Location: Southampton
Top Things to do in Southampton
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Top 10 Things to do in Southampton, United Kingdom (UK)
Southwest of London is Southampton (Soton to the locals), a metropolitan area centered around the port. However, tucked away on the side streets are ancient gems such as the Tudor House, Mottisfont Abbey, and "God's House," a museum located in a tower in the medieval wall. The ultra-modern Sea City Museum celebrates Southampton's seafaring past and the RMS Titanic. Looking for nightlife? Travelers can dance the hours away with bars, clubs, and live music, all accessible by public transportation.
Restaurants in Southampton
1. Universal Yacht Charter - Day Sailing
Overall Ratings
5 based on 99 reviews
Skippered & bareboat sailing days or weekends in the Solent for non experienced & experienced sailors, families of any ages, groups of friends or individuals. We have a fleet of privately owned sailing yachts from 26 to 40ft & a 56ft luxury skippered motorboat all based on the Hamble river, near Southampton, Hampshire. We are an RYA yacht sailing school covering the whole syllabus from RYA Start Yachting through to Yachtmaster Coastal & Offshore. We are also UK agents for the new Dufour Yachts range.
Reviewed By Rogershuff - Bournemouth, United Kingdom
Feeling a bit rusty on some points of sailing, I booked a one-day sail handling course followed by a one-day boat-handling course. Both days were excellent and very useful. Both skippers were cheerful, knowledgable and patient and I'd recommend Universal to anyone, at any skill...MoreThank you so much Roger and really good to hear that your boat and sail handling days were successful and useful. Any future yacht training requirements, please don't hesitate to contact us. Best wishes, Melanie Warwick
2. Go Ape Southampton
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 90 reviews
The classic and original Go Ape experience. We'll brief you for safety before you fly down our zip-wires, leap off our Tarzan Swing and tackle our crossings whilst enjoying some of Britain's most breathtaking scenery. Swinging through the canopy, wiping out at the bottom of zip wires and going on an adventure brings the family together like nothing else we've ever seen. It really does. It's for anyone who likes to live life adventurously - you don't have to be a seasoned explorer to enjoy a Go Ape experience!
Reviewed By vickygle - Fareham, United Kingdom
The staff here are absolutely first class, through out the whole experience from checking in, the demo and the instructors on the course. So friendly, helpful and fun! The sun was shining through the forest and couldn’t have been a nicer day for it. We had such a good time, thank you!
3. Manor Farm Country Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 371 reviews
Meet costumed characters from the 1900s at this working farm museum and view a variety of farm animals and vintage farming equipment.
Reviewed By 3333ssss3333
We took a trip to see the old farm and found it a great experience seeing the history and getting close to farm animals! Thoroughly enjoyed and bought a year visitors ticket for more seasonal visits which was a good price.
4. Steamship Shieldhall
Overall Ratings
5 based on 157 reviews
The Steamship Shieldhall is the largest working steam ship in Britain. A member of the National Historic Fleet she serves as a sea going tribute to Britain's maritime heritage. As a passenger you too can experience the golden age of steam by booking on an excursion or visiting her in Southampton.
Reviewed By shamwari - Southampton
Went on the Shieldhall for a private party. Excellent trip down the Solent accompanied by its fantastic whistle! Run by volunteers and lovingly cared for, an interesting bit of history. You are welcome to visit the engine room which is a gleaming sight. Food and drink available.
5. Bursledon Brickworks Industrial Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 136 reviews
Bursledon Brickworks Industrial Museum is all set to become one of the key visitor attractions in the South. The only remaining steam driven brickworks in the country we show how brick making made the leap from small scale production to 20 million bricks a year. The fully restored and working machinery helped us to win the coveted Institute of Mechanical Engineering Heritage Award in 2011 and on Open Days we can show it all running as it was when it ceased producing bricks. On site you can see the patented method adopted to dry the bricks and the huge kiln block that was used to fire them ready for collection. The museum has other clay based collections on site and lots of opportunities on offer which makes a visit both enjoyable and educational.
Reviewed By lynne j - Dartford, United Kingdom
Who would have thought that bricks could be so very interesting. The sheer number of size and design is astounding. My favourite has to be the French roof tiles. You really get a feel for the place as it was originally. Entertaining mock up period...MoreVery pleased you enjoyed your visit and thanks for taking the time to write a review. Outside is still a bit of a work in progress but hopefully you will return sometime to see what we are doing.
6. Blue Box Experiences
Overall Ratings
5 based on 130 reviews
Reviewed By Alejandra B
My boyfriend surprised me with this treat for my birthday. Easy to book and very friendly staff. We had a problem with our reservation and I can't say anything but praise how they took full responsibility and offered us an extra ticket. No need of previous sailing experience, just lots of suncream and maybe work gloves for people with delicate hands... Will we repeat? AYE AYE CAPTAIN!
7. Netley Abbey
Overall Ratings
4 based on 98 reviews
These romantic ruins dating from the 13th century have been a source of inspiration for many 18th-century writers and poets such as Horace Walpole and Thomas Gray.
Reviewed By Carol B - Birmingham, United Kingdom
Sunday 28 January 18, My husband and I decided to drive to just outside Southampton to visit Netley Abbey, which is under the care of the English Heritage.
Standing close to Southampton Water, Netley Abbey is the most complete surviving Cistercian monastery in southern England. After the Suppression of the Monasteries the buildings were converted into a mansion for Sir William Paulet. The ruins now reflect over 800 years of change, during which the abbey was transformed from a monastic house to a mansion house, and later to a romantic ruin.
Peter des Roches, the powerful Bishop of Winchester, founded the abbey in 1238, but he died later that year before construction began.
Work continued without him, and one year later a colony of monks arrived from nearby Beaulieu Abbey. King Henry III (1216–1272) later became a patron of the monastery.
The monks lived in temporary wooden buildings while the stone abbey was being built. When complete, it was home to about 15 monks and 30 lay brothers, officials and servants.
Monastic life at Netley Abbey came to an abrupt end in 1536, when Henry VIII suppressed the lesser monasteries. This heralded a new phase for the abbey, it was granted to Sir William Paulet as a reward for his loyal service to the king.
Paulet was the 1st Marquess of Winchester, a powerful political figure in Hampshire. He held important posts, including treasurer of the royal household. He set about transforming the abbey into his own private mansion, fit for a nobleman of his status. Re-using many of the abbey buildings, he created a fashionable Tudor courtyard house.
In the cloister, once the hub of monastic life, a central courtyard was created. The most dramatic change was the demolition of the monks’ refectory, removed to make way for a grand turreted entrance. The changes that Paulet made were largely in brick, you can see very little of these as most of them were removed in the latter part of the 19th century.
Sir William Paulet’s mansion was occupied until 1704, when the owner sold it for building materials. The abbey was only saved when a demolition worker was killed, causing the work to cease.
The house was abandoned, and the neglected site became overgrown with trees and ivy, and it came to be celebrated as a romantic ruin. As the ‘Romantic Movement’ grew in strength, many authors and artists visited the abbey to find inspiration. Set among the wild, wooded slopes above Southampton Water, overgrown Netley appeared to be the perfect medieval ruin.
John Constable came to paint here, and writers such as Thomas Gray enthused about the abbey. It is reported that Jane Austen visited Netley, finding inspiration for her novel Northanger Abbey (published in 1817).
In the 1840s the abbey became a popular place for local people to come for tea, dancing and music. Some visitors complained that the romantic atmosphere was ruined by ‘the popping of ginger beer’.
Later, changing attitudes led the owner to clear the vegetation and debris from the ruins. All traces of the later Tudor alterations were removed, and the abbey ruins were returned to their ‘pristine elegance’, which can be seen as you walk around the abbey. My husband and I took lots of wonderful photographs here and I found it so inspiring that I wrote a poem here called ‘Netley Abbey’.
8. Nuffield Southampton Theatres
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 188 reviews
NST, Nuffield Southampton Theatres is a multi-award winning professional producing theatre company that has a reputation for innovation and quality, creating bold and distinctive theatre that attracts the highest calibre of artist. The programme includes classics, new writing, comedy drama, beautiful children's theatre and top class stand-up comedians.
Reviewed By Susan B - Hythe, United Kingdom
Return visit half term with grand children, 4 and 6 .
Love the theatre and location.
Lots of parking nearby.
( loads of buses too as it’s on the University campus.)
Modern, bright, clean theatre.
Easy to book on line or by phone.
Good props and a simple seasonal story line based on a childrens’ book, I Love You about 2 hares.
Story book and stickers for sale.
Some of the young audience and their parents joined in with the songs and actions.
Probably a bit too young for my 2, but will return and make a more appropriate choice next time.
9. The Brook
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 194 reviews
The Best Live Music in The South
Reviewed By Bob S - Woking, United Kingdom
We had an awesome evening with 'Kate Bush' here (Cloudbusting).
What a superb venue. Small and very personal. Great value and only a short taxi from Southampton Airport Parkway rail station.
The balcony was a great viewing point, with stools, for us and it wasn't too crowded. The bars sell a great selection of real ale along with all the usual fizzy draughts etc.....
Loved the acoustics, although I suspect it was even better downstairs, where there is no Seating.
Staff were friendly and engaging and the whole atmosphere was really relaxed and fun all night.
Plenty of taxis outside afterwards too.
A great place to hear real, live music.
10. Solent Sky Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 623 reviews
Solent Sky Museum showcases the history of aviation in Southampton - Spitfire City - and the surrounding Solent area.Geographically this was the most important area in the country, perhaps the world, for aircraft experimental and development work between 1908 and the late 1960s. 26 aircraft companies set up shop in the area, and many of the world’s greatest aircraft, including the legendary Spitfire, first took to the air in the skies over Southampton.We have 18 complete airframes, including a Supermarine Spitfire and Supermarine S6a (N248), and also 4 cockpit sections. We also have a comprehensive collection of aero-engines.Our mighty Sandringham Flying Boat was originally built as a Short Sunderland in 1943, and converted to a passenger aircraft after the war. Visitors are welcome to board the aircraft to sample the luxury of air travel in the romantic era of the great flying boats, and guided tours of the flight deck are also available.Kids (and big kids) can also imagine what it would be like to fly a jet fighter while sat in the cockpits of our Supermarine Swift and Harrier Jump Jet. Our new Schneider Trophy Exhibition is now open, with its record-breaking centrepiece the S6a. Video stock footage of these legendary races and artefacts from the time illustrate the drama and romance of the fastest race in history.
Reviewed By Gemma C - Southampton, United Kingdom
Took a friend here who loves anything to do with airplanes. The museum offered much more than I expected. I particularly enjoyed the section upstairs about the local police service. You can use the ticket for return visits too! Definitely worth a visit.
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