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Things to do in Bournemouth #HiddenGems

 As many of my readers know, we live in the New Forest. We live in one of the most beautiful areas of the UK and we are lucky to have some lovely locations to visit on our door step. One of our favourite places to visit is Bournemouth. Bournemouth is not only a great tourist attraction, it has plenty to see and do. It is great for all ages and is perfect for families, couples and singles. There are plenty of tourist boards, plenty of places to eat and shop and some brilliant locations to visit. If you are thinking of visiting you are even able to book a hotel on the sea front with sea views!

If you are thinking of going to Bournemouth do not miss visiting:


The Oceanarium: We visited here on Maxwell's Birthday and we had a wonderful experience. There is plenty of parking near by and the Oceanarium can be found on the waterfront. The Oceanarium has plenty to see and do. It is full of all different types of marine and most recently they have added penguins and jellyfish. Inside the Oceanarium you will find a lovely gift shop as well as a cafe which serve delicious food. If you are wanting to visit, you are now able to swap Tesco clubcard vouchers which means the ticket price is great value for money. We spent the whole day here when we visited and were impressed with the talks as well as the feeds.


The Bournemouth Air Show: Every year we attend the Bournemouth Air Show. Although there is a small charge for parking if you choose to park in the park and ride or in a car park, the show itself is free to attend. There is plenty to see and do, you can stroll along the beach front and feel the sand between your toes or you can decide to watch the air displays in the air which feature amazing planes such as the red arrows, the typhoon and chinook helicopters. This is a great family day out and Maxwell has attended the show with us since he was a baby. There is plenty of places to visit along the sea front for a quick bite to eat but you are also able to bring your own picnic!


Canford Cliffs: This is a lovely place just a short drive away from Bournmouth beach sea front. Canford Cliffs is easy to get to and has a small little car park which is fairly cheap to park in. Past the car park you are able to find Pinecliff play sculpture trail which is amazing for children to visit. You are able to find large wooden sculptures that are fun to play on. You are also able to find a play park which is based around a shipwreck. Once you have finished playing you are able to go on a lovely walk down to the beach below which is the beach of Branksome Chine.


Bournemouth beach and pier: Bournemouth beach is a beautiful beach which hosts stunning views of the Isle of Wight and the Purbecks. The beach is made up of golden sand meaning it is perfect to take a lovely stroll on. There are plenty of restaurants and cafe's as well gardens for all to enjoy along the sea front. Bournemouth Pier offers a variety of attractions for the whole family. The attractions are fun and entertaining. Whilst you are here, why not seek fun and visit the Zip wire which see you make your way from the pier to the beach.

*In collaboration with the Travelodge
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Bargain Hunting #26


Its that time of year where it gets dark at 4pm, the nights and days are cold and bills can get expensive because you are trying to keep warm, however I have some money saving tips this week to keep the bills low.

Keep the thermostat down
Last year we managed to run up a large heating bill because we left the heating on day and night. This year we are going to be a lot more money savvy. This year we have decided we will keep rooms like the lounge warm in the day time and turn the radiators off in the bedrooms and at night not put the heating on at all unless it is very cold. We will also leave the thermostat on at 20 degrees instead of putting it up high. If you turn your thermostat down by just 1 degree you could slash your heating bills by 10%. 

Find out what you are entitled to
Insulating your home can make a lot of difference. If you are able to keep your home warm it means you are able to save a lot of money on bills. Loft and cavity wall insulation can help you keep warm. There are grants available from gas/electricity companies and you may find you are eligible for free insulation especially if you are on low income. Ring up your provider to see what they may be able to offer.

Add layers
Last winter I spent a lot of my time walking around in a T-shirt as the heating was on a lot. This year I will be wrapping up warm, turning the heating off and I will be wearing 3 or 4 layers. You can start off with laying with vests, t shirts and then go on to warm jumpers.

Go out and keep warm
Instead of sitting in all day worrying about the energy you are using why not go out? There are plenty of places which will be warm this year that are free to go to. You could take the children to a local play group for a few hours, take the window shopping at the local shopping centre, take them to the library or even take them to the park for a run about.  

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