Southsea Family Amusements Portsmouth Blue Reef Aquarium Portsmouth Kite Festival

Clarence Pier Southsea South Parade Pier Family Attractions

Clarence Esplanade and Southsea/Eastney Esplandes run along the seafront with views out over the English Channel. There are two piers along the esplanades, Clarence Pier and South Parade Pier.

Clarence Pier was first built in 1861 when it was the boarding point for the Isle of Wight paddle steamers. It was bombed in 1941 by the Luftwaffe during the heaviest raid on Portsmouth during World War II. It took twenty years for it to be opened to the public again in the 1960s where it has housed a range of family entertainment ever since. Clarence Pier has all the traditional seaside entertainment including the largest amusement park on the south coast with arcades and fun fair rides for all the family. Entrance to the pier is free but you need to buy tokens for the rides. There is also a range of take away food and ice cream kiosks including Minghella's ice cream which started as a family business in Ryde in the Isle of Wight and whose famous son was film director, playwright and screenwriter, Anthony Minghella. Sampling their fantastic range of speciality Italian style ice creams and sorbets is well worth it!

South Parade Pier is a little further east. It was officially opened in 1879 and was 600 feet long before a fire in 1904 damaged it to such an extent that it needed to be completely rebuilt. The finances weren't available at the time to rebuild it to the same length but it incorporated a Pavilion that housed a 1200 seat theatre. During the Second World War the Pier was requisitioned to be used as a military depot. They breached the pier and stored gunpowder on the deck in case of invasion, although dancing still went ahead in the Pavilion at the shore end! The pier has been dogged by fires throughout its history. In 1974 it was used for Ken Russell's film "Tommy" but during the filming of the pinball wizard another fire broke out in the Gaiety Theatre.

Today the pier includes a family amusement arcade, sweet and gift shops, fishing and children's fun fair, function rooms for events such as live music concerts, karaoke, night club events, Christmas party nights and tea dances. Check out the link right for up-to-date events.

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Portsmouth Kite Festival Southsea Seafront Family Attractions

Between central Southsea and the seafront is Southsea Common where a range of events are hosted throughout the year.

One of the most spectacular has to the Portsmouth International Kite Festival held annually at the end of August usually around the Bank Holiday weekend. It's a fantastic sight as hundreds of kites of all shapes and sizes take to the air. There are huge circular rotating kites and smaller animal shaped kites as well as stunt kites doing aerial acrobatics in the strong winds. There's pay and display parking around the Common and it s easily accessible by bus.

Between Southsea Castle and South Parade Pier is the Pyramids Centre is good for wet weather days. It's a leisure centre with toddler pool, tropical leisure pool, wave pool and cafe. Around the leisure centre are gardens and a skate park ideal for skateboarders, rollerbladers and BMX bikers. Check out the links right for opening times.

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Blue Reef Aquarium Southsea

Right next to the Tourist Information Centre is the Blue Reef Aquarium where you can see a whole host of marine wildlife from local species found in the waters around Portsmouth to exotic tropical species in the gigantic ocean display and underwater tunnel.

The Aquarium is open daily from 10am-5pm (4pm Nov-Feb). Closed Christmas Day. Blue Reef Aquarium, Clarence Esplanade, Southsea, Portsmouth, PO5 3PB.

Check out the link right for more information.

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