Our fantastic south coast location, combined with our history and leisure facilities means our little island city is increasingly on the wish-list for visitors with tourists flocking to see our great attractions which obviously includes places such as the historic dockyard as well as Gunwharf.
But every day I see tourists making mistakes with their planning (or lack thereof) which means they are not making the most of their visit!
Here are the 13 things I see tourists mistakenly make all of the time - and my tips on how best to avoid making them:
1. Driving into Gunwharf Quays
If you are visiting Gunwharf Quays and not really heading anywhere else then my advice to you is to hop on the park and ride and avoid all of the long queues of traffic. It's quicker and cheaper! Getting into Gunwharf on a hot summer's day can feel like hell on earth with traffic backing up first past the city centre and then into Gunwharf itself. Carparking charges start at £3.30 for an hour, which makes the £4 for a whole day from the park and ride a bargain - and thanks to the bus lanes you just sail past the queues. But beware it does not operate in the evenings - so don't get caught out! If you do need to drive in to load up your car then look out for the helpful little green lights showing you where free parking spaces are so you do not have to drive up and down looking for one. AND, if you go to the Vue cinema make sure they scan your parking ticket as you get money off! | Marcin Jedrysiak
2. Tide times
Okay, this may sound obvious but so many visitors never bother to check what times the tides will be for the day. At high tide the beach areas are smaller so can become more crowded - and if you do not time it right you will need to move higher up the beach as the tide comes in. When its low tide the beach area is wider, and the further east you go past South Parade Pier the more sandy spots appear in a break from the single which protests the shoreline from coastal erosion. (Just remember past Eastney Toilets it is the nudist beach) Photo: Habibur Rahman
3. Checking to see what ships are in and out of the harbour
Checking shipping movements may not be everyone's usual cup of tea, but if you are heading into Portsmouth for the day then it is ALWAYS work a quick check. KHM Portsmouth uploads the day's schedule the day before (and is updated if there are changes) and it means you can time any visit to Old Portsmouth, Southsea and Gunwharf to coincide with any ships leaving or entering that you may want to see. The sight of a huge aircraft carrier is always worth seeing for example - and the last thing you want to do is miss it by a few hours. If you do want to spot anything in particular then the best views are at Spice Island in Old Portsmouth (pictured here with HMS Prince of Wales sailing past), or the Hot Walls, Portsmouth City Wall or battery Wall in Old Portsmouth. Some of the restaurants in Gunwharf also overlook the harbour too and offer fantastic views. Picture: Habibur Rahman Photo: Habibur Rahman
4. Portsmouth and Southsea Railway Station is NOT near Southsea seafront
If you are hopping on a train to visit the seaside then be advised that getting off at Portsmouth and Southsea Railway Station may not be your best bet. Due to historic reasons it bears the name Southsea (whose postcode is also a magical mystery tour, but that's another conversation) but it is not on the coastline at all. The city has three stations which are effectively in an east to west line and where you get off will very much vary depending on where you want to go. And, the chances are you will need to get a taxi from two of them. Portsmouth Harbour is right next to Old Portsmouth and Gunwharf so is a short stroll - or a longest stroll to the western side of the Esplanade as well as Old Portsmouth. Fratton Station is the furthest east and is the closest to much of the Esplanade, especially near Eastney. Portsmouth and Southsea is right in the middle of the city centre. So make sure you check your map carefully! Photo: Keith Woodland