Things to do in Wareham

THE 15 BEST Things to Do in Wareham

Things to Do in Wareham

Check out must-see sights and activities:
The Tank Museum, Monkey World, Nature and Wildlife Tours, Nature & Wildlife Areas. For personalised recommendations, try our AI trip-planning product.
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Top Attractions in Wareham

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Interactive military history museum with diverse tank displays from WWI to modern times, educational tours, and hands-on activities for kids.
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Sanctuary dedicated to monkey rescue and conservation, featuring spacious enclosures and educational talks. Includes a well-stocked gift shop supporting animal care.
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Ruined yet atmospheric village with a poignant history, showcasing preserved church and schoolhouse interiors and informative exhibition boards. Features scenic coastal walks nearby.
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Natural arch with panoramic views, ideal for photography and nature walks. Challenging access to beaches below, rewards with breathtaking scenery and swimming spots.
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Museum dedicated to the history of ball clay mining, showcasing authentic exhibits and artifacts near a scenic narrow gauge railway and historic bridge.
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Tranquil nature reserve with a color-changing pool, scenic walking paths, and a wildlife trail peppered with fairy houses. Features a cafe and gift shop.
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Tranquil walled garden with colorful flora, thematic sculptures, and wildlife, featuring a serene pond and meadows, complemented by a coffee shop.
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*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.

What travellers are saying

  • Karrst
    Pretoria, South Africa4,403 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    One of the most amazing museums we have visited. The layout of the museum allows you to follow the "Tank Story" from the first tank Little Willy to present day Challenger 2. Along the way you get to see the history of the tank interlinked with the various theatres of war during the major conflicts of the last century.

    I had wanted to visit Bovington as a young boy with one of my first Dinky toys being the famous Centurion model. My wife wanted to visit as her father was a tank driver in North Africa during WWII, which is all we new from him and a vague memory of a picture she had of him and his crew next to the tank. If we could identify the Tank maybe we could find out what regiment he was in and where he served.

    As we wandered through the museum I was taking photo's while was clearly thinking about her father.

    The Tank Story section was highly informative with sections on the iconic tanks making it and interesting journey through time and development of the tank. It is only when you get up close and personal with them that you realise the differing sizes and power - Sherman and Churchill vs Tiger and Panther.

    Then on to the Trench experience and the transition from the Cavalry War-horse's to the WWI tanks. The settings in the trenches gave a realistic as possible look at what it was like. Along with the personal accounts of some of the men involved.

    The different WWII stories were again well laid out and full of interesting information, facts and stories.

    The North African section was where we spent time looking for that elusive tank in the picture. Sadly wy wife didn't recognise the tank from the picture, which could have been one of at least 3 we saw.

    Needless ro say we continued and really enjoyed the rest of the Museum.

    There is a great souvenir shop at the entrance and it is well worth a visit along with numerous books on the history of the tank and the battles that have been fought with them there are some great momentos to take home with you.

    As we finished paying for our purchases on the off chance my wife asked if there was any way she could find out about her father. The lady at the counter was very helpful and gave us some ideas to where to search.

    We still had a few weeks of our holiday left, but decided to follow up when we returned home.

    The guidance we received at the Tank Museum finally paid off and my wife was able to get here Father's service record.

    Her Father's statement "That he was just a tank driver" was the typical understatement by many of his generation.

    He enlisted in the Cavalry of the Line in 1934 and was posted to India with the 7th Hussars. He also served in the King's Dragoon Guards and finally the 16th/5th The Lancers as part of the Royal Armoured Corps.

    He went to North Africa in November 1942 and fought in the North African Campaign including some of the major battles in Tunisia. He then went to Italy, before ending WWII in Germany. The battle honours of the 16th/5th during WWII o is testament to the men who fought in it.

    He was in the crews of Matilda's Valentines's and Sherman III's, but we are still not sure which one was in the picture that started all this off!!!!

    After the war he was stationed at Bovington and Lulworth Camps. So we may well have walked in his foots steps at Bovington and given the men from the Lulworth Camp were drinking at the Castle Inn. There is a good chance that we order pints standing at the same bar as he did almost 80 years ago.

    Many thanks must go to the staff we spoke to at the Tank Museum that allowed us to fill in his history and my wife's memory of her father, it is greatly appreciated you are all first class.

    Would recommend anyone who has not been to visit the Tank Museum it holds the history of generations that were proud of their country and should be remembered always.
    Written February 9, 2025
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Lucy B
    5 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Went for my 24th birthday, amazing! The keepers were so knowledgeable and one spent the time to answer all our questions and tell us so much info about the bachelor group when we came for the chimp talk. Coming again in the summer :)
    Written January 27, 2025
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Andy G
    Basldon22 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Very knowledgeable,friendly and helpful staff,fantastic and interesting cottage.TE Lawrence was a truly fascinating character and if you have any interest in him this is an absolute must do visit.There is a small car park and it’s best to book tickets in advance but the whole tour will take less than an hour but is worth every second in my opinion.
    Written November 19, 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Jaffathecat1
    oxford607 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    It's about 25-30 minutes drive from corfe Castle mainly because the last couple of miles is down a single track road where you end up having to wait for other oncoming cars to pass, ao allow plenty of time! The village & history is fascinating although reading how none of the villagers were compensated after giving up their homes for the war effort is a familiar story. Top off yr visit with a walk down to the stunning Worbarrow bay (about 20 minutes 1 way) to watch the sunset.... Thoroughly recommend!
    Written January 3, 2025
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Barheat
    Hamilton, Canada1,770 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Our visit was part of a tour of the Jurassic Coast with Dorset Tours. Ours was a short stop to view the site rather than a half day visit to walk down to the Durdle Door. From the end of the parking lot there is a fence with a gate. Through the gate there is a worn path along the cliff side to get a better view. This was enough to keep us happy, take photos and avoid the long hike down and back up.
    Written October 26, 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • mrshendo77
    New Malden, UK28 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Popped in on our way home and enjoyed our time in this small museum. We were lucky to meet Brian who used to work in the mine and was able to tell us first hand of his experiences and answer all our questions. Thank you!
    Written October 31, 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Jilly60
    Bournemouth, United Kingdom98 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Having lived near this area for 40 plus years I can’t believe I only found these beautiful gardens through the National gardens Charity scheme !
    A truly lovely quiet place , lots of walking to do , so many plants and trees to enjoy and on top of that a pretty fabulous place by a pond to sit and eat lunch ; which will be a cream tea in my case , I will save the incredible looking quiche for next May ( unless I come before that of course .
    Written September 10, 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Maureen E
    20 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Do not try to visit off season on the 40 bus...the gates are locked on the Blue Pool Lane. I found myself stuck on a busy main road, with an hourly bus service & no way could I have walked along a cycle lane & all the way round by road. The walk on the road is dangerous & far too long for children as well. I had no choice but to scramble round the first gate catching my clothes on brambles to get in & through a gap in the fence near the 2nd gate. I took out a yearly membership in good faith then had to apply for a refund when I was told these gates are usually locked. I spoke to several staff whilst there & eventually, the manager by email & by phone several days later. Not everyone has a car & can drive up the main road to access this site. The number 40 bus announces the Blue Pool Lane stop for the Blue Pool. Depending on who I spoke to I was given different reasons for the gates being locked. One reason was the road was due to be resurfaced but there was no signage on the gate to say this. I've suggested they erect a stile next to the metal gate for walkers if they insist on locking these gates. Never expected so many obstacles on what should have been a lovely day out. Once you do gain access it's a lovely walk around the pool, soft underfoot from the pine needles & a very nice place for a picnic or to take a book or walk or for joggers! The new rope bridge is great & I found a fairies house. Lol Great for all ages. Visit out of the main season or outside school holidays if you want peace & quiet. Toilets on site, a cafe & a shop. Once the gates are unlocked 7 days a week I will renew my membership £50 a year in 2024 or £9.50 entry fee (£7.50 for pensioners) so if you want to visit regularly a yearly membership is really good value. The manager has promised to ring me when the gates are unlocked. I'd have given 5* if I hadn't had such hassle gaining access & information about why the gates were locked in the first place. I also contacted the Tourist information office because I did not want to see anyone, especially with children, find themselves stuck on a main road with no access to the site. It's no more than a 10 min walk from this bus stop. The road takes at least 40 minutes because I walked it on the way back to see how far it would be. For most of the way there are no footpaths. The nearest bus stop is then Stoborough so not ideal at all.
    Written November 26, 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Gary M
    Dorset, UK11 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Careys is a wonderful walled garden set in lovely countryside near Wareham. We visited not long after they had first opened, but a return visit in September really showed how much work had gone in to transforming it into a beautiful space by Simon and the team. As well as the lovely garden there is great coffee and cakes available. Well worth a visit.
    Written October 2, 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Shirley E
    Dronfield, UK429 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    This is a beautiful little church. It’s very nice to walk the town walls and come across it that way. Very lovely. Inside was beautiful and the effigy of T E Lawrence is amazing. There’s a really interesting scrap book about his life. Take a pew and read it, it’s fascinating.
    Written May 1, 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • lss57
    Hastings, UK9 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fantastic little museum so interesting and really imaginatively curated. The volunteers were really friendly too. Well done !!
    Written May 21, 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • AnneHaslam
    Sheffield, UK100 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Wareham is lovely; unspoilt but with all the modern shops that you need as well. The riverside is lovely, frequented by ducks and swans so be wary if you decide to sit there for a picnic! You may find you suddenly have more fowl friends than you might like. Some lovely little shops and pubs to visit and the fish n chip shop near the river serves delicious chips.
    Written September 20, 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
The above attraction descriptions were created by AI, using information and phrases commonly found in reviews users submitted to Tripadvisor. Tripadvisor did not create and is not responsible for any of the above attraction descriptions. Please read full traveller reviews for more details and information.
Reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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