Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy

The sailing academy sits right on Portland Harbour, where the 2012 Olympics actually happened. You can watch serious sailors training in everything from dinghies to keelboats, or just wander the waterfront and clock the sheer level of activity - it's genuinely impressive if you care about that sort of thing. The facilities are modern and well-maintained, though to be honest, unless you're after a lesson or already into sailing, there's only so long you'll stand watching other people's hobbies unfold. The views across the harbour are solid though, and it's a pleasant enough spot to grab a coffee and feel like you're part of something Olympic. Weymouth's town centre is a short walk away, so it works as one stop on a seaside afternoon rather than a destination in itself. If you're camping at Ringstead Bay, it's about six miles down the coast - close enough for a morning visit without making it a schlep. The waterfront here is genuinely busy with activity, which some people find brilliant and others find a bit much. Worth twenty minutes or so while you're in the area, but don't build a whole day around it unless you're actually doing a sailing course.