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Free Days Out On The Isle Of Wight - 2022

A good day out doesn't have to cost anything! Here are 50 free activities on the Isle of Wight.

You might also like to see our guides to days out for teenagers, toddlers and families and rainy days out on the Isle of Wight. Or perhaps you're a fellow bargain hunter - if so, check out our guides to discount Isle of Wight ferry travel, holiday parks, cheap places to stay and eating out on a budget.

Mrs Guru enjoying a (free) paddle

1. Take a swim on the most varied coastline in Britain

Let's start with the most obvious free entertainment on the Isle of Wight - miles and miles of beautiful beaches. The Isle of Wight's coast is a compact version of the mainland, with mini versions of many of the UK's most popular beaches.

If Blackpool-style buckets and spades are your thing, Sandown or Shanklin are your best bet. If you fancy cliffs and watersports try Hanover Point (surfing and bodyboarding), Brook Chine (kitesurfing and windsurfing) or Totland/Colwell (standup paddleboarding). For a mini Cornish style fishing bay, try Steephill Cove.

Shanklin is a busy beach with parasols and an abundance of ice cream

Compton Bay/Hanover Point is a quieter beach which is popualr with surfers and bodyboarders

For something akin to the wide open beaches of Lincolnshire, try kite flying or ball games at Appley at low tide. If you fancy a bit of rockpooling try Bembridge beach. On a very sunny day you might even convince yourself that Priory Bay (near Seagrove Bay) or Whitecliff Bay resemble a foreign island with their lush sands and tree lined backdrop. See our guide to 'Which is the best Isle of Wight beach for...' or the Beaches Map.

Sandown won a Blue Flag for clean water in 2021 and 2022. In previous years, the award winners also included Ventnor, Yaverland and Colwell. We use the Safer Seas Service for Turd Alerts.

Freshwater Bay is good for exploring, paddling or sitting on a bench and saying "ahhhhh, this is nice"

A Solent sunset in Gurnard - yours for free

Or what about watching the sunset? Oh come on, where's your sense of romance? The sun setting at Compton Bay (or Gurnard is nice), the waves lapping on the shore, a guitar strumming Wonderwall, sharing a glass of tap water with a loved one (this is a free guide remember).

I would recommend falling asleep on the beach with the stars as your canvas but a) it's not all that wise b) it would sound silly.

For more beach-related advice, see our guide to 'which is the best beach for...'

2. Quarr Abbey (East Wight, near Ryde)

Quarr Abbey is a working Benedictine monastery near to the Fishbourne ferry port, which welcomes visitors of all ages.

There's a nice coffee shop which offers cream teas and they sometimes run free tours of the grounds (donations welcome).

There are also some pigs which you can feed with food bought from the Abbey and there's a woodland trail which took us about 30 minutes with an off-road pushchair. You can hire a kids' activity pack if you want to make the outing last a bit longer. Parking is free as well, which is rarer than spotting a red squirrel nowadays. All in all, a great value outing. The current Abbey is early 20th century, but there is a ruin of the original 12th century monastery.

The modern day Quarr Abbey

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3. Play I-Spy Isle of Wight or Isle Spy

Everyone knows that attempting I-Spy in a car without a book or some other list makes a short journey feel like an everlasting journey.

One free option is Isle Spy, which is Isle of Wight Guru's free car journey game.

Alternatively, you could buy the original I-Spy Isle of Wight game for around £2. OK, OK, I know that isn't technically a free activity but it's not bad for a week long activity or you could get it from a library. There are also similar books for travelling on a ferry or being at the seaside, but the Isle of Wight one is the most fun. Warning: don't suggest this game to teenagers.

Have you seen our guide to Isle of Wight Caravan Holiday Parks?

4. The Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary (South Wight, nearish Ventnor)

Free parking and free entry makes the Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary a fantastic value day out. It's obviously a charity so they do appreciate visitors making a donation or adopting a donkey (you have to leave it there though - it turns out their understanding of adoption is different to mine).

Donkey at Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary

A resident at the Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary

5. Bembridge Lifeboat Station (East Wight) and the RNLI Inshore Lifeboat Centre (North East Wight)

Bembridge Lifeboat Station is a great little trip out. RNLI class it as one of its 'discover' stations. Not only are they good enough to save people's lives, they also have volunteers giving free tours! There's an impressive walkway/pier, although keep hold of little toddlers as there are some gaps along the edge.

Whilst you are in Bembridge, you might like to try out the country's oldest working telephone box (read about our attempt to use the Bembridge phonebox).

Another option is to visit the RNLI Inshore Lifeboat Centre in East Cowes, where about half of the RNLI's fleet is built and repaired. They offer free tours, though you have to book in advance.

No, it's not a pier. It's the approach to Bembridge Lifeboat Station

6. National Trust and English Heritage properties

**English Heritage Discount Code: 15% off membership with code EH2022 until 30/06/22**

**National Trust Offer: £5 Amazon.co.uk Gift Card with National Trust Direct Debit Membership**

OK, OK, so this one isn't exactly free - unless you happen to have a National Trust Membership or English Heritage Membership. I thought I would mention it for those who already have a membership and are looking at where they can use it:

Osborne House (English Heritage) - North East Wight - Queen Victoria's former home, big stately home, beach, large gardens. Fills half a day or longer if you walk round the grounds and spend time at the beach.
Carisbrooke Castle (English Heritage) - Central - large Norman castle with great views, museum and donkeys. Takes half a day. Combine it with a trip to Newport or Cowes.
Yarmouth Castle (English Heritage) - West Wight - smaller castle, sea views. Takes an hour or two.
Needles Old Battery (National Trust) - West Wight - fabulous views of The Needles, quirky tunnel, nice tearoom. Worth an hour or two. Combine it with a ride on the chairlift, a boat ride to the Needles or a walk to Headon Warren (see our West Wight guide).
Mottistone Gardens (National Trust) - West Wight - fancy gardens, though the Manor is not open to the public. It'll fill a couple of hours on a sunny day, or 10 minutes on a wet day. Fun fact: Benedict Cumberbatch and Sophie Hunter had their wedding reception here. Combine it with a bodyboarding trip to Compton Bay at low tide.
Bembridge Windmill (National Trust) - East Wight - creeky old windmill, steep steps, nice views, good for an hour. Combine it with other fun and games around Bembridge or Ryde.
Newtown Old Town Hall (National Trust) - North West Wight - random town hall without a town attached, worth a few minutes if you are passing.

Several car parks are also free to National Trust members on the Isle of Wight. That's right, free car parks! Whatever next!

Carisbrooke Castle is one of the two biggest historic attractions on the Isle of Wight...

...whilst Osborne House is the other

Newtown Old Hall is a small attraction which is worth a visit if you're passing

Bembridge Windmill is a good way to spend an hour

The Needles Old Battery has a rather cool tunnel with excellent views

Mottistone Manor Gardens has fantastic floral displays and a trail for children

7. The Pepperpot/St Catherine's Oratory (South Wight)

‘St Catherine’s Oratory’ (or the Pepperpot) may look like a poor attempt at rocket building but it's actually a former lighthouse. A local Lord decided to tuck into some shipwrecked communion wine, which didn't go down well with the Vatican.

He was told to build the lighthouse as penance in 1313AD. Strangely though, it's not actually all that near the sea, and it was eventually replaced by St. Catherine's Lighthouse which is still operational but isn't currently open to the public.

The Pepperpot

Google map showing the location of St Catherine's Oratory

Spotting the Pepperpot is not all that easy considering that it was built to be seen. When we've visited it we've parked at the viewpoint car park on Blackgang Road (nearest postcode PO38 2HN) and walked about 1/2 a mile up a steep hill.

Read the blog about our trip to The Pepperpot.

8. Visit a food/drink producer

The Isle of Wight's wine region is second only to France's, and perhaps that of Spain, Chile, Portugal, Australia, Italy, South Africa, Germany, Argentina, Mexico, and Uzbekistan.

OK, so perhaps the Isle of Wight isn't famous for wine. However, there is Rosemary Vineyard (read the reviews) which you can visit for free. There is another vineyard (Adgestone) but you have to pay for that one.

The Garlic Farm (read the reviews) is probably the most popular foody attraction on the Isle of Wight. It is free and has a small children's playground, garlic tasting and a woodland walk. There's also a large garlic-themed shop and a popular cafe/restaurant. For a couple of pounds you can have a 20 minute farm tour in a trailer pulled by a tractor.

Needless to say, these places all have plenty of ways for you to spend your money if you want to!

9. Appuldurcombe House (South Wight)

Appuldurcombe House looks very grand from the outside but a lot of it is a ruin. It's an 18th century building with grounds landscaped by Capability Brown, who was the Charlie Dimmock of his day.

It is owned by English Heritage, but is currently free to visit, regardless of whether you have membership or not.

We found it was surprisingly good fun for our children as they were able to play hide and seek in the ruins. It's also got a romantic feel to it as some of the rooms are intact and very grand whilst others are abandoned.

You won't spend a whole day here but I would combine it with the donkey sanctuary which is three minutes down the road.

Free entry for anyone who can spell Appuldurcombe correctly

10. Carisbrooke Priory (near Newport)

This former nunnery is now a Christian House of Prayer and Healing which is open to the public for cream teas and general wandering around (contact them to check times as it's largely run by volunteers). It's a fascinating old building with an attractive garden, courtyard and chapel and has lots of signs of its former life. It's also very near Carisbrooke Castle, so you may want to combine the two visits.

Carisbrooke Priory has a chapel, gardens and courtyard

Have you seen out guide to 10 of the best places for large groups to stay?

11. Search for a red squirrel

The Isle of Wight is one of the few places in England where you can still see red squirrels. They are much shyer than grey squirrels, making it much more of a challenge to spot one - they certainly won't approach you to steal a sandwich.

Parkhurst Forest is a good (and free) place to start your search as it has got a 'hide' for visitors. The nearest postcode to the hide is PO30 5UL. Read the blog about our visit to the red squirrel hide at Parkhurst Forest.

This Google map shows Parkhurst Forest, just outside of Newport and Carisbrooke

I've also seen red squirrels at Ventnor Botanic Gardens and Robin Hill, though those both have an entrance fee. Brading Marshes, which is the RSPB's first reserve on the Island, is another free place to try whilst Alverstone Mead Nature Reserve near Sandown seems to be another place worth a go.

If you enjoy woodland walks, options to tickle your fancy on the Island include Firestone Copse near Ryde (Forestry Commission), Brighstone Forest in the West Wight (the largest on the Island according to Wikipedia), Borthwood Copse near Sandown (National Trust) and America Wood near Shanklin (Woodland Trust).

12. Visit an historic church

It is a scientifically proven fact that history only becomes interesting once you are old enough to have children, by which stage your children make a fuss when you want to visit anything historical.

This leads to an intergenerational squabble on family holidays, which can only be solved by following the system of each family member choosing the activities for one day.

Anyway, there are many historic churches on the Isle of Wight which are worth a visit.

St Boniface's 'Old Church' in Bonchurch lives up to its name as it is mentioned in The Domesday Book.
All Saint's Church in Freshwater is known to date from the 11th century or earlier, whilst the town's St. Agnes Church is the only thatched church on the Island.
St. Lawrence Old Church on Seven Sisters Road is a cute little church with a door so low that you have to duck. It's at least 800 years old and includes work by pre-Raphaelite artists.
All Saints Church in Newchurch has impressive flowers in the churchyard in early Spring. My mother is always rabbiting on about these.
St. Peter's Church in Shorwell features a 15th century painting of St Christopher.
St Mildred's in Whippingham has all kinds of Victorian royal connections thanks to its proximity to Osborne House.
All Saint's in Godshill is exceedingly quaint and is featured on postcards and boxes of fudges in all gift shops.

St Mildred's Church in Whippingham from outside

St Mildred's Church in Whippingham is a free alternative to Osborne House

Have you seen our guide to the cheapest Isle of Wight accommodation?

13. The Needles New Battery (West Wight)

There are two National Trust attractions at the Needles - one is free, whereas the other isn't.

The exhibition at the Needles New Battery is the free bit, which tells the bizarre story of the time that the Isle of Wight took on the USA and the USSR in the space race. For 15 years, up to 240 people worked in underground bunkers at the Needles headland on the Black Knight. Apparently, locals had no idea what was going on, although they must have thought it a bit strange when so many people kept turning up for work at a lighthouse.

The Old Battery, which is a Victorian fort, is the bit you have to pay for, although it is free for National Trust members.

The view from the Needles New Battery is one of my favourites

14. Go for a walk!

Perhaps a little obvious, but there are 500 miles of public rights of way on the Isle of Wight, including some stunning sections of coastal path.

The choice is a bit overwhelming so we've also picked out:

the 10 best circular walks of 3-9 miles including Freshwater to The Needles, Ventnor to Shanklin and Ventnor to St Lawrence.
a selection of themed walks, such as pub-to-pub walks and local history walks
Treasure Trails and treasure hunts, although these aren't free so shouldn't really be in this guide. Sorry.

For families, aiming small is they key. We've chosen 10 short walks of a mile which are ideal for children. These tend to be short esplanade and coastal walks, such as:

Gurnard to Cowes (mostly flat pavements between the village with a playground and the yachty town).
Bonchurch to Ventnor (flat walkway with crashing waves)
Colwell to Totland (mostly flat walk between the two beaches including a dramatic section which was repaired after a landslide)
Ventnor to Steephill Cove (more ups and downs than an Eastenders Christmas special. Far reaching views)
Yaverland to Shanklin (mostly flat walkway alongside the busy beach resorts of Sandown and Shanklin with a good playground in Sandown)
Freshwater Bay to the Tennyson Monument (steep climb and cliffs but 360 degree views at the top)
The Needles Pleasure Park to The Needles New Battery (outstanding views and a good workout but expensive parking and very breezy up the top)

Free walking routes are also offered by Wightlink, Red Funnel, Visit Isle of Wight, National Trust and there are walks organised by the Isle of Wight Ramblers. Or you can buy a book of course.

There is even an Isle of Wight Walking Festival in May - see our guide to major events on the Isle of Wight for more information.

A walk to the beach near Binnel Bay in the South Wight

15. Look for dinosaurs

A few years ago there was a live BBC series which involved digging up the Isle of Wight to look for dinosaur bones. There was an entertaining review of it on the BBC website (which has since been removed) which includes quotes from the presenters such as 'Wobbly wobbly wobbly goes the screen, wah, wah, wah'.

Anyway, I digress. Many of the world's finest dinosaur exhibits came from the Isle of Wight and now live in museums. According to this guide from Red Funnel you might just stumble across a priceless fossil at Bembridge, Blackgang Chine (possibly fibreglass), Brighstone Bay, Brook Bay, Culver Cliff, Gurnard Bay, Hamstead, Rocken End, Shepherds Chine, Thorness Bay, Whitecliff Bay, Yarmouth, Yaverland and just outside Poundland in Newport High Street. Having said that, one of the most significant dinosaur discoveries in recent years was made in Shanklin which isn't even on the list.

For the curious, there are some fantastically titled books out there with names like 'Baryonyx and Other Dinosaurs of the Isle of Wight' and 'The Ornithischian Dinosaur Hypsilophodon from the Wealden of the Isle of Wight'. There's also an 'official' dinosaur safari guide you can buy.

16. Isle of Wight Bus and Coach Museum (East Wight)

If the phrase 'Bristol K5G 721 (EDL 657)' makes your heart beat a little faster then you will enjoy the free Isle of Wight Bus and Coach Museum. There's a place to buy a cup of tea and there's also a shop. It is run by an enthusiastic group of volunteers and is only open certain days, so check their website. It is near Ryde at PO33 2BE.

Read our blog about a rainy day trip to the bus museum.

Definitely a bus of some sort, though that's all I can tell you

17. Cowes Week (North Wight)

We don't generally include events in this free days out guide, but if you are on the Isle of Wight in early August, Cowes Week is worth a visit, even if you don't sail. The town is crammed full of people and there are usually corporate stalls along the esplanade selling cheap copies of the Daily Telegraph and investments in the Middle East. If you want to blend in, wear red trousers and deck shoes and turn your collar up.

See our guide to festivals and carnivals on the Isle of Wight.

18. QUAY ARTS CENTRE (Central)

For those who like things on the artsy fartsy side of life, the Quay Arts centre regularly offer free exhibitions to thoughtfully stare at. Please avoid making unhelpful remarks such as "I could have done that".

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19. Watch a Carnival Parade (July and August)

Isle of Wighters love a good carnival - some of them have been going since Queen Victoria was living on the Island, though history doesn't record whether or not she sat on the back of a tractor-drawn-trailer surrounded by lightbulbs.

Some of the parades are illuminated, some are 'children's carnivals' and some are just your bog-standard selection of people wearing silly costumes.

I'm not an expert on the carnival scene but there are carnivals in Sandown, Shanklin, Ryde, Newport, Ventnor, Cowes, Yarmouth and St Helen's. I've not been to all of them, but I get the impression that the biggest carnival on the Isle of Wight is Ryde and that Sandown is also pretty big. Apparently Ryde is the UK's oldest too. If you're a carnival expert (a carnivore?) and can correct me, please contact us.

20. Stargazing

This one is more of a night out than a day out. The Isle of Wight is pretty decent for stargazing in places, thanks to its lack of light pollution in some areas. The West Coast is generally your best bet as there are fewer towns around to get in the way. After a few minutes Googling, I've concluded that the best sites are Atherfield, Compton, Newchurch, The Needles and St Catherine's Down. You're welcome.

Visit Isle of Wight has produced a rather wonderful stargazing map, which tells you what you'll see depending on the time of year.

Above: One of many good stargazing spots - this Google map shows Atherfield, which is suggested by The Guardian.

21. Ventnor, East Cowes and Ryde paddling pools

Perhaps not a whole day out but Ventnor's paddling pool is good fun in the summer for toddlers.

It has a map of the Isle of Wight you can walk all over, which leads to conversations such as "Oooh look, I'm treading on our house" and "What are you doing in Portsmouth, it's much prettier over here?"

There's a nice cafe nearby and a water feature for parents to admire.

Ryde's paddling pool near the Appley seafront is more modern with things which spurt and squirt. There's also a paddling pool on the Esplanade at East Cowes.

See our guide to days out for toddlers on the Isle of Wight for more of this kind of thing.

My brother treading on Ryde

22. Glass blowing

Glass blowing seems to be a popular pastime on the Isle of Wight with options including Isle of Wight Studio Glass, where you can watch it being done for free (they're based at Arreton Barns). Glory Art Glass in Sandown also does free demonstrations sometimes. The Needles Pleasure Park is free to get in and sometimes gives out free tickets to the glass blowing, but it charges for parking (£6 when we last visited).

23. Outdoor playgrounds

Our main guide to playgrounds is in our activities to do with toddlers on the Isle of Wight. Here are some highlights:

Granny Guru's favourite outdoor playground is in Sandham Grounds in Sandown (PO36 8AS - near Dinosaur Isle) and it might even satisfy some teenagers as well. It's got a fair few facilities including a skate park (see our guide to activities for teenagers) and some non-free stuff such as a modern minigolf course and some bouncy nets. It's also got a pond with ducks and swans (assuming they turn up). The nearby Clubhouse cafe in Brown's Golf Course is toddler friendly.

Sandham Gardens playground is one of the biggest and best on the Isle of Wight...

Sandham Gardens playground green section

...although it's usually much busier than in this photo

If you fancy a sea view whilst you watch the little ones fighting over a see-saw then you might like Appley (PO33 1ND) which has a playground on the beach and another on the esplanade. Nearby Puckpool Park has plenty of play equipment too.

Puckpool Park playground is near to the beach in Ryde...

...although the Appley seafront playground is closer

There's also a good sea view from the Gurnard sea themed playground (PO31 8LE) and from East Cowes' large but occasionally smelly playground (PO32 6AE). Ventnor's Seabreeze playground has perhaps the best sea view of any playground on the Island (PO38 1EH).

Gurnard playground is one of our favourites because of its seaside location

Ventnor's Seabreeze playground probably has the best view-from-a-swing on the Isle of Wight

Seaclose Park in Newport (also the venue for the Isle of Wight Festival) has a playground which is modern, but generally quite busy. Plus you have to pay to park, which is a little irksome.

There are also some pubs with decent playgrounds, such as the playgrounds at the Eight Bells in Carisbrooke (PO30 1NR) and the Chequers at Rookley (PO38 3NZ). Obviously not a free option unless you plan to sneak in without eating or drinking anything...

See the toddlers guide for more playground related advice.

24. Cowes Maritime Museum (North WIght)

Another one I've not been to yet is Cowes Maritime Museum which is within Cowes Library and includes a dinghy belonging to Uffa Fox.

It's quite a small thing with limited opening hours.

Save yourself some money! Read our guide to discount Isle of Wight ferry travel

25. Outdoor gyms

The 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 Ventnor Park (PO38 1LB), Northwood Recreation Ground, Steyne Park Recreation Ground in Bembridge (PO35 5SL), Freshwater's Stroud Recreation Ground (PO40 9AX) and Bouldnor playing fields near Yarmouth (also known as Yarmouth Park).

Freshwater's outdoor gym

26. Ventnor Park and the Diplodocus Labyrinth (South WIght)

Thanks to Karen for getting in touch and recommending Ventnor Park, which I must admit had slipped my mind.

It's got a bandstand which was apparently rescued from the old Ventnor Pier, although it looks like they borrowed it from In The Night Garden.

The bandstand has regular performances and the park also has an outdoor gym (see above) as well as a putting green and cafe. It won a Park of the Year Award in 2016 which isn't to be sneezed at (unless all the flowers give you hayfever).

Not far from Ventnor Park is the Diplodocus Labyrinth which can be found painted onto grass near the La Falaise car park (PO38 1JY). It was created by the Ventnor Enhancement Fund and is a bit like a maze, but with fewer decisions to make, which is ideal for indecisive visitors.

Ventnor Park...or is it the Night Garden?

27. The Longstone, Mottistone (West Wight)

The Longstone is two great big lumps of sandstone which sit in a field in the West Wight (nearest postcode PO30 4EA). The National Trust look after it (I'm not exactly sure how much 'looking after' a stone needs, but still...). There is more about its history in our guide to 25 historic days out.

If you can't be bothered with reading all that, the short version is that it marks a 6000 year old burial ground and it's about 4 metres tall. Not quite Stonehenge, but still an interesting rock if you're passing.

The Longstone in Mottistone

Above: The Google maps location of the Longstone, which is not far from Strawberry Lane.

Read about my soggy visit to the Longstone (or don't, it's really up to you).

28. Devil's Chimney, Bonchurch (South Wight)

The Devil's Chimney is certainly not a whole day out, but it's worth a quick visit if you are in the area anyway. It's essentially a big crack in the rock which you can walk through. You'll find it on the route between Shanklin and Ventnor. According to Wikipedia, 'its upper end is at the Smuggler's Haven Tearooms' (PO38 1QD).

29. Sir Max Aitken Museum (North Wight)

This free museum (PO31 7AJ) is in the centre of Cowes (in the High Street). It was the home of Sir Max Aitken who was (according to the website) 'a newspaper magnate, a fighter pilot in WWII, a Conservative MP, a racing yachtsman, a powerboat pioneer and the London Boat Show founder'. Highlights include marine paintings, Giles cartoons and a cradle made for the infant King of Rome, son of Napoleon Bonaparte. I think my mum's got one of those in her attic.

Sir Max Aitken Museum in Cowes

30. Ghost walks

My former employers once tried to make me go on a ghost walk as a 'team social'. I made my excuses and went to watch football at the pub, which may give you a hint as to my enthusiasm for such things.

However, I do appreciate that lots of people enjoy Ghost Walks, even if you just want a quirky approach to local history. You can look up this Isle of Wight Ghost Map if you want to do a free tour, or you can sign up for a paid tour with the Isle of Wight Ghost Experience.

I'm still looking for a guide to the Olde Ventnor Unicorn Trail or the Olde Shanklin Leprachaun Trail.

31. Rubbish Walks

People who leave litter on beaches or chuck it off boats deserve to be forced to ride bicycles without saddles for the rest of their lives, in my opinion.

A more positive response is to help out with a beach litter-picking day. The Solent Beach Hub organise them and have a calendar on their website so you can find one near you, rather than driving your 4x4 from one side of the Island to 'save the planet'.

32. Kite flying

Some beaches are excellent spots for kite flying, although do try to avoid landing your kite on any sunbathers if you can. It can be particularly good fun on a sunny winter's day when the beaches are quieter.

You'll obviously need to check tide times, but Yaverland Beach (near Sandown) is a good spot for kite flying at low tide. Appley Beach at Ryde is another wide open beach with space to run around screaming.

We also had an hilarious attempt at kite flying at Compton Bay (near Brook and Brighstone) which ended when the kite crashed into the cliff and snapped in half (see our beaches guide for locations).

According to the National Trust, Culver Down near Bembridge is the best place for kite flying. They do offer the wise advice to 'Keep away from cliff edges or cars' (I'd be more worried about the former, as I do tend to walk backwards when kite flying). One guide I found also recommended Chillerton Down which is more central. It does have a massive great mast though... Tennyson Down near The Needles is another option (again, try to avoid running off the cliff whilst enthusiastically trying to launch your kite).

Yaverland is good for kite flying

33. The Car Park Viewpoint Tour

There's no point asking most children to 'admire the view' - I used to just grunt and refuse to look up from my Gameboy. However, if you are a little more mature then you might like to consider stopping off and admiring the (free) view from some of the best car park viewpoints on the Isle of Wight.

We've got a separate guide with 15 of the best Isle of Wight car park viewpoints, but some of my favourites are:

Hanover Point car park (crumbling car park looking towards Freshwater, pictured below)
Princes Esplanade in Gurnard (yachts and beach huts on the Solent)
Brading Down (inland high point looking towards Shanklin)
Culver Down (on the east side of the Isle of Wight)

(See the guide for exact locations)

34. Brighstone Museum (West Wight)

Brighstone is a very nice village in my view, and it is much less visited than biscuit-box favourites Godshill or Winkle Street in Calbourne. It has a pretty old church, several thatched cottages, a couple of places to eat and two busy little shops.

Remarkably, it also has a museum, which volunteers have managed to sustain, presumably on a shoestring budget. Brighstone Museum is a thatched cottage with artefacts about village life. Former residents of Brighstone include fossil pioneer Rev William Fox, Samuel Wilberforce (son of William Wilberforce) and my mate Lee.

35. Visit the UK's Oldest Phonebox (East Wight)

Would you believe a payphone costs 60p nowadays? And by the time I finish this sentence it will probably be 70p.

Back in the days when phoneboxes were more than just places to shelter from the wind, the UK was full of K1 phoneboxes. Bembridge has one of the last remaining ones and apparently the UK's oldest working phonebox (read the blog about our visit to the phonebox).

36. Rylstone Gardens (South East Wight)

Rylstone Gardens is a pretty little clifftop park in Shanklin. There's also a hotel in the grounds. There's a bandstand which hosts Sunday afternoon performances by well dressed tooters and parpers (by which I mean Brass Brands and the like), as well as plenty of pleasant flowers and trees to fall asleep under. The park links up with the clifftop park so you can walk down to the beach.

If you are willing to stretch to a few pounds there is a cafe and crazy golf course. It's quite a basic one, but still a good lark - read our blog. The golf course starred in a David Essex and Ringo Starr film in the 1970s.

We parked for free on Luccombe Road but there was also some free parking on Popham Road. Rylstone Gardens' postcode is PO37 6RG.

Rylstone Gardens is a pleasant park with occasional concerts...

...and the nearby coastal path is a lovely walk

37. Geocaching

Thanks to Victoria for getting in touch and recommending Geocaching as a free thing to do on the Isle of Wight (or anywhere for that matter) if you have a smartphone. Geocaching is a bit like a treasure hunt, although the treasure isn’t quite as exciting as a big wooden chest full of gold – it tends to be things like plastic Kinder Surprise toys.

I’m sure there are different ways to do Geocaching, but the way I did it is :

Download a free android app called Geocaching Intro (Apple fanboys can get the same thing on the App Store). There is an option to pay a monthly subscription for more features and locations but the free version was enough for me.
Turn on your phone’s GPS and it will tell you roughly where people have hidden little boxes all over the Isle of Wight. They are generally somewhere public and often tie in with local history or landmarks.
Find the box and then write your name in the logbook. Some boxes have little toys and trinkets which you can swap for something of your own.

Read about our first Isle of Wight geocaching adventure.

38. The Spicebus

Fans of critically condemned 1990s pop-based cinema will undoubtedly get a thrill from seeing the original Spicebus which appeared in Spiceworld: The Movie.

It's now available for hiring as holiday accommodation at Island Harbour, but you can still admire it from a distance if you really wanna(be).

Anorak Spice

39. Isle of Wight Pearl

Isle of Wight Pearl attracts big crowds of people and seems to have more coaches visiting than Wembley Stadium. You can hear a talk about pearls, buy a necklace or some other pearly thing and then have a cream tea.

It is on the very attractive Military Road and it is free.

40. Puckpool Park

If you'd like to admire Britain's victorious military past whilst sat on a children's roundabout then consider Puckpool Park (PO34 5AR) near Ryde. There's the remains of Puckpool military battery with nice views towards Portsmouth as well as a pretty decent medium-sized playground for toddlers (and probably junior school aged children and a couple of dads who should know better), tennis courts, mini golf and somewhere to get something to eat.

Puckpool Park also hosts slightly random zombie themed events called Park of the Dead.

View from Puckpool Park towards the playground

41. Old Smithy Gardens

It's only a 15-minute attraction, but if you're in Godshill then you might like to have a wander through the Old Smithy Gardens which are very well kept and full of chintzy things to amuse little ones and pretty flowers to amuse older ones.

Please exit through the giftshop.

The Old Smithy Garden in Godshill

42. Birdwatching

If you're visiting the Isle of Wight with toddlers or teenagers then I'd say your chances of a successful birdwatching outing are slight at best. However, if you are grown-ups who have been allowed out on your own then there are several good birdwatching spots on the Isle of Wight.

The National Trust has hides at Newtown Estuary which is a suitably isolated and sleepy part of the Isle of Wight. It also recommends St Helen's Duver, Tennyson Down (West Wight), Headon Warren (near The Needles), Mottistone Common (West Wight) and Borthwood Copse (near Sandown).

A useful Red Funnel birdwatching guide also recommends marshes between Bembridge and Brading (there's a RSPB site at Brading Marsh), the West Yar Estuary (Yarmouth), The Medina Estuary and The Needles if you fancy seeing some 'raptor species'. I thought that was a type of dinosaur, but I'm not a bird expert.

Personally I'd start with Newtown Estuary (postcode PO30 4PA), but I'm ready to be corrected by a twitcher.

43. Go the Library

Thanks to Karen for getting in touch and suggesting a visit to one of the Isle of Wight's 10-ish libraries as a free thing to do.

I'm not suggesting you spend your summer holiday reading about concrete in the non-fiction section but you might like to drop in on one of the library's regular events and exhibitions - particularly if it's raining.

For example, when I checked there were 'Rhyme Time' and story time groups for young children at several libraries as well as Lego, Duplo and Minecraft clubs. Ryde Library was offering an art exhibition and a couple of libraries were offering adult colouring clubs. As mentioned earlier, Cowes Library has a small maritime museum.

I would recommend calling ahead as some clubs don't meet during school holidays.

44. The Isle of Wight TV and movie locations tour

Roll up, roll up for the Isle of Wight movie locations tour, which involves driving around the Isle of Wight and saying "was that beach in that film with you know who?"

We've compiled a list of 10 films and TV programmes starring the Isle of Wight, so you can tour around. It's a bit like those tours you get in Los Angeles, just a lot cheaper, and shorter, and less impressive.

45. Stokey's Solar System Walk

I won't list every single walk on the Isle of Wight (since there are rather a lot), but this quirky one appeals to the schoolboy in me. The Ventnor Enhancement Fund has created a scale model of the solar system along the seawall between Bonchurch and Ventnor, along with information boards about each planet. The model of the Sun is in Bonchurch and you'll reach Neptune after about 1000 paces.

46. Tesco Clubcard Days Out

I've included Tesco Clubcard Days Out as a 'free day out' as there are various tricks to accumulate Clubcard points, although I admit they usually involve a lot of effort.

At the time of writing (2021), the Isle of Wight attractions that offer entry through Tesco include:

47. The Willow Maze at Golden Hill Country Park

In 2021, a charity called Gift To Nature unveiled a willow maze/sculpture at Golden Hill Country Park in the West Wight near Freshwater. It's not the sort of maze which will have you walking round in circles for hours but it's a nice feature and is an unusual sight. There's a car park at PO40 9SJ.

The main feature of the country park is a six-sided fort which was built to keep away the French but is now private apartments which are mostly holiday cottages called The Sergeants Quarters (sleeps 7) and The Officer's Mess (sleeps 10).

French visitors are now very welcome.

The willow sculpture at Golden Hill Country Park

48. Busy Bee Garden Centre

Yes, it's a shop but Busy Bee's Garden Centre in Ryde is worth a quick visit at Christmas if you've got children or if you aren't an old misery. Last time we went they had harmonising penguins, Father Christmas flying in an aeroplane, an enormous Christmas tree and - shockingly - a nativity scene.

49. Jurassic Jim's Fossil Shop

I was in two minds as to whether I should include a shop as a 'free day out' but Jurassic Jim's in Shanklin consistently gets rave reviews, and there's nothing to stop you just going inside for a nosey. Most of the fossils and stones were dug up by the owner and some are sold for as little as £1, which I would call pocket-money prices. Well, my pocket money was 10p a week so I'd have had to save up for more than two months, but that doesn't take inflation into account (and my tough upbringing).

50. Go to court!

Now...this isn't a great day out for the kids but when I was a student I thoroughly enjoyed sitting in on the occasional Crown Court case to get a sense of how our justice system works. It's worth reading up on visiting and checking with the local court to make sure you don't break any rules and end up in Parkhurst. Newport is the location for the Island's legal cases.

51. And finally, an attraction which is no longer free

The short chain ferry crossing/floating bridge between (West) Cowes and East Cowes used to be free for foot passengers but after protests, consultations, and a lot of sarcastic eyebrow raising there is a now a charge...of £1 for a return journey.

They've also had problems with the running of the new floating bridge which has only made the tutting louder. And then there was a petition to call it Floaty McFloatface.

If you manage to get to Cowes, then it is nice for a wander round, particularly during Cowes Week when there are usually a few freebies being given out on the Esplanade. East Cowes has a few shops, a playground on the Esplanade and a Waitrose.

The former floating bridge (RIP)

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 opening times and details with attractions directly if you are planning a long journey - and please contact us if you find anything inaccurate.