Chalets in New Forest

The world famous National Motor Historical Museum near Beaulieu is a fabulous attraction that showcases one of the world’s finest collections of incredible vintage motorcycles, cars and motoring memorabilia. Admire legendary Formula 1 cars as well as the pioneers of motoring in this extensive collection with the oldest car dating back to 1875! This wonderful motoring industry heritage museum is just 3 minutes from the centre of gorgeous historical Beaulieu, the perfect spot to lunch!

Pack a picnic to enjoy under a shady tree by the banks of the Beaulieu River! Be sure to explore the gorgeous, historical hamlet of Buckler’s Hard where the ships for Nelson’s Navy were once built. Discover the fascinating history of the village in the Maritime Museum and pop into the Shipwright’s Cottage for a peep into a bygone era. In summer you can enjoy a pleasant 30 minute cruise down the river! There is a delightful tea room called Captain’s Cabin where you can get a fine cream tea as a grand finale!

Exbury Gardens and Steam Railway is a fun destination for the whole family! Here you can admire a breathtaking variety of horticultural wonders as you stroll through 200 acres of landscaped woodland and formal and contemporary gardens. Hop on board the whimsical narrow gauge steam railway for a ride through the gardens departing from a quirky replica Victorian station! Visit in May to appreciate the splendour of the world famous collection of rhododendrons and azaleas in full bloom alongside thousands of beautiful spring bulbs in Daffodil Meadow. In autumn clever planting highlights the glorious colours of layered deciduous shrubs.

In the heart of The New Forest, just outside Lyndhurst lies the secluded Bolderwood Deer Sanctuary. Between August and September visitors can admire a beautiful group of over fifty majestic New Forest deer gathered in a large, tranquil meadow where the herd waits expectantly to be fed by a New Forest keeper. There is a viewing platform for enjoying this delightful sight and you will find a wonderful picnic area under majestic tall trees for the perfect picnic lunch! There are 3 lovely loop hikes in the area to further enjoy the beautiful scenery.

There is plenty of family fun and action in store at New Forest Water Park. Spend a few leisurely hours kayaking or enjoying stand up paddleboarding. Adventure junkies will love having a go at cable wakeboarding and the inflatable obstacle courses are an outrageous amount of fun. This lovely water park is close to Kingswood and Fordingbridge, an easy and scenic one hour drive from the New Forest National Park area. Fordingbridge is a gorgeous town with pretty streets, delightful architecture and lovely places to eat.

Hurst Castle offers visitors a fascinating opportunity to step back in time to when the English Coast was heavily protected by fortresses. The castle was built by Henry VIII and was one of the most advanced artillery fortresses in England at the time! Climb the steps to the Tudor to see where Charles I was kept prisoner in 1648 and imagine the role of the castle in defence during the Napoleonic wars during a tour of this heritage site. There are incredible views from the roof of the tudor all the way across the Needles Passage to The Isle of Wight

The town of Lyndhurst is a gorgeous historical gem of a place and you will be able to spend a delightful few hours strolling about admiring the quaint architecture and discovering tea rooms, pubs, cafes and restaurants. Lyndhurst dates back to the time of William the Conqueror who established the area as a hunting ground as far back as 1079! Take a peek into the remarkable Saxon history of this heritage area at the New Forest Centre in town.