SandWorld Sand Sculpture Festival

SandWorld is back at Lodmoor Country Park from 28 March, running every day through to 8 November. It's the UK's only sand sculpture festival, and it returns to the same spot in Weymouth year after year, so it's an easy one to slot into a day out when the weather's on your side.

The main draw is the sculptures themselves, all built from nothing but sand and water. There's more than 2,000 tonnes of material involved—the equivalent of 1,290 cars—and the festival carries on the legacy of local sand sculptor Fred Darrington, whose work helped put the town on the map as a global destination for sand art. It's a big, open-air site, and the sculptures are the centrepiece.

There's plenty more to do than just walk around and look, though. They run daily workshops, and there are giant all-weather sand pits where you can get stuck in yourself, alongside a dedicated sand play area for under-5s. There's also a fun-fact quiz and the chance to fill your own sand art bottles. If you're staying for a while, there's a café and a gift shop on site, and the whole venue is wheelchair and dog friendly, so you don't have to leave the dog or the pram behind.

It's open daily from 28 March to 8 November at SandWorld, Lodmoor Country Park, Preston Beach Road, Weymouth DT4 7SX, and under-5s go free.