If your trip to Southampton is all organized but your itinerary is looking a bit empty, let us give you a helping hand.Southampton Maritime Museum and Beaulieu National Motor Museum are some notable attractions that all serious sightseers should make time to swing by. Plan out a route and spend an hour or so experiencing each one.Near the city center, WestQuay Shopping Centre is one sight to consider putting on your to-do list. If you still have room on that travel itinerary, Mayflower Theatre and St. Mary’s Stadium will keep you amused as well.

There’s no need to spend every waking moment in Southampton when there’s a great big world out there to explore! Just 17 miles away, Southsea Beach will keep you busy with top-notch attractions like Gunwharf Quays. Need one more reason to visit? Spinnaker Tower is also within close reach.

No matter the weather, you’ll be able to catch a glimpse of some of the glorious beaches near Southampton from the comfort of your own rental car. As you travel along, keep your eyes open for seabirds circling over these beautiful stretches of coastline:

• Hamble Common Beach (5 miles away).
• Calshot Beach (7 miles away).
• Brownwich Beach (8 miles away).

Constantly traveling for work-related purposes? Convention centers are most likely familiar places to you. With easy access to hotels, restaurants and cafés, you can be sure your trip will go off without a hitch if you’re on your way to any of these places:

• Southampton Guildhall (0.5 miles away).
• The Brook Theater (2 miles away).
• Winchester Guildhall (12 miles away).

Southampton has loads on offer. You could vacation for a week or two in this place and hardly scratch the surface. If you want to experience as much as you can in this bustling metropolis, a rental car is a must. Keep in mind that driving around the city generally comes with tight streets and even tighter parking spots. Don’t stress though, because a small, economical car will make this a lot less daunting. If you want to venture out of the city and take in the rocky coastlines that Southampton is famous for, you’ll probably prefer a vehicle with more room. A full-size or mid-size SUV will get you around comfortably.

Sometimes the journey is more significant than the destination, which makes choosing the right car important. If you’re about to head off on an amazing road trip around Southampton, a comfortable SUV could be the best solution. If you’d like the best possible price and plan to stick to city driving, an economy car is a clever pick. All you need to do is choose what suits you best, load up the car, and start clocking up those miles.

Keep to the left-hand side of the road in Southampton. If you’re planning to get a rental car here, take note that the driver’s seat will be on the right. It could take a little while to get the hang of!

Locating a car space in Southampton won’t be too challenging. Of course, it can depend on where you are and when — you may have trouble parking in the very center during peak periods.

As with many places, you can expect slightly heavier traffic in the early and late rush hours. However, with a population of around 246,200, traffic gridlock isn’t a huge concern in Southampton.

Speed limits vary across the city of Southampton, but typically range from 30mph to 70mph. Most residential areas have a top speed of 30mph unless posted otherwise.

Generally, your car rental company will bill the fined amount to your credit card, including local taxes. Alternatively, they may forward your contact details to the relevant local law enforcement agency, who’ll then send a fine to your postal address.

Like many places, standard cell phone usage is not allowed while behind the wheel in Southampton. However, an exception applies for hands-free or Bluetooth capabilities. Just ensure you maintain focus on the road.

The legal BAC (blood alcohol content) limit while driving in Southampton is 0.08%. If you’re planning a big night on the town, leave your rental car behind and organize some other way of getting home instead.

Turning on a red light is prohibited in Southampton. Be on the lookout for traffic lights and signs to ensure you don’t breach any road rules.

By law everyone must wear a seat belt. Although, there are a few exceptions for vehicles used by public transportation systems.