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10 Best Dorset Caravan Holiday Parks - 2024
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Dorset has a choice of more than 25 holiday parks, but we've picked 10 of the best by comparing location, reviews, price and facilities.
Some are in the busier touristy parts of Dorset which have lots of family attractions, such as Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch and Weymouth whilst others are in West Dorset along the Jurassic Coast in pretty seaside resorts such as Lyme Regis, Bridport, West Bay and Charmouth. We've chosen a mix of busy family holiday parks that usually have indoor swimming pools and kids' entertainment, as well as quieter caravan parks with fishing, woodland, hot tubs and easy access to beaches. For our price comparison we looked for the cheapest caravan we could find for a family of two adults and two children for a week in August 2024. |
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1. Haven Rockley Park Caravan Holiday Park (Poole) - busy Haven park, family facilities
**Winner: best value Dorset holiday park**
Haven has four Dorset holiday parks, and they're all decent choices for a family holiday in the county. I wouldn’t say there’s an obvious choice as their best park in Dorset. Rockley Park is the winner for us, based on location and price.
Rockley Park, Littlesea Holiday Park, Seaview Holiday Park and Weymouth Bay Caravan Park all score similarly on TripAdvisor (4 out of 5). They’ve all got indoor swimming pools (just in case the weather quite isn’t as good as it is in the brochures). They all have kids' clubs so you might, possibly, get a few minutes peace and quiet. You can bring pets to any of Haven's Dorset parks.
All four parks have evening entertainment for adults, although I go to bed about 10 minutes after the children so I’m unlikely to be playing bingo until dark.
Rockley Park has slightly more facilities than the other three, including a climbing wall and water sports. However, if you stay at Weymouth Bay or nearby Seaview you can (at the time of writing) use the facilities at both parks, so you’ve got more choice.
In terms of location, Rockley Park is near to Bournemouth, which is a busy seaside resort. Weymouth Bay Caravan Holiday Park, Seaview Holiday Park and Littlesea Caravan Holiday Park are all in the Weymouth area.
Personally, I’d pick Rockley Park as I prefer Bournemouth to Weymouth but the others are more centrally located for exploring West Dorset and the Jurassic Coastline.
Rockley Park, Littlesea Holiday Park, Seaview Holiday Park and Weymouth Bay Caravan Park all score similarly on TripAdvisor (4 out of 5). They’ve all got indoor swimming pools (just in case the weather quite isn’t as good as it is in the brochures). They all have kids' clubs so you might, possibly, get a few minutes peace and quiet. You can bring pets to any of Haven's Dorset parks.
All four parks have evening entertainment for adults, although I go to bed about 10 minutes after the children so I’m unlikely to be playing bingo until dark.
Rockley Park has slightly more facilities than the other three, including a climbing wall and water sports. However, if you stay at Weymouth Bay or nearby Seaview you can (at the time of writing) use the facilities at both parks, so you’ve got more choice.
In terms of location, Rockley Park is near to Bournemouth, which is a busy seaside resort. Weymouth Bay Caravan Holiday Park, Seaview Holiday Park and Littlesea Caravan Holiday Park are all in the Weymouth area.
Personally, I’d pick Rockley Park as I prefer Bournemouth to Weymouth but the others are more centrally located for exploring West Dorset and the Jurassic Coastline.
Price: In my short survey, the cheapest week in August 2024 for two adults and two children at Haven's Dorset resorts ranged from £758 - £1176. That was for a Friday arrival and included use of the onsite facilities. You'll find that Haven parks are usually cheaper if you are able to start your 7-day holiday on a Friday or Monday instead of a Saturday.
The cheapest option at £758 was Rockley Park. Seaview was a similar price at £796. Littlesea was a mid-priced Haven park in Dorset at £992. Weymouth Bay was the most expensive at £1176. That is the price for the cheapest accommodation available.
The prices above are for a 'normal' Haven holiday which means you can use the swimming pools and pay-as-you-go for extra activities. If you just want a caravan and access to the restaurants, then you can choose a 'Haven Hideaway' holiday. If you went for that option at Rockley Park, you would save yourself a whopping £130 and pay just £628 for the week.
The cheapest option at £758 was Rockley Park. Seaview was a similar price at £796. Littlesea was a mid-priced Haven park in Dorset at £992. Weymouth Bay was the most expensive at £1176. That is the price for the cheapest accommodation available.
The prices above are for a 'normal' Haven holiday which means you can use the swimming pools and pay-as-you-go for extra activities. If you just want a caravan and access to the restaurants, then you can choose a 'Haven Hideaway' holiday. If you went for that option at Rockley Park, you would save yourself a whopping £130 and pay just £628 for the week.
Haven's Rockley Park is next to a sandy beach...
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...and it's got loads onsite, including swimming, climbing and kids' clubs.
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2. Oakdene Forest Park (East Dorset) - large park, indoor swimming pool,
**Shorefield offers: Extra 15% off for NHS and emergency services**
**Shorefield discount code: save 5% via this link with code AFFILIATE5**
Oakdene Forest Park isn't by the sea, but it is one of the best value family holiday parks we've found in Dorset.
It's run by a company called Shorefield, which has a handful of similar caravan parks/lodge parks around Dorset, Hampshire and the New Forest. Reviews are good (4/5) and it has plenty to do onsite including an indoor swimming pool with a flume, outdoor swimming pool with splash area, archery, a decent playground, evening entertainment and a gym.
The cheaper accommodation is caravans or they have lodges with hot tubs if you want an upgrade.
It's in a woodland area near to the Hampshire border, about half a mile from the A31. Family-friendly options for days out include the New Forest (15 minutes drive), Bournemouth beach (25 minutes), Peppa Pig World (25 minutes) or Beaulieu (40 minutes).
Price: £869 for a week in August 2024 for a family of four staying in a 'Statement' caravan. This particular caravan is dog friendly.
It's run by a company called Shorefield, which has a handful of similar caravan parks/lodge parks around Dorset, Hampshire and the New Forest. Reviews are good (4/5) and it has plenty to do onsite including an indoor swimming pool with a flume, outdoor swimming pool with splash area, archery, a decent playground, evening entertainment and a gym.
The cheaper accommodation is caravans or they have lodges with hot tubs if you want an upgrade.
It's in a woodland area near to the Hampshire border, about half a mile from the A31. Family-friendly options for days out include the New Forest (15 minutes drive), Bournemouth beach (25 minutes), Peppa Pig World (25 minutes) or Beaulieu (40 minutes).
Price: £869 for a week in August 2024 for a family of four staying in a 'Statement' caravan. This particular caravan is dog friendly.
It's not by the beach but Oakdene Forest Park has woodland walks, good reviews...
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...and a large indoor swimming pool
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3. Sandhills Holiday Park (Christchurch) - quiet park, near to the beach
Sandhills Holiday Park makes our list because it gets consistently strong reviews and because of its prime location between Christchurch Harbour and Friars Cliff Beach.
It's a slightly quieter option than some of the caravan holiday parks on this list with more basic facilities. However, there is an outdoor pool from March to September (not sure why you would want to use an outdoor pool in December anyway). There's also an adventure playground, a bar and a small gym.
Sandhills Holiday Park is in East Dorset, so it is well located for visiting The New Forest in Hampshire as well as the busy stretch of coastline around Bournemouth. It's quite a drive to West Dorset (a three hour round trip to West Bay), but not too far to Swanage or Poole.
There are apartments at the site as well as caravans of varying grades. The apartments don't allow dogs.
Price: £1999 for two adults and two children for a week in August 2024 in a Gold Plus Caravan. The same resort also has 'luxury apartments' that were available for about half the price but we've not included those in our caravan park comparison.
It's a slightly quieter option than some of the caravan holiday parks on this list with more basic facilities. However, there is an outdoor pool from March to September (not sure why you would want to use an outdoor pool in December anyway). There's also an adventure playground, a bar and a small gym.
Sandhills Holiday Park is in East Dorset, so it is well located for visiting The New Forest in Hampshire as well as the busy stretch of coastline around Bournemouth. It's quite a drive to West Dorset (a three hour round trip to West Bay), but not too far to Swanage or Poole.
There are apartments at the site as well as caravans of varying grades. The apartments don't allow dogs.
Price: £1999 for two adults and two children for a week in August 2024 in a Gold Plus Caravan. The same resort also has 'luxury apartments' that were available for about half the price but we've not included those in our caravan park comparison.
Sandhills Holiday Park has a club house and outdoor swimming pool...
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...and it's right next to a beach
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4. Warmwell Holiday Park (near Weymouth) - big park, loads of family facilities
**Parkdean Resorts Black Friday: 1000s of holidays from £69 + up to 30% off 7 night holidays (expires 04/12/23)**
Warmwell Holiday Park is one of three Parkdean Holidays sites in Dorset and it tends to be the most popular with customers (averaging 4 out of 5 on TripAdvisor - see our ranking of every Parkdean Resorts). The other holiday parks run by Parkdean Resorts in Dorset are Sandford Holiday Park (Poole) and West Bay Holiday Park (Bridport)
Warmwell is a big park with a really wide range of things to do on site, so it's one to consider if you are looking for endless entertainment rather than if you want somewhere to get away from it all. It's a little way inland, but is well placed halfway between busy Bournemouth in East Dorset and West Bay and Lyme Regis in West Dorset.
Onsite facilities include: a ski slope (yes, really), an indoor swimming pool, amusement arcade, pool tables, mini ten pin bowling, crazy golf, fishing lakes (I suspect that's the clincher for some men...), gym, sports court, archery, adventure playground, soft play, children's clubs, restaurants and evening entertainment.
Warmwell is close to several of the larger attractions in Dorset, including Weymouth Sea Life Park, The Tank Museum and Monkey World. It's a 15-20 minute drive to the Jurassic coast at Durdle Door, Lulworth Cove or Weymouth.
There are caravans and lodges, including some which are wheelchair accessible. There are also pet friendly caravans. The more expensive accommodation are lakeside lodges and some have hot tubs.
Price: £1289 for 2 adults and 2 children in August 2024 in a one-bedroom Lanehouse lodge. Note that this is a lodge that requires two people to sleep in the lounge. On the plus side, it is considerably more spacious than a caravan.
Warmwell is a big park with a really wide range of things to do on site, so it's one to consider if you are looking for endless entertainment rather than if you want somewhere to get away from it all. It's a little way inland, but is well placed halfway between busy Bournemouth in East Dorset and West Bay and Lyme Regis in West Dorset.
Onsite facilities include: a ski slope (yes, really), an indoor swimming pool, amusement arcade, pool tables, mini ten pin bowling, crazy golf, fishing lakes (I suspect that's the clincher for some men...), gym, sports court, archery, adventure playground, soft play, children's clubs, restaurants and evening entertainment.
Warmwell is close to several of the larger attractions in Dorset, including Weymouth Sea Life Park, The Tank Museum and Monkey World. It's a 15-20 minute drive to the Jurassic coast at Durdle Door, Lulworth Cove or Weymouth.
There are caravans and lodges, including some which are wheelchair accessible. There are also pet friendly caravans. The more expensive accommodation are lakeside lodges and some have hot tubs.
Price: £1289 for 2 adults and 2 children in August 2024 in a one-bedroom Lanehouse lodge. Note that this is a lodge that requires two people to sleep in the lounge. On the plus side, it is considerably more spacious than a caravan.
The huge range of activities at Warmwell Holiday Park include skiing...
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...and an indoor soft play area
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5. Swanage Coastal Park (Swanage) - sea views, hot tubs, 20 minute walk to the beach
If you want endless onsite entertainment...then Swanage Coastal Park isn’t for you.
However, it will appeal to those who want good quality accommodation with sea views and easy access to South East Dorset.
It’s run by Shorefield and gets very positive reviews of 4.4/5 on Google Reviews or 4/5 from customers on TripAdvisor. Some of the less positive reviews are complaining about the lack of facilities, which is a little unfair when it is made clear before you book.
Swanage Coastal Park is about a mile inland from the beach at Swanage and has good views from many of the caravans and lodges. The posher lodges come with hot tubs. You can walk to the seafront in about 20 minutes, or drive in five minutes.
There’s a playground onsite, but this park is all about peace, quiet and views rather than busyness and noise.
Price: £1041 for a Seaside caravan for a week in August 2024. That’s the price for a family of four in two-bedroom accommodation.
However, it will appeal to those who want good quality accommodation with sea views and easy access to South East Dorset.
It’s run by Shorefield and gets very positive reviews of 4.4/5 on Google Reviews or 4/5 from customers on TripAdvisor. Some of the less positive reviews are complaining about the lack of facilities, which is a little unfair when it is made clear before you book.
Swanage Coastal Park is about a mile inland from the beach at Swanage and has good views from many of the caravans and lodges. The posher lodges come with hot tubs. You can walk to the seafront in about 20 minutes, or drive in five minutes.
There’s a playground onsite, but this park is all about peace, quiet and views rather than busyness and noise.
Price: £1041 for a Seaside caravan for a week in August 2024. That’s the price for a family of four in two-bedroom accommodation.
There may not be onsite facilities, but Swanage Coastal Park has good views...
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...and high quality lodges and caravans
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6. Swanage Bay View (Swanage) - sea views, indoor swimming pool, gym, bar, 20 minutes walk to the beach
**Winner: cheapest Dorset holiday park**
**Swanage Bay View Discount Code: 10% off via this link with exclusive code HPGURU10 (expires 31/12/23)**
Swanage Bay View shares a lot in common with Swanage Coastal Park, which is next door. The main difference is that Swanage Bay View has an indoor swimming pool, a gym and a cafe/bar. However, it doesn't have the hot tubs you get at Swanage Coastal Park (at the time of writing). The swimming pool at Swanage Bay View is larger than most holiday park swimming pools and the bar is modern. It is a pet friendly holiday park.
The resort is set back a little from Swanage seafront but there are good sea views from a lot of the accommodation. I would go for this one if you like the idea of sitting on a veranda in an evening with a glass of Chardonnay.
Swanage Bay View previously offered caravans and lodges, but as of 2024 they are just offering caravans.
Swanage Bay View was previously owned by Aria Resorts but is now run by Away Resorts which has about 20 holiday parks around the UK. They have a good reputation for investing in their resorts. Customers give a positive review score of 4/5 (TripAdvisor).
Price: £683 for a 'Comfort Caravan' for a week in August 2024. That is the price for a family of four and was the cheapest accommodation when we checked. They also had similar caravans with a sea view for an extra £80. Away Resorts is unusual in offering the option to arrive on any day that you fancy. Midweek arrivals tend to be cheaper than weekends.
The resort is set back a little from Swanage seafront but there are good sea views from a lot of the accommodation. I would go for this one if you like the idea of sitting on a veranda in an evening with a glass of Chardonnay.
Swanage Bay View previously offered caravans and lodges, but as of 2024 they are just offering caravans.
Swanage Bay View was previously owned by Aria Resorts but is now run by Away Resorts which has about 20 holiday parks around the UK. They have a good reputation for investing in their resorts. Customers give a positive review score of 4/5 (TripAdvisor).
Price: £683 for a 'Comfort Caravan' for a week in August 2024. That is the price for a family of four and was the cheapest accommodation when we checked. They also had similar caravans with a sea view for an extra £80. Away Resorts is unusual in offering the option to arrive on any day that you fancy. Midweek arrivals tend to be cheaper than weekends.
Swanage Bay View is in a hilly spot with lots of caravans and lodges with sea views...
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...and it beats many rivals by offering an indoor swimming pool
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7. Wood Farm Holiday Park (Charmouth) short drive to beach, indoor swimming pool
Wood Farm Holiday Park is a popular caravan site that was taken over by big name Park Holidays in 2021.
It’s just off the A35, which is a relatively busy road. On the plus side, that means you are only a five-minute drive from the beaches at Charmouth or Lyme Regis.
I’d say that it’s a mid-range holiday park in terms of the facilities it provides. There’s a good-sized indoor swimming, which is a straightforward rectangle for practising your front crawl rather than a fun pool with slides and flumes. There isn’t an outdoor pool.
It’s got fishing lakes, which is a big winner for some people. There’s also a couple of playgrounds, a tennis court and somewhere you can get something to eat.
The site is a popular one with touring caravans, but they also have plenty of accommodation that you can hire. Customer reviews average 4/5 on TripAdvisor or 4.5/5 on Google reviews.
Price: £1620 for a week in a Charmouth Luxury apartment in August 2023. The apartment sleeps four people in two bedrooms. 'Luxury' was the cheapest option available, but you might be able to find cheaper options at different times of year.
It’s just off the A35, which is a relatively busy road. On the plus side, that means you are only a five-minute drive from the beaches at Charmouth or Lyme Regis.
I’d say that it’s a mid-range holiday park in terms of the facilities it provides. There’s a good-sized indoor swimming, which is a straightforward rectangle for practising your front crawl rather than a fun pool with slides and flumes. There isn’t an outdoor pool.
It’s got fishing lakes, which is a big winner for some people. There’s also a couple of playgrounds, a tennis court and somewhere you can get something to eat.
The site is a popular one with touring caravans, but they also have plenty of accommodation that you can hire. Customer reviews average 4/5 on TripAdvisor or 4.5/5 on Google reviews.
Price: £1620 for a week in a Charmouth Luxury apartment in August 2023. The apartment sleeps four people in two bedrooms. 'Luxury' was the cheapest option available, but you might be able to find cheaper options at different times of year.
The fishing lakes are one reason to visit Wood Farm Holiday Park...
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...and there's a good-sized onsite swimming pool
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8. Swandown Lodges (West Dorset) - posh lodges, indoor pool
This one isn't the cheapest holiday park in Dorset, but Swandown Lodges is a more luxurious option than the knobbly knees and flumes you will get at some parks.
The lodges are light and swanky, and the site itself is part of the Cricket St Thomas Estate (Somerset/Dorset border) which means you have access to the local hotel's leisure complex. There's an indoor pool, spa treatments and a nearby golf course. There's also the option of fishing and bike hire.
The main downside, in my view, is that it is half an hour's drive to the nearest beaches at Lyme Regis and West Bay. That's not a problem if you don't plan to go every day but an hour's round trip might be a bit much after a while. Swandown Lodges are on a huge 1000 acre estate with places to walk and cycle, so you might find there is enough to do onsite.
Reviews were glowing when we checked (5/5 on TripAdvisor). If you fancy a day out, Stonehenge is an hour's drive away.
Price: £1749 for 4 people for a week in August 2024 in a Swandown Lodge.
The lodges are light and swanky, and the site itself is part of the Cricket St Thomas Estate (Somerset/Dorset border) which means you have access to the local hotel's leisure complex. There's an indoor pool, spa treatments and a nearby golf course. There's also the option of fishing and bike hire.
The main downside, in my view, is that it is half an hour's drive to the nearest beaches at Lyme Regis and West Bay. That's not a problem if you don't plan to go every day but an hour's round trip might be a bit much after a while. Swandown Lodges are on a huge 1000 acre estate with places to walk and cycle, so you might find there is enough to do onsite.
Reviews were glowing when we checked (5/5 on TripAdvisor). If you fancy a day out, Stonehenge is an hour's drive away.
Price: £1749 for 4 people for a week in August 2024 in a Swandown Lodge.
It'll cost you a bit more, but Swandown Lodges offer hot tubs, woodburners...
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...and a small indoor swimming pool
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9. Chesil Family Holiday Park (Weymouth) - indoor swimming pool, busy park
Chesil Family Holiday Park is also known as Chesil Vista Holiday Park or Chesil Beach Holiday Park, depending on who you ask. It's a mid-sized holiday park, with lots of onsite facilities and easy access to the amusement arcades and kiss-me-quick hats of Weymouth.
Reviews are very good (4.5 out of 5 when we checked).
You could get away with spending at least a couple days onsite. There's an indoor pool and 'bubble pool' (parp), as well as a sauna and gym. For children, there's entertainment from 'Vic the Sea Monster' (not a character I'm familiar with), as well as indoor soft play for the shorter visitors and an outdoor playground for slightly taller ones. There's also football, basketball and evening entertainment for adults.
Price: £1339 for 2 adults and 2 children for a week in August 2024 in a two bedroom 'classic' caravan. They also had apartments that were a little bit cheaper.
Reviews are very good (4.5 out of 5 when we checked).
You could get away with spending at least a couple days onsite. There's an indoor pool and 'bubble pool' (parp), as well as a sauna and gym. For children, there's entertainment from 'Vic the Sea Monster' (not a character I'm familiar with), as well as indoor soft play for the shorter visitors and an outdoor playground for slightly taller ones. There's also football, basketball and evening entertainment for adults.
Price: £1339 for 2 adults and 2 children for a week in August 2024 in a two bedroom 'classic' caravan. They also had apartments that were a little bit cheaper.
Customers give Chesil Vista very good reviews...
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...and it has a good choice of apartments and caravans for 4-8 people
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10. Hoburne Park (near Christchurch) - indoor swimming pool, posh caravans
Another highly rated option in East Dorset is Hoburne Park, which was averaging 4.5 out of 5 on TripAdvisor when I checked.
There is lots to do on site at Hoburne, including indoor and outdoor swimming pools, children's activities, a gym with sauna, indoor soft play area for toddlers, adventure playground and amusement arcade for older children, café and restaurant (although they call it a brasserie, which sounds fancier), tennis court and crazy golf.
Location wise, it is well placed for visiting Bournemouth and The New Forest but is a bit of a trek to West Dorset. You could also attempt a day trip to my beloved Isle of Wight from nearby Lymington.
Most of the caravans have grand names like 'superior' and 'platinum' and the posher ones have verandas. Hoburne Park is a dog friendly park.
Price: £1370 for 4 people in a 'Classic Caravan' for a week in August 2024.
There is lots to do on site at Hoburne, including indoor and outdoor swimming pools, children's activities, a gym with sauna, indoor soft play area for toddlers, adventure playground and amusement arcade for older children, café and restaurant (although they call it a brasserie, which sounds fancier), tennis court and crazy golf.
Location wise, it is well placed for visiting Bournemouth and The New Forest but is a bit of a trek to West Dorset. You could also attempt a day trip to my beloved Isle of Wight from nearby Lymington.
Most of the caravans have grand names like 'superior' and 'platinum' and the posher ones have verandas. Hoburne Park is a dog friendly park.
Price: £1370 for 4 people in a 'Classic Caravan' for a week in August 2024.
Highly-rated Hoburne Park is about 20 minutes walk to the beach...
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...and it has a lot onsite to keep you entertained
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Price comparison of 10 of Dorset's best holiday caravan parks
We looked for the cheapest accommodation available for a family of four, for a week in August 2024. We searched in November 2023. We didn't include any extras or upgrades but just looked for the basic price. The exception is Haven where we included the option to have access to the facilities.
From cheapest to most expensive:
From cheapest to most expensive:
- Swanage Bay View - £683 **Cheapest holiday park**
- Haven's Rockley Park - £758 **Best value holiday park**
- Oakdene Forest Park - £869
- Swanage Coastal Park - £1041
- Warmwell Holiday Park - £1289
- Chesil Family Holiday Park - £1339
- Hoburne Park - £1370
- Wood Farm Holiday Park - £1620 (2023 price)
- Swandown Lodges - £1749
- Sandhills Holiday Park - £1999
Images from Haven, Parkdean Resorts, Away Resorts, Hoburne and Shorefield Holidays.
