Most Instagrammable Places for Students in Bournemouth

18 Jul 2025 | By Sixes Cricket

Bournemouth has the kind of coastal charm that makes it easy to romanticize student life. With its sweeping beaches, Victorian architecture, and nature trails, the town is built for photos.

Whether you’re scrolling for aesthetic study spots, scouting locations for a uni content project, or just want your camera roll to look like a seaside film set, this city delivers.

There’s no shortage of spaces where students can snap, chill, and explore — all while sticking to a student budget. Here are the most Instagrammable places for students in Bournemouth, starting with something that blends sport, style, and social vibes in one.

1. Sixes Bournemouth

Inside the TeamSport venue right by the beach sits Sixes Bournemouth — a social cricket hangout that somehow manages to be both action-packed and aesthetic. Bold lighting, sleek modern interiors, and immersive screens give it a futuristic vibe, making it the kind of place where even a blurry action shot looks planned.

It’s made for content. Whether you’re filming batting highlights for your story or snapping team pics post-match, the energy in the space is ideal. The vibe hits different when everyone’s laughing, the lights are pulsing, and there’s food and drink on standby.

Students can get up to 50 percent off batting nets or bundle activities, making it one of the few venues where you can afford to play, eat, and post — all without needing a filter.

2. Bournemouth Pier at Sunset

Every student in Bournemouth has at least one golden hour photo near the Victorian pier — and if they don’t, they probably just haven’t uploaded it yet. The pier stretches dramatically into the sea and is flanked by a Blue Flag beach, which makes it a reliable backdrop any time of year.

The best shots come just before sundown. The soft light bounces off the water, casting those dreamy pinks and oranges that make skin glow and waves shimmer. Whether you’re posting a moody silhouette or a smiley group shot with wind-blown hair, the pier has your back.

It’s easy to get to from anywhere near the uni, and the route there offers bonus opportunities for content — beach snacks, bus rides, and skate park clips.

3. Hengistbury Head Nature Reserve

When your feed needs a break from urban scenes, take a hike to Hengistbury Head. This coastal reserve is like stepping into a nature documentary. With panoramic views of the sea, craggy cliff paths, and soft rolling dunes, it’s the spot for slow walks, long captions, and wide-angle lens experiments.

You don’t need to be an influencer to make the most of it either. Just bring your phone, a few mates, and something to sip while the sea breeze hits. The iron age landmarks along the trail also add some character if you’re feeling historically inclined.

For fitness students or nature photographers, it’s a goldmine of subtle lighting, dynamic textures, and breathing room.

4. Compton Acres Gardens

If colour and symmetry are your thing, head to Compton Acres. This private set of themed gardens ranges from Japanese bridges to Italian water features, all manicured to near perfection. It’s basically what your Pinterest board would look like if it came to life.

There are five themed zones in total, each with its own vibe. One minute you’re walking past koi ponds and delicate bonsai trees, the next you’re framed by grand fountains and marble statues. It’s peaceful too — rarely crowded and full of quiet corners where you can snap a few shots without photobombers.

Students get discounted entry, and if you plan it right, you can squeeze in some revision among the roses or grab lunch in the café mid-scroll.

5. Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum

Perched on East Cliff, Russell-Cotes is part historic villa, part curated chaos — in the best way. The building itself looks like something out of a fairy tale, with sweeping staircases, dramatic window views, and ornamental interiors. The gallery is full of curiosities, bold colors, and layered textures that make every corner photo-worthy.

Whether you’re into artistic close-ups or you just want to post a casual mirror pic next to a life-sized sculpture, the space invites creativity. The terrace offers sea views, and the gift shop is unexpectedly aesthetic.

There are often student-friendly ticket prices, and on quieter weekdays, you can take your time wandering without the usual gallery rush.

6. Lower, Central and Upper Gardens

Running through the heart of Bournemouth are three Victorian-style public gardens, collectively linking the town centre to the beach. These Lower, Central, and Upper Gardens offer one long continuous walkway filled with blooming flowerbeds, bandstands, winding benches, and a pretty famous balloon ride you can catch in the background.

Each section has its own feel. Lower Gardens is great for casual group shots under fairy lights or near the seasonal mini-golf course. Central Gardens leans peaceful, with fountains and tree-lined paths. Upper Gardens has more of a forested vibe, ideal for low-light portraits or thoughtful solo content.

In spring and autumn especially, the changing colors make every visit a new visual experience — without costing a thing.

7. Boscombe Pier and Art Trail

If the main pier is the city’s polished front door, Boscombe Pier is its laid-back artist cousin. Quieter and less touristy, it’s where students go to get the same seaside views without the crowds.

The nearby Boscombe Art Trail adds extra flair. It’s dotted with musical instruments you can interact with, framed art installations, and murals that rotate depending on who’s painting. The textures are raw and gritty in a way that gives your photos depth.

Early mornings or overcast afternoons give you that soft, diffused light that makes colors pop. Great for creative shoots, outfit posts, or anything that needs a more alternative vibe.

8. Westbourne Arcade

For vintage charm and good coffee aesthetics, you can’t go wrong with Westbourne Arcade. This tucked-away Victorian arcade features glass roofing, iron railings, and boutique shopfronts that make you feel like you’ve time-travelled a bit — but in the Instagrammable, matcha-sipping sort of way.

Every shop window offers a chance to play with reflections. The angles from below the skylights are great for soft light portraits, especially on bright but cloudy days. The café seating spills out just enough for that “I’m just casually journaling with a flat white” type of post.

If you’re doing a content shoot for a society, small brand, or just your own aesthetic feed, this is an ideal location to add something a little less beachy and a little more timeless.