Poole town centre is the practical half of the town: the shops, the station, the arts centre and the car parks, sitting uphill from the historic quarter rather than in it.
Shopping
The Dolphin Centre is the main covered centre, with the High Street running down from it towards the water, picking up independents as it goes. See shopping in Poole.
Lighthouse
Poole's Centre for the Arts is here: a concert hall, a theatre, a studio and a cinema screen under one roof, and among the larger arts venues outside London. See theatres.
Getting here and about
Poole railway station is on the edge of the centre, with direct trains from London Waterloo in around two hours. From the station, the High Street, the Old Town and Poole Quay are a continuous fifteen-minute walk. See getting around and car parking.
Nearby
Poole Park is a few minutes east, with its saltwater boating lake and miniature railway. The Old Town and the Quay are downhill, and the beaches are a short bus ride out along the peninsula.