The underrated, buzzing seaside city that is one of the best day trips from London

The final bank holiday of the spring/summer is upon us. If none of the fantastic things happening in London over the long weekend take your fancy, why not plan a last-minute day trip out of the city? We’re spoiled for choice when it comes to great places within easy reach of London. There are artsy towns, historic cities, gorgeous seaside destinations and hidden foodie havens. And there’s one place that rolls all of those things into one – Southampton. 

The great maritime city takes a little over an hour to get to on the train London Waterloo, with single tickets starting at around £18 during super off-peak times. There’s a ton of historical sites to see once you get there – like Tudor House and Garden (pictured below), a 15th century building that became the city’s first ever museum in 1912, the 12th century town walls, which are some of the best preserved in the whole of the UK, or the Solent Sky Museum, which guides visitor through the city’s history of aviation. There’s also the fascinating SeaCity Museum, an interactive attraction telling the story of the Titanic (which set off on its final journey from Southampton Docks). 

For a bit of culture, head to the 90-year-old Mayflower Theatre a short walk from the station. Les Misérables has been here, as has Hairspray and West Side Story. It also attracts major music and comedy acts, with Kate Bush, Rolling Stones, Jimmy Carr and Ricky Gervais all having graced the stage. For art, make a beeline for Southampton City Art Gallery, where you’ll find a wide array of European and Renaissance work, and John Hansard Gallery, home to an internationally recognised collection of contemporary art. 

And to keep you fuelled on your day out, we recommend Spanish tapas overlooking the river at La Regata, deli dining at The Pig in the Wall (from The Pig hotel group), a big dirty burger at 7Bone, a wholesome vegan meal at Cafe Thrive or a pint and pub grub (and live music) at Dancing Man Brewery on the Town Quay. 

When you’ve had enough, you can always head to one of our other favourite places for a day trip nearby – New Forest Wildlife Park. The Bluestar 6 bus will pick you up from Southampton and take you on a scenic tour of the Forest. Two birds, one stone. 

Discover Time Out’s favourite day trips from London here. 

UK August bank holiday travel disruption: all the major motorway closures and train cancellations to watch out for this weekend. 

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