UK and if you’re looking for the most beautiful stops along England’s iconic Jurassic Coast, you’ve come to the right place!

Whether you’re planning an epic coastal road trip in a campervan or you’re just planning to spend a few days at a beautiful glamping site in Dorset, check out my ultimate guide of the best things to do in the Jurassic Coast and Dorset below!

1. Durdle Door – best things to do in the Jurassic Coast

For so many years, I’d read blog posts, scoured Instagram and even watched YouTube videos about Durdle Door and while all these images and videos always made it look and sound amazing, I always thought that it must be overhyped and that it couldn’t possibly live up to my expectations (as I’ve experienced before with numerous travel experiences).

However, I was beyond delighted to discover that it not only met my expectations, it also far exceeded them and while I can’t guarantee for sure that you’ll be as impressed with Durdle Door as I was, I’m so happy that it was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be.

One thing that no amount of blog posts or Instagram photos could prepare me for, however, was just how difficult the walk is to get there from Lulworth Cove.

There are several ways to gain access to Durdle Door and you can either park at the Durdle Door car park or park at Lulworth Cove (like we did) and then walk there and back.

I do think that the walk was worth it as not only does it take you to the beautiful viewpoint of the huge rock formation, but it also offers spectacular views of the sea and coastline along the way.

The famous stone arch is thought to be more than 10,000 years old when the sea penetrated through the limestone and while experts have claimed that it will inevitably concave one day, I’d say that it’s held up pretty well so far!

As I mentioned above, you can either park at the designated Durdle Door car park which costs £5 for four hours or £10 for the full day and then walk approximately 15-minutes down steep and loose stones to get to the viewpoint and then down a further 140+ steps to get onto the beach.

Alternatively, you can park at Lulworth Cove car park which is the same price as Durdle Door car park and then you can enjoy exploring Lulworth Cove (more on that below) before heading to Durdle Door up an incredibly steep incline. Depending on your fitness levels and how long you want to spend enjoying the views as you walk, you can expect it to take you approximately half an hour to reach the Durdle Door viewpoint.

It might be a steep and ridiculously exhausting climb, but it was remarkably enjoyable once we actually got there!

2. Lulworth Cove – Jurassic Coast guide

I feel like I’ve already mentioned Lulworth Cove multiple times so far throughout this guide to the best things to do in the Jurassic Coast but it also deserves a dedicated mention entirely to itself as it’s certainly one of the very best things to do in Dorset.

Lulworth Cove isn’t quite as popular as its next-door neighbour Durdle Door, but it is a place along the Jurassic Coast that’s definitely worth visiting. The cove is a stunning area for swimming, paddleboarding or taking a boat ride and the little village at Lulworth Cove itself is also truly beautiful.

You’ll find wonderful fish and chip shops, decadent ice cream parlours (we visited Jake’s Cafe and I had the most incredible chocolate orange ice cream I’ve ever had!) and there are also plenty of adorable cafes to enjoy a spot of lunch before exploring the cove or heading on a hike to Durdle Door.

3. Stair Hole

Stair Hole is a place that I didn’t even know existed until we arrived at Lulworth Cove and happily stumbled across it completely by chance, but it actually turned out to be one of my favourite things to do in Dorset.

It’s located pretty much adjacent to Lulworth Cove so you don’t have to worry about faffing about finding somewhere else to park to access it. It’s a much smaller cove than its big sister but it’s actually arguably even more impressive and stunning to look at, especially on a lovely day.

It’s not somewhere I’d personally choose to swim nor would I necessarily recommend it to you guys, but we saw a group of people frolicking in the water and jumping in from the rocks above. This seemed pretty dangerous to me, especially as you can’t really tell how deep it is or just how sharp and jagged the rocks are, but if you’re quite happy to enjoy the view of it from safety, then I’d totally recommend adding Stair Hole to your Jurassic Coast itinerary.

4. Old Harry Rocks – best of Jurassic Coast

Old Harry Rocks - best things to do in the Jurassic Coast

Old Harry Rocks is yet another place in Dorset that completely blew me away and exceeded all my expectations beyond belief.

The rock formations look like something out of a movie and if I didn’t see them up close and personal for myself, I would easily believe that these pictures were photoshopped!

It’s hard to comprehend the sheer size of them just by looking at photos, but trust me when I say they’re enormous! There are various parts that make up the Old Harry Rocks formations and as you walk along the coastline, you’ll get to see them from multiple angles.

To get to Old Harry Rocks you can park at the National Trust South Beach car park in Studland which costs £3 for up to two hours or £5 for the full day and as it’s a National Trust car park, members can park for free. You can then walk from here following the Old Harry Rocks signs past the public toilets and down a country lane until you reach the coast. It’s a relatively easy walk and it will take you right to the cliff edge at various viewpoints; just be super careful!

Alternatively, you can take a boat trip that will give you awesome views of the remarkable rocks and cliffs from the water.

5. Corfe Castle – best things to do in the Jurassic Coast

Corfe Castle is less than a 15-minute drive from Studland and the Old Harry Rocks car park, so it’s a great place to add to your Dorset and Jurassic Coast itinerary.

We didn’t actually go properly inside the grounds of Corfe Castle as we had such a busy day of driving when we were there, but we did have a little nosy from the outside and it seems like it offers awesome views of it all the way around.

Entry to Corfe Castle is £10 per adult and £5 per child so it’s actually one of the more affordable National Trust sites in and around the area.

6. Bournemouth

As we were travelling the South Coast in our campervan, we stayed just outside of Bournemouth centre at a little layby the night before we wandered into the town and along the beach so we managed to get there before 9 am and it was so quiet and peaceful.

None of the attractions had opened yet, so we didn’t manage to wander along Bournemouth Pier or take a ride on the Big Wheel, but the town was beautiful, especially as we were there relatively early in the morning; just look how empty and inviting the beach looks!

7. Lyme Regis

Lyme Regis accommodation — Image credit – Unique Hideaways

Lyme Regis is, unfortunately, a place that we didn’t quite manage to visit while we were in Dorset, but after seeing this beautiful glamping hut on Unique Hideaways, I’m beyond tempted to head back down there for another visit!

The town of Lyme Regis is renowned for being the “pearl of Dorset” and it’s known to be the home of many fossils that have been discovered on the beach for years. There’s even a museum that’s fully dedicated to the fossil-abundant history of the area so if you’re a history buff or dinosaur diva, this is the perfect place to add to your Jurassic Coast bucket list!

8. West Bay

West Bay has always been a fantastic place to visit in Dorset, but it’s become much more renowned thanks to it playing host to ITV drama Broadchurch.

The magnificent sandstone cliffs provide a dramatic rugged coastal backdrop and the beach is an idyllic place in Dorset for families looking to spend a while frolicking in the sea and tucking into hearty fish and chips and ice cream back on solid ground.

Bonus things to do in the Jurassic Coast

Chesil Beach
Isle of Portland
Weymouth
Dancing Ledge
Kimmeridge Bay

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Have you ever been to the Jurassic Coast? Is it somewhere you’d like to add to your UK bucket list? Let me know in the comments or on Instagram at @imjustagirl_16.