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(1).jpg "24 things to do in 2024 in Hampshire")
2024 is shaping up to be a bumper year in Hampshire with epic events already planned along with heaps of fun activities to enjoy throughout the year ahead. To get your year off to a great start, we’ve put together 24 things to do in 2024 in Hampshire.
- Get ready for an epic year of music and book a ticket to a Hampshire festival with Tom Jones coming to Southampton in the Southampton Summer Sessions and Fatboy Slim headlining at Victorious Festival Portsmouth.
- Try something new and achieve a new goal with our top challenges and adventures to try in 2024 in Hampshire.
- Dine out on some seriously delicious food at a Hampshire restaurant, including Masterchef: The Professionals Winner Tom Hamblet’s new residency at The Avenue restaurant at Lainston House Hotel.
- Visit Paultons Park, the UK’s Number 1 Family Theme Park, to try over 70 exciting rides and attractions including Splash Lagoon, the brand-new mini log flume ride for 2024.
- Mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day on 6 June 2024 with a visit to the D-Day Story in Portsmouth.
- Discover the natural woodland and free-roaming wildlife of the New Forest National Park.
- Walk, cycle, or ride on horseback along the 101-mile South Downs Way and take in the wonderful, rolling countryside, described by Bill Bryson as 'some of England's finest'.
- Plan a city break in Hampshire with three great cities to choose from: Portsmouth for Naval heritage and seaside charm, Southampton the cosmopolitan cruise capital, and Winchester for historical buildings and charming independent shops and eateries.
- Look forward to the summer by planning a family camping or glamping trip to the glorious Hampshire countryside.
- Follow the seasons with a visit to a Hampshire garden: from the April azaleas at Exbury to the resplendent roses of Mottisfont from May.
- Step out and explore with a walk or a hike on Hampshire’s 3,000 miles of footpaths, bridleways, and byways in beautiful countryside and coastline.
- Roll into 2024 by bike with over 750 miles of off-road cycle routes to explore in Hampshire.
- Celebrate the 75th anniversary of Jane Austen’s House and follow in legendary literary footsteps as the county gears up for Jane Austen's 250th anniversary in 2025.
- Discover Hampshire’s rich and fascinating heritage with a visit to a stately home or castle like The Vyne, Stansted House, Hurst Castle, or Highclere Castle.
- Go sailing along 230 miles of the coastline of England’s sunny southern shores dotted with attractive harbours, marinas, and estuaries.
- Experience the view from the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth – the stunning 170-metre icon of the south coast – and have a cocktail in the clouds at the Sky Bar.
- Try out one of the outstanding golf courses in Hampshire from countryside clubs surrounded by rolling hills and ancient forests to coastal courses with the smell of the sea in the air.
- Admire the breathtaking Museum of the Moon artwork by artist Luke Jerram at the Festival of the Moon at Winchester Cathedral.
- Sit back and enjoy the show with a full year ahead of fantastic performances at Hampshire theatres including the West End’s Wicked coming to the Mayflower Theatre in Southampton.
- Catch some international cricket at Utilita Bowl with England Women facing New Zealand in July, and England Men taking on Australia in September.
- Relax and rejuvenate at a Hampshire spa: try SenSpa at Careys Manor, Lime Wood, Eforea Spa at Hilton Southampton - Utilita Bowl, or the Four Seasons Hampshire.
- Receive a warm welcome in a traditional Hampshire pub, cosy up beside a glowing open fire in the winter or relax in a pub garden in the summer.
- Pack a picnic, follow a trail, have fun in adventure play areas, and absorb the nature at one of Hampshire’s country parks.
- Enjoy the tranquillity of a Hampshire river: from fishing in the chalky streams of the River Test, to sailing on the River Hamble, and Canoeing and Kayaking on the Beaulieu River with New Forest Activities.
We’d love to hear about and see your Hampshire adventures in 2024: share your photos with us on our Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook pages and tag us in your pics by using #VisitHampshire.
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Victorious is a family friendly festival for music lovers and a stone’s throw from the sea. It’s a day festival located on the picturesque Southsea Seafront and takes place over August Bank Holiday Weekend.
A charming 17th century William and Mary country house standing elegantly in 63 acres of Hampshire parkland. Delicate archways and loggias frame the picture perfect entrance and a small amble reveals a beautiful 12th century chapel ruin.
Paultons is the UK’s Number 1 Family Theme Park — located in Hampshire with over 70 exciting rides and attractions, set within 140 acres of beautiful parkland on the edge of the New Forest National Park.
The D-Day Story is the only UK museum dedicated to telling the events of June 1944, a significant moment in history. The Normandy landings remain the largest seaborne invasion ever seen and a turning point which marked the beginning of the end of the Second World War.
The South Downs way is situated in Hampshire’s second National Park the South Downs. The route begins in Winchester and stretches 100 miles to Eastbourne. Along the route are unspoilt views of countryside, small hamlet villages and the English channel. The South Downs Way is a hilly but rewarding route for walkers and mountain bikers. Lonely Planet has even included the South Downs Way in it’s 1000 Ultimate Adventures book.
More than 100 years in the making, Exbury Gardens & Steam Railway is a spectacular collection of landscaped woodland, herbaceous, contemporary and formal gardens, in a unique riverside location. Exbury also boasts a narrow-gauge steam railway that travels through the gardens, plus a play area, fantastic restaurant and much more!
Ancient trees, babbling brooks and rolling lawns frame Mottisfont's 18th-century house with a medieval priory at its heart. There’s space to run, jump and play, and always something for families to do, with activity trails in school holidays and a special family exhibition every summer.
Jane Austen’s House in the picturesque Hampshire village of Chawton is one of the most important literary sites in the world. It was in this inspiring cottage that Jane Austen’s genius flourished and where she wrote, revised, and had published all six of her globally beloved novels.
The Vyne is a warm red-bricked Tudor mansion built in the 16th century for Lord Sandys, Henry VIII's Lord Chamberlain, which later passed into the hands of the Chute family, who cared for the house and estate for over 300 years. It was remodelled to its present configuration in the mid-17th century.
Stansted Park stands in 1800 acres of extraordinary landscaped parkland and ancient forest within the South Downs National Park. In 1983 the 10th Earl of Bessborough gave Stansted Park, the Arboretum, his family home and its beautiful contents to the public.
Come and discover this artillery fortress, built by Henry VIII, at the seaward end of a coastal spit offering one of the best views in England. Commanding the entrance to the Solent, its strategic location has developed the castle into a powerful fortress, steeped in centuries of military history.
Highclere Castle, the home of the Earl and Countess of Carnarvon, Highclere Castle also hosts a unique display of Egyptian antiquities and is the location of the hugely popular ITV series, Downton Abbey.
The iconic Spinnaker Tower stands at a soaring 170 metres tall, offering awe-inspiring 23 mile views over Portsmouth, the Solent, the South Downs and the Isle of Wight. From delicious High Teas to mind-boggling virtual reality, nerve-jangling abseils to magical weddings, there are outstanding experiences for everyone, all set against the most breath-taking of backdrops.
Where Cocktails Meet Clouds & you can drink in the view 105 metres above the harbour at Spinnaker Tower Sky Bar. The perfect spot for cocktail lovers, those celebrating a special occasion or simply enjoying a night out with friends. The venue, on the middle floor above the Tower’s main viewing deck, offers spectacular views of Portsmouth Harbour and Isle of Wight. Visit at golden hour, sunset, or after dark. Without a doubt, Sky Bar has the best view. On the menu is a selection of timeless classics including a Manhattan, Old Fashioned, Whisky Sour, Passion fruit Martini, Champagne, sparkling and fine wines served by glass or bottle. Sky Bar is also offering its own signature, ‘The Spinnaker Tower’ cocktail.
The Museum of the Moon artwork by artist Luke Jerram is coming to Winchester for the first time in February 2024. Pop into the cathedral to marvel at its beauty or join one of the many events and activities that will be taking place in the moonlight, from pilates to silent discos.
The largest Theatre in the south, The Mayflower offers spectacular touring musicals - many direct from the West End - plus opera, ballet and comedy.
Hampshire Cricket's home since 2001, the picture-perfect Utilita Bowl has established itself as an esteemed international venue across sport and entertainment.
Beyond the New Forest heathlands and into the pretty village of Brockenhurst, lies Careys Manor Hotel & SenSpa. This former hunting lodge and manor house is rich in history and provides the perfect destination for a relaxing retreat.
Lime Wood, a boutique country house hotel, is set in the heart of the New Forest National Park, 1.5 miles from the small town of Lyndhurst and just an hour and a half drive from London.
Hilton Southampton – Utilita Bowl is the stunning, modern hotel located at the home of Hampshire Cricket in Southampton, Hampshire. The striking property exudes a sense of occasion, boasting spectacular views across the iconic Utilita Bowl cricket, concert and events stadium and Boundary Lakes, the venue’s 18-hole golf course.
This Georgian manor house, set in 500 acres of rolling grounds and English Heritage listed gardens, offers the upmost in luxury and relaxation, just an hour from London.
New Forest Activities offer a variety of safe and enjoyable activities for families, couples, individuals and groups of all ages and abilities led by expert outdoor instructors. For tours with a difference, take to the water with Canoeing and Kayaking on the Beaulieu River Nature Reserve.
