Start with an easy Southwood Woodland walk in Southwood. Allow 45–60 minutes on the paths; October evenings get dark early, so check sunset and stick to the better-lit, familiar routes if you arrive late. Wear shoes you don’t mind getting muddy, and keep this one flexible if the journey has taken it out of you.
Head into Farnborough town centre for a relaxed browse around Queensmead. It’s an easy stroll rather than a major shopping destination, and a handy way to stretch your legs before settling in. From Southwood, allow roughly 10–15 minutes by car or taxi; local bus options depend on your starting point, so check the day’s service if you’re travelling without a car.
Finish with a film at Vue Farnborough—a comfortable, low-effort choice for your grandson after a travel day. Check the live listings and book ahead if there’s a popular release; screenings and prices vary, and allow around two hours for the film itself. Afterwards, have dinner at The Tilly Shilling, a pub-style spot in town; budget roughly £15–£25 per person for a main, and check current opening hours and the kitchen’s last orders before you go.
Allow around 45–60 minutes on the direct train from Farnborough Main to London Waterloo, plus time to get to the station and wait. From Waterloo, walk about 25 minutes along the South Bank and across Westminster Bridge, or take the Tube to Westminster. Start at Westminster Abbey; allow 1½–2 hours to see the church and its royal connections. Check the visitor schedule and admission price before you go, and book ahead if tickets are required—visiting access can change around services and events.
From the Abbey, Parliament Square is just across the road. Spend about 45 minutes admiring the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben from outside, then stroll down to the riverside for a closer look. Tours of Parliament need advance booking, so treat this as an exterior visit unless you have secured a slot.
Walk along the river to the London Eye on the South Bank. Allow 1–1½ hours, including queues; booking ahead can help, though you’ll still need time for security and boarding. A ride is a memorable treat for a teenager, but check current prices before committing, as tickets can be a sizeable part of the day’s budget. Afterwards, head to the Southbank Centre Food Market for a relaxed lunch from the stalls—roughly £10–£18 per person. It typically runs on weekends, but check its schedule for Saturday, 24 October, before relying on it; if it’s closed, the nearby Southbank Centre has other places to eat. Allow time to wander the riverside before returning to Waterloo.
From Waterloo, take the Northern line to Tottenham Court Road and walk about 10 minutes to The British Museum; allow roughly 25–35 minutes door to door. Aim for opening at 10am to get a good stretch among the galleries before the busiest part of the day. General admission is free, but book a free timed-entry ticket in advance if available; without one, allow for a possible queue. With a 15-year-old, make a beeline for the Rosetta Stone and Egyptian galleries, then choose a couple of other rooms rather than trying to cover the enormous museum. Check the museum’s current Sunday hours before setting out.
Walk about 20 minutes through Bloomsbury and Soho to Neal’s Yard, a colourful little courtyard tucked off Shorts Gardens. Give yourselves 30–45 minutes for a café stop and a look around; it’s small, so it works best as a breather rather than a full meal stop. Continue a few minutes to Covent Garden for the market halls, shops and street performers. Performances are informal and change through the day, so pause for whichever act catches your eye; allow around 1–1½ hours to browse without rushing.
Stay in Covent Garden for dinner at Dishoom Covent Garden on Upper St Martin’s Lane. Bombay-inspired dishes generally cost about £20–£35 per person, before drinks; weekend tables are popular, so book if you can, or expect a wait at busy times. Sunday opening and kitchen hours can vary, so check ahead. After dinner, Covent Garden is well connected by Tube, though walking to Leicester Square or Tottenham Court Road can be easier than navigating the station when it’s crowded.
Allow about 2 hours to reach Portsmouth Harbour from your starting point, then head straight into Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. The Dockyard is a great fit for a 15-year-old: start with its historic ships and naval exhibits, including HMS Victory, and allow around 2½–3 hours before your dedicated visit to the Mary Rose Museum. The museum’s preserved Tudor ship and recovered everyday objects are a highlight; set aside 1½–2 hours. Check the October opening schedule and ticket options before you go, as access to the ships and museum depends on the Dockyard ticket and individual attractions may have different hours.
Have lunch in or near the Dockyard, then walk about 10 minutes to Spinnaker Tower at Gunwharf Quays. Allow around an hour for the viewing decks; check the day’s opening hours and consider booking ahead. There’s time for a relaxed browse or waterfront break at Gunwharf Quays afterwards, but this is a full day: if Dockyard visits run long, shorten the shopping stop rather than rushing the exhibits. Finish with dinner at The Still & West in Old Portsmouth, overlooking the harbour; expect mains around £18–£30 per person. It’s a short taxi ride from Gunwharf Quays, or roughly a 25-minute walk—handy to check the return train options before settling in.
After arriving at Southampton Central, head into the city centre for SeaCity Museum. Allow about 1½ hours for its Southampton-and-the-Titanic story; it’s usually open during the day, but check the current Tuesday hours and admission price before travelling. Then walk a few minutes to Southampton City Art Gallery in the Cultural Quarter. Give it around an hour, and check its closing time carefully—if the late-morning train gets you in later than expected, you may need to keep this visit brief.
Walk south to Southampton Old Town for a stretch of the medieval walls and a wander through the historic lanes; allow about an hour, and watch for uneven paving. Continue east towards Solent Sky in Itchen (roughly 25–30 minutes on foot, or take a local bus and check the stop and service); allow 1–1½ hours for the aviation collection and Spitfire exhibits. Its opening days and hours can vary, so verify Tuesday access before setting out. This is a packed day for a late-morning arrival: if any museum is closed or time is short, keep the visits in this order and accept shorter stops rather than counting on every full suggested duration.
Finish at The Dancing Man Brewery in the Old Town’s Wool House, a memorable medieval setting for dinner. It’s a short walk back from the walls; mains are typically around £15–£25. Check the kitchen hours and book ahead if you can, especially for a family table.
After arriving in Salisbury, head to Salisbury Cathedral in the Cathedral Close. Give it around two hours for the soaring nave, cloisters and the Magna Carta; allow extra time for entry, and check the day’s access arrangements and whether you need to book ahead. Admission is typically paid, with prices and what’s included varying, so check the cathedral’s current visitor information before setting out.
Stay in the Close for The Rifles Berkshire and Wiltshire Museum, a compact military-history museum in a handsome historic building. Allow about 1–1½ hours, and check its Wednesday opening hours and admission price before you go, as museum schedules can change. Then walk into the centre to Salisbury Market Place for a relaxed browse of the square and nearby independent shops; allow around 45 minutes, bearing in mind that individual shops may close earlier than the pubs and cafés.
Finish at The Haunch of Venison, a characterful old pub in the city centre. Mains are often around £18–£30 per person; booking is sensible for dinner, especially if you have a preferred time. It’s an easy walk from the Market Place, and a good place to settle in after a full day on foot.
Make this an early start: book a timed for Stonehenge and aim for one of the first entry slots. From central Salisbury, the seasonal Stonehenge Tour bus usually takes about 30 minutes each way; check its October timetable before relying on it, and leave a little buffer for the return journey. Allow around 2–3 hours at the site, including the visitor centre and shuttle out to the stones. Admission is typically around £25–£30 for an adult, but prices and availability vary; book ahead, especially for a specific time.
Return to Salisbury and continue to Old Sarum by local bus or taxi (roughly 10–15 minutes from the centre). Set aside about 1½ hours for the hilltop earthworks; it’s exposed, so bring a warm layer, and check seasonal access and closing time before setting out. Then head back to the Cathedral Close for The Salisbury Museum. It’s a good final stop for archaeology and local history, including finds connected with Stonehenge; allow about an hour, but check Thursday opening hours and last admission. This is a full day, so book an early stone-circle slot and keep an eye on the clock—October afternoons are short.
Finish at Côte Salisbury in the city centre. It’s an easy, relaxed choice after a day outdoors, with mains generally around £15–£25 per person; reserve if you want a particular dinner time. If the museum’s hours or the bus timetable make the afternoon too tight, shorten your visit to Old Sarum rather than rushing through all three stops.
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