Beaulieu
(tel 01590 612123)
(open all year)
Within the picturesque village of Beaulieu lies one of the area's most popular attractions - the Beaulieu Estate owned by the Montagu family. The main draw is the National Motor Museum featuring over 200 classic cars, buses and motorcycles. There is plenty for children to enjoy from rides on a 1912 London bus to the entertaining Wheels - a ride-through display which takes you through one hundred years of motoring. The Palace House, formerly the Abbey's gatehouse and presently the Montagu's family home, is a fine old mansion situated in pleasant gardens and lakeside parkland. An exhibition of monastic life is housed within the undercroft of the Cistercian Abbey, which stood here from 1204 until the Reformation.

Bucklers Hard
(tel 01590 616203)
(open all year)
A restored hamlet of 18th century shipwright's cottages, now part of the Montagu Estate, situated two and a half miles downstream from Beaulieu. This was once a major shipyard overseen by Henry Adams, the master builder, where many ships were built using New Forest Oaks. Its shipbuilding history can be traced in the Maritime Museum.

Exbury Gardens, near Beaulieu
(tel 02380 891203)
(open daily end Feb - end Nov)
Created by Lionel de Rothschild in the 1920s, Exbury Gardens are famous for their beautiful displays of rhododendrons, camellias and azaleas. The two-hundred acre woodland gardens also feature a rock garden, heather garden and river walk along the banks of Beaulieu.

Jane Austen's House, Chawton
(tel 01420 83262)
(open daily Mar-Dec, weekends Jan/Feb)
Jane Austen's home between 1809 and 1817. These were her most prolific years during which she wrote and revised many of her books. Rooms within the 17th century red-brick house are furnished in period style and contain some first editions of her works.

Marwell Zoological Park, Colden Common
(tel 01962 777407)
(open daily all year)
Conservation-minded zoo in acres of parkland with good viewing areas, where the animals are given space to roam around. Children can enjoy handling some of the animals in the summer holidays. Pleasant picnic areas, adventure playground and handy road train to take you around help make this a good family day out.
Special Offer - family ticket for 2 adults and 2 children only £25 (excl. Bank Holidays), to 31 January 2002.

Mid-Hants Watercress Line, Alresford
(tel 01962 733810)
(open Feb - Oct & Santa specials in Dec)
This steam-powered train passes through ten miles of lovely countryside, where once watercress beds flourished, between Alresford and Alton. Popular Thomas the Tank Engine weeks are held at Easter and in August. Also gourmet dinner trips on Saturday evenings and traditional Sunday lunch excursions are offered.

Milestones Living History Museum, Basingstoke
(tel 01256 477766)
(open Tue-Sun all year & BH Mons)
New social history museum depicting local life since Victorian times. A network of streets and buildings including toy shops and hat shops, factories, railway station, fire station, pub and brewery are housed within a huge glass-building to recreate a small town where it never rains! Staff dressed in period style, interactive exhibits including a working post-office for under-5s, and an old-fashioned photographer's studio add to the charm and enjoyment.

New Forest Pony at Beaulieu

Buckler's Hard

Portsmouth

A major harbour redevelopment programme has created several interesting new places to visit based around its rich naval heritage, with a new six-mile Millennium Promenade linking the Old Town and Historic Dockyard.

HM Naval Base
(tel 023 9283 0999)
Portsmouth's main attraction is home to HMS Victory, the Mary Rose, the fully restored HMS Warrior and the Royal Naval Museum. Also on display are fascinating discoveries made following the raising of the Mary Rose from the Solent after 437 years.

Sea Life Centre
(tel 023 9273 4461)
A very high-tech sea life centre featuring many multi-sensory experiences including an encounter with a shark! There's also an indoor soft play area. Great for children.

Winchester

Winchester, where Egbert was crowned first king of England in AD 827, served as the capital of England for more than four centuries. It was here that William the Conqueror commissioned local monks to prepare the Domesday Book. Today it is a peaceful market town, home to a magnificent cathedral and fascinating medieval city centre. Behind the cathedral lies the Close, which contains the Deanery, Dome Alley and Cheyney Court. King's Gate is one of the original city wall gates, built in the 13th century, over which is St Swithun's Church. The Great Hall was once part of the city's Norman castle, where visitors can see 'King Arthur's Round Table', a table, in fact, painted by order of Henry, dating back to the 13th century.

City Museum, The Square
(tel 01962 863064)
(open daily all year excl Mon, Oct - Mar)
Interesting displays including Roman mosaics and recreated Victorian shop-fronts illustrate the city's rich history.

City Mill, Bridge Street
(tel 01962 870057) NT
(open weekends Mar, Wed-Sun & BH Mon, Apr - Oct)
Restored 18th century working water mill.

Winchester Cathedral
(tel 01962 853137)
(open daily all year)
This is one of Europe's finest cathedrals featuring the longest Gothic nave and some of the best-surviving examples of Norman architecture. The Norman crypt is open only in the summer as it is flooded for much of the winter. Within the crypt stands a sculpture by Anthony Gormley, (known for his 'Angel of the North'), and 14th century statues of William of Wykeham and St Swithun.

Winchester College
(tel 01962 621209)
(open daily Apr - Sep)
One of England's oldest public schools established in 1382 by William of Wykeham for poor pupils. The grand 14th century chapel is open all year, while the cloisters and chantry can be visited during term time. One-hour guided tours run from April to September.

For further information on attractions in Hampshire and the New Forest, go to the Discover Hampshire website or www.thenewforest.co.uk.