Corfe Castle (25 miles south west without the Sandbanks ferry) is a fairy-tale ruin on a hill with a picturesque village nearby. (Dogs are welcome on a lead). The Swanage steam railway stops here. Corfe Castle is free for National Trust members. Find out more about Corfe Castle.
Monkey World (25 miles south west) is the ape rescue centre – you may recognise it from the TV programme Monkey Life. Find out more about Monkey World.
A beautiful maritime village, forming part of the Beaulieu Estate. Explore the maritime museum or take a boat trip along the Beaulieu river. Find out more about Buckler’s Hard.
Beaulieu (26 miles south east) has the National Motor Museum, an abbey, stately home and extensive grounds with a monorail, plus Buckler’s Hard shipbuilding village nearby. We would also recommend the Beaulieu to Buckler’s Hard walk, which is approximately 2 miles each way. Dogs are allowed in the grounds on a lead, but not inside…
The Tank Museum (28 miles south west) at Bovington has an impressive collection of tanks and weaponry. Look out for live-action displays and the popular TankFest event. (Assistance dogs only). Find out more about The Tank Museum.
Stonehenge (31 miles north) is the iconic monument dating back 5,000 years. Dogs on leads are allowed outside only. Pre-booking is strongly advised, especially during peak times. English Heritage and National Trust members are free. Find out more about Stonehenge.
Marwell Zoo (32 miles north east) has hundreds of animals in as natural a setting as possible, with an emphasis on conservation work. Find out more about Marwell Zoo.
Stourhead (35 miles north west) is a stately home run by the National Trust with stunning grounds famous for autumn colours. Dogs are welcome on a lead. Find out more about Stourhead.
Longleat (41 miles north west) is a magnificent stately home with famous safari park and other attractions including a maze. Dogs are not allowed in most areas, but there are unsupervised kennels at the Sarari Park entrance. Find out more about Longleat.
Abbotsbury (42 miles south west) historic and picturesque village has Sub-Tropical Gardens (dogs welcome on leads) and the Swannery, (dogs prohibited) the only place where you can walk among nesting mute swans. Chesil Beach is one of several walks near here where dogs are allowed to visit all year round.
