The Waterside area is situated on the edge of The New Forest and stretches along the coastline from Marchwood down to Calshot, encompassing the smaller villages of: Dibden, Dibden Purlieu, Hythe, Holbury, Fawley, Calshot, Blackfield, Langley & Lepe.

Hythe Village is the hub, being centrally based and on the waterfront, a 3 minute walk from Waterside Retreat and a 5 minute walk from the Lantern Building and offers many shops and restaurants, including a Waitrose supermarket. The High Street buildings are Grade II listed Victorian and Georgian and their history dates back hundreds of years. During July there is a summer festival and you can join in with the many guided history tours, daily talks and music events, which are held in and around the Village, on the newly built impressive promenade. There is a farmers market held in the High Street on designated Sundays throughout the year and there is a market every Tuesday in one of the central car parks. There are many places to sit and watch the boating activities and the world go by.

Hythe Ferry offers quick links to Southampton (10 mins) for some of the best shopping in the country. It also offers a fantastic view of the liners as it passes by them on its trips to and from Southampton. You have the opportunity to walk down the Pier, breath in the fresh air, or to take the oldest narrow gauge railway train and Pier in the world. The Ferry saves time, petrol, parking fees and is a convenient and pleasurable way to travel. There is a FREE shuttle bus looping Southampton at Town Quay. The ferry is used during the Southampton Boat Show week (which starts second week in September), as it is a quick and easy way to get to and from the Show, and the Hythe Ferry terminal at Town Quay in Southampton is practically next to the boat show complex. Many boat trips can be booked around the Port from Town Quay side

Hythe Marina Village is next to the village, a very short stroll away, it offers a superb Italian Restaurant 'La Vista', which has al fresco dining and 'The Salt Bar' where you can sit outside on the veranda on a Summers day, eat, drink and watch boats being maneuvered around the Marina. There is constant boating activity to be viewed at the Marina Lock, with vessels being locked in and out. It is also a really good place to get a close up view of the QEII (only until 11th November 08 when she leaves for Dubai her final resting place), QM2 & Queen Victoria liners when they are in Port, as their berth is practically opposite the lock. There is a public slipway on the Marina from which you can launch small boats and for a fee you can arrange for storage/berthing.

At Town Quay, Southampton there is a free bus which circles around Central Southampton, it makes many strategic stops, one of them being Southampton Central Train Station, so if you fancy a 1hr 15 minute trip into London this can be easily made.

In the summer months there is a `New Forest Tour Bus’ which can be picked up in Hythe Village at the bus station located next to the ferry terminal.

If you are looking for evening entertainment you can find it in and around the Waterside, and if you feel like being more adventurous you can take the Hythe ferry to Southampton and enjoy the vibrant and varied nightlife and restaurants that you would expect to find from a city such as Southampton. Ranging from upmarket areas like Oxford Street with an abundance of restaurants and places to be seen, to `Oceana’ Southamptons newest (opens 17th July 08) disco complex offering 7 different bars within 4 themed nightlife venues, covering all age ranges, under one roof. Ocean village and Bedford Place are also good areas to visit for entertainment. Getting home is easy and cheap, you can return on the Hythe ferry up until 11.30pm or you can take the hourly late bus back at £3.00 which runs until just before 4.00am.

You can be in Cowes, Isle of Wight where there is much to do, (Cowes week begins first week in August) within 35 minutes via a 10 minute Hythe Ferry trip and a connecting 20 minute Catamaran trip from Town Quay. For a more leisurely crossing (1 hour) you can take the Red Funnel Car Ferry from Town Quay to East Cowes, (have breakfast on board). The Chain Ferry, which is practically next to the East Cowes terminal takes you from East Cowes to West Cowes in minutes and is FREE of charge. From Cowes you can hire a Taxi Ferry up the Medina and have lunch at the 'Folly' restaurant and public house, here you can sit and watch the boating activity. Alternatively West Cowes offers an abundance of varied shops and distilleries to visit, on a cold winters day you can sit in front of the fire at 'The Anchor', watch boating activity from `The Waterside’ public house, and from the roof top terrace in the summer'.

The New Forest's towns and villages offer much to do from browsing round their quaint little shops, visiting their places of interest and picking up the odd antique or two. There are also many old fashioned inns to try out, food and traditional local ales are their speciality, and there's always a warm welcome and a smile awaiting you. One of the Forest's biggest attractions has to be the New forest Ponies, which can be found throughout the Forest, and the quaint chocolate box cottages that can be seen everywhere.

Deep sea fishing trips are available from Lymington and Keyhaven and there is a car ferry from Lymington to Yarmouth in the Isle of Wight.

There is so much to do, there are a number of beaches around the coast and the Activity Centre at Calshot offers activities for all ages, from cycling, climbing, skiing, boarding, to boat handling, dinghy sailing and canoeing. The Centre is a short drive away from Hythe.

There is an open air swimming pool in Lymington, open during the summer months, and there is an in door swimming pool in Dibden, a five minute drive from the centre of Hythe which is open all year round, it offers many different types of water play for all ages, and there is also a gym and crèche facility as well.

The historic and bustling cities of Bournemouth, Winchester & Portsmouth are also within an hours drive, and they can be accessed by train as well.

If you live or visit the Waterside area you will find a warm welcome from locals and be so pleased that you have cropped upon an uncommercialised gem of an area situated next to the New Forest & the sea, with good motorway, road and ferry links to Southampton, M3 & M27.

Beaches at Calshot & Lepe are also an asset. Local events take place throughout the holiday season including, farmers markets, raft race, RNLI days, Music festival etc., the New Forest hosts a wealth of events and attractions:- Biking, sailing, walking, swimming, restaurants, quaint forest pubs, shopping, theme park, animal sanctuaries, farms, gardens. There is always something to do!

Hythe Marina is situated next to the village and offers another viewing place for liners and lots of boating activity at the lock, a pub and Italian restaurant.

This property can be accessed via car using the M3, M27 & A326 to Fawley, or you can take a train to Southampton Central station, then you can get the free bus which links you to the Hythe Ferry Terminal at Town Quay via West Quay Shopping. Alternatively you can fly into Southampton Parkway Eastleigh Airport take a train to Southampton Central Train Station and as previously the bus and Ferry to Hythe. Travelling around the area is easy, and a car is not necessary. The New Forest Tour bus comes into Hythe during high season.

la Vista the Italian restaurant on Hythe Marina offers alfresco dining on a summers evening, the food is brilliant and the atmosphere and service is second to none, it is always fully booked so booking ahead is essential even during the winter months. The salt bar and kitchen almost opposite La Vista has a wine bar atmosphere and you can sit out on the terrace and watch the boats coming and going within the Marina. Within the Village you can eat at Ebenezers (converted chapel) and Mark the landlord and family are great hosts offering traditional food and drinks in a relaxed atmosphere. The Seagull situated next to Waitrose in the High Street offers great music at the weekend, dining and views over the Solent. For a great day shopping catch the Oldest Pier Train in the World down to the Hythe Ferry berth, take the crossing which lasts approx. 10 minutes, link to the IO Wight ferry or take the free bus to West Quay and High Street for a gastronomic shopping experience. London is also only an hour and 15 minutes away via Train. The quaint chocolate box towns/villages of Lymington, Lyndhurst, Sway, Burley & Brockenhurst are also close by.