Bournemouth is busiest from late June to early September, when the beach fills up and the seafront has a continuous summer festival feel. The Bournemouth Air Festival in late August is the biggest single event of the year, with four days of flying displays from the Red Arrows and other aerial teams. Book accommodation months ahead.
May, June, and September offer the best mix of decent weather and smaller crowds. October to April is quiet; the town has the slightly melancholy charm of a seaside resort in winter, with the cliff lifts closed but the surf usually at its best. The bay's southerly aspect means it gets more sunshine than almost anywhere else in Britain.