Southampton’s Christmas attractions launched last week and my wife and I took our two children – aged four and one – along on Sunday (November 16).
But we kept the trip to meet Santa a secret!
Part of the festive offering is a Ferris wheel looming high above the historic Bargate.
Our day began with a small hiccup though – staff at the Moose bar along the high street couldn’t locate our tickets.
But they were very friendly and even gave our boy his first ever hot chocolate while we waited on a chilly morning.
The wheel was very quiet when we went for a ride – it was mid morning – so we would recommend that as a good time to go.
The views of the city were spectacular, and we were able to take in the docks, high street and Southampton FC’s home ground St Mary’s.
Both of our little ones were apprehensive before we went on but they weren’t fazed during the ride .
We had three rotations, which we thought was generous but we’re not sure if this was just because it was so quiet.
It is an open air ride so may not be great for those who aren’t keen on heights.
After a couple of goes on the ice slide – our son wanted even more – it was time for a bite to eat.
All Bar One is one of a number of eateries at West Quay shopping centre, on top of the festive market stalls along the high street so you are spoilt for choice.
It was a modern restaurant with plenty of space and Christmas decorations added to the atmosphere.
My wife chose the Christmas Mountain Mallow Sour mocktail which she loved.
It is described on the menu as Everleaf Mountain shaken with tart lemon and juicy raspberry.
The drink was served with two dark chocolate over raspberry marshmallows.
I had a Sandford Orchards Devon Red apple cider based on the manager’s recommendation and it was among the best I’ve had.
Really easy to drink and so fruity.
For main, I chose 8oz sirloin and chips with beef dripping sauce.
I was very satisfied with the dish, with the beef dripping packing flavour and the chips crisp and tasty.
The steak was well cooked but needed the boost from the sauce.
I think it was a good dish but for £24.50 some may find it disappointing.
My wife had chicken Milanese. The chicken coating was very crispy and had a moreish quality about it, and the salad complemented it well. Our youngest swiped a chip off the plate as soon as it was put down and then regretted it as it was piping hot.
Our children both had fish goujons – one with rice and one with chips – which both seemed to go down well.
For pudding, I had sticky toffee rum pudding with ginger ice cream.
This was a wintry treat, giving a flavour-filled, warming end to the meal.
The ginger ice cream, drizzled in caramel sauce, was subtle and added to the dish without overpowering the sticky toffee sponge.
My wife had the popcorn chocolate brownie, as did our son.
He wasn’t a big fan of the brownie, which was very rich.
Our daughter demolished peaches, raspberries and ice cream.
The servers were really friendly – and even brought over some Smarties for our boy when he knocked his drink over.
But it was very slow – two hours for two courses – which our children understandably struggled to be patient through.
The delay meant we had to push back our trip to the ice rink so we returned to the high street.
Our son had a go on a helicopter ride, which put a huge smile on his face.
There are a few rides on offer, and options for adults such as a bungee which was far too thrillseeking for us (it’s also £15 each so a lot to pay if you’re not sure you will enjoy it).
Then it was time to meet Santa – something we kept a secret from the kids as we didn’t want to make them too excited.
We were led inside his grotto and elf Ellie was also on hand to welcome us.
Our girl was quite wary of Santa but came out of her shell when she was told she could choose a toy.
That’s a nice touch as it enables your child to get something they have picked.
It’s £7.99 per child so we didn’t think it was the best value grotto we’ve ever been in but it was a good experience for the children.
Photos aren’t allowed but you can buy them on the way out .
Our packed schedule then took us to the ice rink.
Again it’s next to West Quay and everything we did in the day is really close together so we didn’t get worn out travelling between everything.
I gave the ice a miss so sat with our girl watching my wife and son.
Despite a wobbly start (literally!) our son absolutely loved it.
There are penguins and seals to push along for children and he felt really comfortable with the latter, which can also be sat in.
The rink is fully covered so any wet or windy weather isn’t a problem, and music plays in the background while you skate. Although the session was quite busy with a mixture of families, couples and groups of friends all trying to keep their balance, my wife said that there was still plenty of space to skate around, with staff on hand to make sure everyone is going in the same direction,
By the end of the 45 minute stint, our son was zooming along the middle of the ice and my wife couldn’t keep up.
He was in tears when it was time to go.
We weren’t quite finished there, breaking for some tasty pancakes from the market.
It has lots of different food choices, including Yorkshire pudding wraps, bratwurst, Greek options and churros.
Two bars either end of the high street also offer Christmassy places for a rest and a drink.
Our day ended by taking in a lights show on the Bargate at 5.30pm.
This lasted around 10 minutes and illuminated the historic architecture with festive scenes.
It’s impressive and a nice addition, restarting every half-an-hour in case you miss it.
For more on the locations and attractions mentioned, go to:
https://visitsouthampton.co.uk
https://www.allbarone.co.uk/national-search/south-east/all-bar-one-southampton#/
https://southamptonchristmasmarket.co.uk
https://www.onice.co.uk/locations/westquay
There is more than enough to fill a family day in the city – and that’s even without exploring all of the retail on offer to do Christmas shopping.
We would also say that if you wanted a couple’s day out or even a trip with friends, the ice skating, bars and rides offer plenty to experience.
We would highly recommend it as somewhere to visit if you are looking for things to do this festive season.
