If you want to go further afield why not take a ferry to the small town of Hythe across Southampton Water and visit the market on Tuesdays. A trip on the Hythe Ferry is probably one of the best views of the Queen Mary 2 & Queen Elizabeth 2 when in their Southampton home berth, as the ferry sails right past the berth.
Maritime Museum
Near the waterfront, the Wool House , built in the 14th century as a warehouse for the wool trade, is now the home of the Maritime Museum. A series of special exhibits on the great liners will help you discover the history of the docks. There is a magnificent docks model built by Southern Railway for the 1939 New York World's fair, and the Titanic Voices exhibition showing the impact of Titanic's fated maiden voyage on the people of Southampton.
Ocean Village
Ocean Village, home to the BT Global Challenge, is one of the UK's biggest marina developments and is located just a short distance from the city centre. If you would like to view the ships from the water, there are tours around the harbour leaving from Ocean Village, lasting from one to three hours, so that you can explore Southampton from the water.
Old Town
The city's prosperity during the medieval period is reflected by the town walls, towers and and other buildings in the Old Town such as the Wool House, Tudor House Museum, and St Michael’s Church. About half of the original one-mile circuit of town walls still survives, with 13 of the original 29 towers and six of the eight gates still standing.
Solent Sky (Hall of Aviation)
This museum located near Ocean Village, is dedicated to telling the incredible story of aviation in the Solent area. At the museum many of the planes that made Southampton famous are on display. You can see the streamlined seaplane that competed in the 1929 Schneider Trophy, go on board one of the great Sandringham Flying Boats, or sit at the controls of a jet fighter which held the air speed record. The Spitfire, Britain's most famous fighter plane was designed by R J Mitchell and built locally, and you can see one of the last and fastest, along with many other aircraft of local interest.
Southampton Art Gallery
Southampton Art Gallery has the finest collection of 20th century art outside London and regularly holds major exhibitions.
Southampton Football Club
See Southampton play at St Mary's Stadium - receive a 10% discount on match tickets when you book your accommodation with Jurys Inn Southampton. Please contact the hotel directly after booking for details of how to claim your discount. Visit the Southampton Football Club website.
The Common
The huge 326 acre Common, just a short walk from the city centre, is a haven for flora and fauna and has been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest. The Hawthorns Urban Wildlife Centre, based on The Common, gives visitors the opportunity to learn about the local ecology and wildlife. The rest of the Common is home to an abandoned race course and the site of the gallows, the Victorian lake and the country's deepest artesian well.
