Do you want to enjoy a huge variety of fun and thrilling family days out whilst on a budget? We have your cheap days out in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight under £30 ready, without compromising the fun!
From family days out in Hampshire to things to do with kids, free days out in Hampshire, country parks, museums and seaside days out on the Isle of Wight, you’ll find something for all budgets that the whole family will love here.
We believe it shouldn’t cost you the earth to enjoy days out in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight! We’ve put together the ultimate guide to help you experience the best family days out for less! Keep reading to discover cheap days out in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight under £30.
Free Entry
Days out in Hampshire can’t get any cheaper than being free, especially when there’s lots of them!
River Hamble Country ParkHampshire is full of wonderful walks that will help you soak up nature in the most beautiful settings. Free entry to Queen Elizabeth Country Park, Royal Victoria Country Park, Staunton Country Park, River Hamble Country Park, Lepe Country Park and Itchen Valley Country Park, just pay for parking.
You’ll find walking and cycling trails, picnic spots, play areas, activities for children, shops and cafes!
With regularly rotating displays of work including an astounding and diverse collection of fine art, national touring exhibitions and work by local artists, free entry into Southampton Art Gallery is a must.
Buckler’s Hard was where ships for Nelson’s Navy were built, and it’s now a tranquil place to get away from the busyness of family life. Packed full of charm, it’s a great place to have a walk next to the peaceful Beaulieu River. Entry to the village is free (a parking charge applies), a small admission charge applies for the Maritime Museum and River Cruise.
Three of Winchester’s Military Museums offer free family entry: The Rifles Regimental Museum, The Royal Hampshire Regiment Museum and The Adjutant General’s Corps Museum.
Royal Armouries Fort NelsonVisit the Royal Armouries Fort Nelson near Portsmouth. With free entry, you can see the Royal Armouries national collection of artillery, historic cannon & over 700 pieces of artillery!
Many attractions offer free children’s admission, see below for more information.
Cheap family days out in Hampshire’s great outdoors for under £30
Visit the gardens, art gallery and manor house at Mottisfont which dates back from 1201. Let the children burn some energy in the acres of woodland.
With 180 acres of gardens Sir Harold Hillier Gardens offers beautiful trees, shrubs and flowers, with blooming plants from every season plus playareas and wildlife spotting!
For a train-themed day, visit Watercress Line and watch the trains from a south-facing picnic area. Take a rural walk exploring the Watercress Way or Millennium Trailor visit the playground, Harry Potter footbridge and the loco yard at Ropley heritage station, famous for its 130-year old topiary!
Manor FarmMeet the favourite friendly farmyard animals at Manor Farm, you may even be lucky enough to see some baby animals and don’t forget to explore the farmhouse and farm buildings and enjoy the indoor play barn. Entry to the farm is just under £30 for 1 adult and 2 children.
Fancy a fairy adventure in a glorious tranquil setting? Furzey Gardens offers lots of outdoor space and a fairy door trail – can you spot them all?
Have an adventure – family days out for under £30
Head to Clarence Pier Amusement Park in Southsea and enjoy the amusement rides and 3 large indoor amusement arcades! Take in the views from Portsmouth Harbour, stretching out beyond the Isle of Wight. Rides cost 2-4 tokens making it easy to budget!
Fancy a family quest with Text Quest? Explore Winchester, Portsmouth and Southampton by receiving and answering questions via your phone! Prices start from as little as £16 per family!
Riverside Bowl is more than just bowling and for under £30 you can play a family round of indoor Glo-golf or 60 minutes of augmented reality darts – the world’s first and only auto-scoring darts system using a real dartboard!
Hampshire historic days out for under £30
Transport back to ancient times at Butser Ancient Farm! Explore their timeline of reconstructed ancient homes spanning the Stone Age to the Saxon periods. There’s friendly rare-breed goats and sheep, hands-on activities, demonstrations and living history displays!
Explore the fascinating interactive attraction and the home of Southampton’s Titanic story at the SeaCity Museum!
At God’s House Tower you can get family membership for just over £30. See the ‘Stories Behind the Stones’ heritage exhibition, with immersive installations and captivating displays. With two rotating art galleries and panning rooftop views across the Southampton Water, no two days are the same.
Winchester CathedralIf you want to walk through a fascinating place echoing with the 1000 years of history that’s played out within its walls, look no further than Winchester Cathedral.
Buy tickets in advance online for The D-Day Story for cheaper entry. An interactive museum telling the story of World War Two.
With hands-on activities for all ages, Jane Austen’s House is the enchanting cottage that Jane Austen lived and wrote all six of her globally beloved novels.
Chawton House is a romantic 400-year-old manor house owned by Jane Austen’s brother Edward. Run wild in the extensive gardens, including the walled garden built by Jane Austen’s brother!
Discover the beautifully restored house and gardens of natural history pioneer, Gilbert White. The museum was once his 17th century home and there are 25 acres to explore in the 18th Gilbert White’s House and Gardens.
Portchester CastlePortchester Castle, the most impressive and best-preserved of the Roman ‘Saxon Shore’ forts to Uncover fascinating history, enjoy the great outdoors!
Enjoy a family day of heritage for under £20
The Grade II* listed Eling Tide Mill is one of only two regularly working tide mills in the Country. The mills mesmerising machinery can be seen in action and children will love the interactive displays.
Visit Southampton’s most important historic building, Tudor House and Gardens! With over 800 years of history, offering an insight into the lives and times of the city’s residents.
Did you know that The Brickworks Museum is the last remaining steam-driven Victorian brickworks in the country? See huge machinery in steam once a month and enjoy hands-on activities. All ages will enjoy playing on the vintage arcade machines!
Did you know three of the Winchester Military Museums offer free entry/ The good news is that the other three offer family entry for under £10! The Royal Green Jackets (Rifles) Museum, The Gurkha Museum and HorsePower, The Museum of The King’s Royal Hussars!
Red Funnel FerriesFamily fun in the Isle of Wight for under £30
The Isle of Wight is the perfect place to get out in the great outdoors with so many fun activities. Enjoy sailing, paddleboarding, kayaking and horse riding. Plus, there’s endless choice of free walking and cycling routes from easy to challenging terrain. Children under 5 travel free with Wigthlink, Red Funnel and Hovertravel.
Carisbrooke Castle offers far reaching panoramic views as well as a day uncovering history. walk around the castle battlements, gardens and grounds and meet the famous Carisbrooke donkeys.
Sandham Gardens offer a great value day out as you only pay to park your car and for the activities you take part in. Wizz around the track in Sandham Karts or head to Dino Islands for a crazy golf adventure. Plus there are beautiful views over Sandham beach!
The Needles Landmark Attraction offers individual activities for under £30. Visit the world famous Needles chairlift from the cliff-top above Alum Bay down to the beach below! With many rides and experiences such as the 4d cinema, teacup ride and carousel, why not purchase 12 tickets for the cost of £9. Please note a car park charge applies from 1st April to the 29th October.
For any dino and fossil mad children and adults alike, head to Dinosaur Isle for a family admission under £20. With the Isle of Wight being the richest dinosaur locality in Europe, what will you uncover?
Free places for children
Along with the many cheap days out in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight for under £30. Lot’s of attractions offer free childs places!
God’s House TowerAttractions that Under 14/15/16’s go free: God’s House Tower, The Gurkha Museum, HorsePower, The Museum of The King’s Royal Hussars, The Royal Green Jackets (Rifles) Museum, Thruxton race meetings and special events, Winchester Cathedral.
Under 6’s go free: Chawton House and Jane Austens House
Under 5’s go free: Army Flying Museum, Beaulieu, The Brickworks Museum, Bucklers Hard Museum and River Cruise, Carisbrooke Castle, Chawton House, D-Day museum, Exbury Gardens, Gilbert Whites House, Hillier Gardens, Hovertravel, Milestones Museum, Mottisfont, Osborne House, Portchester Castle, Red Funnel Ferries, SeaCity Museum, Tudor House, Wightlink and 878 AD.
Free tickets for Under 4’s: Hawk Conservancy Trust
Free tickets for Under 3’s: Birdworld, Butser Farm, Dinosaur Isle, Longdown Activity Farm, Manor Farm, Marwell Zoo, New Forest Wildlife Park, Staunton Farm and Spinnaker Tower and Under 2’s go free at Tapnell Farm!
Tapnell FarmWe hope you’ve found your favourite cheap days out in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight for under £30! Are you looking forward to enjoying time with the family knowing it’s budget-friendly?
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