Welcome to our corner of England! I have put together an itinerary for a 7-day family road trip in the south of England from Portsmouth. I designed it with short distances and a child-friendly programme so you can enjoy a relaxing holiday without spending too much time on the road. We have now been expats in the south of England for several years and have explored our region around Portsmouth, as well as the neighbouring counties, very thoroughly. I hope you will like my varied and kid friendly selection! This road trip will give you a first glimpse of southern England with an itinerary mixing history, prehistory, medieval towns and villages, seaside resorts, a forest with ponies, castles, ruins, gardens and beautiful coastal scenery. This 7-day itinerary in the south of England goes through the counties of Hampshire, Wiltshire and Dorset.
Portsmouth, its seafront promenade and historic ships
Recommended duration: 1 or 2 days.
The seafront and promenade:
Head for the Southsea area. I recommend starting the walk at South Parade Pier, an old pier typical of English seaside resorts. I actually find Portsmouth’s pier prettier than Brighton’s, so that will save you a detour via Brighton :-). Then you will come across a second pier, Clarence Pier, with slot machines and other games or small rides. These arcades are really not my thing, but they are typically English. You can stop for a light lunch by the sea or a fish & chips if you are hungrier. Then continue along the promenade, passing Southsea Castle and the lighthouse. If you enjoy walking, keep going along the seafront to the old town. Old Portsmouth is small, so it is quickly seen. From the Spice Island pub, you will have a lovely view of the Spinnaker, the city’s landmark, at the foot of which there is a modern shopping area.
The Historic Dockyard:
The dockyard is just after the Spinnaker.
Warning: visiting the area with all Portsmouth’s iconic ships is a very big budget* item! If you are history and big-ship fans, it is a fascinating visit, but given the steep prices, do not hesitate to skip it and replace it with a less expensive programme. The only ship you can see for free from Portsmouth harbour, just after the Spinnaker, is HMS Warrior, which belonged to Queen Victoria:
*2025 update: the family pass costs £145
If you invest in the family pass, then you will have plenty to see! I recommend spreading the visits over two days and prioritising the following ships:
- Admiral Nelson’s ship: HMS Victory (a great moment of history! You will see where Nelson breathed his last.)
- Queen Victoria’s ship: HMS Warrior (beautiful interior)
- The submarine HMS Alliance (from the Second World War)
- The wreck of the Mary Rose
Still for history fans, and more for secondary-school age children this time, there is also the D-Day museum: the D-Day Story on the Southsea promenade.
To go further: all the details about visits in Portsmouth and our good addresses are in our article: Portsmouth with the family.
Accommodation in Portsmouth: this two-bedroom house.
***
Winchester, the former capital of England
Recommended duration: half a day.
Winchester was the capital of England in the Middle Ages. Today it is only the capital of my county, Hampshire. The city centre is typical of old historic English towns. Everything is organised around High Street and the cathedral. A few hours, or half a day, are enough to wander around the centre. St Peter’s car park is convenient.
A walk in Winchester:
Walk up and back down High Street. At the pretty Buttercross monument, take the passage towards the beautiful Romanesque cathedral (you can visit it, but it is paid – Jane Austen is buried there). Go around the cathedral towards Cathedral Close, heading for Dome Alley and Kingsgate Street. Notice the lovely bookshop P&G Wells. Walk down College Street, passing the famous Winchester College. Make the detour to the ruins of the Old Bishop’s Palace, then follow the very pretty River Itchen to the mill (Winchester City Mill). The little mill can be visited and is fun for young children because it is still working. You can even buy flour from the mill or make some. It is part of the National Trust network, so the visit is included in the pass (see the bottom of the article for information on the National Trust). Finally, you can climb St Giles Hill for the viewpoint.
Foodie addresses in Winchester:
- The restaurant Chesil Rectory, in a 15th-century Tudor house. It is a quality gastropub.
- For a more informal lunch, I recommend Cafe Monde and its small terrace just a stone’s throw from the cathedral.
- Marse Winchester, a tiny Tibetan restaurant for delicious momos on the go.
- Piecaramba! will let you try this English speciality: meat pies! There is also a vegetarian option.
Accommodation in Winchester:
I recommend this accommodation in New Alresford, a very pretty village 15 minutes from Winchester. New Alresford is tiny but full of charm. It is the watercress village :-). I recommend walking along the river, where you will pass The Fulling Mill.
Also, in this village there is a tapas restaurant I like: Pulpo Negro (rather upmarket). For a simpler or more family-friendly dinner, choose the Winchester addresses I gave above.
***
Highclere Castle: the Downton Abbey castle and the Egypt exhibition
Recommended duration: half a day.
Are you a fan of the series Downton Abbey? The castle used as the main filming location is called Highclere Castle. It is a private castle, open to visitors for part of the year. Be careful: you need to book months in advance on their website. I recommend taking the combined ticket with the Egypt exhibition because it is not much more expensive and gives you access to an exhibition about Egyptian expeditions. Fascinating for children and adults alike. What does it have to do with Downton Abbey? Nothing! But the family who own the castle descend from the Earl of Carnarvon, a friend of the archaeologist Howard Carter, whose expeditions he financed. Passionate about Egypt, he travelled there himself and documented everything carefully. The exhibition is located in part of the castle. It is interesting and very visual. A nice surprise! We came for Downton Abbey and, in the end, learnt a lot about Egypt! Finally, we walked around the huge castle park before stopping at the cafe for tea (never drink an espresso in England!). Highclere Castle is 30 minutes north of Winchester.
***
If you have more time and want to extend the itinerary, you can continue a few miles north towards Oxford.
Otherwise, let us now leave Hampshire and enter the neighbouring county of Wiltshire…
***
Stonehenge: a strange megalithic monument
Recommended duration: half a day.
Yes, admittedly, it is only a few big stones, but I love it, and after many visits the magic still works every time! There is still a lot of mystery around this place and the reason for its existence. The weather matters a lot, so try to aim for a sunny day and remember to book if you are travelling in high season or at the weekend. Stonehenge is probably the best-known prehistoric site in England. The visit is expensive, but it is included in the National Trust pass (see information at the bottom of the article). Once there, allow time because I recommend doing the walk to the stone circle on foot. There is also a reconstruction of the village from that period and an interesting small museum. On the way back from the monument, you can take the shuttle included in the price.
If you do not have a National Trust card and do not want to buy tickets, you should know that it is possible to see Stonehenge from the surrounding roads. But you have understood: we are fans! And we have the National Trust card.
Either after or before visiting Stonehenge, especially for lunch, you can go to the town of Salisbury, which, like Winchester, has an old centre with its High Street and its impressive cathedral, with the largest cloister in England (paid entry from age 12). Salisbury Cathedral also houses a well-preserved copy of the Magna Carta. English small towns look alike, you will see. In Salisbury, there is the chain The Cornish Bakery for a quick lunch, or I recommend the little restaurant Thai Orchid.
***
Stourhead: a stately home with a magnificent English garden
Recommended duration: 2 hours.
To keep offering you a varied itinerary, I think Stourhead House & Garden is an excellent visit for discovering a typically English estate with an exceptional landscaped garden. In addition to the walk through the 1,000 hectares of gardens, the entrance ticket gives access to an 18th-century Neo-Palladian mansion. Stourhead is part of the National Trust. You really are going to need the pass!
***
Shaftesbury: an adorable little English village
Recommended duration: 2 hours.
Here we are in Dorset, in a small village known for the beauty of its steep old cobbled street called Gold Hill. The old cottages, some with thatched roofs, add to the charm of the place. It is quickly seen, but it is on the route and it is charming. I took this photo from the cafe at the top of the street. The advantage of stopping in this cafe is that you can take the time to admire the view and enjoy moments when there is nobody in the photo! I should mention that we were there during the October half-term holidays, not in the middle of August. And we came early in the morning. After your coffee break, you can stretch your legs in the rest of the village, especially on the Park Walk, which offers views over the Blackmore Vale.
Corfe Castle and Durdle Door
These two iconic Dorset sites are very close to each other.
Recommended duration: 1 day to explore both sites.
Corfe Castle:
The ruins of Corfe Castle appeal both to adults for their romantic atmosphere and to children, who can explore every corner of the remains of this medieval castle dating from the time of William the Conqueror. Guess what? The National Trust pass gives access to this site :-). The castle was destroyed in the 17th century during the Civil War between Parliament and King Charles I.
After visiting the castle, do not miss the adorable village of Corfe. Also, for those not planning to visit the castle, it is possible to admire it from the surrounding hills, the Purbeck Hills.
Durdle Door:
Half an hour from Corfe Castle is the famous natural arch of Durdle Door by the sea, on this part of the coast known as the Jurassic Coast. To really enjoy the place, plan several hours there because I recommend walking there and back along the coastal path, discovering Lulworth Cove, Man O’War Bay and Durdle Door beach. You will see, it climbs and descends! Not exactly an easy path, but that does not stop anyone. This site is touristy. It is better to avoid weekends. Parking is not cheap (2025 update: 8 euros for the day). You will find food or somewhere to buy an ice cream in Lulworth.
***
Old Harry Rocks: England’s Etretat
Recommended duration: half a day.
This is the Dorset “monument” closest to our home, so we often like going there at the weekend, especially when we have visitors from France. Yes, it does look a bit like Etretat. Let us say that they are also chalk formations, but it is still different. I like it a lot. Allow around 30 minutes’ walk on the coastal path from Middle Beach Car Park. We choose this car park because it is free for National Trust members. Two steps from the car park, there is a small beach and a cafe.
Before leaving Dorset, you could potentially stop in Bournemouth if you are fans of English seaside-resort style, especially if you have not explored Portsmouth. In Bournemouth, the advantage if it is warm is that, in addition to the typical seafront with the usual pier, children will be delighted to enjoy a very large sandy beach (in Portsmouth or Brighton, the beaches are small stones). There are also pretty colourful beach huts along the beach.
***
If you want to extend the itinerary towards the south-west of England, then continue exploring Dorset with the family.
Otherwise, let us return to Hampshire! Time for the famous New Forest, which forms the border between the two counties.
***
The New Forest and the magic of free-roaming ponies
Recommended duration: half a day to 1 day, or even 2!
A huge favourite for us: the New Forest! No, no, it is not just a simple forest! It is the largest forest in England and it is home to thousands of free-roaming ponies, much to children’s delight! We really enjoy living not far from this vast natural area made up of heathland and woodland. Formerly William the Conqueror’s hunting ground, today it is the ideal place to see animals, walk, visit typical villages and picnic. The New Forest stretches all the way to the sea. We recommend:
- one or two walks deep in the forest (there are car parks at each walk starting point).
- a stop by the sea: in the village of Lymington or at Milford-on-Sea, where you can see the Isle of Wight nearby.
- the Beaulieu museum: its collection of vintage cars and small castle can make a good programme for the whole family.
To go further: all the details of these walks and activities are in my full article about the New Forest with the family.
Where to sleep in the New Forest: Forest View Farm (with kitchen) in Lyndhurst, a pleasant New Forest village located in the centre of the forest. There are also many campsite options if you are travelling by campervan or motorhome.
***
Paultons Park: a fun theme park for children
Recommended duration: 1 day.
Paultons Park is a theme park located very close to the New Forest. It is a good option for making your children happy. For younger children, there is a dedicated Peppa Pig area with small rides. For older children, there are thrill rides. Everything is set in a very well-kept park. You did not necessarily come to England for this, but it can be nice for a change of pace. See all the information on the Paultons Park website. I recommend it for families, especially if your children are under about 13.
If you do not feel like devoting a whole day to a theme park, then for me the alternative is simple: spend one more day in the magnificent New Forest! On foot, by bike, or simply by the water catching crabs like local children!
***
Back to Portsmouth!
View over Portsmouth at sunset
Practical information for this family road trip in the south of England
- If you are coming from abroad – Driving in England: does driving on the left stress you out? It is less difficult than it looks! If you come by ferry, I imagine you will bring your own car. But if you arrive by train or plane, you will probably choose to rent a car. In that case, for more ease, I recommend choosing an automatic car. See DiscoverCars to find the best value for money.
- In total, the itinerary I have just suggested for this little loop in the south of England is about 380 kilometres. Over a week, that is fairly relaxed and reasonable. It is up to you to customise your English road trip!
- The National Trust card: the National Trust network includes many sites, monuments and houses in England. In my article, I have already pointed out that Stonehenge, Winchester Mill, Stourhead House & Garden and the Old Harry Rocks car park are part of the National Trust. If you plan to do all these visits, the annual family pass may well be cheaper than buying tickets for each site. As it depends on the size of your family, the age of the children and the number of National Trust sites you want to visit, the best thing is to do the sums for your own case. All information about prices is on the National Trust website.
***
If you do this road trip in our corner of southern England, you will be very close to my home, so do not hesitate to contact me and come for tea! I will show you my favourite river!
See you soon!
You read this blog — which means you value quality content grounded in real experiences. With Google Preferred Sources, tell Google which publishers you trust. Add us and other sources you love, and Google will surface them more in your future search results.