Portsmouth is a city on the south coast of the UK. There are lots of things to do in Portsmouth. And it’s also close to lots of beautiful beaches and scenery. You can have an amazing holiday in this area. Here are Portsmouth’s top activities and beaches in 4 days.
Portsmouth is on the south coast of the UK. It’s well connected to the rest of the UK by road and also by train. You can easily get to Portsmouth by public transport and get around the city on foot or by public transport. However, to fully enjoy Portsmouth’s top activities and beaches in 4 days, it’s best if you have your own car. Some of the best beaches are best accessed by road, and having your own car will give you the freedom to explore at your own pace.
Portsmouth’s top activities in the city can be enjoyed at any time of the year. However, the beaches around Portsmouth are definitely best enjoyed in the summer. Although the summer months bring crowds and it’s a lot busier, the warmer weather makes the beaches even more beautiful. But be prepared for a bit of rain, even in the summer! But whatever the weather, there’s lots of great things to do in this area. Keep reading for my day by day guide to Portsmouth’s top activities and beaches in 4 days.
Day 1: Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, Spinnaker Tower and Gunwharf Quays
On day one of your trip exploring Portsmouth’s top activities and beaches in 4 days, I recommend spending the day in Portsmouth. There’s loads to do in the centre of Portsmouth for a whole day. And lots is within walking distance of each other, so you can park your car once and then walk between the various attractions.
Portsmouth Historic Dockyard
The Portsmouth Historic Dockyard is a great place to start your day in Portsmouth. There are lots of different things to do here, so you can easily fill a full day exploring everything this large open-air museum has to offer. I recommend buying the Ultimate Explorer ticket, which gives you free entry to all the different attractions.
Mary Rose Museum
The highlight of the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard for me was the Mary Rose Museum. The Mary Rose was a Tudor ship, that sank in a battle in the Solent in Tudor times. In the 1980s, the site of the shipwreck was discovered and it was decided to bring the wrecked ship to the surface. The remains of this Tudor ship is now in the Mary Rose museum in Portsmouth.
You can see the remains of the shop from multiple levels and angles in the museum. It’s really fascinating how the side of the ship that was mostly buried in the sand at the bottom of the sea is now on display and amazingly well preserved.
There are also more displays in the museum of the hundreds of items that were found around the Mary Rose at the bottom of the sea. Many of these give glimpses into what life would have been like on board this ship hundreds of years ago. There are remains of cannons and guns, and also surgeon’s tools. There’s even the skeleton of the ship’s dog.
Towards the end of the museum is a great 4D film that shows how the Mary Rose was discovered underwater and the huge effort to raise it to the surface. It’s a fascinating museum and you can easily spend a few hours here.
HMS Victory
Another highlight of the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard is HMS Victory. This ship is most famously known as Nelson’s ship in the Battle of Trafalgar. The ship has been preserved since the 18th century.
You can see the impressive ship from the outside, and also go on board. But be warned – it’s not very spacious once you get down to the lower levels of the ship! The ceilings are very low, and there are steep ladders and steps. But I still loved looking around. You could see how many guns and canons there were on this impressive warship. And you could really get a sense of how people lived in the 18th century when they were at war on this ship. It must have taken a lot of courage to go to war on a ship like this, without knowing if you’d return home safely.
HMS Warrior
Another ship you can go on board is HMS Warrior. HMS Warrior is slightly more modern than HMS Victory, having been in action in the mid 19th century. The big difference from HMS Victory is that HMS Warrior was steam powered. HMS Warrior is also iron hulled and armoured. You can go on board and see all the ropes and guns on deck. And you can also go down below on the ship to see the huge steam engines.
Other museums and galleries
As well as the big ships, there are several other interesting museums in the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. There’s the HMS Victory museum, which tells more about the famous HMS Victory ship and also about Nelson’s life and death. Upstairs in this museum is also a fascinating display of figureheads from various ships.
The National Museum of the Royal Navy tells the story of the history of the Royal Navy, up to the present day and the current work of the Royal Navy around the world. The Portsmouth Historic Dockyard is situated right next to current Royal Navy bases in Portsmouth. It’s fascinating to see the history of the Royal Navy, from the Tudor Mary Rose to HMS Victory, and the modern ships such as the aircraft carriers today.
Kids will enjoy Action Stations, which has a climbing wall and play area as well as other activities for children. And there’s also Boathouse 4, which has displays about ship building. And there are cafes as well. There really is a lot to do at the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.
Harbour boat tour
A great way to end your day at the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard is a harbour boat tour. These boat tours are offered as part of your Ultimate Explorer ticket for the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.
If the weather is nice, you can sit outside on the boat to enjoy the views. There’s a commentary throughout the boat trip, which tells you more about the area and the Naval history. You can often see current Navy ships here, and the commentary will tell you what type of ships they are and their role.
As well as the Navy ships and history, this is also a beautiful part of the world. There are harbours filled with yachts. And you can see HMS Warrior from the water as well. The harbour tours take about 50 minutes and it’s a really enjoyable end your time at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard before you head off to enjoy more of Portsmouth.
Spinnaker Tower
Just a 10 minute walk from the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard is one of Portsmouth’s most iconic landmarks. Spinnaker Tower is a 170 metre high observation tower. It’s in the shape of a sail of a yacht, hence the name spinnaker. It’s a really, beautiful impressive building right on the edge of the water.
You can go up Spinnaker Tower to enjoy the views. On a clear day, you can see across to the Isle of Wight and out to sea. The views from the top of Spinnaker Tower are really lovely.
If you’re feeling more adventurous, you can also book to abseil down Spinnaker Tower. A lot of people do this for charity. I’ve done it before, and it was completely terrifying – but once you’re safely on the ground, there’s a definite feeling of achievement! Abseiling needs to be organised and booked in advance. But you can just turn up to go up and down the tower in the lift – which is the much easier option!
Gunwharf Quays
The area around Spinnaker Tower has been redeveloped into a great shopping area known as Gunwharf Quays. There are lots of shops here if you want to do some shopping. But a real highlight for me is the restaurants here. There’s a selection of restaurants that line the sea front. In nice weather, you can sit outside in the sun and enjoy the views over the water as you eat and drink.
I went to a restaurant called Pho, which does Vietnamese food. The noodles were amazing, and the dragon fruit lemonade was great too. I really enjoyed siting here and relaxing in the sun after a long day exploring Portsmouth. It was the perfect way to end my first day exploring Portsmouth’s top activities and beaches in 4 days.
Day 2: Thorney Island and Hayling Island
On Day 2 of your trip exploring Portsmouth’s top activities and beaches in 4 days, I recommend heading out of the city of Portsmouth. There’s so much amazing scenery just a short drive from the city centre.
Thorney Island
The area of Chichester Harbour National Landscape is a really beautiful part of the south coast of the UK. There are lots of different walking trails around Chichester Harbour that take in this beautiful landscape.
The walk around Thorney Island is a great option for walking around Chichester Harbour. The path is easy to follow, as it hugs the coastline around the island. But make sure you check before you go whether the whole route will be open – Thorney Island is owned by the Ministry of Defence, and some of the path and gates can get closed.
I enjoyed the views across Chichester Harbour on this walk. It’s a really flat, easy walk. The walk around the whole island is about 8 miles, but you could always just walk a section of the path and then turn back if you’d prefer a shorter walk.
Make sure you keep a look out for wildlife as well. This is a great area for bird watching, with sea and wading birds found here. You can often spot seals here as well, in the water and also on the beaches.
Hayling Island
Just a short drive from Thorney Island and Portsmouth is Hayling Island. Hayling Island is connected to the mainland by a main road over a bridge, so it’s easy to drive to. There are lots of beaches on the south of Hayling Island, and lots of large car parks. You can park right next to the beach.
The beaches on Hayling Island are pebble beaches. There’s loads of space on the pebble beach. So even on a busy, sunny day in the summer, you can still find a more secluded patch of beach. I really enjoyed sitting on the beach in the sun.
You can also swim in the sea off Hayling Island. It’s maybe not the best place to take young children to swim in the sea. The pebbles are quite painful to walk on without shoes on. And the pebbles can descend quite quickly into the sea, meaning the sea can get deep very quickly – you can easily be in water past your waist in just a few steps. But for older children and adults, it’s a great place to swim. The waves are often gentle on calm weather days in the summer. And although the sea won’t be as warm as it is in the Mediterranean, it’s still a lovely place to go for a refreshing swim on a hot day.
Hayling Island has lots of family friendly attractions. There’s the Funland Amusement Park, which has a great selection of rides and places to get food and drink. There’s also a large area of arcade games here. And no trip to the seaside is complete without an ice cream! There are several places to get ice cream right next to the beach.
And of course, there are places to buy fish and chips as well. You can’t have a day at the seaside without eating fish and chips! You can get takeaway fish and chips to eat on the beach. Or you can head slightly inland or back towards Portsmouth for a great selection of pubs and restaurants for fish and chips.
Day 3: West Wittering beach and Chichester Harbour
On day 3 of your time at Portsmouth’s top activities and beaches in 4 days, there are more beaches to explore. One of the most beautiful sandy beaches on the south coast of the UK is just a short drive away from Portsmouth. West Wittering beach is a stunning sandy beach, with more views and walks around Chichester Harbour.
East Head
You can park at West Wittering beach for the day. There’s a huge car park in a field just behind the beach. But make sure you check online to see if you can book a space in advance – it’s best to book parking in advance if possible as the car park can get full on sunny days in the summer holidays.
From the car park you can walk along the beach to East Head. This area of land is owned and protected by the National Trust. It’s a beautiful, natural and unspoilt part of the coastline.
I loved the views of the sand dunes behind the beach. And the further you walk, the fewer people are there. So you can enjoy the wide expanse of white sand all to yourself.
And the views across the water out to sea were even better. I was lucky to visit on a really warm, sunny day so the blue water looked amazing in the sun. I loved seeing the white yachts glistening in the sun as they were anchored in the shimmering blue sea.
It really is such a beautiful, unspoilt part of the UK coast and I loved spending a few hours here. I could have walked along the beach even further, but I decided to head back to West Wittering beach to enjoy some beach time.
West Wittering Beach
West Wittering beach is one of the most popular beaches in the area. And it’s easy to see why. It’s a large beach, even at high tide. And the golden sand is just lovely. It’s the perfect beach for families, as it’s super safe and kids can enjoy playing in the sand.
There’s an area of the sea that has lifeguards, so it’s great to swim in the sea here. The gradient of the sand into the water is really gentle on West Wittering beach. So young children can play in the edge of the water. And if you want to swim, you have to walk out quite far for it to be deep enough. There are sandbanks in the sea as well, so you can often find the water getting shallower again far out.
I loved spending time on West Wittering beach. There’s a cafe and ice cream shop near the car park, as well as toilets. So you really can spend the whole day here on a sunny day. I loved it here, and West Wittering beach was definitely a highlight for me in my time exploring Portsmouth’s top activities and beaches in 4 days.
Day 4: Southsea Beach, Pier and Castle
On the last day of your trip exploring Portsmouth’s top activities and beaches in 4 days, I recommend heading back into Portsmouth city. On the very edge of the city is Southsea beach and pier. There’s also a castle here, and great views out to sea. I actually enjoyed it here a lot, and preferred the beach at Southsea to the beach at Hayling Island. So visiting Southsea was a great way to end my time exploring Portsmouth’s top activities and beaches in 4 days.
Southsea Castle
Start your day in Southsea with a brief visit to Southsea Castle The castle here dates back to the Tudor times, when Henry VIII built a castle here to help protect Portsmouth’s naval bases from attacks from across the Solent.
Southsea Castle is free to go in. It’s not a huge castle – there’s only one room inside. But it’s still an interesting place to visit. You can go inside to read more about the history of the castle and why it was built.
My favourite part of Southsea Castle was the views from the top of the castle walls. The black and white lighthouse was impressive, as well as the canons around the castle. It’s a nice place to spend half an hour or so. There’s a cafe and toilets here as well.
Southsea Beach
Southsea Beach is a short walk from Southsea Castle. It’s a really nice walk along the sea front on a wide path with stunning views out to sea.
Southsea Beach is a pebble beach, with a few sandy areas. There’s a pier as well. The views across the beach to the pier are just lovely. It’s another lovely beach near Portsmouth where you can relax in the sun and enjoy the seaside.
Southsea Pier
Southsea Pier is definitely worth a trip as well. There are places selling fish and chips and ice cream, so it’s the perfect place to stop for lunch. And there’s a good selection of arcade games on the pier as well, as well as some rides.
I really enjoyed the views from the pier out to sea and also back across the beach. The sea was so clear and blue, and looked amazing in the photos. I really enjoyed spending time on Southsea beach, and it was the perfect way to end my time exploring Portsmouth’s top activities and beaches in 4 days.
Extend your trip to the Isle of Wight
There are so many great things to do in Portsmouth, as well as beautiful beaches nearby. You can easily spend more than 4 days in this area. Or alternatively, you can head over to the nearby Isle of Wight to continue your seaside adventures. Portsmouth is very well connected to the Isle of Wight. There’s a fast passenger ferry and also a hovercraft that takes passengers into Ryde on the Isle of Wight. And there’s also a big car ferry that takes you from Portsmouth to Fishbourne on the Isle of Wight. The car ferry takes about 45 minutes to get to the Isle of Wight and has frequent departures throughout the day.
The ferry trip from Portsmouth to the Isle of Wight is a lovely journey. The ferry leaves from the centre of Portsmouth, very close to Spinnaker Tower. So you get amazing views back towards Portsmouth and Spinnaker Tower from the ferry. I really enjoyed the views from the ferry looking back to Portsmouth, and also looking ahead to the Isle of Wight.
The Isle of Wight has so many great places to visit. You can enjoy the views at the Needles, or walk some of the coast path around Compton Beach. There are beautiful beaches at Ryde, Shanklin and Sandown. And there are family friendly attractions as well, such as the Donkey Sanctuary, Wildheart Animal Sanctuary, Monkey Have and Godshill village. Check out my guides to the Isle of Wight, with the best itinerary for 5 days on the Isle of Wight, the top family attractions of the Isle of Wight, and also the top scenic spots on the Isle of Wight.
Hope you enjoyed my guide to Portsmouth’s top activities and beaches in 4 days! Make sure you also check out my guides to other amazing places on the coast of the UK, including the Isle of Wight, walks around Bournemouth and Poole, coastal walks around Sidmouth and Lyme Regis, and 4 days on the Jurassic Coast in Dorset.
