Weymouth

Weymouth [1] is a town in Dorset, a county on the south coast of the West Country, in England.

Travel to Weymouth - Visa Requirements

By Car

From the South and London: Follow the A35 towards Dorchester, but turn off on the junction for the A354 (that has signs for Weymouth). Then simply follow the signs into the Borough. From the Westcountry: Follow the signs for Bridport, then at the roundabout near Morrisons take the coast road towards Weymouth, or the main road towards Dorchester.

By Train

Weymouth is served by hourly trains from London Waterloo and a less frequent service from Bristol. Connections can be made from the north by changing trains at London, Bristol, or Southampton. The railway station is close to the beach and just a few minutes walk from the town centre. There is another station at Upwey about 4 km (2.5 miles) further north on the same line.

By Coach

National Express operate a coach service to and from Weymouth's Seafront. Services run to London Victoria, Portsmouth, Bournemouth, Brighton, Bristol with connections to other locations from those towns. First operate regular services along the Jurassic Coast to Exeter and Bournemouth.

By Ferry

Condor Ferries operate a direct ferry service from Jersey and Guernsey. Easy connections can be made with the St Malo (France) ferry at Jersey. The ferry terminal is only a few minutes walk from the town centre. Services to Cherbourg by fast or traditional ferry are provided by Brittany Ferries from Poole. There are good rail, bus and road links between Poole and Weymouth. Other Routes are present within the UK

Tours and Getting around Weymouth

A regular bus service is provided by both First and Sureline, within the area. Unlimited travel on First busses in Weymouth costs £2.00. All day travel around Weymouth, Portland and Dorchester is approximately £3.00.

There are many taxi companies in Weymouth that are fairly cheap. One is Weyline, contacted on 01305 777777.

Weymouth tourist attractions and sightseeing

• Bennetts Water Gardens, Putton Lane, Chickerell (From Weymouth town centre take the B3157 towards Abbotsbury. Brown tourist signs give directions from this road. Bus services 8 and X53 stop at the nearby army camp. Brown tourist signs then provide directions for the 1/4 mile walk.), +44 1305 785150, [2]. Open 10.00AM to 5.00PM, Easter to October Tu W Th F Su. A landscaped attractions, with many varieties of plants including water lilly's. Disabled access is available around some of the attraction. £6.45 (Children £3.95, Senior Citizen £5.95. Family tickets available. Group discounts available.).
• Brewers Quay, Hope Square (Follow brown tourist signs from Weymouth town centre), +44 1305 777622 (Fax: +44 1305 752338), [3]. Every day, 10.00AM to 5.30PM (Closed last two weeks of January, Open late nights in summer holidays) Situated at the heart of Weymouth's Old Harbour. It is a redeveloped Victorian brewery, featuring a Speciality Shopping Village and two family attractions. Free Entry (Attractions like the timewalk inside Brewers Quay have an entrance fee).
• Deep Sea Adventure, Custom House Quay (Follow brown tourist signs from Weymouth town centre to the harbourside, but don't cross over the bridge), +44 871 2225760, [4]. Every day from 9.30AM (Closed 25th, 26th December and 1st January) An interactive museum of life under the sea, including a detailed look at the sinking of the Titanic. Also includes a large children's play area. Disabled access available. Contact venue for pricing.
• Discovery, Hope Square (Follow brown tourist signs from Weymouth town centre towards Brewers Quay), +44 1305 789007 (dave@discoverdiscovery.co.uk), [5]. Every day, 10.00AM to 5.30PM (Closed last two weeks of January, Last admission 4.30PM) An interactive science exhibition for all the family. £4.00 (Children £3.00, Senior Citizen £3.50, Student £3.50. Group discounts available.).
• Nothe Fort, Barrack Road (Follow brown tourist signs from Weymouth town centre), +44 1305 766626 (museum@nothefort.force9.co.uk), [6]. 1st May to 30th September, 10.30AM to 5.30PM, Autumn half term, 11.00AM to 5.30PM. The Nothe Fort is a fort built at the entrance to Weymouth harbour, now a major tourist attraction featuring exhibitions and a trail for children. Provides spectacular views of Weymouth and Portland's harbours. £5.00 Adult (Senior Citizen £4.00, Children £1.00. Family tickets available.).
• Sea Life Park & Marine Sanctuary, Lodmoor Country Park (Follow brown tourist signs from Weymouth town centre to Seafront, then follow signs to Lodmoor Country Park. A land train operates from outside the tourist information centre during the summer. Bus service 4 stops outside the venue), +44 1305 788255 (Fax: +44 1305 760165, WeymouthSeaLifePark@merlinentertainments.biz), [7]. Every day from 10AM (Open late during summer holidays, contact venue for more information) Many different species of marine life can be found at this attraction, including otters, seals, penguins, rays and crabs. There are also water based activities for children. The attraction is fully wheelchair accessible. Contact venue for pricing.
• Timewalk, Hope Square (Follow brown tourist signs from Weymouth town centre to Brewers Quay), +44 1305 777622 (Fax: +44 1305 752338), [8]. Every day, 10.00AM to 5.30PM (Closed last two weeks of January, Open late in summer holidays) Located within Brewers Quay, this attraction provides a walk through the history of Weymouth, from the Black Death to the brewing history of the site. £4.50 (Children £3.25, Senior Citizen £4.00, Student £4.00. Group discounts available.).
• Weymouth Museum, Hope Square (Follow brown tourist signs from Weymouth town centre to Brewers Quay), +44 1305 777622 (Fax: +44 1305 752338), [9]. Every day, 10.00AM to 5.30PM (Closed last two weeks of January, Open late in summer holidays) Located within Brewers Quay, this attraction provides historical images and relics of Weymouth & Portland. Free Entry.

Weymouth city tours

• Visit the nearby Isle of Portland
• Sail! The National Sailing Academy is the place for the big national dinghy class competitions, and the BUSA finals.

Weymouth souvenirs and shopping

The main shopping streets in the town are St Mary Street, St Thomas Street and New Bond Street. These are all located at the hub of local transport and within five minutes walk of the beach.

Surrounding the main streets are many bustling roads made up of independent retailers.

• Christopher Robin(Fancy Dress Shop), 70 The Esplanade(3 minutes walk from the train station), ☎ 01305 774 870, [10]. 9.30am to 5.30pm. Family business established for over 25 years in Weymouth, Christopher Robin fancy dress shop on the Esplanade stock a wide range of fancy dress costumes and party goods for children and adults. Supplying fancy dress for Weymouth's New Year's Eve celebrations and for every party occasion across the UK. With years experience the team at Christopher Robin will help you become who ever you want to be.  

Weymouth Restaurants: cheap, moderate and expensive

Weymouth has many restaurants catering for virtually any taste. Many are found around the town centre. For a more picturesque setting there are several restaurants overlooking the old harbour.

Many of the major chains, including Wetherspoon and Yates's can be found in the town centre.

Locally produced goods are available at independent retailers around the town. Bread, cakes and savouries from the Dorset Cake Company, and Sgt. Bun are particular highlights.

Weymouth nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs

Weymouth has one of the best nightlifes available on the south coast. So much so that people come from all over the country to experience it. Most of this activity happens in the bars located within the town centre.

On New Years Eve everyone goes out in fancy dress, leading to it being called the country's largest fancy dress party.

Common after drinking activities include a visit to the beach (less than 5 minutes away), or a trip to one of the many local fast food chains, where chips & cheese is a local favourite.

Some of the most popular include

• The Swan, 41-43 St Thomas Street, +44 1305 750231, [11]. Open 9.00AM to 12.30AM Sunday to Thursday, 9.00AM to 1.00AM Friday and Saturday. One or Weymouth's busiest pubs, offering low cost food and drinks. No music or entertainments offered. A non smoking establishment. Bottled Beer: £2.00
• Rendezvous, Town Bridge Street, +44 1305 761343. Open every day, contact venue for times. Weymouth's biggest and busiest nightclubs. Plays mainly commercial dance and classics from the 80's and 90's. Bottled Beer: £2.60
• Yates's, 55-57 St Thomas Street, +44 1305 772913. Open every day, contact venue for times. During the day this establishment is a refined bar, offering good food. At night it becomes a club, playing commercial dance and pop music. Bottled Beer: £2.70
• Hogshead, 1 Frederick Place, +44 1305 785894. Open every day, contact venue for times. Offers food and drinks. Sports including premiership football are shown. Bottled Beer: £2.50
• Que Pasa, 62 St Thomas Street, +44 1305 830195. Open every day, contact venue for times. During the day a mix of British and Spanish food is served. In the evening this venue becomes a club. Although small, it has a great atmosphere. Bottled Beer: £2.70
• The Dorothy Inn, 48-49 The Esplanade, +44 1305 766996. Open every day, contact venue for times. During the day food is served, and at night there is a club catering for the older generations. Bottled Beer: £2.70

Weymouth cheap and luxurious hotels, youth hostels and lodging

Bed and Breakfast

There are many bed and breakfast establishments to be found in Weymouth. Many of these are located near the seafront. Two example's of this are the mainly family run Georgian bed and breakfasts to be found on the Esplanade, including .Beachcomber Guest HouseandWeymouth Sands. Away from the hustle and bustle is the more peaceful Pebble Villafor adults only.

Hotels

There is a lack of high quality hotels within Weymouth. The highest rated hotel in the area (The Portland Heights Hotel) can be found on the nearby Isle of Portland.

Self-Catering

Visit Dream Cottages www.dream-cottages.co.uk located in the heart of Weymouth in Brewer's Quay, Dorset's largest independent cottage agency with over 200 cottages.

Camping and Caravans

There are several camp sites around Weymouth. Haven holidays operates three such sites, including the Littlesea [12] and Weymouth Bay holiday parks [13]. Independently operated sites can also be found in the area. Camping is great at Eweleaze farm located From the West (Weymouth): Proceed through Preston and up the hill to Osmington. At the 30mph Osmington Village sign turn right onto a track. Drive for 1km over the hill and down to the farm. Solar showers very cheap basic farmers fields but gorgeous views over southwest coast path and sea.

Get out

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