Weymouth Marina

Floating gin palaces and weathered fishing boats share the water here in one of Dorset's more workmanlike harbours. Weymouth Marina stretches along the town's inner harbour, where you can watch crews prepping yachts for Channel crossings while seagulls circle overhead looking for dropped chips.

The walkways make for a proper afternoon stroll, especially if you've got kids who like counting boat masts and spotting different flags. It's not particularly glamorous - more functional than fancy - but that's part of its appeal. Real sailors use this place, not just weekend warriors.

Walking the pontoons costs nothing, and you can easily spend an hour here before the novelty wears off. The harbour cafe serves decent coffee if you need warming up, and there's usually something happening - boats coming and going, maintenance work, the odd regatta preparation.

Families staying at nearby parks like Chesil Beach Lodge Park or Haven Weymouth Bay will find it makes a good rainy day backup plan. The marina sits right in Weymouth town centre, so you can combine it with the beach, shops, or that famous harbour-side fish and chips. Not exactly a destination in itself, but a pleasant enough stop when you're already in town exploring the waterfront.