Southampton Football Club

St Mary's Stadium sits on the edge of Southampton, a proper football ground that's been home to the Saints since 2001. If you're a football fan staying at one of the nearby parks - Sunnydale Farm or Mercury Holiday Park are closest - it's absolutely worth timing a visit around a match day.

The stadium itself holds around 32,000 fans and has that modern feel without being soulless. Matchdays have genuine atmosphere, especially when the home crowd gets going. Even on non-match days, the club runs stadium tours that take you through the player tunnel, around the pitch and into the changing rooms - the kind of thing that gets kids properly excited, though it's not cheap and you'll need to book ahead.

For a casual visit without a tour, you can wander the outside and grab a coffee, but honestly it's not one of those attractions that justifies a detour on its own. Come if there's a match on, or if you're already in Southampton exploring the medieval town centre. The ground is easy to reach from the holiday parks mentioned - Ashurst Campsite is about 6 miles out, so you're looking at a quick drive or a bus ride.

Non-football fans won't get much from it. Families with kids who aren't into the game might find a stadium tour mildly interesting for an hour, but you're better off heading into Southampton proper for the old walls and the waterfront.