Photo: Paul Gillett, CC BY-SA 2.0Free things to do in Hampshire
For a free day out in Hampshire, England, try Queen Elizabeth Country Park near Horndean for walks and a play area, Wolvesey Castle in Winchester for medieval ruins, or Southampton City Art Gallery for free indoor art. Fort Nelson in Fareham is free to enter as well.
A good day out in Hampshire does not have to cost anything. Wolvesey Castle in Winchester, Queen Elizabeth Country Park near Horndean and the New Forest Heritage Centre in Lyndhurst are all free to enter, and so is Andover Museum, with no need to book.
Free entry does not always mean free parking. Lepe Country Park charges for parking from October to March, Titchfield Abbey asks non-members to pay £2 to park, and Fort Nelson charges non-members for parking on arrival. Check the car park before you leave home.
Winter suits the ruins and the forest. Wolvesey Castle is open daily from 10am to 4pm from 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027, and Netley Abbey is open daily from 10am to 4pm, according to English Heritage. Both are free to walk around, so a short winter outing costs nothing to get into.
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Free museums and galleries
Free to enter, warm and easy to fit around a walk or a meal.
Photo: Paul Gillett, CC BY-SA 2.0Southampton City Art Gallery
Southampton City Art Gallery is a free public gallery on Commercial Road in the city centre. It is open six days a week, closed on Mondays, and its visitor information covers opening times, facilities and access.
Why it's here: Free entry in the city centre on Commercial Road. Open Tuesday to Sunday, and closed on Mondays.
Photo: Des Blenkinsopp, CC BY-SA 2.0New Forest Heritage Centre
A free museum run by an independent charity in the middle of Lyndhurst, telling the story of the New Forest, its people, traditions and ancient laws, and how its wildlife is looked after today. A highlight is the 7.5-metre New Forest Embroidery, made by Lady Belinda Montagu and 60 volunteers to show 900 years of the Forest's history.
Why it's here: Free entry, with donations welcome, in the middle of Lyndhurst. Children get free trails and activity sheets.
Image: Andover Museum and Museum of the Iron AgeAndover Museum and Museum of the Iron Age
A free museum on Church Close telling the story of Andover and the surrounding area. The Museum of the Iron Age, in the same building, covers the nearby Danebury hill fort.
Why it's here: Free entry with no need to pre-book, and a free car park. The Museum of the Iron Age in the same building covers the nearby Danebury hill fort.
Photo: Julian Colander, CC BY-SA 3.0Fort Nelson
Fort Nelson is a restored Victorian fortress on Portsdown Hill, overlooking Portsmouth Harbour. Its artillery collection from around the world includes a 15th-century Turkish bombard, a 200-tonne railway howitzer and the Iraqi supergun known as Big Babylon.
Why it's here: Entry is free, with 19 acres of tunnels, ramparts and artillery, including the Big Babylon supergun. Book ahead at weekends and in school holidays.
Free parks and play areas
Big open spaces where the only cost is parking, if that.
Image: Forestry EnglandQueen Elizabeth Country Park
Over 2,000 acres of open access woodland and downland with three waymarked walking trails, two permissive bike trails and a play area. The top of Butser Hill, the highest point on the South Downs, is nearby.
Why it's here: Over 2,000 acres of open access woodland and downland, with three waymarked walking trails and a play area. A parkrun starts at 9am on Saturdays.
Image: Fleet Town CouncilHartland Country Park
A country park near Hartland Village with free parking, benches and picnic tables, a play area, a children's cycle track, ponds and woodland. It is popular with local families.
Why it's here: Free to visit, with free parking, a play area, a children's cycle track and ponds. Picnic tables are on site.
Photo: Fernweh, CC BY-SA 2.0Basing Lime Pits
A former private estate on Basingstoke Common, now a place to walk, play and picnic. Its play area has a 30-metre zip wire, and the site is on the Basingstoke Canal Heritage Footpath Trail, which ends at Basing House.
Why it's here: Free to use, with two free car parks, a 30-metre zip wire and an agility trail. The car park gates lock overnight, so leave on time.
Photo of Ringwood: Mike Faherty, CC BY-SA 2.0Carvers Recreation Ground and play area
A large park in the centre of Ringwood looked after by Ringwood Town Council, with a play area for children up to 14, a skate park, a cricket pitch and a bowling green. Next to the skate park, Carvers Clubhouse is a youth and community centre with a cafe and regular activities.
Why it's here: Free, with two slides, swings, a skate park, a cricket pitch and a bowling green. The play area is designed for children up to 14.
Free ruins and the coast
Historic sites and seafront walks where entry costs nothing.
Photo: Simon Burchell, CC BY-SA 4.0Wolvesey Castle
The ruins of the Bishops of Winchester's medieval palace, beside Winchester Cathedral. Much of the 12th-century palace of Bishop Henry of Blois survives, and in 1554 its East Hall was dressed for the wedding banquet of Queen Mary and Philip of Spain.
Why it's here: Free to enter the ruins of the Bishop of Winchester's medieval palace beside the cathedral. Open daily, 10am to 4pm, from 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027.
Photo: Doug Lee, CC BY-SA 2.0Netley Abbey
Netley Abbey stands close to Southampton Water and is the most complete surviving Cistercian abbey in southern England. Almost all the walls of its 13th-century church still stand, with monastic buildings around them.
Why it's here: Free entry to the most complete Cistercian abbey in southern England, open daily from 10am to 4pm. Close to Royal Victoria Country Park.
Southsea Seafront and Common
Four miles of seafront from Old Portsmouth to Eastney, with beaches, historic defences, green space and a promenade with views across the Solent. Southsea Common and Canoe Lake Park sit alongside, with space to walk, picnic and barbecue.
Why it's here: Four miles of seafront from Old Portsmouth to Eastney, with beaches and Southsea Common. Free to visit all year.
Photo: Paul Pollard, CC BY-SA 2.0Lepe Country Park
A Hampshire County Council country park on the Solent shore at the edge of the New Forest, looking across to the Isle of Wight. Beach and meadow walks lead past remains from the D-Day preparations of 1944 and a Cold War observation post, with a play area, cafe and kiosk near the shore.
Why it's here: Entry is free, with a play area, a zip line and D-Day remains along the beach. Parking is charged from October to March, at £2 for up to an hour.
Questions people ask
What can we do for free with kids in Hampshire?
Queen Elizabeth Country Park near Horndean has three waymarked walking trails and a play area, Hartland Country Park in Fleet has free parking and a children's cycle track, and Basing Lime Pits in Old Basing has a 30-metre zip wire.
Do free attractions in Hampshire charge for parking?
Some do. Lepe Country Park charges for parking from October to March, Titchfield Abbey charges non-members £2 to park, and Fort Nelson charges non-members for parking on arrival.
Is Southampton City Art Gallery free?
Yes, entry is free. It is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 4.30pm and on Sunday from 11am to 4pm, and it is closed on Mondays.