From green spaces, to restaurants, and everything in between

There’s so much to explore! Whether you’re looking for cozy cafes to study, parks to relax, or local spots to hang out, we’ve got you covered.

Here’s a quick guide to your new neighbourhood.

Green Spaces

📍 Riverside Park is found just around the corner from Wessex Lane halls. There is a massive park, river and you can do sports like paddle boarding and kayaking.

📍 Southampton Common: A large green space perfect for picnics, outdoor sports, or sunbathing. Make sure to visit Hawthorn’s wildlife centre which is located in the southeast corner of Southampton common.

📍 Itchen Valley Country Park: Itchen Valley Country Park offers walking and cycling trails, rivers, and woodland areas. Pack a picnic and explore this beautiful park.

Further afield...

📍 Bournemouth, just an hour away by train, offers beautiful beaches. A perfect escape for a day of relaxation and fun. Durdle door is also another iconic place to visit, ideal for a scenic getaway.

📍 If you enjoy seaside and beaches, Brighton is another place to go for. It is a lovely city with Brighton Palace Pier and lots more fun places!

📍 The Isle of Wight is close on the ferry, it is perfect for a sunny day trip. Do not miss historic sites like Osborne House and the Needles.

📍 You can easily get the train to Brockenhurst and visit the New Forest, which is a great place for hiking.

Restaurants

📍 Muse Coffee - Portswood Road and London Road - Has amazing coffee and pancakes. Very pretty and comfortable cafes, also suitable space for revision.

📍 The Living Room - Room 2 - Queens Terrace A bit of a journey as near the port area but offers a perfect

📍 Babooji - Babooji is a completely veggie/vegan restaurant I really enjoyed as a Vegetarian.

📍 Stakks Pancake House - A hidden gem in the upper level of the Marlands shopping centre. Serves a huge variation of pancakes, including vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options.

📍 Yipinju Lanzhou Noodle Bar does great Chinese noodles and as a student the prices are reasonable. Remember to try out the classic beef brisket noodle.

📍 Co-sushi/Coishi is a great place for tasty sushi and other Asian dishes at an affordable price. Pay by cash to avoid service charge.

Entertainment

📍 1st base: Offers indoor baseball and has virtual reality tracking technology, letting you track your batting performance.

📍 Escape room: Elusion Escape House, Sneaky Dog Escapes and Houdini’s Escape room offer the perfect activity to participate with a group of friends, finding hidden clues and solving puzzles.

📍 Hollywood bowling: Head out with some friends for some healthy competition at West Quay or Eastleigh. There is also great food, drinks, games, and a pool table.

📍 Karaoke night: Sing away at ones of these venues hosting karaoke nights: The Bedford, Medbar, Shanghai 1814, Oasis Bar, The Lion, Boom Battle Bar, The Stags.

These are just a few of our favourite - there are so many places to explore! If you've found your favourite place in Southampton - let us know in our Halls Life suggestion box!