Discover the waterfront city of Portsmouth, Hampshire

Portsmouth

Hampshire

Things To Do in Hampshire

Share this with

x

  • Towns & Villages Search

Towns & Villages Search

Type:
Keyword:

Towns & Villages Search

Type:
Keyword:

There are so many top things to do in Hampshire, a county famous for the home of Downton Abbey at Highclere Castle, and the iconic Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth.  A county where Bombay Gin is made and where Jane Austen lived, wrote and is now laid to rest.  Visit Hampshire and discover its rich with beautiful countryside, vibrant cities and towns and a diverse coastline providing dramatic views, great walks and places to enjoy tranquillity and nature.  

Hampshire is home to the New Forest National Park, which stretches across 140,000 acres of ancient woodland and unspoilt grassland. It's one of the most beautiful national parks in the UK and home to the famous New Forest ponies, with dozens of walking and cycling trails to explore.  The South Downs National Park lies at the heart of the county, with its rolling green pastures, ancient woodlands and river valleys.  It is the newest of the National Parks, stretching from Winchester in the west to Eastbourne in the east.

Hampshire is a county full of hidden gems and new discoveries, with its clear chalk streams, thatched cottages and cosy pubs, historic buildings, fascinating interactive museums, bustling market towns and three cities.

Portsmouth, the UK's only island city with its rich maritme history, award-winning attractions, historic fortifications and busy year round events calendar.

Southampton, this South coast port city  with links to the infamous Titanic and famous Mayflower. Home to the internationally renowned Boat Show with a large shopping and cultural centre, one of contenders for City of Culture 2025.

Winchester, once the ancient capital city of the UK with its cobbled streets, historic Winchester Cathedral, links with Jane Austen and King Alfred the Great, one of England's smallest cities making it ideal to explore on foot.

East Hampshire includes the famous village of Chawton, home of Jane Austen and her brother Edward, and the ancient market town of Petersfield formally an important coaching stop between Portsmouth and London.

Find out more about the county's towns and villages including Gosport and Lee-on-the-Solent, with its 24 miles of waterfront, Basingstoke the largest town in Hampshire and many more using our interactive map of Hampshire.

Things to do in Hampshire this weekend

Many of Hampshire's tourist attractions and points of interest are open all year round making it an ideal location to visit any time of the year. Find something to do today with activities listings each showing a map and opening times for your convenience. Or why not browse our events guide to find out what's on in Hampshire today or this week.

Top 10 things to do in Hampshire

From period dramas such as the hit ITV show Downton Abbey, to action movies including James Bond, Hampshire has set the scene for a wide variety of productions. Take a tour and find out more about some of the county's best known film locations.

For ideas and inspiration on where to stay, what's on and things to do in Hampshire visit the official website, Visit Hampshire.

List of things to do & places to visit for days out in Hampshire

For more information about Hampshire, including ideas for days out, attractions and events, view the list below for information on things to do and towns and villages in Hampshire. Use the 'map view' button to find something near you.

Number of results:

Number of results: 166

, currently showing 141 to 160.

  1. Calshot Outdoor Activity Centre

    Type

    Type:

    Leisure & Activity Centres

    Southampton

    In a prime location on the shores of the Solent, Calshot Activities Centre is one of the largest outdoor adventure centres in Britain 

  2. Jane Austen’s House

    Type

    Type:

    Museum

    Alton

    Jane Austen’s House in Chawton, Hampshire is the picturesque country cottage where Jane Austen lived. It is the most treasured Austen site in the world. It was here that Jane’s genius flourished and where she wrote, revised and had published all her…

  3. SS Shieldhall

    Type

    Type:

    Boat Trip

    Southampton

    Shieldhall was laid down in October 1954 and entered service in October 1955. Built by Lobnitz & Co of Renfrew, she is of special interest as she was built on older classic lines with a traditional wheelhouse, of riveted and welded construction with

  4. The 1642 Living History Village

    Type

    Type:

    Museum

    Gosport

    A representational Hampshire village set in the year 1642. Timber and thatched buildings, occupants dressed and speak in 17thC style.

  5. Southampton Cruise Port

    Type

    Type:

    Boat

    Southampton

    Discover Southampton Cruise Port, the UK's busiest cruise hub. Offering five impressive passenger cruise terminals. City, Horizon, Ocean, Mayflower & QEII Cruise Terminals. Enhance your next vacation by accessing our free Southampton Cruise Port…

  6. Charles Dickens' Birthplace Museum

    Type

    Type:

    Museum

    Portsmouth

    Pay a visit to the small, terraced house where, in 1812, the famous novelist Charles Dickens was born. The home in which he lived for a short time has been lovingly restored and furnished to illustrate middle-class tastes of Dickens' era.

  7. Stokes Bay

    Type

    Type:

    Beach

    Gosport

    Next door to Lee-on-the-Solent town and beach is Stokes Bay beach and seafront which was voted one of the 10 best places for a picnic in the UK.  You'll find an adventure golf course, kayak & paddleboard hire, children’s splash park, and plenty of…

  8. Twyford Waterworks

    Type

    Type:

    Heritage / Visitor Centre

    Winchester

  9. Fleet

    Type

    Type:

    Towns & Villages

    Fleet is situated in the north-east corner of Hampshire, near the M3 motorway and surrounded by small thriving towns and many parishes of unspoiled villages and pretty hamlets.

  10. Oakley Hall Hotel

    Type

    Type:

    Restaurant

    Basingstoke

    Take time out to enjoy a delicious afternoon tea in our 2 AA Rosette Glasshouse Restaurant or on the garden terrace with stunning views over the back lawn.

  11. Hayling Island Beach

    Type

    Type:

    Beach

    Hayling Island


    Hayling Island has over 3 miles of beaches along the seafront facing the Solent and many more miles of shore around the Harbours of Langstone and Chichester. The three main beaches of the Island have won both the European Blue Flag and the Keep…

  12. Stansted Park

    Type

    Type:

    Historic House / Palace

    Stansted Park is home to stunning weddings, forest walks, afternoon teas and some of the best events in the south! Visit the Mansion for a real sense of a bygone era.

  13. Hampshire Wardrobe Costume Hire

    Type

    Type:

    Clothes & Fashion & Jewellery

    Winchester

    Hampshire Wardrobe has a collection of 6000 theatrical costumes for hire, ranging from original, vintage and historical reproductions to high-quality character costumes. 

  14. Wightlink Ferries

    Type

    Type:

    Boat

    Portsmouth

    Wightlink is the largest ferry operator to the Isle of Wight, operating round the clock, 365 days a year, and offering a choice of three routes across the Solent.

    Car ferries operate between Portsmouth and Fishbourne on the east of the Island.…

  15. Basingstoke

    Type

    Type:

    Towns & Villages

    Basingstoke

    In Basingstoke you'll find a rich heritage dating back to Roman times and beyond and also the best that a modern town has to offer. Basingstoke has many attractions for visitors, from pavement cafes and bistros to one of the south's best shopping…

  16. Sir Harold Hillier Gardens

    Type

    Type:

    Garden

    Romsey

    Discover the beauty and inspiration at the Gardens, woodlands walks and breath-taking views.

  17. Bombay Sapphire

    Type

    Type:

    Distillery

    Whitchurch

    Based at Laverstoke Mill in rural North Hampshire, just 15 miles from Winchester, the Bombay Sapphire Distillery is in a conservation area with over 1000 years of history.

  18. New Forest Activities

    Type

    Type:

    Sports Ground

    Beaulieu

    New Forest Activities is a one-stop shop for booking activities and discovering what there is to do in The New Forest National Park. Based on Beaulieu High Street, the New Forest Activities Booking Centre specialised in providing information about…

  19. Mountbatten Leisure Centre

    Type

    Type:

    Leisure / Swimming Pool

    Portsmouth

    The Mountbatten Leisure Centre is set in an attractive park adjacent to Portsmouth's northern shore. The centre is the city's premier sports facility and has a long reputation for hosting a wide variety of national and international sporting events.

  20. Aldershot Military Museum

    Type

    Type:

    Museums & Galleries

    Aldershot

    Housed in the only surviving brick-built barrack blocks left in Aldershot, Aldershot Military Museum tells the story of daily life for both soldier and civilian in the town since 1854.