A DAY IN BOURNEMOUTH

~ A D V E R T I S E M E N T ~

Bournemouth.

The lingering smell of fish and chips in the salty sea air and walks along the beach is what I live for. Despite living in the furthest county from the sea, in my heart I am truly a seeker of all things sand and sea. Any opportunity to head to some sandy haven and I’m there, and it must have been fate when National Express asked me to take a little roadtrip with them down to Bournemouth for the day.

One thing I told myself earlier this year was to explore more of the UK and what it has to offer. However, also not being able to drive and being on a budget makes this a little hard. Which is where coach travel is a godsend. It seems to be looked past, but my first port of call is always to find a coach when going anywhere in the UK. And it’s the perfect option for students having to travel to and from this Easter. The obvious reason – it’s so cheap. Oxford to Bournemouth with National Express starts at only £5 for a return. I repeat. Five. Squid. They go to over 900 locations across the country so you’re sure to find a route. Okay, the journey may take a little longer but it’s usually only around an hour or so extra and for that price you really can’t complain.

Our journey took around 3 hours (driving it’d take around 2.5). Which they broke up with one comfort break and then at the first stop, so with a couple of snacks and some en route entertainment, it pretty seamless. National Express also have the option of reserving a seat (but don’t worry, you’re always guaranteed a seat). They also have leather seats, air con and an app full of shows and films to watch (for free) so you’re as comfortable as possible.

So, what did we get up to? Well, April isn’t exactly the time for paddle boarding or barbecues on the beach. But that’s not to say there weren’t some brave souls that weren’t letting a little British weather get in the way of their sea side fun. We alighted at around midday, so Zeb and I headed straight to the beach for some sustenance. You’re spoilt for choice. However we opted for some chips and burgers on the beach (give them a 5/10).

We then found ourselves sauntering around. We were going to play a bit of mini golf, but the abundance of half-term-family-goers made us think otherwise. Be that as it may, I always try to have a good wander when I visit somewhere. I think you can stumble across the best bits by chance. And as well as the beachfront, Bournemouth has some beautiful gardens to walk through. And on a sunny day it’s bliss to just take a stroll or perch on the grass. We came out the other side of the gardens to the hustle and bustle of the high street. We had a quick mooch and enjoyed the ambiance of the street performers. But soon headed over to be a couple of culture vultures.

If, like myself, you enjoy a bit of history, art and some impressive interiors, head to the Russell-Cotes museum and gallery. Situated on top of East Cliff, overlooking some rather impressive views. It showcases a beautiful home from the 1800’s, and some stately artwork from all over the world. We spent a portion of the afternoon wandering this enticing place and taking in a the substance and history. As much as I love spending time on the beach, I do love to visit a good museum whenever I go somewhere. I would highly recommend taking a visit.

As the middle of the afternoon rolled around we took a pit stop, pretended it was a good 15 degrees warmer than it was, and has a few drinks outside. We also grabbed some food before I insisted we visited the birds. They’re located just by the gardens and it’s quite literally some birds. But my childish heart had to give them a visit. It’s a great stop to make, especially for families.

Then came the time to make our way back to the coach station and head home. We had a lovely day out, which was so easy-going and uninhibited. It’s so easy to get caught up in worrying about getting everything done in a day. But with £5 a ticket, we could always just do it all over again.

E x

*This post was a paid collaboration. All opinions are my own.