City or town
Things to see in Dorchester (United Kingdom): 41 places and when to go
Dorchester is a town in United Kingdom, and this site lists 41 places in and around it, mainly History (19), Museums and art (7), Nature (4). The best known are Cerne Abbas Giant, Maiden Castle, Dorset and Chesil Beach. The best time to come is April to September; also possible: February to March, October and December. In June there are 16 h 14 of daylight, and in December, 7 h 45. Here is what there is, when to go, how to get there and what else is nearby.
In a nutshell
- Where
- United Kingdom · 50.7214, -2.4458
- Places
- 41 places on this site, in the town and around it.
- What people come for
- History (19) · Museums and art (7) · Nature (4) · Hiking (4) · Architecture (3) · With kids (3)
- Best time
- April to September.
- Also possible
- February to March, October and December.
- Nearest airport
- BRS Bristol, 76 km as the crow flies
What to see in Dorchester
The places in and around Dorchester, best known first, each with its own page: what it is, when to go and what is next to it. Distances are from the centre, as the crow flies.
- Cerne Abbas GiantHill figure near the village of Cerne Abbas in Dorset, England, UK10 km
- Maiden Castle, DorsetIron Age hill fort in Dorset, England, UK3.4 km
- Chesil BeachShingle beach in Dorset, southern England14 km
- Weymouth BayBay in Dorset, England, UK11 km
- Sandsfoot CastleCastle in Weymouth, Dorset, England, UK14 km
- Ridgeway Hill Viking burial pitMass grave5.7 km
- Dinosaur MuseumMuseum in Dorchester, Dorset, England, UK1.1 km
- Clandon BarrowBowl barrow in Winterborne St Martin, Dorset, England, UK3.8 km
- Dorset MuseumMuseum in Dorchester, Dorset, United Kingdom874 m
- Kingston Russell Stone CircleStone circle in Dorset, England, UK11 km
- Maumbury RingsNeolithic henge monument1.5 km
- Mount Pleasant hengeNeolithic henge monument in Dorset, England, UK2.8 km
- Woodsford CastleGrade I listed quadrangular castle in West Dorset, England, UK7.3 km
- Hell StoneDolmen in Portesham, Dorset, England, UK9.3 km
- Jordan Hill Roman TempleArchaeological site in Overcombe, United Kingdom9.4 km
- King's StatueStatue in Weymouth, Dorset, England, UK12 km
- Kingston Maurward HouseGrade I listed English country house in West Dorset, England, UK2.9 km
- Nothe FortFort in Weymouth, Dorset, England, United Kingdom13 km
- Poundbury HillDorset hill fort465 m
- The Grey Mare and her ColtsDolmen in Long Bredy, Dorset, England11 km
- Dorset Teddy Bear MuseumTeddy bear museum in Dorchester, Dorset, England, UK1.1 km
- Wolfeton HouseGrade I listed historic house museum in West Dorset, England, UK1.1 km
- Hardy MonumentMonument in Dorset, England, UK8.2 km
- Jubilee Clock Tower, WeymouthTourist attraction in Weymouth and Portland, Dorset, England, UK12 km
And the other 17, by what you come to do:
- History: Roman Town House, Dorchester, Weymouth Town Bridge
- Museums and art: The Keep, Dorchester, Tudor House Museum, Weymouth, Weymouth Museum
- Nature: Warren Hill, Hooke, Dorset, Riverside Reserve
- Food and drink: Dorset Brewing Company, Dorset Piddle Brewery
- With kids: Fantasy Island Fun Park, Sandworld, Sealife Centre
- Hiking: Jubilee Trail, South Dorset Ridgeway, South West Coast Path (Section 48: Abbotsbury to Ferrybridge), South West Coast Path (Section 50: Ferrybridge to Lulworth Cove)
- Snow: Warmwell Snowsport Centre
When to go to Dorchester
The best time to visit Dorchester is April to September; also possible: February to March, October and December. This comes from its own places: a month counts as the town's best time when it is the best time for half of what there is to see.
- JanBetter not8:13
- FebPossible9:46
- MarPossible11:32
- AprBest time13:34
- MayBest time15:17
- JunBest time16:14
- JulBest time15:50
- AugBest time14:20
- SepBest time12:22
- OctPossible10:25
- NovBetter not8:39
- DecPossible7:45
Best timePossibleBetter notHours of daylight
In June there are 16 h 14 of daylight, and in December, 7 h 45. In June, 40 of the 41 places are at their best.
When to go to United Kingdom in general, with its festivals and peak seasons, is in its country guide.
Getting to Dorchester
The nearest main airport is Bristol Airport (BRS, Bristol), 76 km as the crow flies. How to get around United Kingdom (train, car, bus) is in its country guide, and what to sort out before you leave is in its checklist.
Where it is (opens in a new tab)Directions (opens in a new tab)
Other towns nearby
- Bridport31 places22 km
- Sherborne23 places26 km
- Bournemouth104 places38 km
- Cranborne29 places40 km
- Ilminster16 places43 km
- Warminster25 places51 km
And all of United Kingdom, in its country guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is there to see in Dorchester?
The best known: Cerne Abbas Giant, Maiden Castle, Dorset, Chesil Beach, Weymouth Bay, Sandsfoot Castle. In all, 41 places in the town and around it, all on your trip map from day one.
When is the best time to visit Dorchester?
April to September; also possible: February to March, October and December. In June there are 16 h 14 of daylight, and in December, 7 h 45.
How do you get to Dorchester?
The nearest main airport is Bristol Airport (BRS), 76 km away. From there, directions opens the route on the map.
How do I add it to my trip?
Create a trip with Dorchester as the destination and these 41 places are on your map, each with its category. The ones you like go into a day's plan with one tap, and Kokai reminds you when you pass nearby.
Keep reading
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- Where to travelPick what you fancy (mountains, beaches, museums…) and the months you have free, and Kokai tells you which countries to go to and what to see there.
Data from OpenStreetMap, licensed under the ODbL, from Wikidata, CC0, cities from Natural Earth and airports from OurAirports. Daylight hours are calculated from the latitude. More in credits.