New Forest Tour
A good way for a first-time visitor to see the new forest by bus is the new New Forest Tour (http://www.thenewforestto...), an open top bus route which runs on a one-way loop through the forest serving Lyndhurst, Beaulieu, Lymington, Brockenhurst and many intermediate rural locations. Buses run every 60 minutes during the summer, and you can get off at any point and catch the next bus after you have looked around.
Paulton's Park
If you have got kids who are getting bored of trees and small horses visit Paulton's Park (http://www.paultonspark.co.uk). It's really close to the New Forest, just off junction 2 of the M27.
Visit the adjoining town and small port of Lymington, and maybe even catch the ferry across the Solent from there to the very pretty and even smaller port of Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight.