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20 activities for teenagers on the Isle of Wight
Is your child refusing to get out of bed before 10am despite your insistence that you need to 'make the best of the day'? Are they eating cereal at 11pm? Do they no longer seem interested in visiting Blackgang Chine or castles? Research shows that you may have a teenager on your hands.
Teenagers require a certain type of entertainment on family holidays or there is a significant risk they will sabotage the whole week by antagonising siblings.
Here is our guide to Isle of Wight activities for teenagers, although many of these activities and adventures are also suitable for an Isle of Wight stag-do (things like Go-Karting rather than shopping).
Teenagers require a certain type of entertainment on family holidays or there is a significant risk they will sabotage the whole week by antagonising siblings.
Here is our guide to Isle of Wight activities for teenagers, although many of these activities and adventures are also suitable for an Isle of Wight stag-do (things like Go-Karting rather than shopping).
1. Shopping
Newport has the best selection of chain shops, such as H&M, Topshop, TK Maxx and so on. Cowes is excellent for yachty clothing (e.g. Crew Clothing, Joules) particularly during Cowes Week (early August). Ryde feels more like a seaside shopping town with quite a few independent shops, alongside the usual pound shops and sparsely stocked mobile phone retailers.
Please note, teenagers must be allowed to roam free whilst shopping on holiday. Under no circumstance should parents attempt to turn this into a school-shoe-buying outing. It is also very risky to ask your teenager to 'run a couple of errands' for you whilst they are in town. This will ruin their week, and ultimately it will ruin yours too.
Click on the Street View image below to take a wander around Newport High Street.
Please note, teenagers must be allowed to roam free whilst shopping on holiday. Under no circumstance should parents attempt to turn this into a school-shoe-buying outing. It is also very risky to ask your teenager to 'run a couple of errands' for you whilst they are in town. This will ruin their week, and ultimately it will ruin yours too.
Click on the Street View image below to take a wander around Newport High Street.
2. Ryde 10 pin Bowling Alley (Superbowl)
Not exactly unique to the Isle of Wight but the seafront boasts a decent bowling alley. There's also a cheap and cheerful 10 ten pin bowling alley on Sandown Pier.
3. Newport and Ryde Cinemas
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Newport Cineworld is the largest cinema on the Island with 11 screens. It offers Meerkat Movies discounts and has a Pizza Hut attached.
Ryde Cinema is a much more vintage day out, with three screens but is also very cheap (currently about £4 in 2018). Parents - do not attempt to find a film that the whole family will want to watch. It's never going to happen. Your best bet is to split into at least three parties and enjoy two hours' peace. |
Newport's 11 screen cinema
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Have you read our guide to discount Isle of Wight ferry travel?
4. Watersports
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Digging holes in the sand and jumping over 6 inch waves will no longer cut it I'm afraid. You're going to need to find something a bit more exciting for your teenager.
Tackt Isle in St Helen's (east Wight near Ryde) offers Dinghy Sailing, Kayaking, Land Yachting, Paddleboarding, Windsurfing and even Standup Paddleboard Yoga. They also hire out things like fishing equipment, kites and the like. Costs vary from free things like geocaching through to kayaking at about £10 - £20 or private lessons in sailing, windsurfing which are more like £50. |
A cheap option is a bodyboard, but don't fob them off with a child's one
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Wight Water Adventure Watersports is halfway between Sandown and Shanklin on Dunroamin Beach and rents out things like Standup Paddleboards, Surfboards, Windsurfers, Kayaks and Sea Trampolines. Rental tends to cost between £10 and £20 and hour, lessons cost about £25-£40 an hour, so it's not a cheap activity. Last time I went there was a nice cafe there so you can have lunch whilst they charge around the beach.
Isle of Wight Adventure Activities run similar activities and tends to offer two hour lessons for your money, usually around Freshwater. They also offer Coasteering, which involves clambering around the coast.
I fancied trying Coasteering, but my wife told me I wasn't allowed - even though there are clearly children doing it on the promotional video...
Isle of Wight Adventure Activities run similar activities and tends to offer two hour lessons for your money, usually around Freshwater. They also offer Coasteering, which involves clambering around the coast.
I fancied trying Coasteering, but my wife told me I wasn't allowed - even though there are clearly children doing it on the promotional video...
Medina Valley Centre offer Canoeing and Kayaking (£25 for two hours as of 2017). They also do things like powerboat and sailing courses which are from about £35 to £70, depending on how long you want.
UKSA offer watersports taster days which are for 7-15 year olds. A full day was £35 when I checked (2019).
iSurf is a mobile surf school with lessons starting at about £25 an hour. They often work from Compton Bay although I've also seen them in Shanklin.
A cheaper option is hiring a pedalo or kayak from Sandown or Shanklin beach, which is £5 - £10 an hour.
Or my preferred option is buying a bodyboard (about £20) and heading over to Compton Bay (check the surf forecast) or Dunroamin Beach near Lake. Warning: do not attempt to fob off your teenager with a child's Power Rangers bodyboard.
Read the blog about our kayaking outing
UKSA offer watersports taster days which are for 7-15 year olds. A full day was £35 when I checked (2019).
iSurf is a mobile surf school with lessons starting at about £25 an hour. They often work from Compton Bay although I've also seen them in Shanklin.
A cheaper option is hiring a pedalo or kayak from Sandown or Shanklin beach, which is £5 - £10 an hour.
Or my preferred option is buying a bodyboard (about £20) and heading over to Compton Bay (check the surf forecast) or Dunroamin Beach near Lake. Warning: do not attempt to fob off your teenager with a child's Power Rangers bodyboard.
Read the blog about our kayaking outing
5. Outdoor Laser combat
Much of my childhood was spent shooting people in woodland on the Isle of Wight. Headhunters laser combat is less than a tenner for two hours (at the time of writing - 2018), much cheaper than most indoor laser tags.
There is also indoor Laser Quest in Ryde as part of the bowling alley on the esplanade (from £6.75 per game for non-members, price checked 2018 - not sure how long each game lasts for).
There is also indoor Laser Quest in Ryde as part of the bowling alley on the esplanade (from £6.75 per game for non-members, price checked 2018 - not sure how long each game lasts for).
6. Archery
An affordable option (£10 at the time of writing) and possibly even something you could do together as a family is archery. At least until someone turns an arrow on another family member in retaliation for eating the last pop tart at breakfast.
7. Go Karting
My only encounter with Go Karting didn't end well thanks to my weak stomach but I did thoroughly enjoy it as long as I could stand it. Wight Karting is on the edge of Ryde, near Tesco (see our guide to Isle of Wight towns).
It is suitable for anyone over 8 and describes itself as all weather, despite being outdoors. Karting is not a cheap activity - roughly speaking it works out at about £1 a minute. Although to be fair, calling Directory Enquiries costs more than that and it's far less exhilarating.
It is suitable for anyone over 8 and describes itself as all weather, despite being outdoors. Karting is not a cheap activity - roughly speaking it works out at about £1 a minute. Although to be fair, calling Directory Enquiries costs more than that and it's far less exhilarating.
8. Segway
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How about trying a Segway with Tackt Isle near Bembridge? For those who don't know, a Segway is a two wheeled vehicle which you attempt to stand on. They are generally used by businessmen in the USA (and G.O.B. in Arrested Development) who don't have any awareness of how silly they look, but they are great fun around a course.
Our attempt involved a course which was perilously close to the sea but we managed to avoid submerging them. |
Segway at Tackt Isle
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9. Outdoor GymsThe chance to show off your sweaty weightlifting body used to be reserved for those willing to pay £40 a month for gym membership. Not any more!
Outdoor gyms are appearing all over, and the Isle of Wight is no exception. Locations that we know of include Bembridge (PO35 5SL) Ventnor Park (PO38 1LB), Freshwater (PO40 9AX) and Northwood Recreation Ground near Cowes. Last time we visited, the Olympic themed one at Sandown/Yaverland within Sandham Grounds (PO36 8AS) had disappeared. |
RELATED GUIDE FROM THE ISLE OF WIGHT GURU
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10. Cycling/Orienteering
Cycling is a tricky one to get right with teenagers. You can be fairly sure that they won't enjoy piddling along at a snail's pace whilst you stop to admire the view or pop in to a lovely tea room in Godshill.
However, if you give them a bicycle and a bit of freedom then it's a decent way to spend a day.
There are various cycle hire places to choose from including:
There are countless routes to choose from, but Visit Isle of Wight is a good place to start or the main traffic free cycle track is called the Red Squirrel Trail. If you're a mountain biker, there's a cross country track at Cheverton Farm which featured on Countryfile in 2018.
If you want to stick together then one option is to let the cyclists hurtle around Parkhurst Forest whilst the walkers look for Red Squirrels (see our guide to free days out on the Isle of Wight).
As an alternative, you might try one of the permanent orienteering courses on the Isle of Wight which are at Parkhurst Forest, Firestone Copse and Brighstone Forest.
However, if you give them a bicycle and a bit of freedom then it's a decent way to spend a day.
There are various cycle hire places to choose from including:
- TAV Cycles in Ryde
- Top Gear Hire in Cowes
- Isle Cycle in Cowes and Sandown.
- Tackt Isle near Bembridge
- Wight Cycle Hire in Yarmouth
- routefifty7 in Shanklin
There are countless routes to choose from, but Visit Isle of Wight is a good place to start or the main traffic free cycle track is called the Red Squirrel Trail. If you're a mountain biker, there's a cross country track at Cheverton Farm which featured on Countryfile in 2018.
If you want to stick together then one option is to let the cyclists hurtle around Parkhurst Forest whilst the walkers look for Red Squirrels (see our guide to free days out on the Isle of Wight).
As an alternative, you might try one of the permanent orienteering courses on the Isle of Wight which are at Parkhurst Forest, Firestone Copse and Brighstone Forest.
11. Skateboarding
If your teenager knows the difference between a fun box, a flat bank and a transition driveway then they would quite enjoy a skatepark. There are skateparks in Ventnor (on the seafront by the big car park), Bembridge (in the park on Steyne Road) Newport (by Seaclose Park), Ryde, Sandown esplanade, Niton, East Cowes and (West) Cowes.
12. Paragliding
High Adventure paragliding school leaps off hills towards the cliffs in the West Wight. Minimum age is 12, current price of a tandem flight is £80 (2018).
It looks graceful from below but I can't help feeling I would be screaming like a girl if it was me.
It looks graceful from below but I can't help feeling I would be screaming like a girl if it was me.
Paragliding in the West Wight
13. Kite flying
Last time I checked, you could hire kites from Tackt Isle. Thanks to one helpful reader for getting in touch to say it costs £5. There's a guide to where to fly your kite towards the bottom of our guide to free days out, along with tips on how not to accidentally run off a cliff.
14. Mountain Boarding
How about Mountain Boarding, which is much like snowboarding but without any snow? (I'll leave the marketing slogans up to the experts). It will cost you about £30.
15. Tree Climbing/ Rock Climbing
Do you enjoy dangling awkwardly from a great height whilst someone bellows encouragement? You might consider the climbing wall which is based at Tapnell Farm in the West Wight. It is on the same site as Tapnell Farm Park which is better for younger children (5 to 12 years I'd say), so you might be able to satisfy younger and older offspring in one go.
Goodleaf Tree Climbing meets in Appley Park (Ryde) to help you clamber up an oak tree with safety harnesses and professional advice. Climbs take part in groups of six, somewhere between Newport and Cowes. It's got rave reviews on Trip Advisor, although it isn't a cheap day out - 2018 prices for a two hour climb were about £30.
The first bit of the video below shows you the kind of thing to expect:
Goodleaf Tree Climbing meets in Appley Park (Ryde) to help you clamber up an oak tree with safety harnesses and professional advice. Climbs take part in groups of six, somewhere between Newport and Cowes. It's got rave reviews on Trip Advisor, although it isn't a cheap day out - 2018 prices for a two hour climb were about £30.
The first bit of the video below shows you the kind of thing to expect:
16. Golf/Driving Range
Teenagers may enjoy Brown's Family golf course in Sandown. It's not quite as daunting as a full on golf course where impatient-tweed-wearing-men make tutting noises as you unsuccessfully swipe at the ball. However, it's not quite as tame as the putting-through-a-windmill of minigolf (see our guide to family days out for more on that).
Another option is a driving range, such as the one at Westridge Golf Centre near Ryde, which is also a good stag do activity. I'm very proud of my record of hitting the ball almost 50% of the time. It is £4 for 25 balls at the time of writing (2018).
There are loads of minigolf courses on the Isle of Wight. I'm in two minds as to whether teenagers would enjoy the ironic competitiveness or consider them to be "a totally daggy loser fest, man" (I am not too clear on how teenagers speak nowadays). Anyway, if you want crazy golf courses, see our guide to days out for children which has more details.
Another option is a driving range, such as the one at Westridge Golf Centre near Ryde, which is also a good stag do activity. I'm very proud of my record of hitting the ball almost 50% of the time. It is £4 for 25 balls at the time of writing (2018).
There are loads of minigolf courses on the Isle of Wight. I'm in two minds as to whether teenagers would enjoy the ironic competitiveness or consider them to be "a totally daggy loser fest, man" (I am not too clear on how teenagers speak nowadays). Anyway, if you want crazy golf courses, see our guide to days out for children which has more details.
17. Escape Rooms
The Isle of Wight has escape rooms in East Cowes and Ryde at the time of writing. They remind me of The Crystal Maze where enthusiastic workmates would shout 'GET THE CRYSTAL!' at people they'd just met in the vague hope of winning a canal holiday together, which they probably didn't want anyway.
I've not yet been to either but they both get good reviews:
I've not yet been to either but they both get good reviews:
- Random Rooms in East Cowes has games on offer which are suitable for 12+ and others which are 18+ It describes itself as a 'real life, immersive game' although one of them is called 'Goddess Anuket’s Curse' which I must admit isn't a routine part of my real life. I'm hoping to gather up a group of five other willing participants, as it works out cheaper if you go in a group. At the time of writing it was £60 for 6 people.
- Isle Escape is quite new and I don't know a lot about it, but it used to just be zombie themed before deciding to branch out to a wider range of escape-related shenanigans.
18. Speedway
For the uninitiated, Speedway involves motorbikes roaring round and round and round and round and round in a great big circle. The bikes don't have any brakes and only one gear, much like my old Fiat Punto. They also seem to love sliding round corners, which is rather reminiscent of Mario Kart to boys my age.
There's a Speedway track on the outskirts of Ryde, home of the Wightlink Warriors. Last time I checked (2018), an evening watching the Wightlink Warriors cost £13 for an adult. Thanks to Jo for getting in touch via Facebook to recommend Speedway as a teenage friendly activity.
There's a Speedway track on the outskirts of Ryde, home of the Wightlink Warriors. Last time I checked (2018), an evening watching the Wightlink Warriors cost £13 for an adult. Thanks to Jo for getting in touch via Facebook to recommend Speedway as a teenage friendly activity.
The-Isle-of-Wight-Guru-Don't-Blame-Us-Disclaimer™ The information on this website is correct, as far as we know, but please do check opening times and details with attractions directly if you are planning a long journey - and please contact us if you find anything inaccurate.
