Southsea is perfect in the Summer and we even get lots of tourists coming here to visit and explore the seafront!
I know at this moment in time people are really struggling as the cost of living crisis continues. Anyone who got a good mortgage deal might be dreading their renewal and everything seems to cost so much more these days!
The great thing is we live in a very culturally rich area which means you can have a great time without spending too many pennies or even visiting places for free.
There are always events happening on the common from Beach Dubbing to the Kite Festival so keep looking out for what is popping up over the Summer.
Here are some great ideas for you to enjoy that won’t break the bank!
Visit the National History Museum at Cumberland House
You don’t have to be a kid to walk around this place and enjoy all that is on offer. There are some great things to see and do here. Just seeing the Geology gallery that shows life in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight from the Cretaceous to the Paleogene a time period spanning over 130 million years is enough for me to go wow! Free entry and you can walk around Canoe Lake afterwards with an ice cream!
Visit the new Upside Down House on the Seafront!
This new attraction is a cool addition to Clarence Pier! The UK’s first inverted photo experience is a unique attraction and a great place to take incredible pictures! Visitors capture many memorable and surreal photos and videos they flip upside down which they share on their socials and messaging platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and WhatsApp. It is an experience to share in real-time with friends and family. Grown-ups will enjoy this just as much as kids. Priced at £5.00 PP.
Visit the Tenth Hole Pitch And Putt
Grab a friend and head to The Tenth Hole. It has a 9-hole pitch and putt and is officially named a ‘Links course’ meaning ‘by the sea’ and, as such, the course offers a more challenging environment, due to its exposure to the elements. The course ranges from 50 to 91 metres holes. Prices are £5.00 PP. You could visit the cafe afterwards for one of their many cakes on display.
Visit Sun’s Noodles Bar Next to Portsmouth Train Station
No word of a lie the food here is fab! Quickly growing a reputation for being delicious and reasonably priced (Check out the reviews), this place offers a huge bowl of noodles for £9.80 and means you can share with your plus one! Already a favourite spot to visit.
Grab Cool Stickers From The Corner Collective
The Corner Collective sell stickers from street artists across the UK. With packs available from Irony who hand finishes each sticker to Fark who has his signatory pack including his resident seagull and newly introduced puffin. Prices start at £10.
Have a skate, shake some moves in your roller boots or whizz by on a scooter. The Pitt St Skatepark Is located at the old Sainsbury’s site and not strictly Southsea but just a short walk and has really taken shape since last year. There is now a cool cafe that serves up Madri on draught along with a pretty decent pool table so you can pop down and join in the scene. A full session is £10 or if you arrive 2 hrs in you can pay £5.00 pp.
Try out The Southsea Food Festival
For a tenner, you can tempt your tastebuds with one of many independent food stands that will be at this year’s festival.
Portsmouth’s ultimate family foodie event returns on 15 and 16 July, with stalls from some of the best food and drink producers in the area.
There will be scores of food and drink stalls along Palmerston, Clarendon and Osborne Roads, as well as Avenue de Caen. A whole host of local restaurants and businesses will be displaying their wares, offering food from the South Coast that takes inspiration from far-flung corners of the world.
Ferry Across To Hayling Island
A fun way to cross over from our island to Hayling. Bikes are free and for £6.00 for a return, it is a nice potter out. You can now catch the number 25 Skipper that will take you there directly if you want to be car-free all the way!
Attend a Local Theatre Production and Support Local Actors
The end of June sees three nights of ‘Moments’ and promises to bring us a dynamic mix of work from Portsmouth-based writers. Over an hour and a half, the audience will be treated to not one but 12 short plays – six solo performances and six two-handers. Check out the Facebook Event here. For £8.00 this is a nice evening to spend out in the Aspex Gallery.
Head On Over To Gosport by Ferry
For the price of £4.80 return, you can head on over to Gosport and visit the Yellow Edge Gallery. This is such a rich gallery that has endless exhibitions on. The next exhibition starts on the 8th of July and is their Summer Show.
Visit the Southsea Model Village
