UK Travel Guide - Havant & Waterlooville Tourist Information & Travel Guide

15th March 2009 - by Sally Johnsons

Havant & Waterlooville Tourist Information & Travel Guide

Havant is a town that lies on the South Coast of England. In the centre of the town there are four streets spiralling from a classic crossroad configuration, consisting of North Street, East Street, South Street and West Street. There is a church located at this crossing known as St Faith’s Church. Predominantly a conservation area, Havant’s town centre is a blend of ancient thoroughfares, periodically starting from the Roman Times. The area is a market town marked with Georgian buildings and footpaths that weave in and out of one another.

The main shopping area is the Meridian Shopping Centre which opened in 1991 after construction that took place in 1987. It has many large retail stores within the complex such as Wilkinson, Argos, WHSmith, to name a few. The shopping centre has a library and most of the larger stores are found on the ground floor alongside independent fashion retailers.

As Havant is a coastal town, it encompasses a wide range of water sports and leisure facilities. Whether you are looking to relax or take part in activities, Havant is filled with beautiful beaches and countryside. The most popular of these is Hayling Island which is undoubtedly a more traditional British seaside resort. Here you can find areas of grass where visitors can get comfortable and enjoy a picnic. The grass separates the beach from the road and also acts as a safety net for children.

Also found at Hayling Island is Funland Amusement Park. It is operational from March to October and has all the rides needed for a family fun packed day out. Rides include, the Log Flume, Tornado, Pirate Ship, Train and many more, not to mention two Roller Coasters. There are takeaways and café’s where you can relax whilst watching the rides from a distance. To get here you via public transport, you can catch bus number 30 from Havant Bus Station and get off at Beachlands.

For a more cultural experience of Havant & Waterlooville, there is a wide choice of theatres and museums to visit. Havant Museum is a historic trip through the foundations of the town going back to the ancient times until modern day. Many exhibitions are held here accompanied by local displays, which look at the daily lives of local residents, with focus on the past century. The display showcases schools, wartime, churches and local industries such as glove making.

Havant Museum also has an aquarium to commemorate and educate visitors about the fishing industry with relation to Langstone Harbour. Displays are found in the building, including the work of William Grant who is widely known for his watercolour collection. Visitors are also told about Hayling Billy and reasons why it made its last run.

The Havant Arts Centre has a diverse range of entertainment to offer visitors. There are theatre shows, workshops, comedy nights, food events, talks, dance and much more. To accompany this, there is a restaurant called Red Mango that offers lunch, buffets and alcohol for conference based events. The restaurant can be hired for parties, shows and classes.