Jane Austen House in Chawton, East Hampshire, home of the literary great, writer of Sense and Sensibility, Emma, Mansfield Park

Jane Austen House

East Hampshire

Things To Do in Hampshire

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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.

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Number of results: 160

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  1. Festival Place

    Type

    Type:

    Shopping Malls & Department Stores

    Basingstoke

    Good shopping is guaranteed at Festival Place, a vibrant 1.1m sq ft shopping centre in the centre of Basingstoke, just off the M3.

  2. Aldershot

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    Towns & Villages

    Princes Way, Aldershot

    Known as The Home of the British Army, Aldershot has been one of the most important military towns in the UK since 1854.

  3. Romsey

    Type

    Type:

    Towns & Villages

    Romsey

    Medieval streets, a Norman Abbey and new heritage centre add to the charm of the Hampshire market town of Romsey in the stunning Test Valley.

  4. Spinnaker Tower

    Type

    Type:

    Tower

    Portsmouth

    View things differently at the top of Britain’s best viewing tower – the stunning 170 metre tall icon on the South Coast.

  5. 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

  6. Stokes Bay

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    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…

  7. Jane Austen Circular Walk

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    Type:

    Walking

    Chawton

    Come and discover the beautiful countryside that inspired Jane Austen and take a peek inside her house where she lived and worked for 8 years.

  8. Hampshire Wardrobe Costume Hire

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    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. 

  9. St Mary's Church, Itchen Stoke

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    Church / Chapel

    Alresford

    St Mary's Church, Itchen Stoke

  10. Royal Armouries - Fort Nelson

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    Historic Site

    Fareham

    Fort Nelson is a superbly restored Victorian fort overlooking Portsmouth Harbour. It is home to the Royal Armouries national artillery collection with over 350 historic guns on display.

  11. Calshot Outdoor Activity Centre

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    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 

  12. Portsmouth

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    Cities

    Clarence Esplanade, Portsmouth

    With a rich maritime and naval history, Portsmouth's fortunes have long been intimately tied to the sea. Even today, many of Portsmouth's most stunning features and most popular attractions are found near the harbour.

  13. The New Theatre Royal

    Type

    Type:

    Theatre

    Portsmouth

    The New Theatre Royal in the heart of Portsmouth is an iconic Victorian building and one of the remaining few Phipps / Matcham theatres in the world.

  14. Longdown Activity Farm

    Type

    Type:

    Wildlife

    Southampton

    There’s farming fun for everyone at Longdown Activity Farm with a fabulous daily schedule of animal activities including bottle-feeding kid goats and calves, as well as the Animal Encounter Barn. There are so many exciting play areas too, including…

  15. 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…

  16. South Downs - Hampshire area

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    Towns & Villages

    Information about places to visit, towns and villages within the Hampshire area of the South Downs National Park. Official tourist information

  17. Chawton

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    Towns & Villages

    Chawton

    Home of Jane Austen for the last eight years of her life, Chawton is a delightful village near Alton in Hampshire. You can visit Jane Austen's House, where she wrote or revised all her novels, and see the Chawton House Library where Jane's brother,…

  18. Jane Austen’s House

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    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…

  19. Army Flying Museum

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    Type:

    Museum

    Stockbridge

    The Museum of Army Flying is an award-winning British military aviation museum about the history of flying in the British Army.

  20. 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.…