Brownsea Island Visitors Centre

You'll need to take a boat to reach Brownsea Island, which sits just off the coast near Swanage - that alone makes it feel properly special. The visitor centre sits on this small island and tells the story of the place itself: its wildlife, its role in scouting history (Baden-Powell held the first scout camp here in 1907), and its changing fortunes over the centuries. It's genuinely fascinating if you're into that sort of thing, though the exhibits are fairly modest rather than sprawling.

The real draw is the island itself. You get woodland walks, views across Poole Harbour, and if you're lucky, sightings of red squirrels or sika deer. The centre provides context for what you're seeing, which makes the walk around more rewarding than just wandering aimlessly. Budget a good three to four hours if you want to do the visitor centre and explore properly - though you could manage the centre alone in an hour if time's tight.

It works brilliantly if you're camping at any of the nearby parks - Swanage Bay View Holiday Park or Ulwell Holiday Park are close by, and the trip out to the island makes a decent half-day break from the beach. Families with kids aged eight and up will get something from it; younger ones might find the boat trip more exciting than the exhibits. Go midweek if you can - weekends get properly rammed with day trippers from Poole and Swanage.