Friend decided to do a tour for her Hen Night. You are met at Bus Station, The Hard, Portsmouth by…read morea red double decker bus, driver and guide in costume. You are taken around Southsea and Old Portsmouth, do not expect spooky, spooky, but there are a few surprises along the way, do not want to spoil it, more a historical tour than spooky. I really enjoyed it though, great for something different, if especially around Halloween.

The Needles are a breathtaking sight. These three massive chalk sea stacks rise beautifully out of…read morethe water off the Isle of Wight. The contrast between the white chalk, the blue sea, and the iconic red-and-white lighthouse is stunning. It is easily one of the most beautiful maritime landmarks in the UK. The nearby multi-colored cliffs of Alum Bay add even more magic to the scenery. Do not miss the chance to take the boat outing, as its the best 10.00 pounds, you'll ever spend! Ensure you take photos here. It is a perfect day trip and highly recommended!

The Needles Park is situated at Alum Bay between Freshwater Bay and Yarmouth…read more There you can see the "Needles" rocks and the lighthouse. It's the biggest attraction on the Isle of Wight. There are a few attractions there. You've got the sand shop, where you are given a bottle and you have to fill it in with the sand of the island. very nice souvenir! The chairlift is also a great attraction that takes you from the top of the cliff to Alum Bay Beach and back. Beware of the waves when you are on the pontoon or you can get really wet!

Not as aged as Old Milton…read more This is a typical little station with a road bridge going right over it at the end of the platform. Not too many trains stop here anymore, but it has a cute little Old English style house here which separates it from many other of the regional stations. Definitely one of the prettier stations in Hampshire, but also very low key. It dates to 1886 and it's just a little village railway station really.

I use the train a lot, so feel reasonably qualified to tell a good station from a bad one and was…read morepleasantly surprised by New Milton Railway Station when I visited recently. There's plenty of car parking and the station platforms and buildings appear clean and well-maintained. The ticket office staff were helpful and knowledgeable despite my asking awkward questions about different ticket types and rail operators. The waiting room was warm and comfortable and although I'm not a trainspotter by any stretch of the imagination, the wall displays of old steam trains and railway memorabilia were interesting to look at and helped to pass the time.

Wow is all I can say about Waltzing Waters, I've been 4 times and will never tire of it. The whole…read moreexperience takes place in a rather small auditorium which seats around 150 people. The tickets cost Adult £4.50 Child £2.50 Seniors & Students £4.00 with a Free Return Visit which is brilliant value. There is a lovely little cafe which is comfortable and reasonably priced where you can get a little cake and some tea or coffee etc. There is also a nicely stocked gift shop selling memorabillia to do with the show. I bought the dvd as it's so amazing. The shows last 40 minutes, Daytime Shows are 10 am, 11 am, 12 noon, 1 pm, 2 pm, 3 pm, 4 pm. It's open Open 7 days a week including Public Holidays from late January through mid December. There is a huge car park for cars and coaches, plenty of disabled parking with ramp access. Inside it's easily accessible for wheelchairs with disabled toilets and wide entry ways. The theatre is easy to find as it is just next to the large Tesco just south of Ryde. The show itself is a magical, memorable feast of water, music and light, you will never forget it and needless to say you will want to go again and again, children will be amazed as will adults alike. Water dances and comes alive to music from bangs such as the Beatles, Queen through to modern groups and classical. I don't know anyone who's been to this and been disappointed.

It was a really hot day as we crossed the sea to the Isle of Wight. We are so sorry we missed the…read moreisland's Pride festival over 15/17 July Prides are colourful and family friendly. The departure area at Southsea is kindly described as no frills functional. If you'd like a coffee it's Costa out of a machine and if it's a rest room then you must leave, go across the road to another, publicly controlled facility, equally kindly described as functional. Most publicly controlled facilities/services in England have been wilfully ruined by the government in office some 11 years out of a warped ideology and much is already gone not to return. Woe betide if you need medical or emergency dental help and if your not a uk subject please be well insured - getting any prompt dental treatment is nigh on impossible (and not accidental) in the worlds 5th richest economy. It's a rum do to vote yourself to be poorer but the working poor and the super rich carried the day. When the truth outs, and it will, it won't be a pretty sight. In the UK the working poor receive more state benefits than unemployed folk - yet bizarrely taxpayers subsidise the super rich. The hovercraft staff are a friendly bunch and once on the island side there's at least decent rest room facilities and it looks a little bit more modern and pleasant. The craft itself is impressive, quite spacious within, not noisy and comfy seating. Dis and embarkation are very straightforward. It has a top speed of around 50 knots so it can move at a lick. All in all t'was a grand day out.

The family at AtlasAdventured highly recommends this experience!…read moreWe traveled from Portsmouth Southsea to Ryde in August of 2023. We originally planned on taking the ferry, but when we found out about the hovercraft we just couldn't pass up the opportunity! As of 2023, this is the world's only commercial hovercraft! Tickets were more expensive than the ferry, but you got there a lot faster. It was 80 pounds round-trip for our family, with our 4 year old being able to ride for free (it is cheaper if you get a roundtrip ticket for same day use). The ride took about 10 min. There is a Hoverbus that will provide transportation to the Hoverport. You can find the Hoverbus stops on their website. The waiting room on the Southsea side was nice and the staff were friendly. There are restrooms and a Costa coffee machine. They do recommend you show up 15 minutes early. The staff on board was super friendly and there is space for your luggage. It was a smooth ride, and so much fun! The location in Ryde was not so pleasant. We arrived about an hour before our departure time due to us taking public transportation to get there. Once we got ourselves settled in the waiting room, my husband went to leave to go get our toddler some snacks, and was yelled at by the lady at the desk, threatening him that if he left the building he would have to purchase another ticket or would not be allowed on the hovercraft. If we had known that you were not allowed to exit the building we would have dragged our luggage, in the rain, to a nearby restaurant and waited! I could not believe how rude this lady was. I scoured their site and other reviews, and nowhere does it say that you cannot leave the building, and this particular woman has been very rude to countless people. Maybe it's time for someone in charge to reprimand this person. She is ruining a lot of people's experiences. I would have given a 5 star review if not for this individual. Once we got out of the waiting room and onto the hovercraft, it was such a great experience. Just watching the hovercraft pull up and onto the sand is so cool. I thought it would be loud, but they do a good job of dampening the noise while inside the hovercraft.! If we ever go back to the Isle of Wight, this is definitely the mode of transportation we will use to get there.

Not a lot at here, costa, sitting area, toilets. however the area where you sit is quiet nice,…read moretriangle glassed ceiling, windows for the view. This is were the catamaran leaves to Portsmouth & returns.

It's at the end of a 1/2 mile pier. The Wightlink Catamaran service to Portsmouth Harbour Station…read moreoperates from here. Journey time is 22 minutes. There is a train service from the adjacent station to Shanklin operated by IslandLine Trains.

If you live in Lymington, you may end up with Lymington disease, so be careful…read more What a beautiful little old town - one of those little Old Towns, and it's just very memorable, and somehow unlike any other little town we've been to recently. So absolutely gorgeous then. The old station house looks like a beautiful old pub or large cottage. It's one of the highlights of the town. It's little and old and beautiful and definitely prettier than the nearby railway station. The service is away from the main town and it just has a single track that comes down here. It's been a line for a hundred and fifty years now which is pretty amazing.

Lymington is a great place for a day out, and this gorgeous little station is well worth a visit in…read moreits own right. Viewed from the car park outside, it looks much like any other station, but step inside and you're transported to another world entirely. The Station Master is friendly and welcoming and the walls are plastered with pictures of steam trains, newspaper reports and authentic railway posters of yesteryear. Every nook and cranny from the ticket office to the waiting room is filled with little bits of history including old signs and signal equipment, and more personal items such as old suitcases with labels saying where they've been. Real care and attention has been lavished on this station, even down to silly things like soft covers on the metal chairs in the waiting room, and the staff and supporters deserve to have real pride in what they've created. Brilliant.

Upper Chine Holiday cottages are situated in Shanklin, one of the most popular holiday destinations…read moreon the Isle of Wight. Situated on the main road about 2 minutes walk from the edge of the old town going away from Shanklin the cottages are ideally located for holiday makers of all ages. The complex (converted in part from a private girls school) comprises a number of cottages (mostly terraced although we didn't notice any noise from adjoining properties) of varying sizes and then a number of apartments. All properties have their own balconies and/or patios. We stayed in a 2 bed cottage and I was very pleased with the space and the fitting out of the cottage. Everything we could have wanted for (and more) was provided and the whole was spotlessly clean. There were a few areas that would have benefited from a little bit of re-decoration but nothing that was really wanting. The properties were double glazed and appeared fairly secure. The pool, although small, was clean and well maintained. There was a small Jacuzzi. The pool lacked any changing facilities but its situation meant that this wasn't really an issue. There is also a sauna and beauty treatments were available on request. The gym comprised a running machine, a couple of bikes and a multi-gym. A £5 deposit was payable for a key for the multi-gym (the peg that separates the weights). The children's play area was well equipped with Little Tykes climbing toys (and slides), a play house and a lego table. A pool table, air hockey and table football (the latter free of charge) were available for older children and adults. Outside, there was a splash pool, ideal for children, and a tropical garden with loungers and shades. The outdoor play park was rather overgrown and the only part of the facilities that was poor with much maintenance being required. The tennis court was adequate and reasonably maintained and balls/rackets were available from reception. If you'd forgotten your bucket and spade these could be borrowed free of charge from reception also!