Heathrow Airport 2 hr 43
Portchester Castle (1 hr 45)
Commanding castle crucial to Solent defences for centuries, with audio-tours and picnic space. Palace House (1 hr 39)
Private 13th-century country manor with Victorian interiors, offering tours, exhibits & a gallery. Southsea Castle (1 hr 34)
Naval and archaeological exhibits plus interactive schools' tours in Henry VIII's moated castle. Amazon World Zoo (25 min)
Conservation-minded venue with over 200 species including tropical birds and meerkats. National Motor Museum, Beaulieu (1 hr 40)
250-plus vehicles and World of Top Gear, plus each ticket gives access to Abbey and Palace House. HMS Victory (1 hr 30)
Museum within the world's oldest commissioned warship which gained fame at the Battle of Trafalgar. Isle of Wight Steam Railway (22 min)
Outfit preserving railway history via exhibits, train stations & rides on steam-powered locomotives. Osborne (21 min)
Italian-inspired mansion amid lush gardens and filled with Victoria and Albert's former possessions. Portsmouth Historic Dockyard (1 hr 30)
Nelson's HMS Victory plus HMS Warrior and the Mary Rose Museum, with simulators and harbour tours. Exbury Gardens & Steam Railway (1 hr 46)
Expansive woodland gardens with abundant rhododendrons and azaleas, plus steam train rides. Mary Rose Museum (1 hr 34)
Museum for 16th-century Tudor warship, & King Henry VIII's favourite, built in 1510 & sunk in 1545. Robin Hill (22 min)
Family rides, tractor train, nature trails, falconry and events, plus a woodland tree house. Spinnaker Tower (1 hr 29)
Landmark tower with an on-site cafe and a glass-floored platform overlooking Portsmouth harbour. Carisbrooke Castle (19 min)
Fine medieval castle and museum, where Charles I was imprisoned by Cromwell's Roundheads. SeaCity Museum (52 min)
Hands-on venue exploring shipping and the sea, with cafe, education zone and gift shop. | 
