21 Best Sights in The South, England

The family seat of the marquesses of Bath, Longleat House is one of southern England's most famous stately homes, and possibly the most ambitiously, even eccentrically, commercialized, as evidenced by the presence of a drive-through safari park (open since 1966) with giraffes, gorillas, monkeys, rhinos, lions, tigers, and more (there are also walk-through and boat versions). A two-hour, first-come, first-served Safari Bus tour of the park is provided twice daily (£9), as well. The house, considered one of the finest remaining examples of High Elizabethan style, was largely completed in 1580 for more than £8,000, an astronomical sum at the time. It contains outstanding tapestries, paintings, porcelain, furniture, and one of England's largest private collections of books (more than 40,000 volumes housed in seven libraries). Notable period features include Victorian kitchens, painted ceilings, and an Elizabethan great hall with massive wooden beams and a minstrels' gallery. House visits are by one-hour guided tour for a specific time slot and are included with a House and Gardens ticket. In addition to 900 acres of parkland designed by Capability Brown, plus formal and pleasure gardens, the property has a miniature steam railway, a koala family, Britain's largest (and fairly fiendish) hedge maze, and animatronic dinosaurs (summer only). All this makes it extremely popular, particularly in summer and during school vacations. Book your tickets online before you visit. You can stay at one of seven cottages on-site (from £500).

Just outside Abbotsbury is one of the world's few remaining undisturbed brackish lagoons, a 25-acre wildlife haven and the only place in the world where you can walk through a colony of nesting mute swans. Originally tended by Benedictine monks as a source of meat in winter, the swans have remained for centuries, drawn by the lagoon's soft, moist eelgrass—a favorite food—and fresh water. Now some 600 swans build nests yearly in reeds provided by the swannery. Cygnets hatch between mid-May and late June. You can try hand-feeding the birds at noon and 4 pm daily. You can also try finding your way out of the county's largest willow maze (swan-shaped, naturally). A joint ticket is available with nearby Abbotsbury Tropical Gardens ( abbotsburygardens.co.uk).

Though managed separately, this museum is part of the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard and houses the Mary Rose, the former flagship of Henry VIII's navy and the world's only 16th-century warship on display. Built in dockyard more than 500 years ago, the ship sank in the harbor in 1545 and remained there until raised in 1982. An accompanying exhibition displays artifacts retrieved from the seabed ranging from the ship's large guns to personal possessions like surgeon's tools, tankards, bowls, nit combs (for removing lice), and games.

Still largely owned by the Crown, this national park consists of 150 square miles of woodland, heaths, grassland, bogs, and the remains of coppices and timber plantations established in the 17th to 19th century. It also encompasses a number of towns including Lyndhurst, the New Forest's administrative center. Residents have had grazing rights since the 12th century, and you can still encounter free-roaming cattle, and, most famously, the hardy New Forest ponies. An extensive network of trails makes it a wonderful place for biking, walking, and horseback riding.

Mysterious and ancient, Stonehenge has baffled archaeologists, not to mention the general public, for centuries. One of England's most visited monuments (attracting more than a million visitors a year) and a UNESCO World Heritage site, the circle of giant stones standing starkly against the wide sweep of Salisbury Plain still has the capacity to fascinate and move those who view it. Unattractive visitor facilities have been removed to better establish the stones in their original context of grass fields, other nearby monuments, and their original processional approach, the Avenue. Although you can no longer enter the stone circle itself (except by special arrangement; check website for further information), you can roam free over the surrounding landscape with its Neolithic earthworks, some of which predate the stones. To best experience the awe and mystery of Stonehenge, visit the circle in the early morning or in the evening, when the crowds have dispersed.

Stonehenge was begun as early as 3000 BC with the construction of a circular earthwork enclosure. The nearby Cursus, long rectangular earthwork banks, was created some 500 years before. The stone circle itself was completed in stages, beginning around 2500 BC with the inner circle of bluestones, and it continued to be changed and in use until around 1600 BC. The early inner circle was later surrounded by an outer circle of 30 sarsen stones, huge sandstone blocks weighing up to 25 tons, which are believed to have originated from the Marlborough Downs. Within these two circles was a horseshoe-shape group of sarsen trilithons (two large vertical stones supporting a third stone laid horizontally across it); within that was another horseshoe-shape grouping of bluestones. The sarsens used in the trilithons averaged 45 tons. Many of the huge stones were brought here from great distances before the invention of the wheel, and it's not certain what ancient form of transportation was used to move them. Every time a reconstruction of the journey has been attempted, it has failed. The labor involved in quarrying, transporting, and carving these stones is astonishing, all the more so when you realize that it was accomplished about the same time as the construction of Egypt's major pyramids. 

Stonehenge (the name derives from the Saxon term for "hanging stones") has been excavated several times over the centuries, but the primary reason for its erection remains unknown. It's fairly certain that it was a religious site, and that worship here involved the cycles of the sun; the alignment of the stones on the axis of the midsummer sunrise and midwinter sunset makes this clear. When viewed from the center of the stone circle, the sun rises adjacent to the Heel Stone at midsummer and sets between the stones of the tallest trilithon at midwinter. The Druids certainly had nothing to do with the construction: the monument had already been in existence for nearly 2,000 years by the time they appeared. Some historians have maintained that Stonehenge was a kind of Neolithic computer, with a sophisticated astronomical purpose—an observatory of sorts—though evidence from excavations in the early 20th century shows that it had once been used as a burial ground. Another possibility is that this Neolithic village was home to those who performed the religious rites at Stonehenge, where people gathered from far and wide to feast and worship.

Without direct access to the stones, it is not possible to closely examine their prehistoric carvings, some of which show axes and daggers. Bring a pair of binoculars to help make out the details on the monoliths. To fully engage your imagination or to get that magical photo, it's worth exploring all aspects of the site, both near and far. You can download a helpful, free audio guide in advance or on-site. An informative visitor center is located 1½ miles away (access to the stone circle is via a frequent shuttle), with parking, a café, branded merchandise, and an exhibition of prehistoric objects found on-site. A dramatic display using time-lapse photography puts you (virtually) in the center of the circle as the seasons change. Next to the visitor center are some re-created Neolithic huts that show how the people who built and used Stonehenge might have lived.  Visits are by timed admission slots only; reserve ahead if possible. Last admission is two hours before closing.

Laid out over 22 acres, these gardens contain more than 3,500 species of trees, plants, and shrubs. Thanks to a unique microclimate, subtropical flora from the Mediterranean, Antipodes, and South Africa flourish outdoors, with 272 varieties in bloom on New Year's Day. The impressive greenhouse includes banana trees and a waterfall; a café and children's playground; a gift shop selling plants and seeds; and a visitor center that puts the gardens into context. You can stay overnight on the grounds, in a three-bedroom Victorian cottage, in one of two luxury cabins, or in a small lodge. All lodgings include admission and after-hours access to the gardens.

The Avebury Stone Circles are put into context at the museum, an English Heritage attraction, where Neolithic and Bronze Age artifacts from the site make up one of the country's most important prehistoric archaeological collections. Charts, photos, and models relating to the excavation of Avebury by the archaeologist Alexander Keiller in the 1930s are also on display. Exhibits are divided between the 17th-century Stables Gallery, which contains stone axes, flint tools, pottery shards, and other finds from Keiller's excavations, and an activity area where kids can dress up in Bronze Age clothes. (At this writing, the Barn Gallery is closed.) You can also visit the gardens of Avebury Manor (a National Trust property; house closed at this writing) where Keiller lived.

With a ruined 13th-century abbey, a stately home, and an automobile museum, Beaulieu (the name means "beautiful place" in French) appeals to a range of visitors. Beaulieu Abbey was founded in 1204 by Cistercian monks on land given to them by King John. You can still see the ruins of the cloister and the herb garden, as well as two remaining buildings, one containing an exhibition re-creating daily life in the monastery. Palace House and Gardens incorporates the abbey's 14th-century gatehouse and has been the home of the Montagu family since they purchased it in 1538, after the dissolution of the monasteries (when the abbey was badly damaged). You can explore the drawing rooms, dining halls, fine family portraits, and lovely grounds. The father of the present Lord Montagu established the National Motor Museum, which traces the history of British motoring. The collection contains more than 280 classic cars and motorcycles, from late-19th-century vehicles to futuristic F1 racing cars, rally cars, and luxury cars, plus famous film cars like the flying Ford Anglia from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and James Bond's Aston Martin from No Time to Die. Other museum attractions include interactive experiences, the World of Top Gear exhibit devoted to the popular British TV show, and an exhibition devoted to the WW II secret agents of the Special Operations Executive who trained here. Rides are also offered in vehicles such as a monorail and a 1912 London bus. Admission is by prebooked time slot only.

With 7 miles of clean, sandy beaches tucked beneath its cliffs, Bournemouth is said to enjoy some of the country's warmest sea temperatures. You can descend to the seafront either by taking the zigzag paths through the public gardens near Bournemouth Pier (where there's a family-friendly amusement arcade) or by taking the three outdoor elevators from the cliffs. A handy Beach Check live map website tells you how crowded different areas are at any given time. If you're not tempted to swim, you can stroll along the nearby promenade. Sailing, windsurfing, and other water sports are also big here. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (fee); water sports. Best for: walking.

This restored 18th-century shipbuilding village, 2 miles south of Beaulieu, is home to a re-created Shipwright's Cottage along with a Shipwright School. Housed in a replica 18th-century timber workshop, the school offers courses in traditional shipbuilding techniques. The fascinating Maritime Museum traces the village's role in British history, including building Nelson's warships (the New Forest lost many of its trees during the 16th to 18th centuries when it served as the principal source of timber for British Navy ships). From Easter through October, you can sail down the privately owned Beaulieu River. The Master Builder's House Hotel has a bar and restaurant.

Here three galleries tell the absorbing story of the planning and preparation for the Allied invasion of Europe during WWII and the actual landings on D-Day—June 6, 1944—through an eclectic range of exhibits including maps, uniforms, and even the last surviving landing craft tank, as well as filmed testimonies from those who were there. The museum's centerpiece is the Overlord Embroidery ("Overlord" was the invasion's code name), a 272-foot-long embroidered cloth with 34 panels illustrating the history of the operation, from the Battle of Britain in 1940 to victory in Normandy in 1944.

Located in a former church, this compact private museum run by a paleontologist has an excellent collection of local fossils with more than 16,000 specimens dating back 200 million years. It also provides information on regional geology, how fossils develop, and guided fossil-hunting walks. There are more fossils for sale in the shop on the ground floor, along with minerals.

This museum, one of six sites that make up the National Museum of the Royal Navy, is located in a Georgian building used by the Royal Navy to store weapons and ammunition since 1771. It explores the history of warfare at sea with interactive touch-screen exhibits on naval armaments, from cannonballs to mines, missiles, torpedoes, and even a decommissioned nuclear bomb. The museum also tells the story of the local people who manufactured the weapons. It can be reached by water bus from the Historic Dockyard, 

This small but child-friendly aquarium has the usual up-close look at maritime creatures, from spider crabs to fish found in nearby Lyme Bay. Children love hand-feeding the gray mullets and getting up close to starfish, giant lobsters, and crabs.

A gabled and turreted Edwardian building on the site of local fossilist Mary Anning's former home, this lively museum is devoted to the town's maritime and domestic history, geology, local artists, writers (John Fowles was an honorary curator for a decade), and, of course, Anning herself and her fossils. The museum also leads fossil-hunting and local history walks throughout the year. Anning, who among other discoveries found the first complete plesiosaur skeleton in 1823, was a central character in the 2020 film Ammonite, shot largely in the town.

This visitor complex with a gallery, museum, and reference library devoted to the New Forest contains displays and activities related to the area's geology, history, wildlife, and culture. The museum is packed with quizzes and other interactive elements that keep children engaged. There's also a café. It's located by the main parking lot.

Here, an unrivaled collection of historic ships includes the HMS Warrior (1860), Britain's first iron-clad battleship, as well as the HMS Victory, which served as the flagship of Vice-Admiral Lord Nelson, Britain's most celebrated naval hero, at the Battle of Trafalgar (1805) and is still the ceremonial flagship of Britain's First Sea Lord. You can inspect the cramped gun decks, visit the cabin where Nelson met his officers, and stand on the spot where he was mortally wounded by a French sniper. There's also an interactive gallery that explores the ship's history and audio guides to take along during your visit.

The National Museum of the Royal Navy has extensive exhibits about Nelson and the Battle of Trafalgar, a fine collection of painted figureheads, and galleries of paintings and mementos recalling naval history from King Alfred to the present. Action Stations, an interactive attraction, gives insight into life in the modern Royal Navy and lets you test your sea legs with tasks such as piloting boats through gales. Boathouse 4 is a training center for traditional boatbuilding skills required to maintain and build wooden boats; it contains an exhibition that explores the role of smaller wooden boats in the Navy's history. HMS M.33 is one of just three British warships from World War I still in existence. You should allow one or two days to tour all the attractions in the Historic Dockyard. The entrance fee includes a boat ride around the harbor.

Here you can learn about submarine history and the rigors of life below the waves with the help of family-friendly interactive games. The highlight is a tour of the HMS Alliance, the only surviving World War II–era submarine in the United Kingdom, and the midget-class HMS X24, from the cramped living quarters to the engine rooms. Also on the large site is the first Royal Navy sub, Holland 1, built in 1901, and a Biber, a German WWII midget submarine. From Portsmouth Harbour, take the ferry to Gosport and walk along Millennium Promenade past the huge sundial clock. From April to October, an hourly free waterbus runs from Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.

Train enthusiasts love this largely volunteer-run railroad that makes 25-minute, 6-mile scenic trips, with steam (and some diesel) locomotives pulling vintage train carriages across the Isle of Purbeck—actually a peninsula. Trips begin from Norden in the center and go to the seaside town of Swanage via Corfe Castle. Small, pretty stations with flower baskets, painted signs, and water bowls for dogs add to the excursion's charm. Trains leave approximately every 80 minutes in low season (steam only), and every 45 minutes in high season (alternating steam and diesel).

This 10-mile-long scenic railroad line named for the area's watercress beds is reserved for steam locomotives and takes in both the highest station in southern England and several locomotive restoration workshops. It starts at Alresford (8 miles northeast of Winchester by A31 and B3046), where you'll find some antiques shops and Georgian houses, and runs to Alton.

Located atop the last of the city's fortified medieval gateways, this atmospheric museum was a debtor's prison for 150 years and now holds a motley assortment of items relating to Tudor and Stuart times. There's a stunning painted ceiling from 1554 (created to commemorate the wedding of Mary Tudor and Phillip II of Spain in the cathedral) as well as walls inscribed with 16th- through 18th-century graffiti by former prisoners. Child-size replicas of authentic 16th-century armor that can be tried on, as well as the opportunity to make brass rubbings, make it popular with kids. You can take in a panoramic view of Winchester from the roof.