Because we like to see a bit of the county in which we are staying and also enjoy time at the site itself

Just googled it and this is what it came up with. I can't change the font size sorry !!!

What to See and Do

Whether  you are here for 1 hour, 1 day or to stay, Portsmouth has an exciting and varied range of attractions you'll want to visit again and again.

Take a walk around the city and you'll notice a striking contrast of old and new. HMS Warrior 1860 stands within a mile of Portsmouth's newest landmark, the Spinnaker Tower. We are home to no less than 12 museums covering all aspects of Portsmouth's past as well as the award winning shopping and leisure complex Gunwharf Quays - with over 20 cosmopolitan bars and restaurants as well as nightclubs, a multi-plex cinema and bowling.

Kids don't miss out either. With popular attractions such as the Pyramids Fun Pools,  Blue Reef Aquarium, Action Stations interactive museum and Playzone, the indoor soft play centre, we've got those wet, rainy days covered. When the sun shines Southsea's beautiful seafront with playgrounds, funfair and plenty of space to fly a kite will help your little ones run off that excess energy!

Be sure to visit the 'What's On' section of the site and be inspired by our year-round programme of events! For a view of the Spinnaker Tower all year round click on our Spinnaker Tower Picture below to view the live feed from our web cam - image updated every five minutes.

Take them for a walk in the Forest. If you go to Boldre Ornamental drive, you can see the fallow deer at the sanctuary, although the deer are free to come and go. There are waymarked trails there.  There is a nice picnic area with barbeque's. Also has loos and a ice cream van.  Get the boys to make a bivvy from the fallen branches. Your boys might enjoy a night drive too, go very slowly and see what appears. Boldre and Rhinefield are two excellent roads to drive for this, if you are lucky you will see deer, red, fallow and muntjac, owls and if you are really lucky a badger.

Valerie

Moors Valley Country Park is an excellent day out.  We love it there and always visit when we are staying in the area, and also for a day out from home (although its almost 2hr drive from us!).

There is something for all of your boys - adventure play areas, walks and cycle routes through the forest, a minature steam railway and GO APE - where you swing through the trees on wires!  Can't recommend it highly enough. Moors Valley is approx 20 min drive from Sandy Balls.

If you go to Portsmouth (which is just down the road from us) the Spinnaker Tower is great and Gunwharf Quays has some good outlet shopping.

Christchurch and Mudeford (excellent crabbing there!) are about 30 - 40 mins drive from Sandy Balls but again would recommend. 

Thanks Bumblebee, this is just the kind of thing I was looking for , it seems to be similar to Thetford Forest near to us, my boys enjoy a day out there so will love Moors valley with the tree top walk and railway.

Top this off with a night time drive as suggested by Kiyasmum and it should be a great day all round.

Thanks

Dont forget Poole and Corfe Castle as i recall theres a great beach at studland bay better than bournemouth only no shops just stay off the nudist end.

Beaulieu is also a great day out with a picnic (much more than a car measuem) together with a trip to Butlers hard to see where alot of Nelsons navy was built, and a pint in the small pub maybe.

There is also monkey world and the tank meausem at Bovington (boys stuff)

Bolderwood is lovely and they feed the deer in the Summer months so they come right up (well almost) to the viewing platform.  I think they feed them around 1pm ish.

If you go to Moors Valley Country Park - take a picnic.  We were lazy and had food from the onsite cafe - with 5 of you it could work out expensive.  There are designated picnic areas and we wish we'd done this.

We went to Lymington and had a day trip over to the Isle of Wight (to Yarmouth).  But, just a tip - it will probably work out cheaper to use the Wightlink ferry.  We went on the passenger ferry and were tied to times and only had 2 hrs or so on the Island.  I think with Wightlink you can come back as late as 11pm so this would give you time to explore the island.

Hope this helps?  Have a fab time - Sandy Balls is a great site to explore the New Forest and surrounding area from.