2 Best Sights in Bournemouth, The South

With 7 miles of clean, sandy beaches tucked beneath its cliffs, Bournemouth is said to enjoy some of the country's warmest sea temperatures. You can descend to the seafront either by taking the zigzag paths through the public gardens near Bournemouth Pier (where there's a family-friendly amusement arcade) or by taking the three outdoor elevators from the cliffs. A handy Beach Check live map website tells you how crowded different areas are at any given time. If you're not tempted to swim, you can stroll along the nearby promenade. Sailing, windsurfing, and other water sports are also big here. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (fee); water sports. Best for: walking.

It's easy to recognize this parish church by its 200-foot-high tower and spire. Lewis Tregonwell, founder and developer of Bournemouth, is buried in the churchyard. Also buried here is Mary Shelley, author of Frankenstein and wife of the great Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, whose heart is interred with her in the elaborate Shelley family vault. Mary Shelley's mother, the feminist philosopher and writer Mary Wollstonecraft, is buried in the Shelley vault, too.