There’s a quiet trick to a good family day out in summer: go in the evening. It’s cooler, it’s calmer, and around Southampton there’s more on after 5pm than you’d think — including a dinosaur golf course that stays floodlit well into the night. Here’s how to make the most of long summer evenings with the kids.
Why evenings beat afternoons in July and August
The midday sun is hard work with children — too hot, too bright, and the big attractions are at their busiest. By early evening the temperature drops, the crowds thin, the light turns golden and everyone’s in a better mood. You also dodge the worst of the holiday queues. The trade-off is bedtime, so the aim is a gentle hour or two, not a late one.
A floodlit round after the heat
This is where being outdoor and floodlit earns its keep. Our dinosaur adventure-golf course in Hedge End is lit, so it keeps going long after the sun’s gone — open until 21:30 every day, with the last tee-off at 20:30. A round takes about an hour, which is just right for an after-tea outing that still gets everyone home for bed. There’s the Longship café for an ice cream or a coffee, and the whole course is buggy-, pram- and wheelchair-friendly. Weekday evenings tend to be calmer than weekend afternoons, so it’s a good window to aim for. Book a slot on the tickets page.
Other easy evening ideas
- A sunset walk and picnic at Royal Victoria Country Park or Lakeside — flat, buggy-friendly, and lovely as the light goes.
- Ice cream and a potter somewhere with a view of the water.
- A country-park scoot to burn off the day’s last energy before bath time.
- A waterfront stroll at Hamble or Netley as the boats come in.
Which evening works best
Weekday evenings are usually the calmest — by the back half of the week the weekend rush hasn’t started and the day-trippers have gone home. Aim to arrive an hour or two before closing so you’re not hurrying the last few holes, and remember the course is floodlit, so even a 7pm start in July gives you a full round in the warm. If the forecast’s iffy, an evening is also easier to call off and swap than a whole day you’ve built plans around.
What to take for an evening out
Evenings by the water cool quickly and the midges come out, so pack a light layer each and a little insect repellent if you’re heading near the lakes. Add a torch for the walk back to the car and a few coins for ice creams. If you’re coming to us, you need nothing more than comfy shoes — we’ve got the putters, the café and the floodlights covered.
Keeping it calm before bed
An evening outing isn’t meant to wind them up — it’s a happy, gentle tire-out. Keep it to an hour or two, pack a layer for when it cools, and don’t leave it so late you’ve an overtired meltdown on your hands. Done right, it’s the easiest win of the summer.
Worth knowing
Our course is open-air, so an evening round depends on the weather behaving — pick a warm, dry one. If you’re coming with very little ones, our honest toddler guide has the age-by-age picture, and our Hedge End and Eastleigh guide has more local ideas for the whole holidays.