xmas days out Portsmouth/Southampton

[Girlicorne]

Hi all!
We are heading to Portsmouth next weekend and are looking for some festive fun in Portsmouth, Southampton or New Forest area, 4 DC aged 9,10,11 and 12 . We are happy to drive around an hour or so for something good! We already have Longleat booked. Previous years we have done 4 Kingdoms, Marwell Zoo, Paulton's Park and the Historic Dockyard so would like something new. Does anyone have any recommendations please please?

Winchester Science Centre looks good this year

It's not a whole day out by any means but if you're passing Keydell Garden Centre in Horndean on your travels it has a great winter wonderland walk.

If anyone is in the area, you are very welcome to come to Brockenhurst Xmas Fair in the Village Hall, it was very good last year! There are lots of lovely places for lunch and tea in Brockenhurst Village and good walking and cycles for hire.

There is ice skating in West Quay in Southampton just starting up and the Xmas Fair in Above Bar St is under way.

Beaulieu Motor Museum is getting under way with Xmas stuff and has a new light show in the evening.here

Not festive at all but fort nelson is a good trip out and it's free

It doesn't start until December, so too late for you, but the Isle of Wight Steam Railway runs brilliant Santa Specials which can be booked with through tickets with Wightlink.

Meanwhile the Southampton Christmas market seems to be just sheds selling dodgy goods. One shed is dedicated to selling multi-coloured USB cables, which must be top of most Christmas lists! Winchester Christmas market started today and is far nicer.

Was going to post link to Winchester as market & ice rink now opened here. Mind you, we have had a lot of difficulty with parking in Winchester when their market was on previously, I think it took 90 mins + to find somewhere.

We quite enjoyed looking at some of the Southampton stalls today, after catching Fab Beasts 2 at the Odeon, though we didn't investigate the Ice Rink.

If you’re National trust members, Mottisfont’s theme this year is The Night Before Chrisas. It starts on the 24th and is usually pretty spectacular.

Winchester Park and Ride is good - not sure if it runs on a Sunday - but the Christmas market can be crazy busy on a weekend.

Here is Xmas shopping at the Watercress Line, steam railway Alresford to Alton.

Hayling Island do a winter wonderland that is meant to be good.

Bournemouth gardens are very festive and the ice rink is set up

Lymington markets, festive evening 23rd and Market day 24th

Romsey carnival and lights switch on

Mottisfont is always reliably lovely. Winchester Christmas market and skating is v festive and might appeal more to pre-teens - just get to the park and ride early, or take the train. Also Beaulieu - lots of pretty lights and traditional decorations, and with more for the age group than Mottisfont, and the Forest all around (still plenty of autumn colour).

Thanks everyone some great ideas here! I think we are going to go with Beaulieu it looks great :-)