Portsmouth and Bath tips

How many nights will you be in Bath? It's one of my favorite locations!

Here are some things I enjoy:
Roman Baths and Pump Room
Bath Abbey
Number 1 Royal Crescent
viewing exteriors of the Royal Crescent and the Circus
Holburne Museum
Prior Park Landscape Garden
Parade Gardens (you can get a really good look at the weir from here)
Walking the path beside the Avon and the Kennet and Avon Canal
Victoria Art Gallery
A walking tour - the Mayor's office has a free one but the times I've seen the group it's been huge but that was before Covid. I've taken a walking tour with a private guide as well as thru the Jane Austen Centre (during the JA Festival in September).
**Herschel Museum of Astronomy - I've not done this but it's on my list for next time, lol.

Not worth it:
Jane Austen Centre - She did not live here and they have nothing original of hers in the Centre. I did enjoy a walking tour they offered. Not sure if they do them when it's not the JA Festival in September.

There are tours by a company called Mad Max that can take you to the Cotswolds if you decide you don't want to drive it on your own.

One can spend the better part of a day at the dockyard as there is a lot to see.

Places I have bookmarked to see in the Portsmouth area are Portchester Castle, Titchfield Abbey, Winchester Cathedral, Tangmere Military Aviation Museum, Arundel Castle, and Goodwood Aerodrome (to see Spitfires). As a novelty site, English Martyrs Catholic Church in Worthing for its reproduction Sistine Chapel ceiling. Checking operating hours prior to going as a couple of my listed places are temporarily closed.

We are flexible on our time. If we spend two nights in Portsmouth the would spend 4 or 5 nights in Bath.

I agree that you should plan to spend most of the day at the dockyard in Portsmouth. There is so much to see. I think I was there a good six or seven hours.

For Bath, take one of the free walking tours offered by the Mayor of Bath's Honorary Guides

Just me, but I don't think Bath deserves 4-5 nights at the expense of Portsmouth. One consideration, is your larger itinerary, will you be other places before Portsmouth? Or fresh off a Transatlantic flight? Plans after Bath?

But for Portsmouth, I would stay right in central Portsmouth. Does not sound quaint, but the Holiday Inn Express at Gunwharf Quay is ideally situated. You can certainly look for other places, but this area is where you want to be. Right near there is a modern shopping area with shops and restaurants, a short walk to old Portsmouth and the Dockyards, and lots of pubs and restaurants within easy walking.

As for sights, The Dockyards is the main thing. Buy what is essentially a yearly pass, it will allow you to visit all attractions over a couple days. The highlights are the HMS Victory, The Mary Rose Museum, The HMS Warrior, The Submarine museum over in Gosport, and more. There is also a nice D-Day museum, with a pleasant beach nearby. You literally can not do all just all of the Dockyards in a day, maybe even two, then add on other sights.

I agree with Jamieelsabio’s assessment of Portsmouth. We took about 3 hours at the WWII museum and two full days (we walk slowly, but still) at the Dockyards and another day or two for the rest. We stayed in an Airbnb, but there was a well-located Premier Inn nearby. We took a day trip in the Cotswolds from Bath, as you plan, but honestly I wouldn’t recommend it if you have any other options. It was a lot of driving and a little time in 3 or 4 spots. We had a driver instead of taking MadMax. Maybe that would have been better.

We will be getting off a cruise ship in Southampton and driving to Portsmouth. so we should be over our travel fatigue. I am particularly interested in nautical things and WW2 sites, so I agree that it makes sense to spend more time in Portsmouth. The spouse isn't quite as interested as I am though. Has anyone taken the Hovercraft to the Isle of Wight? It might be a way of breaking up the boat/war museum/sites. Any suggestions on what to see or do for a few hours on the Isle of Wight.

Ooh, driving from Portsmouth to Bath, and a WW2 buff...Then you must simply reorganize your plans right now, and plan a half day visiting The Tank Museum. Simply the best tank museum in the world. Located a bit out of the way, on the other side of Poole, near Bovington. Search on YouTube, they have tons of videos, they actually garner a significant portion of their revenue off YouTube, but if you can swing it, you won't be sorry. Apologies to your wife.

Paul is absolutely right about the tank museum (haven't been myself but know a WW2 history fan who loves it). For Isle of Wight, my top recommendation is definitely Osbourne House- the country retreat of Queen Victoria and Albert- a very personal home and beautiful grounds for walking.

another vote for the Holiday Inn Express at Gunwharf Quay - convenient with a car (but not free unless parking in a disabled bay outside) - and they even gave us ice cream when we checked in. If you use a lot of electronics take an extension cord - all the plugs are across the room. Interesting design, good folks. Very very convenient.

EDIT:

I didn't mean to say it is convenient only with a car, it is also a matter of feet from the Portsmouth and Southsea train station, a convenient for loads of things around including the ferries and hovercraft to the Isle of Wight and cruises, but also the city and the Shipyard. Everything you'd go to Portsmouth for. Oh, and Gunwharf Quay with all the shopping and restaurants and the Spinnaker ride way up into the sky.

I am particularly interested in nautical things and WW2 sites,

In that case you may be interested in the tiny village of Southwick, just outside Portsmouth. It was where the D-Day operation was planned and operated from. You can enjoy a pint and a meal (highly recommended) in the Golden Lion which was the pub where Churchill and Eisenhower frequently retired to. Southwick House was Eisenhower's headquarters during the D-Day preparations (the estate is now a military and police training establishment) however the location has a long history:

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/southwick-priory/history/

Also worth a visit is Portchester Castle:

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/portchester-castle/

I also highly recommend Fort Nelson which is part of the Royal Armouries. They have an excellent collection of military hardware and the fort is fascinating to explore. To top it all off entry is free:

https://royalarmouries.org/fort-nelson

As for taking the hovercraft over to the Isle of Wight I thoroughly recommend doing so. Once at Ryde you can take the bus all over the island. I recommend Osborne House, Queen Victoria's holiday home:

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/osborne/

The excellent Carisbrooke Castle (you can even stay overnight):

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/carisbrooke-castle/

And The Needles and the Old Battery and New Battery, a location for secret rocket tests during the cold war:

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/isle-of-wight/the-needles-old-battery-and-new-battery/history-of-needles-old-battery-and-new-battery

This is just a snippet of worthwhile sites in the area and I would recommend spending more time in and around Portsmouth as opposed to Bath. I'd even go as far as suggesting leaving out the Cotswolds, there is just as nice scenery and pleasant little villages in the South Downs alone not to mention the New Forest and accompanying villages.

You do realise that Southampton to Portsmouth can easily be done by train as can Portsmouth to Salisbury (see the cathedral) with a shuttle bus up to Stonehenge. (Stay overnight in Salisbury)? Then train to Bath from Salisbury. This would save you the hassle of finding parking and driving on busy roads.
https://www.thestonehengetour.info/bus-timetable/
https://www.salisburycathedral.org.uk

The Mary Rose Museum in Portsmouth may be the most uniquely designed museum I've ever been to. It was the highlight of our day. If youre interested in Roman History, Fishbourne Palace is about a half hour drive from Portsmouth.

Wow, lots of good information. Changing our plans now. We haven't yet booked a return flight so we can still be flexible. Now thinking about 5 nights in Portsmouth (likely at the Holiday Inn Gunwharf). That would give us 4 1/2 days to see most of what is recommended. The ultimate Explorer pass looks like the way to go. We are hoping to do a Normandy tour next year so this would be a great opportunity to see this side of the invasion. The car seems like a necessity if we want to do any sightseeing away from the major sights.
We still plan to go to Bath but not sure how long we will be there. One of many things of interest in Bath to me is the Narrowboats. I have thought about doing that for several years. We won't do it this trip, but I can at least get a look at it. Farther north seems to be the place for that, but, that is a different trip.

Okay, I think we are getting close to committing. Four nights in Portsmouth (one full day at Isle of Wight), Drive to Bovington for the tank Museum (1 1/2 to 2 hour drive according to google maps), Bovington to Bath (another 1 1/2 to 2 hour drive), 3 nights in Bath, 2 or 3 nights in Cotswold somewhere (maybe Chipping Campden) driving around the country side (Blenheim Palace is on the agenda). We then have to make it to Heathrow for a 1725 flight. Any suggestions appreciated. Also is it reasonable to drive from the norther part of the Cotswolds to Heathrow in a couple of hours? Im the type that would rather be 2 hours early instead of 5 minutes late.

remind me which day of the week the run around the Cotswolds and then to Heathrow to take the car back and be at the check in by 2 o'clock is please?

while waiting for that answer, the direct route from Chipping Campden is via Stow on the Wold and down to Burford. Join the A40 there towards Oxford, then M40 to M25 to M4, then it depends which terminal you need and whose rental car you are driving.

That's at least 2 hours depending on the answers to the previous question, adding any rest stops or stops for breakfast and lunch.

Stow on the Wold you may have already seen and can stay on the road, Burford you may not have and it is a lovely town on a hill up from the river, plenty to see there.

There are road works between Witney and the Oxford ring road which slow things down depending on the previous answer, and you'll need to be careful following the signs, watch out for speed cameras in the road works.

Just before you join the M40 there is a quite nice roadside service area called Oxford Services, good for a pit stop.

The M40 is usually pretty good, depending on day and time, but the M25 can be a crawl-fest. You have to obey the variable speed limits but often that's not a problem. It is always tied up between the M40 and the M4.

More details of the end of the run when I know where you have to go. Be advised of construction on the M4 and zillions of speed cameras.

If the M40 is a basket case after High Wycombe or if there is an accident on the M25 between the M40 and M4, there is a possible diversion via the A404/A404(M) and further out on the M4, but considering how crammed the M4 can get only choose that if necessary.

I have seen Bath a number of times and don't see how you would fill 4 or 5 days there. The Roman Bath have been vastly improved since I first saw them in 1990. They are a definite. I can recommend lots of things in the area, but not in Bath itself. Portsmouth has lots of things and more on WWII in the area. Bath will have little. Maybe switches the nights - Bath 2 nights and 4 or 5 in Portsmouth area.

We are flying out on Monday the 12th of May. Thanks for the info on the routes and the roadside service. Is it difficult in rural areas to come across gas stations? We will be returning the car to Alamo at LHR.
Do the speed cameras get you if you are just barely over the speed limit or is there usually a little leeway?
We may shorten the time in Bath, but I do want to take a look at the narrow boats for a future trip, also Bristol looks like I could spend a day visiting.
Thanks all. I have not booked rooms yet but getting close so still trying to figure out how long in each place.

In rural areas there may be gaps between petrol (British for gas) stations but not more than about 5 miles or so max in southern England. But, it’s usually cheaper, and sometimes much cheaper To buy fuel at supermarkets. Fuel prices at motorway service areas are usually outrageously high.

I’ve never heard of anyone getting a speeding ticket for doing less than the speed limit plus 10% (77mph or less on a 70mph limit road) But getting a ticket when driving a hire car is typically a pain as the hire firm will often add a hefty “administration fee” to the fine for posting the ticket on to you.

From Bath, if you want to get an up close look at narrow boats, I would suggest popping over to Bradford upon Avon seven or eight miles east of Bath. The Kennet and Avon canal runs right through it. Many narrow boats dock there and there is a walking path alongside. You can get an up close and personal look at them and chat with the live aboards.

Better yet, venture 20 miles east of Bath and visit the Caen Hill Locks. This historic flight of twenty nine locks is graced with a beautiful walking path and lovely lock side cafe. Any narrowboat transiting the locks will be extremely grateful should you want to help operating the lock mechanisms, as they are all manual. I know I still remember the man from Chippenham that was gracious enough to crank a few locks open when I attempted it with my husband and daughter. It was a brutal but memorable day. Cheers.

Wow! That isn't far out of our way, so will give it a go. Hoping to do the narrowboat thing next year. Not sure which part of the UK, but will likely avoid the 29 locks. Thanks for the tip.