15 things to do in Ryde on the Isle of Wight

I didn't used to like Ryde all that much. We never fell out publicly or had a spat on Twitter but I would always recommend other Isle of Wight towns first.

Now we've got a toddler we've realised the town offers quite a few things to do and attractions, many of which are free.

Here are 15 days out in Ryde:

1. Appley beach (free)

Appley beach is golden brown, texture like sand

Appley is probably the Isle of Wight's best beach for ball games and kite flying as it is big enough that you won't be constantly retrieving your football from a disgruntled sunbather.

The sand near the Esplanade makes a good effort to appear golden on a sunny day, whilst the soggier sand goes half way out to the Solent at low tide.

2. Ryde Pier and trainline

Not exactly a full day out but those who feel nostalgia isn't what it once was will enjoy a stroll up Ryde Pier. Pier fans won't need me to tell them that it is the second longest pier in Britain (Southend is the longest) and it is also the oldest in the country at 200 years. The Pier doesn't have a lot to do on it, it is mostly just a railway station and ferry port.

For an added adventure, catch the Isle of Wight's only 'modern' train. The carriages are old London Underground Northern Line trains. Agorophobes can close their eyes and imagine they are in a small tunnel if all that sea air and open space gets a bit much.

3. Bowling alley and laser quest

Ryde's bowling alley and laser quest offer indoors entertainment for a rainy day at a similar sort of price and are probably best suited for teenagers and older children (or adults who never quite grew up, like me).

The laser quest is inside the bowling alley.

4. Ryde cinema and bingo hall

Old fashioned cinematic fun in Ryde

Cinemas nowadays are either vast multiplexes with huge screens and £6 popcorn or they are somewhat outdated buildings which rely on charm over comfort. Ryde's small cinema definitely has charm, plus it is generally cheap (£3.50 last time I checked, 2015). The smaller screen may only be slightly bigger than your neighbours new 4k mega TV, but it is a nice place to hide on a cold or wet day.

5. Waterside pool

The Waterside's roof comes off on sunny days

On Ryde Esplanade you'll find the community run Waterside swimming pool. It is a fairly basic setup with one main pool and no flumes but it does have nice warm water and a roof which opens up on a sunny day. When we went it wasn't quite as busy as usual public pools where you end getting kicked by other swimmers or splashed by oiks.

Read our blog about the visit to the Waterside.

6. Ryde Boating Lake/ Canoe Lake

Swans at the boating lake in Ryde

Alongside the Waterside Pool is the Canoe Lake (also known as the Boating Lake) at Ryde where you can hire a pedalo on the shape of a Swan.

The Lake is also home to several real life swans. Please do not attempt to board the real swans with your family. They can't take the weight of a whole family and don't react well to being peddled.

7. Ryde playgrounds and paddling pool (free)

Another Ryde Esplanade attraction are two modern playgrounds. The one at the Appley end is the bigger one with slides galore and lots to do (and no swings bizarrely - my daughter was not impressed). There's a smaller playground near the Waterside Pool.

There is also a modern paddling pool with jets and things which make toddlers squeal with delight/cry depending on what time it is. It only seems to open during high season.

8. Shopping

Ryde has a pretty decent range of shops

I've seen a tourism guide describe shopping in Ryde as 'elegant' which might be pushing it a bit. I tend to feel the elegance has gone as soon as Poundland opens in the High Street, but there is a good mix of independent and chain shops, as well as lots of charity shops. It is on a massive great hill with sea views which turns shopping into a buttock hardening exercise.

9. Peter Pan's Funfair and Amusements

I can't help but imagine Michael Jackson operating the carousel at Neverland every time I go past Peter Pan's Funfair and Amusements on the seafront at Ryde. We've not been in, but it seems to be aimed at younger children (I would say pre-school or early years).

Peter Pan's gets mixed reviews, but it might fill a bit of time, and there is a crazy golf bit for older children and competitive dads. It is one of those places that insists you purchase tokens which you are then stuck with when it starts to rain.

If you enjoy feeding slot machines with an insatiable appetite for loose change, there is an amusements arcade near the bottom of the pier (it was called Arcadia last time I went).

10. Tree climbing

Appley Park is the tree climbing capital of the world...or at least of Ryde

I know what you're thinking - tree climbing is hardly unique to Ryde. However, there is a company called Goodleaf which does technical tree climbing at a tree in Appley Park with things like ropes and a hammock at the top.

It costs about £30 - £40 depending on your age.

11. Puckpool Park (free)

At the far end of the Esplanade, past Appley Tower is the free Puckpool Park which has a combination of sporty things (tennis courts, crazy golf, putting green, bowling green), historic things (the remains of a fort to guard us against those pesky French) and edible things (Puckpool Tea Gardens). Alternatively, drive through Seaview and park in the car park (PO34 5AR).

Puckpool Park has also hosted zombie themed events - well, why not?

12. Isle of Wight bus museum (free)

You might think twice before dragging teenagers to a bus museum, although there was one boy at my school who absolutely adored buses and spent every journey chatting to the drivers about chassis numbers. Last time I saw him he was...a bus driver.

Anyway, the bus museum is led by enthusiastic volunteers and so isn't open every day, but it is free (time of writing, 2015).

13. Catch the Hovercraft

OK, OK, this might sound a little crazy. After all, you've paid to catch a ferry to get to the Isle of Wight so getting on another ferry might not be all that appealing.

However, the Isle of Wight's Hovercraft, run by Hovertravel, is now 50 years old and is the 'only scheduled passenger hovercraft service in Europe'. At the time of writing (2015), a day return costs about £18 for an adult for a 10 minute crossing, but there are often offers and deals available from Hovertravel.

14. Ryde Carnival (Free)

I've not included events in this list because it is a bit annoying if you arrive and find you've just missed the biggest night in the town's year...

However, I'll make an exception for Ryde Carnival which is the UK's oldest and which was once attended by Queen Victoria, who apparently was a massive fan of blokes selling helium Disney balloons and tractors pulling a trailer full of lightbulbs.

There's a main carnival, an illuminated one and a children's carnival.

Ryde also hosts the Isle of Wight International Scooter Rally and the International Classic Car Show.

15. Ryde District Heritage Centre

This volunteer run centre opened in 2011 and is underground in the Royal Victoria Arcade on Union Street, which is one of the more interesting parts of the town centre. It includes a collection of historic photos of Ryde, covering things such as the development of the hovercraft and steam trains.

In the same space you'll find the Donald McGill Museum, which is a collection of 'saucy seaside postcards'. Ooh er, missus!

A little further afield...Things to do near Ryde

If you decide to travel a little outside of Ryde, there are a few other noteworthy things in the East Wight.

There are some gorgeous beaches in the East Wight near Ryde, including:

Whitecliff Bay (accessible via a caravan park, lovely sandy beach, good for swimming, not many facilities)
Bembridge Beach (nice rockpooling spot, Bembridge lifeboat station is free and worth a visit when it is open)
St Helen's (shallow waters, pretty beach, home of Tackt-Isle which offers reasonably priced kayaking, segway, standup paddleboard, land yachting, kite hire and other beachside sports)
Priory Bay (shallow, golden sands, accessible by walking round from Seagrove Bay).

See our beach guides for locations and more advice.

There are lots of attractions just outside Ryde town centre, including:

Waltzing Waters (water fountains dancing in time to classical music...)
Wight Karting (high speed outdoor track, also open on rainy days)
Westridge Golf Centre (course and covered driving range)
Isle of Wight Speedway (noisy bikes racing round in circles)
Rosemary Vineyard (a good spot for a little wine)
Quarr Abbey (working monastery, free to visit, some pigs)

The-Isle-of-Wight-Guru-Don't-Blame-Us-Disclaimer™ All the information on this website is correct, as far as we know, but please do check details directly - and please contact us if you find anything inaccurate.