Best places to visit around Southhampton and/or Heathrow on 2 extra days after cruise

We will be renting a car in Southhampton and want to spend two overnights driving around/seeing places in that area or around Heathrow where we'll have to catch our plane mid-afternoon on the third day. Since we have been in London itself several times over the years, we'd prefer to find guest houses or hotels some where else (one place for the two overnights or two different locations) in order to see little towns and/or historic homes/palaces...We also love antiquing. We enjoy walking and getting to know places that way. Any suggestions about where we should drive once leaving Southhampton until we have to return our car at Heathrow would be greatly appreciated in terms of what to see or where to stay. Thanks!

The obvious place to visit from the Heathrow area is Windsor.

From Southampton, the Historic Dockyard in Portsmouth is hard to beat.

I agree, Windsor is a day trip and a nice one. Suggest arriving early due to parking.

We spent two days in the area, one day at Windsor and another full day at Salisbury, Stonehenge and Avebury.

I agree, Windsor is a day trip and a nice one. Suggest arriving early due to parking.

 

We spent two days in the area, one day at Windsor and another full day at Salisbury, Stonehenge and Avebury.

Or ditch the car a day early and take a bus to Windsor :)

I would suggest the New Forest. If you stay in somewhere like Lyndhurst you will find a number of antique shops and some lovely walks. Lyndhurst is about 15 minutes away from Southampton. There is a lot to do in that area. You can catch a ferry to the Isle of Wight which is an island I feel is stuck in a 50s time warp. I would be happy to give you more information and also information about Windsor.

We went to Runnymede where Magna Carta was signed and has a JFK memorial. There is a nice National Trust cafe there and you can stroll along the river. One of the Magna Carta copies can be viewed at Salisbury Cathedral.

We did not have enough time to tour the castle at Windsor so walked in Windsor Great Park instead.

I would suggest the New Forest. If you stay in somewhere like Lyndhurst you will find a number of antique shops and some lovely walks. Lyndhurst is about 15 minutes away from Southampton. There is a lot to do in that area. You can catch a ferry to the Isle of Wight which is an island I feel is stuck in a 50s time warp. I would be happy to give you more information and also information about Windsor.

All the replies thus far are some great ideas. The completely new one for us is the above described New Forest/Lyndhurst, and the ferry to the Isle of Wight. I would love more info if you could send it. Would you think that what you described would well fit into our spending two nights in the same guesthouse/hotel/b&b in that Lyndhurst are and then driving toward/to Heathrow on the third day (our flying home in afternoon day?) Thanks!

All the replies thus far are some great ideas. The completely new one for us is the above described New Forest/Lyndhurst, and the ferry to the Isle of Wight. I would love more info if you could send it. Would you think that what you described would well fit into our spending two nights in the same guesthouse/hotel/b&b in that Lyndhurst are and then driving toward/to Heathrow on the third day (our flying home in afternoon day?) Thanks!

if you had a week or more, would have all kinds of suggestions !!:)

but the one from sweep, sounds like you would have a delightful time !!

think we'll do that next time we are in england !!;)

All the replies thus far are some great ideas. The completely new one for us is the above described New Forest/Lyndhurst, and the ferry to the Isle of Wight. I would love more info if you could send it. Would you think that what you described would well fit into our spending two nights in the same guesthouse/hotel/b&b in that Lyndhurst are and then driving toward/to Heathrow on the third day (our flying home in afternoon day?) Thanks!

Yes I would suggest basing yourself in the New Forest Area for 2 nights, spending one day exploring the New Forest and the second day exploring the Isle of Wight. It will then be a 90 minute drive to Windsor on your last day where you can watch the Changing of the Guard at approx. 11am, have a quick cup of coffee and look round Windsor before your 20 minute drive to Heathrow to drop off your car and catch your flight.

There is a tourist Information Office in Lyndhurst http://www.thenewforest.co.uk where you will be able to get information on where to stay and where to go in the New Forest. I suggest the Rhinefield Ornamental Drive, Burley and Brockenhurst. The new forest ponies wander around these villages and there are lots of antique shops.

The link for ferries to the Isle of Wight is http://www.wightlink.co.uk and you can go from Portsmouth or Lymington.

Hope you have a great time.

Thanks, Sweep! My husband is already looking into your ideas. We'll want to research a little more but yours is sounding like a really promising great way to end our cruise.

My husband's American friends and colleagues have just loved visiting/staying in the New Forest and were mesmorised by the New Forest animals wandering around the villages and open land and Brockenhurst.

I live near to the New Forest and fully endorse the recommendations, but don't forget to include Lymington. We often go for a drive in the forest and have lunch in a pub.

Their are lots of lovely real pubs for lunch in the forest, just google new forest pubs, but a couple of things that visitors do need to be aware of:

1. The animals are free to roam and have right of way. Also the ponies seem to think that the grass alongside the road is the tastiest.

Because of this there is a strict sped limit in the forest.

2. The New Forest is neither new or a forest, in US terms. We chopped most of the trees down in order to build warships, but it is beautiful.

Yes you can drive easily to Heathrow for an afternoon departure. I would allow one hour and 30 mins plus time to drop off the car and check in time.

Thanks! This New Forest area seems to be getting the most votes! I appreciate the new information. Now, if anyone has a B&B, guesthouse, or hotel to recommend......

Busy at the moment, but these links will enable you to do some research.

One question:

Do you want an up market hotel, in which case google 'Balmer Lawn' for reviews or visit this web page http://www.balmerlawnhotel.com

Alternatively for another up market hotel, probably the best in the forest, google 'hotel brockenhurst' which will probably bring up Carey's Manor http://www.careysmanor.com

That Google search will also return the trip advisor page. Also google 'hotel lyndhurst'. Might be an idea to google from http://www.google.co.uk rather than http://www.google.com as this will bring up UK answers first.

On the other hand if you want to stay in a pub then check out this link

http://www.thenewforest.co.uk/new_forest_pubs.aspx

The above link is to a page on New Forest tourist website and also has tabs about what to do and where to visit. We love Lymington and Burley, the latter especially in summer.

On thought having done the google myself is that take note the the Sir Walter Tyrrell which has a Lyndhurst address is actually in Brook. Lovely pub, but not really in Lyndhurst and the turn off from the A35 towards Brook is very dangerous particularly for folks not used to our roads and arriving from the East.

Thanks! This New Forest area seems to be getting the most votes! I appreciate the new information. Now, if anyone has a B&B, guesthouse, or hotel to recommend......

We stayed at the Crowne Manor Hotel in Lyndhurst. It is a 4* hotel right in the middle of Lyndhurst with free parking. However don't go for the very cheapest rooms as they are in the eaves with no head room. The best thing about this hotel is its position.

I am pleased other people are backing my recommendation for the New Forest. I hope the sun shines for you.

Ah, I'm glad I asked about places to stay. We will go on the links suggested. No, we very seldom do the "up market" hotels either at home or on trips. We go for location, safety, comfort, and cost. We prefer places where breakfast is included also but that's not a deal breaker. Thanks to both of you above for your suggestions.

I recently stayed in lyndhurst for work and stayed at a b&b called rufus house. Decent size rooms and lovely hosts. Only a max 10 min walk to all the restaurants in town.

Wow, this thread is awesome! I'm taking screen shots of all the suggestions (New Forest, etc). We probably will only have 1 night, but trying to decide if we want to stay in London in a Princess hotel (get them to shuttle us and our luggage to the terminal, but it is very expensive). It would be fun to explore New Forest even if it is for an afternoon before jet lag gets us! After the cruise, we are renting a car in Southampton and traveling North for 5 days --- staying at the Broadgate Farm Cottages in Beverly -- then to London for a night then home (probably stay at the very comfy Sofitel @ Heathrow).

Tip: When searching for guest houses in the UK use the key words: "Self Catering". Maybe it's just me, but I was more successful than searching under "bed and breakfast" or "guest houses". Obviously, self catering means you'll make your own breakfast ;)

Tip: When searching for guest houses in the UK use the key words: "Self Catering". Maybe it's just me, but I was more successful than searching under "bed and breakfast" or "guest houses". Obviously, self catering means you'll make your own breakfast ;)

Self catering doesn't refer to a guest house/B&B, but rather a vacation rental - a flat or cottage of your own. Great places, but a different experience... :)

Cindy,

If you have one night and you want to spend it in the New Forest, and you are not hiring a car, then Brockenhurst makes sense.

I say this because it is the place in the forest served by main line trains from London Waterloo .and Southampton.

If you want to be met at the airport and taken to your hotel, then contact one of the airport car firms mentioned throughout this part of the forum.

The route the car will take from the M3 to Brockenhurst is itself a mini tour and is probably no more expensive than train tickets for three people. Rest up and enjoy the village of Brockenhurst and then take the short train journey back to Southampton Central. Taxi ride from there to cruise terminal is very short and will not be expensive.

Self catering doesn't refer to a guest house/B&B, but rather a vacation rental - a flat or cottage of your own. Great places, but a different experience... :)

And you usually have to be staying more than one night, especially in the high season and in popular tourist places.

You will often see minimum of 3 nights and normally a week.

Yes! It's a great option especially when traveling with a family of 5 and is usually less expensive (everything costs twice as much - hotels, car rental, etc). It worked for us, but it wouldn't make sense for the owner to book it for 1 or 2 nights and still offer their (usually) better rates. We have 2 self catering cottages in Seabrook, Texas and the minimum stay is 3 nights.