Things to Do in Southampton/Near Southampton

[leongcpa]

I'm considering back-to-back cruises, sort of. One cruise ends in Southampton, and the next day, another cruise starts in Southampton. We have sailed to/from Southampton twice before, so we know how to get to both the bus station and the train station from the port. I'm wondering what you all would do with a day in Southampton (roughly). I'm thinking of visitng perhaps Stonehenge or Windsor Castle? The last two times, we went to Bath (and the Cotswalds) and York, respectively, after our cruises. 

[LHT28]

go to  Portsmouth ?

[Bloodgem]

Isle of Wight has Osborne House. 

[WatchHill]

IOW would be my first choice. On our last trip we had a rental car and took the ferry over, explored Osborne House, stopped at a quaint cottage for lunch, saw the Needles and spent time learning about falconry. If this is too much to pack in for a day-trip, then rail to Winchester would be my next suggestion. 

 

Darcy

[John Bull]

I'm guessing you'll have a foreshortened day and half the next day.

 

Southampton has enough to keep a visitor amused for a lazy day, but with the time that you have you could spread your wings a little.

 

FOR YOUR DISEMBARKATION DAY, consider.....

 

- Salisbury and Stonehenge.

Direct half-hourly  train to Salisbury costs about £11 return-ticket, journey time about 40 minutes.

Stonehenge ho-ho bus from Salisbury station take about 30 minutes, expect to spend about 90 minutes at Stonehenge then ho-ho back to Salisbury to check out the magnificent Salisbury cathedral and historic city centre. Ho-ho (if convenienly timed) or walk or taxi or local bus to Salisbury station for the train back to Southampton.

 

Post back if this is a sunday, there are a couple of complications.

Buy your Stonehenge tickets as well as ho-ho tickets from the ho-ho driver (same price as at the gate). This avoids the need for pre-purchasing a timed ticket to Stonehenge, and avoids wasting advance payment if your plans change. 

If on your return to Salisbury you want to hop off at Old Sarum (if the weather's foul you won't) you can complete the journey to Salisbury on the regular local bus service using your ho-ho tickets.

Stonehenge is no fun in bad weather 

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/

http://www.thestonehengetour.info/timetable

 

- Bath

OK, you've been there - this for other folk. Direct hourly trains,, journey time about 90 minutes.  The station is in the old city centre, no need for local transport.  

 

- Osborne House, Isle of Wight

Take the regular traditional car ferry from Town Quay (between City and Ocean cruise terminals) to East Cowes. (the hi-speed ferry goes to <west> Cowes, much less convenient). Then any bus to Osborne House, a ten-minute journey - ask the driver to put you off at Osborne House.

For a day-trip I don't recommend other sights on the Isle of Wight because the roads & especially the ho-hos & local buses are slow..

www.redfunnel.co.uk/en/

 

- Winchester

A 15 - minute train ride, several trains per hour, about £10 return. Centrepiece is Winchester cathedral.

 

- Beaulieu

The little Hythe Ferry from Town Quay across Southampton Water to Hythe. Taxi from the rank at Hythe pier for the 6-mile drive across a corner of the New Forest to Lord Montague's estate. An excellent motor museum, the Bishop's Palace, the ruins of Beaulieu Abbey,and other attractions. I think your ferry tickets give you a small discount on admisssion tickets.

The bus service is very very limited & there's no taxi rank at Beaulieu, so arrange with the taxi driver to collect you at an agreed time.

www.beaulieu.co.uk

http://hytheferry.co.uk/

 

Portsmouth & Southsea

(but see below)

 

If you rent a car......

Windsor

No direct public transport & those options are very time-consuming 

The New Forest

Ho-ho buses are restricted to major roads. I can suggest a scenic route by car

There's a multitude of other options, post back for suggestions.

 

FOR YOUR SAILING DAY (latest registration for your cruise will probably be by about 3pm), consider

Southampton

A lazy morning exploring old town's city walls, Tudor Merchant's House etc, or Sea City Museum, or retail therapy in Above Bar Street and West Quay Mall.

Winchester is easily visited on an embarkation morning, also Salisbury (but not Stonehenge as well due to the time limitation) 

 

FOR BOTH DAYS

A Southampton city hotel is an excellent base for those day & half-day visits.

 

But perhaps for Windsor (by car), or Bath, or the Isle of Wight (cross on foot, rent a car on the island) and certainly Portsmouth & Southsea (conjoined cities) consider booking a hotel in those places.

But Windsor & Bath hotels are expensive.

Portsmouth historic dockyard & ships alone are worth a full day (tickets allow re-admission for a year, so perhaps split your visit between two half-days. Old Portsmouth is worth an evening wander and traditional pubs & restaurants, or Gunwharf Quay has a wide selection of modern and ethnic restaurants. Southsea seafront (local bus or short taxi hop) is only 5 minutes away & has D-Day Museum, diminutive but free Southsea Castle (from which Henry V111 watched Mary Rose go belly-up and sink), waterfront promenade with Solent & Isle of Wight views, hovercraft to the island, and lots of smaller attractions.

Direct hourly trains (or more frequent with one easy change at Fareham) from Southampton to Portsmouth Harbour station, which is right by the historic dockyard & Gunwharf Quay. Journey time about 50 minutes, tickets about £10 return. Portsmouth Harbour station is the terminus and is after the main Portsmouth & Southsea station.

Or direct National Express bus service (about an hour) to The Hard (adjacent Portsmouth Harbour station) but frequency is limited and pre-booking advised.

Holiday Inn Gunwharf Quay is the most convenient (10 min level walk to station and dockyard), or there are others also near the historic dockyard, or a plethora of traditional hotels by Southsea seafront.

 

My choice would be Portsmouth, but I'm not you.

 

Google the places in bold face, see what you think. For some, add "visit ...." or "..... tourist"

Other than hotel, and mebbe car rental or Portsmouth by bus, no need to commit in advance so you can choose on the day according to mood & weather.

 

JB 

Edited April 4, 2019 by John Bull

[Bob++]

If the history of sailing interests you then go to Portsmouth. If you want to see a fantastical Cathedral set in a pretty, laid-back city, then go to Salisbury. 

 

Like JB, I would head over to Portsmouth and stay the night there.

Edited April 4, 2019 by Bob++

[GastroGnome]

What is it that you want to see?  The big ticket items are fine - but crowded.  There is so much more!  Bath and York are two of my absolute favourites (but what interests me may not interest you..)  But what about Lyme Regis? (rocks, sea, Jurassic coat incredible walks) Arundel (wonderful museum, castle, tea shops), Brighton (Peir, lanes, shopping). Hastings (THE battle  - expect it wasn't but that is another story..). Winchester (cathedral, tea shops, shopping).  Burley (New age / hippy plus feral ponies in the streets.).  Glastonbury (Very new age - no ponies)  Obviously you can reach London.  If you want to you can reach Paris!

 

What floats your boat (no pun!)  We can find it!

[leongcpa]

Thanks all for the suggestions! Special hat tip to JB and Bob++ for the lengthy detailed responses and photos.

 

Disembarkation day would be a Sunday and embarkation on Monday.

 

We will almost certainly visit London pre-cruise. We have been to London 4 times in the last 8 years, and I think we enjoy it more each time. We typically stay in London before a Southampton embarkation, and then go somewhere else after the cruise. We loved Bath and York, but want to see something different this time.

 

I like the idea of dropping our luggage at a hotel in Southampton and then going to Isle of Wight or Salisbury for our between cruise day. We will probably have a couple days after the cruise before flying back to the US, so I suspect Portsmouth might be a good post-cruise destination. Lots of interesting options... 

[John Bull]

41 minutes ago, leongcpa said:

Disembarkation day would be a Sunday and embarkation on Monday.

 

 

A few things to watch out for on the sunday......

- access to Salisbury cathedral only outside times of services, unless you want to attend a service.

- fewer trains on a sunday, though still a decent number. http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/

- only one or two car rental agencies open on sundays.

- some shops don't open on sundays. And large stores are open for short hours, usually something like 10am to 4pm

- some restaurants don't open on monday evenings. But pub food the same hours as weekdays.

- pubs don't open til noon, but remain open til about 10.30pm. 

 

And of course Brits visit the various sights on a sunday, so they'll be busier. 

 

JB 

Edited April 4, 2019 by John Bull