Home
Blog
Day Trips From Southampton

Day Trips from Southampton

Post date: 12th May 2019
Written by: The Visit Southampton Team

Although there’s plenty to do in Southampton, we understand that you might want to explore further afield too. Southampton is a great base for days ou, with handy rail and road links to some amazing places nearby.

Get close to nature and enjoy family days out in the New Forest

Herd of New Forest Ponies under an oak tree

Spot the free-roaming New Forest ponies and other animals in The New Forest National Park. It’s easy to get here by picking up either the M27 or by catching a train to Ashurst or Brockenhurst. Take your walking boots and enjoy long strolls on the beautiful heathland or through the gladed woodland. You can even hire bikes from many of the New Forest’s towns and villages. There are some great attractions to visit in the New Forest too including Beaulieu National Motor Museum, Peppa Pig World and Exbury Gardens and Steam Railway.

Head to the seaside

Isle of Wight clifftop near Freshwater Bay

The traditional seaside town of Bournemouth is just a short train journey away. Here, you can enjoy the large stretches of sand, the vibrant nightlife as well as regular concerts and performances at the Bournemouth International Centre.

Travel east from Southampton and you will find the historic dockyard at Portsmouth with the famous Mary Rose and HMS Warrior. The Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth offers outstanding views across the Solent too.

Or, why not cross the Solent and head to the Isle of Wight? Regular passenger and car ferries leave from Town Quay to the island. Make a trip to Osbourne House, Queen Victoria’s famous residence, walk along the coastline or simply enjoy some ice cream from one of the island’s many cafes.

Soak up the history

If history is your thing then Winchester and Salisbury both make for great days out. Both with cathedrals, Winchester is also the resting place of Jane Austen and the home of the medieval round table linked to King Arthur and, Salisbury offers museums, regular markets and is very close to the World Heritage Site of Stonehenge.