Apr
Day Trippin’: Day-long getaways from Southampton
Everyone loves a good holiday right? But we don’t always have the time or money for that five star trip to Paris. So why not explore what’s just on your doorstep? There are some great places to visit in and around Southampton so here’s a quick list of just a few!
1. Isle of Wight
Explore the Isle of Wight with just a quick ferry ride away! Once you’re there, there’s plenty to do (Trip Advisor’s got a great list here including coastal walks, zoos and even the odd dinosaur!
The Red Jet runs frequently throughout the week and prices vary depending on when you want to travel with day return fares ranging between £9.40 and £24.10. Click here for details on Red Jet fares and timetables.
2. Winchester
Winchester’s the quintessential English town and is perfect to visit now that the weather is starting to pick up! It’s perhaps the easiest and quickest to get to with lots of travel options to choose from…
WSA Shuttle Bus: If you didn’t know already, where have you been? SUSU have launched a free shuttle bus service for students to use to get between Highfield and WSA from Monday to Friday. ALl you need is your Student ID to board. Find out more here.
Bus: The Bluestar 1 bus offers a service between Southampton City Centre and Winchester. It runs roughly every 15 mins and will take around 40 minutes to get to Winchester. Find out more here.
Train: You can board a train from either Central Station or Airport Parkway and the journey will take around 10 – 15 mins. Students are also eligible for 1/3 off rail fare with a rail card so that’ll knock off a nice few quid off your train ticket. Find out more here.
Once you’re there you can take the day to explore Winchester Castle or Winchester Cathedral, go shopping along the high street or rest your legs in one of the many quaint little cafes.
3. Marwell Zoo
It might be full of young kids, but don’t underestimate how much fun you can have at the zoo! To get a straight bus journey from Southampton to Marwell, you’ll have to catch the M1 First bus service early in the morning on a weekend or bank holiday. Additional times will be added later in July. If you miss these, then you can still take the U1E to Eastleigh Bus Station, then grab the M1 First bus. A full timetable can be found here.
Once you get to Marwell, you’ll get even 10% off entry if you show your bus ticket, which brings the price down to £15.53!
4. Portsmouth
Portsmouth can be easily reached in an hour by train and return fares can be as cheap as £11 (even lower with a railcard!). For a cheaper journey, the National Express FK203 service will cost you as little as £7 for a return and takes 45 – 55 mins. You can also benefit from 1/3 of travel with a coachcard.
One in Portsmouth you have an abundance of things to do. Why not start with a bit of shopping in Gunwharf Quay, then spend the rest of the day exploring the harbor, Spinnaker Tower, HMS Warrior and more!
5. Bournemouth
Beach day!!! Need we say more? Bournemouth is perfect for topping up a tan when the sun comes out!
Coach: Return fares starting from £8.50 with journey duration between 45mins – 1hr
Train: Return fare from £14.40 with journey duration ranging between 28 mins to 1 hr…so pick your train wisely! Find out more here.
6. New Forest
Ahh the peace and quiet of the countryside…just a quick ride away! For the active among us, the National Park is a perfect place for hiking, biking and horse riding, and for those who want a relaxed day, it’s perfect for a picnic. Again there are many ways of getting there (coach, rail and bus) and the fares and timetables will depend on which stop you choose.
Coach: National Express to Lyndhurst, Lymington or Ringwood
Train: Southwest train to Brockenhurt, return fare from £7.10, journey time roughly 20mins. Find out more here.
Bus: Bluestar 6 to Lyndhurst, Brockenhurst and Lymington. Find out more here.
Wherever you choose to go, we would love to see your ‘holiday’ snaps! Tag us @sususnaps on Instagram, or @yoursusu on Twitter!
Tags: Bournemouth, budget, bus, CLOSE, coach, day trip, England, holiday, Isle of Wight, location, Marwell Zoo, New Forest, Portsmouth, shuttle bus, South, student, timetable, train, transport, Trip Advisor, UK, Winchester, WSA