Things to do on the Isle of Wight

Crossing the Solent is pretty exciting as you look across the water at an Island waiting to be discovered.

Adventure begins with a journey

Hovertravel, Wightlink and Red Funnel run regular ferry services from the south coast of England: Southsea, Portsmouth, Southampton and Lymington. Crossing times vary from 10 minutes by Hovercraft and 22 minutes by high speed foot passenger methods from Portsmouth or Southampton, to approx..40 minutes from Lymington, Portsmouth and Southampton.

Why not bring the car or use public transport when exploring the island. Bus stops are easily accessible from four of the five ferry services, with just a short walk required to the nearest pickup from the terminal at Fishbourne.

Bike Hire is another popular option and these days you can even go electric! Whatever mode of transport you choose, there just so many things to do on the Isle of Wight for families and one day is never enough.

Great days out with kids

So whether your child is obsessed with dinosaurs, fairies, cowboys or just love discovering new things, this itinerary will help you to make the most of your visit.

As soon as you think of the Isle of Wight the iconic image of the world famous chairlift taking you to see the needles rocks and coloured sands spring to mind. The Islands most famous landmark attraction – The Needles – has so much more to enjoy than the stunning views, it is a destination not to be missed. The range of attractions includes the spectacular chairlift ride to the beach and the sand cliffs. At the sand shop visitors can make there own unique coloured sand souvenir.

Looking for an award-winning, all weather attraction, perfect for a family day out? Then head to Tapnell Farm. Adventure Barn, go-kart track, huge jumping pillows, sledge slides, crazy golf, footy shoot out and of course all the wonderful animals to enjoy. A fun filled family day out.

Located on the northern side of Sandown, Sandham Gardens is the ideal place to relax and enjoy some family time with friends and family. Be transported on a prehistoric adventure into a land of dinosaurs at Dino Islands – A Golf Adventure. Receive a ‘Gold’ Karting Medal as you wizz round the track at Sandham Karts. Be amazed at the heigh and views at the giant coastal adventure with Skynets: The BIG Bounce.

History comes to life

Looking for a good day out that is good fun for the children but also interesting for you? Osborne at East Cowes was the family home of Queen Victoria, Prince Albert and their nine children – five boys and four girls. The Queen spent many enjoyable hours at Osborne beach and her children learned to swim here. So why not take to the water and paddle or swim from Osborne’s sandy and shingle beach? Then enjoy a mouth-watering ice cream from the cafe before heading off to one of the exciting playgrounds where little ones can run and jump to their hearts content.

At the heart of the Isle of Wight, Carisbrooke Castle sits high and proud. It’s history has seen it be an artillery fortress, king’s prison and a royal summer residence. However, today it’s the quintessential romantic castle. From high castle walls witness far reaching panoramic views, or wander the moat to discover King Charles I’s bowling green.

Did you know that the Isle of Wight is one of the richest fossil sites in Britain? The richest dinosaur locality in Europe? and one of the top ten localities in the World?! The home to many of these finds is Dinosaur Isle Museum such as the mounted skeleton of the carnivorous Neoventator, and plant eating Iguanodon, with displays of fossils from across the Island including ammonites and Ice Age mammals.

Make sure you visit the official Isle of Wight tourism website for travel and holiday information: www.visitisleofwight.co.uk