The Seaside Award winning Boscombe Beach is divided into Boscombe East and Boscombe West by Boscombe Pier. It’s the ideal choice if you like your beach days to be slightly more active, with a range of activities on offer. There is also a selection of dining options nearby.
How to get to Boscombe Beach
Boscombe Beach is just east of Bournemouth; 1.5 miles away along the Prom or 2 miles by road along the A35.
By Bus
From Bournemouth, buses No 1a/ 1b/1c and m2 stop at Boscombe Gardens. From here, it is a 10 minute walk through Boscombe Chine Gardens to the beach. Note that it is all downhill. Ascending to the bus stop later in the day laden with beach paraphernalia can be a challenge. During the summer, the No 70 Beach Breezer bus follows the coast, linking Boscombe with Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole. This stops at Boscombe Pier.
The Land Train operates along the prom from Bournemouth to Boscombe Pier. Trains usually run daily from 10am betwen Easter and October. An adult single ticket costs £4.50 (£8.50 all day).
Access
Boscombe Beach is just down the road (literally – it’s quite a steep road) from the centre of Boscombe. It’s a pleasant stroll/cycle along the Prom from Bournemouth or Southbourne or you can take the Land Train from Bournemouth.
Parking
There is a beachside Pay & Display car park; Boscombe Undercliff Car Park running along the sea front towards Bournemouth. Fees are seasonal, costing between £2.70 for 2 hours and £3.20 for 1 hour. During July and August, daily charges apply with a flat fee of £19.10 for arrival before 2 pm, dropping slightly later in the day. Further details can be found here.
There is another Pay & Display; Overstrand Car Park just above the pier. Fees are similar; £2.70 for 2 hours and £3.20 for 1 hour (there is no daily flat rate in July/August). Details can be found here.
The road behind Overstrand Car Park; The Marina has paid roadside parking. Charges start from £2.80 for an hour (between November and mid March, parking is free). Further details here. A bit further uphill from the beach, it may be possible to find free roadside parking, but spaces tend to fill up quickly.
Beach
The beach at Boscombe consists of a wide expanse of sand bisected by the Victorian pier. To the east, there are bouldering rocks and sections cordoned off for volleyball courts and TRX exercise classes.
Food and Drink
There are several dining options on Boscombe, plus more on the way up the hill towards the centre of Boscombe.
The Neptune
There is a large Harvester restaurant, the Neptune, with indoor and outdoor seating, right opposite the pier.
This popular restaurant has a menu similar to other Harvesters (including the all-you-can eat salad bar, of course), only closer to the beach. It is particularly good for children as it provides activity packs to keep them entertained and offers a reasonably priced children’s menu.
Urban Reef
Urban Reef restaurant has an indoor section – a cosy place to eat and enjoy a sea view when it’s cold/windy. However, in summer, most of the action spills outside. There is also a wood fired pizza oven service called the Wood Oven. In summer, there is also a bar and additional seating on the beach. Under new management in 2026, Urban Reef is starting to branch out and offer more events, entertainment and wellness activities.
Pierview Kitchen
The Pierview Kitchen offers breakfast, lunch and snacks, which can be eaten inside or on a terrace overlooking the beach. In summer, there is an additional area on the beach itself. Here, you can order and a man will bring it across the road to you Abbey Road style. At least it reminds me of Abbey Road every time I cycle past and nearly knock him over, because in the previous six years I’ve lived here, nobody has ever used that crossing…
There is also a row of kiosks selling junk food, ice cream and beach tat at the end of Boscombe Pier.
Toilets
There are toilets just to the west of the pier and to the east in the Overstrand Complex and some more just along the promenade. One thing Boscombe Beach isn’t short of is toilets.
Other Facilities
- Beach Huts (including accessible beach huts) and Beach Pods
- Communal barbecues
- Showers
- Drinking Water
Boscombe Pier
Boscombe Pier is a lovely place to take a stroll and admire the view across the bay to the Purbecks and the Isle of Wight. There is a fun musical instrument trail running the length of the pier, although it could do with a little TLC. Our favourite is a series of chimes which, if you hit in order, give a rendition of ‘Oh I do Like to be Beside the Seaside‘.
The Sauna House
Fairly new to Boscombe is the Saltwater Sauna’s Sauna House. This huge sauna with panoramic windows can seat up to 35 people for private, communal or guided sauna session. My favourite bit – the bucket shower.
Three Sixty Fitness
Three Sixty Fitness offers TRX (bodyweight training that uses a pair of suspended straps) and other fitness classes right on the beach.
Fitness Park
On the prom just to the west of Boscombe Beach, you can find a Fitness Park, like a rather cold version of Malibu’s Muscle Beach with rather less muscle.
Other Activities
In addition, there are plenty of activities available if you prefer your beach time to be more active. There are some boulders for climbing on (very popular with selfie lovers), volleyball courts on the beach and table tennis tables above the pier near the entrance to Boscombe Chine Gardens (free to use – equipment can be loaned from the Beach Office). Or you can download a map and try your hand at orienteering.
Lifeguards
There are two Lifeguard towers, one situated either side of the pier. For the 2026 season, Boscombe East is in operation from 28th March to 27th September and Boscombe West from 23rd May to 6th September. Towers are manned from 10 am to 6 pm.
Boscombe Beach for Children
The golden sand, lifeguarded beach and proliferation of activities make Boscombe Beach particularly suitable for children. I have been bringing my children and grandchildren here for many years for a fun day out. With sand, sea, sports and the musical instruments on the pier, there is plenty to keep them entertained.
In addition, the water play area and crazy golf in nearby Boscombe Chine Garden all help to keep kids of all ages occupied.
The Neptune, Urban Reef and Pierview Kitchen all offer a children’s menu.
Dogs
Dogs are not permitted on the beach between May and September.
- Updated: October 2026
I hope you found this information useful. For more inspiration on things to do in and around Bournemouth, check out my 101 Things to do in Bournemouth here.
For more inspiration on things to do in and around Bournemouth with young children, check out my 101 Things to do in Bournemouth with Babies and Toddlers here.
Leave a Reply