Jane's Midlife Journey

The historic Poole Quay, which was once a mooring spot for ocean-going ships, is now the home of harbour cruisers and pleasure boats. The half mile long stretch running west to east, from the Lifeboat Station at one end to the Old Lifeboat Station at the other, is a popular tourist destination. Lined with bars and restaurants offering great views across the harbour, the area now caters to tourists rather than sailors and pirates.

How to get to Poole Quay

Poole Quay is just to the south of Poole town centre. By car, it is possible to drive to Poole Quay in winter. In summer however, the area is pedestrianised. In any case, the one-way-system and traffic mean that it’s probably easier to head for one of the nearby car parks and walk to the quay.

By Bus

Most buses to Poole stop at Poole Bus Station which a 15 minute walk away. Alternatively, you can catch the RouteONE bus, which connects both the bus and train stations to the quay. In the summer, the 70 Breezer bus stops at Old Orchard, just north of the quay.

Poole Station is also a 15 minute walk away, with direct trains to both Bournemouth and London in one direction and Weymouth in the other.

Parking

Th quay has its own car park; Quay Visitors Car Park. Parking costs start at £2.60 for two hours (or £2.60 after 6 pm). Further details can be found here.

Poole Museum

Housed in a former grain storage warehouse, Poole Museum is the place to go to learn about Poole’s History. The museum has recently reopened having undergone a major refurbishment.

Poole Museum is open daily from 10 am until 5 pm.

Poole Old Lifeboat Museum

At the eastern end of the quay is Poole Old Lifeboat Museum. This former lifeboat station is now a museum telling the story of Poole’s lifeboats. It also houses the Thomas Kirk Wright. This retired lifeboat not only saved lives in the harbour, but was one of 850 ‘little ships’ which sailed to Normandy in 1940 to rescue Allied troops trapped on the beaches of northern France.

Due to ongoing maintenance work, Poole Old Lifeboat Museum is temporarily closed.

Sea Music Sculpture

The 11 metre tall Sea Music Sculpture, by artist Anthony Caro, is a blue steel sculpture which blends the appearance of waves and sails. It is surrounded by an elevated walkway featuring three platforms which you can climb to for views across the harbour.

Restaurants

There are plenty of restaurants and cafes along the quayside. Try Harlees for traditional Fish & Chips (they also do great loaded chips).

Oriel on the Quay is another popular restaurant with a diverse menu from breakfast to dinner. The sandwiches (or artisan baguettes) here are a great lunch time choice.

Bars

The bars along the quayside were once the haunts of smugglers and pirates. The pirates may be gone, but many of the building retain their olde world charm. The uniquely green tiled Poole Arms is believed to be Poole’s oldest pub, dating back to 1635.

Baden Powell Statue

Sitting on a bollard overlooking Poole Harbour and Brownsea Island is a statue of Robert Baden Powell, founder of the Scout Movement. It was on Brownsea Island in 1907 that Baden Powell held his very first scout camp.

Harbour Cruises

From here you can pick up a boat to set sail on a Harbour Cruise, or further afield along the Jurassic Coast to Swanage with Coastal Cruises. There are range of cruise options from a spin round the harbour to a fish & chip supper cruise or even a murder mystery cruise. Tickets can be purchased online or from the ticket booth on the quayside.

Brownsea Island Ferry

The Brownsea Island Ferry, which takes passengers the largest island in Poole Harbour to the mainland, also departs from here.

Brownsea Island is open daily from 14 March until 1 November. Adult entry to the island costs £12 (free to National Trust members) plus £14.50 for the ferry crossing.

Summer Entertainment

During the summer, there are events which take place on the quayside on a weekly basis. You can wander along the quay admiring classic cars and bikes and enjoy live entertainment. Weekly entertainment for 2026 is as follows:

• Tuesday (from 7 April until 29 September) – Bike Night
• Friday (from 3 July until 28 August) – Car Night: A different theme of classic car each week from Land Rovers to Hot Rods.
• Saturday (from 25 July until 29 August) – Summer Sounds: Live music plus children’s entertainment.
• Sunday (from 26 July until 30 August) -Summer Sounds: Live music plus children’s entertainment. Plus an additional event on Monday 31 August.

In addition, there is a Design, Collectables & Artisan Market on the following Sundays:

• 10 May
• 23 May
• 7 June
• 14 June
• 12 July
• 31 August (Bank Holiday Monday)
• 20 Sep

Events and Festivals

During the summer months and beyond, several other events take place on the quayside. Some of the events held held throughout 2026 are:

• 1 January – Bath Race and Classic Cars
• 2 May – Miniature Steam Fair
• 17 May – Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride departure
• 20 June – Harry Paye Day
• 27/28 June – Folk Festival
• 12/13 September – Seafood & Sounds
• 5 November – Fireworks
• December – Christmas Light Trail

All the above events are free to attend.

Poole Quay for Children

Most of the activities and events on Poole Quay are family friendly. Harry Paye Pirate Day is particularly popular with children. As is crabbing off the quay itself. If the weather is bad, there is also Neptune’s Soft Play

• Updated: April 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.