Because the UK’s largest cruise port, in addition to being one place to catch the ferry on to the Isle of Wight, it’s simple to neglect that you simply’ll discover loads of issues to do in Southampton with youngsters for a household metropolis break.
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However whether or not you’re on the lookout for a brief break on the UK’s south coast, or concepts to start out or finish a cruise vacation, there’s some improbable historical past, nice out of doors house and loads of Southampton points of interest for households.
Uncover extra concerning the Titanic and the Mayflower, plus wartime plane and medieval partitions, in addition to some nice actions for all ages in Southampton for youths.
SeaCity Museum
The SeaCity Museum tells the fascinating story of town’s maritime historical past and is among the prime Southampton points of interest for households.
Youngsters can discover the museum’s many immersive galleries and be taught concerning the Titanic, Southampton’s most well-known ship, via a variety of multimedia experiences.
You’ll be able to navigate an interactive mannequin of the ship, that includes a working engine room and passenger costumes, hearken to the tales of survivors, and see objects rescued from the wreckage, to expertise what it was prefer to be on board through the fateful voyage of 1912.
And don’t miss the large Lego Titanic, which is the second-largest set ever produced by Lego. The museum additionally presents a variety of actions for youths, together with enjoyable workshops, craft classes, and family-friendly guided excursions, that are positive to maintain youngsters engaged and entertained.
Solent Sky Museum
Between 1910 and 1960, Southampton and the broader Solent area had been a world hub for aviation analysis and improvement. The town was residence to the very first flying boats (a sort of seaplane) and the legendary Supermarine Spitfire.
Solent Sky Museum is a superb place for the entire household to be taught concerning the area’s main function within the Golden Age of Aviation, with over 20 historic plane on show. It’s a must-visit for aeroplane lovers of all ages.
Children (and children at coronary heart) can climb inside a few of the cockpits and play with the controls, whereas educated volunteers speak you thru the historical past of every plane.
Solent Sky can be residence to the Hampshire Police and Hearth Heritage Assortment, so you possibly can go to two household pleasant Southampton museums for the value of 1.
The City Partitions and The Bargate
Courting again to the twelfth century, Southampton’s historic city partitions are one of many longest stretches of unbroken medieval wall in your complete nation.
You’ll be able to climb to the highest of many sections of the partitions without spending a dime and luxuriate in stunning panoramic views of town. There are additionally loads of info plaques alongside the partitions for youths to be taught concerning the varied battles and sieges which have taken place all through Southampton’s historical past.
The Bargate, a formidable gateway relationship again to round 1880, as soon as served as the primary entrance to town and is one other must-visit spot. Situated within the coronary heart of the outdated metropolis, the Bargate is a superb place to start out a self-guided tour of the partitions and historic outdated city too.
Tudor Home and Backyard, Southampton
Regardless of its identify, Southampton’s most necessary historic constructing dates again to properly earlier than Tudor instances and you may hint the historical past from a few of its earliest homeowners – an ideal snapshot of how life modified over the centuries from early medieval origins via plague and conflict.
In addition to household occasions and actions, there are many alternatives for youths to get arms on as you discover. The Tudor Home and Backyard can be a terrific level to start out a strolling tour of Southampton’s Previous City.
Southampton Metropolis Artwork Gallery
For a free household exercise in Southampton, head to the Metropolis Artwork Gallery. The gallery presents a variety of exhibitions, with works by each native and worldwide artists spanning greater than 800 years.
The gallery is extraordinarily family-friendly, with interactive shows designed to interact and educate younger guests and educated workers available to reply questions and information you thru the exhibitions.
Children may participate within the gallery’s household occasions, which embrace common artwork golf equipment for all ages, themed craft actions, talks by native artists, and particular gallery trails. Very best if you happen to’re on the lookout for free issues to do in Southampton with youngsters or concepts for a wet day.
Mayflower Park
Mayflower Park in Southampton is a stunning spot to chill out in Southampton with youngsters.
The park takes its identify from The Mayflower, which stopped at Southampton (in addition to Dartmouth and Plymouth) earlier than setting sail on its 66-day voyage to America in 1620, transporting greater than 100 pilgrims to ‘the New World’.
The favored waterfront park has a terrific view of the port, so you possibly can sit and watch a few of the world’s largest cruise ships pulling in too.
There’s additionally a stunning youngsters’s play space, a small cafe, public bogs, and loads of open inexperienced house for little ones to stretch their legs or so that you can get pleasure from a peaceable picnic.
When you’re on the lookout for extra of Southampton’s parks to get outside, Southampton Widespread is the most important, with 365 acres of inexperienced house simply to the north of town centre
Itchen Valley Nation Park
Situated within the north-east of Southampton, near town’s small airport, Itchen Valley Nation Park is 440 acres of lovely meadows, woodland, and water meadows.
And the park itself is full of actions for youths of all ages, together with interactive household trails, two giant out of doors play areas, an indoor play house (The Holt), and the award-winning tree-top journey Go Ape!
You’ll be able to even obtain a household exercise sheet to print and produce to the park as a enjoyable technique to get the youngsters extra engaged with nature, that includes scavenger hunts, simple crafts, and video games.
Preserve a watch out for the particular household occasions going down recurrently inside the park too, similar to storytelling, themed crafts, and younger explorer classes.
Take the Hythe Ferry
The historic Hythe Ferry hyperlinks Southampton with the village of Hythe, with a ship crossing on this stretch of water since 1880.
Whereas it solely takes 20 minutes to cross, it’s a stunning approach to absorb the views of the ferries, cruise ships and different boats on the port, in addition to giving nice views of native landmarks together with the Spinnaker Tower.
Once you arrive at Hythe Pier, the world’s oldest pier practice – a small gauge electrical pier practice relationship again to the First World Struggle – takes you 640 metres alongside one of many 10 longest piers within the British Isles.
Watch a present on the Mayflower Theatre
For a enjoyable night exercise in Southampton with the household, head to the luxurious Mayflower Theatre within the metropolis centre.
A number of years off celebrating its one hundredth birthday, the Grade II-listed Mayflower Theatre is a Southampton establishment and the largest theatre on England’s south coast.
The theatre hosts a number of performances appropriate for all ages, starting from sing-a-longs and basic fairy tales to touring West Finish musicals and extra.
Throughout faculty holidays, the theatre additionally hosts many particular household occasions, similar to artistic artwork and drama workshops.
Alpine Snowsports Centre
Situated inside Southampton’s Out of doors Sports activities Middle, the Alpine Snowsports Centre is a cool spot the place households can get pleasure from winter sports activities all yr spherical, together with an opportunity to strive snowboarding, snowboarding, or donutting down the dry ski slopes.
Newbies and people seeking to brush up their expertise can e-book a bunch or personal class with one of many skilled instructors, whereas extra skilled skiers can hit the slopes on their very own for a enjoyable observe session.
So whether or not you need to get your youngsters practising earlier than your first household ski vacation, otherwise you’re merely on the lookout for a enjoyable factor to do in Southampton with youngsters, the Snowsports Middle makes for a terrific household time out.
Injoy Exercise Middle
Top-of-the-line issues to do in Southampton with youngsters on a wet day is to go to the Injoy Exercise Middle, town’s largest indoor youngsters’s journey park.
There’s a formidable number of actions, together with mushy play areas for these aged 4 months to 12 years outdated, in addition to trampolines, climbing partitions, slides, and a ninja warrior course, that are appropriate for youths (and adults) of all ages.
It’s additionally residence to the UK’s first “Interactive Zone”, which makes use of state-of-the-art digital expertise to create an augmented actuality for youths to immerse themselves in.
And for fogeys, the onsite restaurant and bar is a superb spot to chill out with a espresso or slice of pizza whereas the youngsters get pleasure from operating across the thrilling play centre.
When you’re visiting Southampton with toddlers and youthful youngsters and on the lookout for extra mushy play concepts, take a look at Jungle Denims, not removed from the cruise terminal, or Monkey Bizness, an enormous indoor play space round 10 minutes from town centre by automobile
Days out close to Southampton for youths
It’s not laborious to fill a weekend in Southampton with youngsters (or longer) however the metropolis additionally makes base for exploring in Hampshire, together with these enjoyable days out close to Southampton for households.
The New Forest
One of many loveliest spots in England, the New Forest is full of fairly villages, picturesque walks and most excitingly for youthful youngsters, ponies which roam freely – to not point out a couple of donkeys.
When you’re exploring the New Forest, the probabilities are you’ll see some alongside the way in which however place to identify them is close to Brockenhurst, round Beachern Wooden. And it’s all the time motivator to move out on a stroll, a cycle experience on one of many off-road trails and even canoeing.
Try our day biking from close by Beaulieu to Bucklers Onerous and canoeing within the New Forest.
There are additionally some pretty animal points of interest, from the New Forest Wildlife Park which specialises in British wildlife to the toddler-friendly Longdown Exercise Farm.
Portsmouth
Residence to Portsmouth Historic Dockyard and the Mary Rose, Southampton’s neighbouring metropolis additionally has lots to tempt households – and it’s simply half an hour away.
Actually, it’s simple to fill a day discovering a few of the space’s naval historical past, from the well-known Tudor wreck to The HMS Victory, Nelson’s flagship on the Battle of Trafalgar, HMS Warrior, the world’s first iron-hulled warship, in addition to others from the First and Second World Wars, not least a submarine.
There’s additionally Portchester Citadel on the outskirts, the best-preserved of the Roman forts alongside what’s generally known as the Saxon Shore, or take in the views from the Spinnaker Tower.
Winchester
The town of Winchester was England’s first capital however there’s lots to find right here past historical past, together with the just lately revamped Winchester Science Centre, which is improbable for youths.
When you do fancy travelling again to the previous, you possibly can uncover a couple of thousand years of historical past from the Romans onwards within the Winchester Metropolis museum, spot the legendary Spherical Desk within the metropolis’s Nice Corridor (not really King Arthur’s nevertheless it does date again to the thirteenth century), observe the household path via the cathedral and see the ruins of a twelfth century fortress.
For extra concepts of issues to do in Winchester with youngsters, take a look at my prime picks
Marwell Zoo
The 140-acre Marwell Zoo simply exterior Winchester has over 1,200 animals to find, in addition to a stamp path for youths to observe alongside the way in which.
There are sometimes further household points of interest and exhibitions if you happen to want an added cause to go to (or return) – similar to Brickosaurs at Marwell Zoo, a string Lego dinosaurs amongst the real-life inhabitants.
The zoo can be residence to 4 journey playgrounds, little street and rail trains, in addition to the animals themselves – from amur tigers to zebras, to not point out cheetah, crimson pandas, penguins and extra.
Paultons Park & Peppa Pig World
When you’re a dad or mum, chances are high you’ll already know of Hampshire’s prime theme park – as Paulton’s Park is the house of Peppa Pig World. However in addition to the light rides and likelihood for toddlers and preschoolers to satisfy Peppa and George, there’s lots extra heart-racing enjoyable.
There are over 70 rides, acres of grounds and animals to identify, in addition to a number of themed areas: Misplaced Kingdom is all about dinosaurs, whereas Critter Creek is nice for youthful ones, so there’s one thing for older and taller youngsters who need some adrenaline thrills in addition to much less scary choices.
Try my suggestions for visiting Peppa Pig World and Paultons Park.
Mottisfont
One of many prettiest Nationwide Belief properties we’ve visited – and there’s stiff competitors – Mottisfont’s grounds are a beautiful mixture of formal gardens, together with the rose backyard, broad open lawns for youths to scamper throughout, and woodland with a stream operating via.
In addition they have common family-friendly exhibitions (together with one on Charlie & Lola writer Lauren Little one once we visited) in addition to a couple of different highlights for youngsters in the home, from the outdated nursery to the snappy shock within the lavatory on the servants’ ground.
For extra concepts of household days out close to Southampton, take a look at my choose of the finest issues to do in Hampshire with youngsters
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New Forest/Portsmouth/Peppa Pig World copyright MummyTravels/all different pictures courtesy of Depositphotos & Picfair