Spring is on its way and after a long winter, people are excited to start planning their warm weather holidays - and one coastal destination is proving extremely popular. According to Independent Cottages, Poole in Dorset has been a go-to springtime getaway destination for two years running.

Poole has witnessed a 494% overall uptick in enquiries between 2022 and 2024 for spring breaks, making it the company’s most popular spring holiday destination in recent years. Home to Europe’s largest natural harbour, Poole originally developed its reputation as a commercial fishing port and shipbuilding centre. Now, it’s a popular resort town with a gorgeous and historic old town filled with Georgian houses, as well as a buzzing quayside that visiting tourists love to explore.

It’s also home to one of Britain’s best beaches. Sandbanks Beach has won the Blue Flag Award 36 times, and was named the most sustainable beach in the world in Tripadvisor’s Travellers’ Choice Awards 2024.

Poole is also the gateway to the wider UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Jurassic Coast

For those hoping to discover the wider Dorset coastline, Poole is the gateway to the renowned UNESCO World Heritage Jurassic Coast.

To explore the Jurassic Coastline, visitors only need to take a boat ride from Poole Harbour to see some of the coast’s most famous landmarks.

One of the most incredible places to visit is Brownsea Island - a nature reserve filled with native wildlife, including the increasingly rare red squirrel.

As well as squirrels, Brownsea is home to a wide variety of birds, including dunlin, kingfishers, common and Sandwich terns and oystercatchers.

Free trails help you explore the island, there is a natural play area and fantastic picnic spots,which makes it the perfect place for families to visit for a fun-filled day.