Me and MrsSO5 (let’s call her ‘Kate’) have a few child-free days at the end of this week. ‘Let’s go away for a few days’ she says - ‘anywhere nice where you come from?’
‘Southampton’ I say, ‘jewel of the south - makes Venice look like Vladivostok’
Now, I was sort of joking, but she’s gone and booked the accommodation anyway
Some context -
she grew up in Bath, and most of her family now live in Devon, so her standards are quite high.
we did Winchester last year - which worked - she was impressed
I haven’t lived in the SO postcode since the early 80s, so probably won’t be a decent guide to what’s on in Southampton
So - we have the best part of three days in the city that spawned this website. Part of the time will be a lunchtime game at SMS (‘I want to see what all the fuss is about’ she said) and, no doubt, a few beers after the game with some of you good people
But WTF else can I show her? Any ideas?
Pubs I know the Platform, Alex - any others with live music that don’t just cater for students?
History there’s a lot of it about - can show her the city wall? Is there anything worth going to see re Titanic, Blitz, D-day?
Art, theatre?? Not for me but she might like it
Weston shore - show her the oil refinery?
Hythe ferry for a view of the container port?
It’s probably best if you bookend the football and the, required, trip to Unity with staying in the hotel and doing what married couples do best when on kid free holidays…
Argue and phone the kids up to see how they are getting on…
Also are you sure you want “Kate” (real name Bob) to meet your fellow Sotonians?
Plenty of bits of history around the town. Sea city museum (bits of Titanic stuff in there), you can walk bits of the old walls easily. Tudor House (check their website for any tours around walls or in the vaults - my dad often does them), Medieval merchants house and Westgate (think there is a pub near there too). There are some Jane’s Austen connections too around town (one of the old hotels on high st). There is the solent sky aviation place (never been).
The Art gallery is good too and there is also John Hansard gallery.
Pubs - Dancing man Brewery & Duke of Wellington in the old town. Not sure about the Titanic pub.
White Star Tavern on Oxford St and then down at one of the bars on Ocean Village over looking the marina.
Check out what’s on at the Guildhall, Mayflower theatre, Nuffield Theatre, the joiners for something to do in the evening.
I would agree with @Intiniki and suggest the medieval tour / old town sights. I did it with Mrs Bucks during her first trip to the pride of the South. It was in much colder weather and yet it still went down well. See here:
I saw some rubbish tribute bands at the Mayflower whilst working there.
I still remember an octogenarian attending for a Robbie William’s tribute. Or the screaming women for David Essex. That was carnage.
With my sister working there to we should be able to get some cheap tickets for our fellow sotonians… or maybe not.
Oh and I worked there when MLT went out with that aussie actress. Though I think I missed that panto she was in but was there when her brother was in another I worked on.
