Weymouth harbour itself is still a busy fishing port and harbour where visiting pleasure craft will find all they need within easy reach of the moorings. For those who want to explore the high seas, several boat trips taking in the Jurassic coast or Weymouth and Portland's sights depart from the harbour. Just above the harbour smack bang centre of the town is Radipole Lakes a RSPB reserve that is excellent for bird watching or just to get away from the hustle and bustle to relax.
The town centre’s around Weymouth Harbour around which Weymouth originally grew. The town's streets are lined with a good range of shops including independent and high street names. The Brewer's Quay complex, a former Victorian brewery, contains around twenty outlets including specialist shops, restaurants, bars and bistros.
Weymouth's streets have lots of character including many Georgian buildings. Not far from Brewers Quay is one of Weymouth's few remaining Tudor buildings, the Tudor House. This has been preserved by Weymouth's Civic Society and is open to visitors from May to mid October. A guided tour will take you round the house and tell you more about its history as a merchant's house.
Weymouth Museum is in the Brewers Quay complex near the harbour/in the town centre and tells the social history of the town and its inhabitants. It holds the Bussell collection of prints and paintings that tell the story of Weymouth's history. It is open seven days a week from 10am-4.30pm and admission is free, donations are welcomed. Weymouth Museum, Brewers Quay, Hope Square, Weymouth, Dorset DT4 8TR.
For a rainy day attraction this coupled with the Timewalk, where you can experience the sounds and smells of Weymouth from the fourteenth century, make Weymouth's history come alive. Children might also find the Discovery interactive science centre attraction fun which is kitted out with puzzles, gadgets and books within the Brewers Quay complex. After that you can explore the shops that are housed in Brewers Quay.
Weymouth Harbour sandwiches the town between it and The Esplanade. It's a busy harbour that is at the heart of Weymouth's Old Town and it retains much of that historic seafaring character, particularly along the seventeenth century waterfront. You can pick up the Heritage Trail which will point out some of Weymouth's historic sights and the stories that include the Black Death, the Spanish Armada and the Civil War.
There is a good choice of restaurants, Weymouth hotels, pubs and shops, including chandlers, around the harbour making it ideal for visiting pleasure craft. All the town's shops and attractions are only a short walk away. Several of the boat trip operators run trips and cruises around Dorset's Heritage Coast depart from Weymouth Harbour.
On the south east side of Weymouth Harbour is the Nothe Peninsula where you'll find Weymouth's Nothe Fort. The Fort was built in 1860 to defend Portland Harbour and housed a 12 gun battery of canons. The Fort is now a museum dedicated to coastal defence and has seventy rooms of exhibits looking at Weymouth at war and the Royal Navy who have operated out of the town as well as more ancient history that has affected Dorset such as the Roman invasion. There are plenty of vehicles and guns for the kids to play on!
Weymouth is a great destination full of excellent Weymouth hotels to stay in and plenty of activities.
Weymouth is a great destination full of excellent Weymouth hotels to stay in and plenty of activities.
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