Portsmouth historic dockyard

[Toffeelatteplease]

Any tips? How long for a visit? What's the food like onsite?

Its a great day, food good onsite, big restaurant with lots of choice. You could fill a day, but your ticket enables you to go back for free anytime during the year.

I like the dockyard very much. It is also nice to eat at Gunwharf Quays overlooking the harbour.

We've been twice this year, and we haven't done everything yet. Dc are only 2 and 4 so get bored after one ship, older kids could probably last the full day!

I thought the big restaurant looked good but actually all the options were quite pricey for what they were. There is a Costa by the entrance as well.

It’s a fantastic visit. I would say at least five hours. The harbour tour alone is the best part of an hour when you include the queuing times.

You can easily spend a hour in Action Stations, and half an hour on each of the big ships plus the Mary Rose Museum.

The restaurant is great. Similar quality to National Trust places, but with more variety and cheaper prices. It is very spacious, so you don’t feel you need to rush your meal.

Parking nearby can be difficult and pricey. Use the park and ride and get the bus to The Hard, 15mins, then 2 mins to the entrance. Cost £4 for the day.

Loads to do. Allow at least 1 hour (and possibly more) for HMS Victory and the Mary Rose Museum and slightly less for HMS Warrior. The WWI gunboat, the RN museum and Action Stations (interactive area) and the Boathouse are all really interesting and fun too. There's also the Submarine Museum across in Gosport which I think is included in the ticket price.

DH and I (without kids) spent 2 full days there and saw everything. But they were very full on days, and we didn't stop for lunch, just a quick tea and cake in the afternoon.

I think with kids you would get 2 things done in a day maximum.

Absolutely recommend it though.

We've got a couple of days we can give to it, possibly another half day if there is enough there to justify it/take it at a slow pace as DS has some SN and mobility issues. Just me and DS (instead of a school PGL which was proving impossible to sort).

Good to know about the food. Debating taking sandwiches or getting food there. Getting food there definitely means less to carry, but didn't want to find myself caught out with there being nothing decent there. National trust kind of thing or a Costa panini would be fine though

We are going to stay in Portsmouth for a few days in March for a mini getaway and will be visiting the historic dockyard so reading this thread with interest

Be aware that there are cobblestones, and the ships weren’t built with mobility access in mind.

Yeah im thinking thats why its going to take us longer than most. Me and cobblestones are long time enemies we don't mention dropkerbs I'm not looking forward to that bit. I'm figuring on parking up the wheelchair and walking the ships. Between cobbles and the ships DS and I will be knackered by the end of the day. A sit down at lunchtime might not be a bad thing and I'm figuring afternoons well do the more accessible museum bits and boat tour.

Is the spinnaker tower any good as well?

Spinnaker tower is great but only on a clear day so you can see for miles.
There is a bowling place at gunwharf quays which your children might enjoy.