Portsmouth fishing fleet, UK by Roger H. Goun

How to keep occupied when on a low budget

There are many attractions in Portsmouth which don’t cost a single penny in order to enjoy them. Portsmouth has a very long seafront (approximately 4 kilometres) and two piers (Clarence and South Parade) are situated there as well. When walking, cycling or driving along the seafront, there are many events which are organised throughout the year, such as the bandstand which overlooks the seafront. During the summer months, a host of bands and artists perform at the bandstand and several styles of music can be enjoyed at no cost whatsoever.

Portsmouth is a city of culture

Unlike other towns and cities in the United Kingdom, Portsmouth’s cultural attractions have not suffered greatly because its many libraries are still open. Portsmouth has numerous museums which are still free to enter (although giving a donation is recommended). They are also open extensively throughout the year as well.

Enjoying the great outdoors

Despite being hugely developed over the past few hundred years, especially since the end of the Second World War, Portsmouth has many areas which have copious amounts of nature. Hilsea Lines is found in the north of the city and were originally built in the 19^th century in order to protect Portsmouth and its affluent residents from French and Spanish forces if an invasion took place. As the likelihood of this happening soon diminished, Hilsea Lines returned to civilian use and now houses a sanctuary which is host to much nature. Running through Hilsea Lines is a canal and this attracts an abundance of birdlife.

Just a few hundred yards away from Hilsea Lines is Farlington Marshes. With a path running through the top of it, many walkways are in Farlington Marshes which offers those who visit this picturesque area the opportunity to see many birds and animals. Free to enter, Farlington Marshes is a very popular destination, especially as there are many car parks throughout.

Home to the last remains of Henry VIII’s warship the Mary Rose and also both HMS Victory and HMS Warrior, Portsmouth continues to attract thousands of visitors every year. As the upmarket shopping complex Gunwharf Quays opened in 2001 and the hideous Tricorn Centre demolished in 2004, Portsmouth is a far more pleasant place to live and visit, especially as it regularly hosts events which attract people from around the world.

About the author: Russell Hill is a journalist and freelance writer. He loves green tourism and enjoys exploring cities rich in culture and heritage. He gives preference to staying in fully furnished corporate apartments rather than hotels. One company that inspired Russell was Executive Apartments, a fully furnished corporate apartment rentals provider in Washington, D.C.

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10. Apocalypse (Drayton Manor)

Drop towers are a standard feature of most modern theme parks, carrying riders up high up into the sky before sending them free-falling back down to the ground below. Drayton Manor’s Apocalypse, though, is no generic amusement park ride. Instead, this 5-sided monster offers three district types of experience, with riders able to choose between being seated, standing on a floor or standing with no floor at all. If the 177-feet drop doesn’t put you off, then this will be enough to draw you back for a repeat ride or two.

9. Oblivion (Alton Towers)

Oblivion, the world’s first vertical drop roller coaster, opened to huge fanfare in 1998. It remains one of the best rides at the UK’s most popular theme park, carrying guests to the top its signature, 180-feet-tall drop. There, they are held for a few agonising seconds, before plunging into a darkened pit below. The ride is occasionally criticised for being over too quickly, but few guests will be disappointed after experiencing such a stunning set-piece.

8. The Ultimate (Lightwater Valley)

Opened back in 1991 at a cost of £5.2 million, The Ultimate is still the headline ride at Yorkshire’s Lightwater Valley. At the time, it broke the record for being the world’s long roller coaster, at some 7,442-feet-long. While it has since lost this record to Japan’s Steel Dragon 2000, it remains the longest if measured by duration (an amazing 7 minutes 34 seconds). There are plenty of thrills along the way, with the ride hitting a top speed of 51 miles per hour.

7. Bubbleworks (Chessington World of Adventures)

Located near London, Chessington World of Adventures is home to some of the UK’s most inventive and bizarre theme park rides. Bubbleworks is a great example, with guests boarding circular rafts to take an indoor tour of a “bubble factory”. After viewing the “Bubbleworkers” hard at work, they enter a dazzling final scene in which an array of fountains leap over the boats.

6. Lost River Ride (Flamingo Land)

Flamingo Land doubles as both a major theme park and a world-class zoo, and the Lost River Ride combines both elements into one large-scale attraction. The first half of the ride is a leisurely boat cruise past a range of majestic animal species, including rhinos, giraffes hippos and lions. Things then get a little more thrilling, and a lot wetter, with riders plummeting down a 60-feet drop into a splash zone below. Unmissable.

5. Stealth (Thorpe Park)

Thorpe Park’s Stealth certainly doesn’t feature the longest ride experience on offer at any of the UK’s theme parks, with coaster’s run-time coming in at just under 30 seconds (10 of which are spent cruising back into the station at low speed). Still, what it lacks in duration, it makes up in sheer spectacle, with riders being launched from 0 to 80 miles per hour in just 1.8 seconds. They then climb to the top of a 205-feet-tall tower, before racing down at a near-vertical angle towards the ground below.

4. Tomb Blaster (Chessington World of Adventures)

Chessington World of Adventures features a number of themed lands designed to take “adventurers” on a tour of exotic areas of the world. The Forbidden Kingdom area recreates Ancient Egypt, and is dominated by the popular Tomb Blaster ride. This takes guests on a tour of a tomb, where they must use laser guns to fend off hordes of the undead. It’s a fiercely addictive attraction, with guests always returning for “one more turn” to try and beat their top score.

3. The Swarm (Thorpe Park)

The first “wing rider” coaster in the UK opened at Thorpe Park in March 2012, and places guests at the centre of an alien invasion of London. The coaster’s trains represent the aliens, with riders being carried on “wings” on either side. This enables some impressive “near-miss” elements, including close encounters with the wreckage of a crashed plane, a burnt-out fire engine and a partially submerged helicopter.

2. The Big One (Blackpool Pleasure Beach)

Dominating the skyline on Blackpool’s seafront is The Big One, the UK’s tallest roller coaster. It is the headline attraction of the historic Blackpool Pleasure Beach, which still attracts more guests than any other amusement park in the country. Riders get an incredible view of the seaside resort from the top of the 213-feet-tall lift hill, but there’s little time to absorb it before racing around the coaster’s circuit at speeds of up to 74 miles per hour.

1. Nemesis (Alton Towers)

Alton Towers established itself as the UK’s leading theme park in 1994, when it opened Europe’s first inverted roller coaster, Nemesis. While the park has since installed a range of other major coasters, none can quite rival the original for sheer thrills. The ride is housed in a trench in order to overcome severe height restrictions placed on the park by local authorities, and this ensures that the scenery races past riders’ feet at close quarters. Other rides have tried and failed to top the Nemesis experience, and it remains one of the best roller coasters in the world.

Photo credits

All images © Natalie Sim.

Nick Sim writes runs one of the web’s largest resources dedicated to theme parks all over the globe. Thinking of trying out Nemesis for yourself? Don’t miss the site’s up-to-date listings of all the latest Alton Towers vouchers.

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Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Maxwell Hamilton

Chertsey Abbey

Chertsey was built around this abbey and was founded in 666 AD by the Bishop of London of the time. It grew to become of the largest Benedictine abbeys in England. It was rebuilt in 1110 after it was destroyed by the Danes. The building was completely destroyed after 1537 with the bricks being used to make other buildings. The monument is an intriguing historical site despite the lack of the original abbey.

Mercedes Benz World

This is one for all you petrol heads out there. An opportunity to get up close and personal with a plethora of vintage and current models form the luxury car making firm. Visitors over 1.5m tall can take advantage of a track driving experience which is guaranteed to thrill. Even the tinier members of the family can experience a Mercedes with a mini electric race track available. Once hunger calls, have a bite in the Gull Wing cafe which conveniently looks over the main race track. At the end of the day you can take home a souvenir model of a variety of Mercedes cars. Located in Weybridge, it’s a very short drive from Thorpe Park.

Great Cockcrow Railway

Following on from the transport theme, a trip on the Cockcrow Miniature Railway is a must for anyone visiting the area. It’s a 7 ¼ gauge railway and one of the most extensive of its kind. There are two routes you can take, a red route and a green route. Both are 1 mile long and pass through the most breath taking scenery. The Green route makes a stop at Cockcrow Hill for the engine to be turned around. Each route has its own queue designated by the relevant colour so you know which trip you are going on.

Photo by cockcrow.co.uk

Chertsey Museum

The Museum is situated in the centre of Chertsey in the Borough of Runnymead. The museum houses the Oliver Matthews Dress and Textiles Collection which highlights the various stages of British fashion, a history that extends over the last 300 years. Children under 5 years old can come along and meet Charlie the Chimp on the third Friday of every month. Parents are encouraged to participate with their youngsters. The charge is only £4.50 with siblings under 1 admitted for free.

Brooklands Museum

This is a must see. Brooklands was the first motor racing circuit in the world and widely acknowledged as the birth place of aviation. There is so much to see so make sure your digital camera is on full charge. Once here visitors can explore over 30 different aircraft which are housed in the museum and stand back in awe at one of the last remaining Concords on display. There are a multitude of models of all types to see. The museum is just a stone’s throw away from Thorpe Park so don’t miss out!

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by dodge challenger1

This list of things to do (besides go to Thorpe Park) was written by Thorpe Breaks; offering you exclusive deals on all Thorpe breaks hotels and tickets.

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Dedicated to providing enjoyment and fun for virtually all ages, Aquaboulevard has beautiful tropical surroundings, with the air and water inside the complex being kept at a very comfortable 29 degrees Celsius all year.

The Aquaboulevard is situated within a massive sports complex that has tennis courts, a complete gym, squash courts and a fitness centre along with lots of other facilities, which is a great place to keep up with your sporting passion or just to go and have some fun and relax.

As well as the indoor part of Aquaboulevard, there is an outside section with outdoor pools, even a beach and a grass area for sunbathing.

You will also find a 14 screen cinema complex and no less than seven restaurants and one that overlooks the pool does some fantastic meat dishes, plus there is a sports store and a play area. There is also a wave machine in one pool that is turned on and off at different intervals throughout the day, but there are lots of other pools as well, so all members of the family can enjoy themselves, plus there are some Jacuzzi‘s.

The whole day adult ticket costs 25 Euros.

Within any public swimming pool in France everyone must have fitted swim wear, so the men are not allowed to wear shorts, they need to be trunks like a professional swimmer would wear and the ladies have to wear a full swimming costume. This is also the same for the children as well, so be prepared, otherwise you will have to purchase these in the shop before being allowed to go in.

Children under the age of three are not allowed to access the Aqua Park and an adult must accompany any child below the age of twelve.

The Aquaboulevard is open seven days a week from 9am to 9pm during the weekdays and from 8am to 9pm at the weekends.

Address & Contact Details:

Aquaboulevard
4 to 6 Rue Louis Armand
75015
Paris
France

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