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As Sir David Attenborough celebrates his 100th birthday on 8 May 2026, it’s the perfect moment to reflect on the natural world that the great naturalist and broadcaster has spent a lifetime sharing.
From national parks and woodland wildlife, to world-class conservation efforts and gardens alive with biodiversity, Hampshire offers countless ways to connect with nature.
Here are 10 of our favourite wild and wonderful places to visit in Hampshire that echo Sir David Attenborough’s values of curiosity, care, and conservation.
Houghton Lodge Gardens
Houghton Lodge is a family home in the Test Valley with gorgeous gardens and water meadows brimming with wildlife and open to the public in spring and summer.
Sir David Attenborough filmed part of his television series Rise of Animals: Triumph of the Vertebrates on the River Test at Houghton, where he explained the significance of lampreys (a creature found in British rivers), which are the most primitive of living vertebrates.
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New Forest National Park
With its free-roaming wildlife wandering through ancient woodland and open heathland, visiting the New Forest National Park feels like stepping into a living nature documentary.
Head out on your own English safari in one of the UK’s most enchanting natural landscapes, and for a truly Attenborough-esque experience, visit at dawn or dusk, when the National Park feels quieter and untouched.
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South Downs National Park
Another incredible national park in Hampshire, the South Downs is a biodiverse landscape with rich and rare habitats and extraordinary ecosystems in its rolling chalk hills. In fact, the South Downs’ lowland heath is rarer than rainforest and the chalk grassland has up to 40 species in one square metre.
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Gilbert White's House and Gardens
The 17th century home of one of Britain’s earliest naturalists, Gilbert White's House and Gardens in the South Downs village of Selborne is now a museum celebrating the work of the ‘Father of Ecology’.
Gilbert White’s work shaped modern natural history and resonates strongly with Sir David Attenborough who has described him as “A man in total harmony with his world.” Attenborough also wrote the introduction to Drawn to Nature: Gilbert White and the Artists, celebrating White’s foundational role in observing natural history.
Marwell Zoo
Marwell Zoo is one of Hampshire’s most important conservation destinations with a mission to conserve biodiversity and connect people with nature.
Home to species from around the world, from snow leopards to giraffes, Marwell is dedicated to protecting endangered animals and inspiring future generations through its conservation educational programmes and field programmes in the UK & Africa.
Hawk Conservancy Trust
The Hawk Conservancy Trust near Andover works globally to protect birds of prey and is acclaimed for its conservation efforts and research – a perfect reflection of Attenborough’s lifelong advocacy for wildlife protection.
Visitors are not only able to see the beautiful species – including spectacular flying displays – but also learn about the birds and how they can be protected.
New Forest Wildlife Park
With conservation and education at its heart, New Forest Wildlife Park is home to over 260 animals representing 40 species both native and from other parts of the world.
Otters (including the endangered Giant Otters from the Amazon), deer, wildcats, and owls are all part of this immersive conservation park, where education and protection go hand in hand.
Visitors can also have a more personal wildlife encounter with Keeper Experiences, and animals can be adopted to help support their future care.
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Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve
Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve is a sanctuary for birdlife, with reedbeds, lagoons, and coastal marshes, it’s an excellent place for birdwatching and attracts thousands of visitors each year hoping to spot a rare species from its hides.
For younger visitors, activity backpacks offer plenty of opportunities to explore, with binoculars, a magnifying glass, brass rubbing kit and a scavenger hunt activity.
Exbury Gardens
Exbury Gardens is horticultural heaven in a spectacular riverside setting in the New Forest.
Sir David Attenborough’s birthday month of May is the perfect time to visit, when Exbury’s famed collection of rhododendrons and azaleas are in the prime.
A visit to Exbury also aligns beautifully with Secret Garden, a five-part television series celebrating Attenborough's 100th birthday, which explores the surprising biodiversity of British gardens.
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Lepe Country Park
Lepe Country Park is a haven for coastal habitats and a wonderful place to visit for birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts.
Lepe Point nature reserve is the perfect spot to enjoy coastal and river views. The meadows and woodlands are protected habitats for wildlife and well worth visiting. Head to the pond for dragonflies and damselflies, pop into the hide for a spot of birdwatching and traverse the boardwalk to spot other wildlife.
Top places for wildlife spotting in Hampshire
Top wildlife encounters in Hampshire
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Located in Selborne, a stunning corner of the South Downs National Park, Gilbert White’s 17th century home is now a museum open to visitors. Museum highlights include, the original manuscript of ‘The Natural History of Selborne’, White’s 18th century floral embroidered bed covers and White’s taxidermy hawfinch.
Marwell zoo is home to hundreds of exotic and endangered animals all within a beautiful 140-acre park. Take a stroll around the outdoor attraction and enjoy the fresh air while spotting animals such as Rothschild’s giraffe, white rhinos, Amur tigers, Humboldt penguins, red pandas, clouded leopards, snow leopards and all three species of zebra (to name a few)!
The Hawk Conservancy Trust is a full day out for the whole family. Come see our brilliant birds at some of the most spectacular flying displays in the UK, changing with the seasons so you’ll experience something new every time you visit! See up to 20 birds flying at once, dramatic effects and music during the shows.
A must-visit Hampshire attraction for families, couples and anyone with a passion for wildlife conservation and natural surroundings. Nestled in the beautiful ancient New Forest National Park you can find the New Forest Wildlife Park, with something to delight all ages.
Titchfield Haven Nature Reserve is a wetland nature reserve with a rich habitat of rivers, marshlands and scrapes. It is excellent for birdwatching and attracts many people hoping to spot a rare species. From any of the eight easy-to-access viewing hides visitors can see all kinds of wildlife such as deer, foxes and wetland plants.
More than 100 years in the making, Exbury Gardens & Steam Railway is a spectacular collection of landscaped woodland, herbaceous, contemporary and formal gardens, in a unique riverside location. Exbury also boasts a narrow-gauge steam railway that travels through the gardens, plus a play area, fantastic restaurant and much more!
It is a family home that has been described by visitors as ‘a little piece of heaven’ with gardens, which provide colour and delight throughout the seasons. Houghton Lodge and Gardens is situated in the heart of the Test Valley and only five minutes from the local market town of Stockbridge. Built in 1793 and probably intended as a fishing lodge, Houghton Lodge is the UK's best surviving example of an 18th Century Cottage Orné.
