Weekend in Portsmouth

A small free museum covering Portsmouth’s history from Roman times to the Royal Navy. Highlights include the life-size model of a 19th-century street and the temporary exhibition s

Tip: The museum has a free cloakroom and a tiny cafe with cheap tea. Go straight to the top floor first — the permanent display on the Blitz is more interesting than the ground floor timeline.

A huge open park along the seafront. Perfect for picnics, frisbee, or walking the promenade past the D-Day Story museum (free to see the sculpture garden). The grass is well-kept,

Tip: Park at Clarence Pier (pay-and-display, £2 for 2 hours) or come by bus (number 1 from city centre). The best bits are the rock pools at low tide near the Hot Walls — bring old shoes.

A freshwater lake with pedalos for hire (cheap, around £4 for 20 minutes) and a free skate park next door. Kids feed the ducks, and there’s a small beach area. The lake is surrounded by a flat path go

Tip: Buy a bag of duck food from the kiosk for 50p rather than bread (healthier for birds). The skate park is best for beginners — avoid weekends when it gets busy with local teenagers.

While many attractions here are ticketed, you can explore the Historic Dockyard’s outdoor areas for free: see HMS Victory from the water, watch naval vessels come and go, and read the interpretive boa

Tip: Arrive by 10am on weekdays to get a parking spot in Gunwharf Quays (cheap early hours) then walk the 10 minutes along the sea wall. Skip the on-site paid museum unless you have a whole day.

Portsmouth’s tallest landmark. The basic ticket to the main viewing deck costs around £9 for adults, but you can get a 25% discount by booking online. Stand on the glass floor 100m up and watch ferrie

Tip: Visit 30 minutes before sunset to see both daylight and the lights on the Isle of Wight. The cafe on the first floor has no entrance fee if you just want the view from the ground floor windows.