Entertain toddler and somewhere to eat before Portsmouth ferry

[AWishYourHeartMakes]

We’re doing Brittany ferries to St Malo overnight and going to get into Portsmouth early to avoid stressing about missing it. Any suggestions for where to keep a toddler entertained for a couple of hours and where to eat before getting on the ferry at Portsmouth?

Our kids enjoy gunwharf quays. Plenty of choice drink major restaurant chains and it’s an interesting place to be - watching the ferries come and go, looking at the water

Also interested. Gunwharf keys looks like an option but is there anywhere a bit before rather than going further than the port?

There's a pub opposite with a wacky warehouse in it

https://www.wackywarehouse.co.uk/sovereigns/home?utmsource=ggplaces&utmmedium=locations&utmmcampaign=

They can run off some steam and you can all eat dinner if you want.

Old Portsmouth is 5-10 minutes drive away and lots of places to walk.

Or south sea common. Has a park and large field.

But old Portsmouth and south sea are further in.

They are but not by much! The pub sounds good but Gunwharf as second choice.

Port Solent is on the outskirts of Portsmouth. It’s a marina with chops and restaurants.

Shops not chops! Although I’m sure you could buy chops there if you wanted to

There's the shopping centre, there's a eating complex just off the m27, forget the name or we have done the harvester.

There's a Costa inside the ferry terminal
Gunwharf good for shopping and restaurants

I would avoid the pub mentioned

Commercial road is just off the M275. About 500m further down than ferry port.

Fratton has a soft play as well. Can't remember name which is stupid as took loads as a child
Beware though if Pompey are playing it's only 1hr parking limit.

Gun wharf is ok but it's mainly outlet shopping and restaurants. You could go bowling or spinnaker tower and do another attraction as part of holiday.

Depends really what it is you want to do with toddler. There's is so much about locally

We stayed overnight before early ferry and went to a really fun area with fairground rides, big park etc - it was great. But further out than Gunwharf but loads for kids to do.

Port Solent is pleasant - plenty of restaurants and a playground and yachts to look at.

Or Southsea beach ?

Wow thanks for all the suggestions. I think Gun Wharf might fit the bill!

I had an amazing breakfast at a little place called Feed very near Gunwharf. Really friendly staff too.

I travel that crossing loads.
I have always given a snack to my daughter who is now 6 years old.
The self service restaurant on board is really nice and child friendly.
once on the boat i would dump bags in cabin and head for self service restaurant and get table next to window to watch boat come out.
there is a soft play area on board and the kids entertainment in the bar is really good with Pierre the bear.
my daughter has been doing this crossing since the age of 1 and loves it.
I would definitely recommend getting a captains cabin if available but normally you need to book it a year in advance during summer holidays.
Hope you have a good crossing and on the return during the day definitely get a day cabin as it will give you somewhere calm to rest as there is soooo much kids entertainment during the whole day you will never end up leaving the boat lol.
definitely stick with the self service restaurant as it is very child friendly and the food is really nice as well.
Have Fun and we are booked on the 6th August so maybe see you then?

Which motorway/ direction are you coming in from? What sort of time? Thinking most play zone type places won’t be open early.
The French ferry is right off the main motorway so either you have to go a bit further on into town or you’ll have to come off the motorway a good way out of town.
I think if you carry on in you’ll be better off.Too tip for getting through the traffic... Stay in the right hand lane going straight over the roundabout and stay right round the next two ( but going straight over). Bear right for Gunwharf in the direction of the Naval dockyard and Portsmouth Harbour. If you follow the signs left to Gunwharf you end up multiple traffic lights and have to use their underground car park. Go the other way and you can look at the ships/ trains/sea etc on the way to the enterance and the short stay car parks or on toad parking is much quicker to get in and out off...