If you are visiting the City of Southampton, you will not be short of things to do and see. As a coastal city with a thriving port and rich heritage, Southampton is an interesting place to visit. Stay in Southampton for a week and, after a busy seven days, you will find that you have eaten at some great restaurants and that there are enough attractions and activities for a return visit.

1 Musical Theatre

If you enjoy musical theatre, a visit to The Mayflower should feature on your list of things to do in Southampton. The theatre has developed a reputation for hosting many of the top touring musicals – some straight from the West End. Book in advance to secure the best tickets.

Ballet, opera, live music and comedy shows are also regularly performed at the theatre.

Look out for the special restaurant nights hosted in the Wessex Suite at the theatre. Combined packages – dinner plus a ticket - are available.

2 Southampton Hall of Aviation

You do not need to be to be an expert in aviation history to enjoy a visit the Southampton Hall of Aviation where you can follow the story of 26 aviation companies and the development of the legendary Spitfire. The Spitfire was designed in Southampton at Supermarine by RJ Mitchell and played a significant role in the defence of the UK during WW2.

Southampton and the surrounding area have played an instrumental part over the years in the development and design of military and civil aircraft and the museum brings this fascinating slice of history to life with an impressive range of exhibits.

3 The Boat Show & Cruises

If you are lucky enough to visit Southampton during the Boat Show (14 – 23 Southampton 2007), do not miss the opportunity to visit the show with over 600 exhibitors featuring over 850 boats.

Visitor numbers easily exceed 100,000 and the show provides an excellent day out for the family whether you are experienced sailors, newcomers to boats or simply interested spectators.

One of Southampton’s other claims to fame is that it is home to many cruise ships and superliners. During the year, there are over 165 visits by cruise liners to the Port of Southampton. Visitors include the QE2, Queen Mary 2, members of the P&O; fleet including Arcadia, Artemis, Aurora, Oceana and Oriana. In April 2006, the Southampton docks also hosted Royal Caribbean International’s Freedom of the Seas which set sail from the port for its naming ceremony in New York. The ship can accommodate up to 4,375 passengers and has its own surfing pool complete with wave machine, a rock climbing wall and a skating rink.

To see the ships, consider going to the western bank of Southampton Water or Hythe Marina village for a really good view or, if any of the Cunard fleet are in dock, take the ferry from Hythe to Southampton. The ferry goes directly passed the Cunard berth.

For a timetable of sailings click here.

4 Southampton Maritime Museum

To continue the nautical theme, consider a visit to Southampton Maritime Museum which is located on Town Quay Road. It tells the story of the Port of Southampton and the great liners which sailed from there.

One of the most interesting areas of the museum is the Titanic Voices Exhibition which tells the story of the tragic maiden voyage of The Titanic. The Titanic set sail from Southampton on 10 April 1912. The story is told through original artefacts, photographs and voices of local people affected by the sinking of this ship following its collision with an iceberg.

The museum is open 6 days a week (closed Mondays). For further details go to the Southampton City website

5 Shopping

If you enjoy a little retail therapy, then head for WestQuay shopping centre.
At the time of its opening in 2000, West Quay which boosts 800,000 sq ft of retail space, was the largest City Centre shopping mall in Europe.

The shops include an M&S; and a John Lewis department store. The centre has a wide range of places to eat and lots of parking spaces. The parking spaces are generous in size.

For more information go to www.West-Quay.co.uk.

Adjacent to WestQuay is The Mall. This shopping arcade has few major chain
stores but does feature some local shops and services which provide variety.
If you are in Southampton on a Sunday check whether the Hampshire Farmers’ Market is running on that day. It is close to West Quay in the Bargate area. To check dates for the markets, go to Hampshire Farmers’ Market

6 Swimming

After a little shopping indulgence, you may want to check out The Quays Swimming and Diving Complex. With 3 pools – including special diving facilities - it is a modern and conveniently located complex. A gym is also available on the same site.

Contact details are:
27 Harbour Parade
off West Quay
Southampton
SO15 1BA
Hampshire
02380 72 0900

7 Southampton City Art Gallery

If funds are getting low, the final activity is absolutely free. Spend some time at the Southampton City Art Gallery and enjoy around 200 pieces from its internationally renowned collection.

The Gallery holds over 3,500 works covering 6 centuries of European art history. Its earliest work is by Allegretto Nuzi and dates back to the Italian Renaissance in the 14th century. More recent artists whose work is included in the collection include Sir Stanley Spencer, Matthew Smith, Anthony Gormley, Tony Cragg, Richard Long, Liam Gillick, Fiona Rae and Dan Hays.

The Gallery also hosts a range of exhibitions and offers fun activities for children. Call 023 8083 4563 for further details.

Food and Drink

With two Universities, a thriving business community and a tourist population, Southampton has a wide range of restaurants and places to eat. Click on the link to view some of our favourites – restaurants in Southampton.

Further Afield

For a great family day out close to Southampton visit Paultons Park. This theme park is located close to the New Forest – just off exit 2 of the M27.

The park caters for the whole family but it is especially suitable for families with children up to the age of 12. There are over 50 rides and attractions within the park and almost every activity is included within the entrance price.
Even the very young children are catered for with inflatables, train rides, feeding the penguins, a playground and a whole range of roundabouts. Changing facilites are located throughout the grounds.

If you have a full day (or even a few days) to spare, then hop on a Red Funnel ferry across to the Isle of Wight. There you will find great beaches, fantastic walks, golf, Carisbrooke Castle, Osborne House (Queen Victoria’s summer home) and Ventnor Botanic Gardens.

Enjoy your time in Southampton and the surrounding area. If you would like to recommend any additional activites to include on our site, please contact us.