6 Days in Southern England With Kids: A Family Road Trip

By Istvan Csanalosi, Founder, TripKompass. Trip taken in July 2026.

Most of what I write about on TripKompass is planned and researched. This one is our own family trip. In July 2026 we spent six days in southern England with our two daughters, who were 4 and 6. We flew into Gatwick, picked up a hire car at the airport, used Southampton as our base, and spent the week between theme parks, the Isle of Wight and the Jurassic Coast. We finished with one night in London and flew home from Luton.

One thing we did not expect: the weather. It was hotter than usual for England, above 30 degrees the whole time. Pack sun cream and hats as if you were going to the Mediterranean.

6 days in southern England at a glance

Day	Where	Highlights
1	Gatwick to Southampton	Car hire at the airport, drive to the base
2	Paultons Park	Peppa Pig World for the little ones, other areas for older kids
3	Isle of Wight	Red Funnel car ferry from Southampton to East Cowes
4	Jurassic Coast	Durdle Door from the Lulworth side
5	Legoland Windsor	Miniland and rides, then the car back at Gatwick
6	London to Luton	Sightseeing, then the flight home

Getting there: fly into Gatwick and hire the car at the airport

My one strong piece of advice for this trip: pick up your hire car at the airport itself. It is much better than waiting for a rental company’s transfer to an off-airport depot. With two tired kids and a pile of luggage after a flight, every extra wait counts.

At Gatwick, according to the airport’s official car hire page, the rental desks are in both terminals, on the lower forecourt. When you book, check that your company has a desk there rather than a shuttle to a depot elsewhere.

Remember that in the UK you drive on the left. If that is new to you, the first hour out of the airport is the moment to take it slowly.

Our base: Southampton

We stayed in Southampton for the whole week, and as a base it worked well. Most of what we wanted was within driving distance, and having one place to come back to every evening is easier with small children than moving hotels.

It also puts you close to the Isle of Wight ferries, which matters for the day you spend on the island.

Paultons Park and Peppa Pig World

The area around Southampton has plenty of theme parks, and Paultons Park was the one made for our age group. It is home to Peppa Pig World, which is perfect for the little ones, and the park has other areas and rides for older children.

Paultons Park is at Ower, near Romsey, just off junction 2 of the M27 on the edge of the New Forest. According to the Visit Hampshire listing, the park’s 2026 season runs from February to December, but opening days vary, so check the park’s calendar before you go.

Legoland Windsor

We did Legoland Windsor too. It is a longer drive from Southampton than Paultons, so treat it as a full day. Miniland, with famous cities built from Lego bricks, is worth slowing down for, even with children pulling you towards the rides.

With small children, the usual theme park rules apply: arrive for opening, do the most popular rides first, and plan a proper break in the middle of the day. On hot days, plan for shade and plenty of water too.

Isle of Wight

One day went to an Isle of Wight tour. We took the car across on the Red Funnel vehicle ferry from Southampton to East Cowes, which according to Red Funnel takes about an hour. If you go in the summer holidays, book the vehicle ferry ahead. Red Funnel also runs the Red Jet passenger catamaran to West Cowes, under 30 minutes, if you do not need a car, and Wightlink runs other car ferry routes, such as Lymington to Yarmouth.

The Jurassic Coast and Durdle Door

Another day was our Jurassic Coast tour. We came from the Lulworth side, and the photo at the top of this page is the reason to go: Durdle Door, the natural limestone arch, which sits on the Lulworth Estate in Dorset and is one of the highlights of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site.

A few practical points for families:

• The walk down is steep. From the car parks it is a path over the cliffs and then a steep descent to the beach. What goes down has to come back up, which you will feel with a tired 4-year-old.
• The beach is pebbles, not sand. Water shoes help.
• Arrive early in summer. The car parks get very busy at peak times.

A beach afternoon in Bournemouth

We also fitted in a beach session at Bournemouth, building sandcastles in the July heat. A wide sandy beach is an easy win with small children.

One night in London, then home from Luton

On the way home we returned the car at Gatwick, spent one night in London and did some sightseeing, then flew home from Luton.

If you do the same, getting to Luton is straightforward by train. Luton Airport Parkway station is linked to the terminal by the Luton DART shuttle, and according to Luton Borough Council the DART is included in your rail ticket if your journey starts or ends at Luton Airport. Trains run from London St Pancras.

How I would plan the same six days

• Day 1: fly into Gatwick, pick up the car at the airport, drive to Southampton.
• Day 2: Paultons Park and Peppa Pig World.
• Day 3: Isle of Wight.
• Day 4: Jurassic Coast and Durdle Door.
• Day 5: Legoland Windsor, then return the car at Gatwick and head into London.
• Day 6: London sightseeing, then fly home from Luton.

Shuffle the days around the weather and the theme parks’ opening calendars, not the other way round.

About the author: Istvan Csanalosi is the founder of TripKompass, where he plans and publishes travel itineraries. This article is based on his own family trip in July 2026 and his own photos. The practical details were checked against official sources in October 2026; AI tools helped with research and editing.

FAQ

Is southern England a good road trip with young children?

It worked for us with a 4 and a 6-year-old. With one base in Southampton and a car, theme parks, the Isle of Wight and the Jurassic Coast are all day trips, so you only pack and unpack once.

Where should you hire a car for a trip like this?

At the airport itself. At Gatwick the rental desks are in both terminals, on the lower forecourt, so you avoid waiting for a transfer to an off-airport depot.

How do you get to the Isle of Wight from Southampton?

We took the car on the Red Funnel vehicle ferry from Southampton to East Cowes, about an hour. Without a car, the Red Jet passenger catamaran to West Cowes takes under 30 minutes.

Is Durdle Door suitable for small children?

Yes, with planning. The walk down to the beach is steep and the beach is pebbly, so allow time, bring water and expect to carry the smallest one back up.