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Itinerary For A Budget Isle of Wight Holiday With Free Days Out 2025
Here's our itinerary for a week on the Isle of Wight on a budget, with free and cheap days out. Many families end up enduring a week in a one star hotel on the Costa del Grot because they think England is too expensive - but there is loads to do for free on the Isle of Wight.
We've also got an itinerary for a rainy weekend, and a guide to free days out.
We've also got an itinerary for a rainy weekend, and a guide to free days out.
Getting to the Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight ferry can be expensive, but it can be as cheap as £15-30 per person if you are flexible and travel with a car full. See our guide to discount Isle of Wight ferry travel for some ideas, such as booking a ferry + accommodation bundle.
Red Funnel, Wightlink and Hovertravel provide ferry services to the Isle of Wight
Where to stay
**Away Resorts Discount Code: Save up to 10% at Whitecliff Bay, The Lakes, St Helens and The Bay via this link with discount code AWRAF7 + cheap ferry travel**
Our guide to 'where is the cheapest place to stay' concluded that, unsurprisingly, camping and caravan sites are usually your cheapest option, unless your mother-in-law happens to live on the Island, of course.
There are about 20 holiday parks on the Isle of Wight, some of which offer camping and touring. They can broadly be split into two categories:
Big holiday parks aimed at families, which generally have indoor swimming pools, restaurants and evening entertainment:
There are more in our holiday park guide.
However, if you would rather have brick walls, there are some cheap options:
There are about 20 holiday parks on the Isle of Wight, some of which offer camping and touring. They can broadly be split into two categories:
Big holiday parks aimed at families, which generally have indoor swimming pools, restaurants and evening entertainment:
- Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park (award-winning beachside holiday park near Bembridge which is run by Away Resorts)
- Nodes Point Holiday Park (beachside holiday park in St Helen’s ,which is run by Parkdean Resorts)
- Thorness Bay Holiday Park (another Parkdean Resorts holiday park, which is in a remote location near to Cowes)
- Lower Hyde Holiday Park (one of two Parkdean Resorts holiday parks in Shanklin - the beach is about 20 minutes' walk)
- Landguard Holiday Park (Parkdean Resorts' other Shanklin holiday park - similar distance to the beach as Lower Hyde Holiday Park)
- Woodside Coastal Retreat (classy lodges next to a quiet beach in Wootton)
- The Lakes Rookley (lakeside lodges and chalets which are towards the middle of the Isle of Wight)
- The Bay Colwell (chalets with hot tubs, only a short walk from a beach in the West Wight)
- Cheverton Copse (highly rated and affordable caravans at a park near to Sandown/Shanklin)
- St Helen's Coastal Resort (modern caravans and lodges on a quiet location in the East Wight, about a mile from the sea. It is another one run by Away Resorts)
- The Orchards Holiday Park (good value caravan park in an inland location in the West Wight, with an indoor swimming pool)
- Appuldurcombe Gardens Holiday Park (caravan park in the South Wight, near to the ruin of an English Heritage stately home)
There are more in our holiday park guide.
However, if you would rather have brick walls, there are some cheap options:
- Brambles Chine and Linstone Chine self-catering, which can work out at as little as £7 per person per night.
- Isle of Wight holiday cottages from Hoseasons or HolidayCottages.co.uk
Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park has a good range of onsite things to do for families
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Cheverton Copse is often one of the cheapest caravan parks in our price comparisons
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Getting around
A car is useful on the Isle of Wight, but not essential. If you are travelling on foot, have a read of our guide to Isle of Wight public transport. If you travel as a group of four or five people and buy a week's ticket then you'll only pay £2 or £2.50 per person, per day.
It's a fair bit slower than travelling by car, as most buses go via the county capital of Newport, but it is a good low-cost option and will save you parking charges.
There are some nice open top buses. They cost more than the standard bus tickets, but provide good entertainment.
You can also save on parking charges with our guide to cheap parking on the Isle of Wight. This particular guide is a labour of love, as I really don't like paying to park.
Lone travellers and couples occasionally find it is cheaper to hire a car on the Island if they are travelling during the middle of the day in August. A typical price for hiring a car on the Isle of Wight for a week is around £250. You can either for big-name Enterprise or one of the local car hire companies.
You'll pay about £25-40 for the ferry as a foot passenger and about £5 for a return on the bus to Newport to pick up the car. The saving is likely to be quite small, but you might prefer to zip around the Isle of Wight in someone else's car.
It's a fair bit slower than travelling by car, as most buses go via the county capital of Newport, but it is a good low-cost option and will save you parking charges.
There are some nice open top buses. They cost more than the standard bus tickets, but provide good entertainment.
You can also save on parking charges with our guide to cheap parking on the Isle of Wight. This particular guide is a labour of love, as I really don't like paying to park.
Lone travellers and couples occasionally find it is cheaper to hire a car on the Island if they are travelling during the middle of the day in August. A typical price for hiring a car on the Isle of Wight for a week is around £250. You can either for big-name Enterprise or one of the local car hire companies.
You'll pay about £25-40 for the ferry as a foot passenger and about £5 for a return on the bus to Newport to pick up the car. The saving is likely to be quite small, but you might prefer to zip around the Isle of Wight in someone else's car.
The Isle of Wight has open top buses, as well as the cheaper 'normal' buses
Day 1 - South East Wight (Sandown and Shanklin)
Getting to the seaside is essential on your first day, so head over to the South East Wight, which is the most touristy part of the Island.
You can either park in Shanklin and walk along the esplanade to Sandown (it's a couple of miles so not even worth attempting with teenagers) or just park at Yaverland. See our guide to cheap parking for money saving places to leave the car. For example, parking at Sandown or Shanklin railway station is usually cheaper than parking in the Council's seafront car parks.
Sandham Grounds by Yaverland car park has a great playground, with something for all ages including a skate park and basketball court. These bits are all free, but there are also things you can pay for such as minigolf.
Yaverland beach is quieter than Sandown and Shanklin, which have more facilities, such as amusements on the pier. All three beaches are family friendly with clean water for swimming, toilets and parking (not free in the summer unless you're willing to walk a fair distance). Check the safer seas website before you swim.
If you want to splash out, then you can hire pedalos, paddleboards and kayaks in Shanklin for about £10. Personally, I prefer Shanklin to Sandown due to the former's attractive imposing cliffs but they both have an English seaside feel. Some parts of Sandown's seafront are suffering from closed hotels, but other parts are looking better.
If the playground and seaside don't provide enough entertainment, then Dinosaur Isle in Sandown is cheap at about £8. Fossil hunting tours cost about £5 per person (see our dinosaur-themed guide for providers).
A couple of miles outside of Sandown, you will find the Garlic Farm. It's free to visit and then you can pay for a tractor trailer tour if you want to.
Keen walkers should attempt the coastal path, which is featured in our guide to days out in Sandown and Shanklin.
You can either park in Shanklin and walk along the esplanade to Sandown (it's a couple of miles so not even worth attempting with teenagers) or just park at Yaverland. See our guide to cheap parking for money saving places to leave the car. For example, parking at Sandown or Shanklin railway station is usually cheaper than parking in the Council's seafront car parks.
Sandham Grounds by Yaverland car park has a great playground, with something for all ages including a skate park and basketball court. These bits are all free, but there are also things you can pay for such as minigolf.
Yaverland beach is quieter than Sandown and Shanklin, which have more facilities, such as amusements on the pier. All three beaches are family friendly with clean water for swimming, toilets and parking (not free in the summer unless you're willing to walk a fair distance). Check the safer seas website before you swim.
If you want to splash out, then you can hire pedalos, paddleboards and kayaks in Shanklin for about £10. Personally, I prefer Shanklin to Sandown due to the former's attractive imposing cliffs but they both have an English seaside feel. Some parts of Sandown's seafront are suffering from closed hotels, but other parts are looking better.
If the playground and seaside don't provide enough entertainment, then Dinosaur Isle in Sandown is cheap at about £8. Fossil hunting tours cost about £5 per person (see our dinosaur-themed guide for providers).
A couple of miles outside of Sandown, you will find the Garlic Farm. It's free to visit and then you can pay for a tractor trailer tour if you want to.
Keen walkers should attempt the coastal path, which is featured in our guide to days out in Sandown and Shanklin.
Shanklin beach is good for swimming...
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...and so is Sandown's beach
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Eating out on a budget around South East Wight
There are loads of places to buy 'chips with everything' meals, but there are also reasonable sized supermarkets in the area if you have a car and would rather bring a picnic.
The Crab in Shanklin does pub grub. In nearby Lake, Morrisons has a café.
The Crab in Shanklin does pub grub. In nearby Lake, Morrisons has a café.
Day 2 - North Wight (Parkhurst, Cowes and Gurnard)
The Isle of Wight is one of the few places in England with red squirrels, which are cute and shy compared to their aggressive grey cousins. Parkhurst Forest is a good place to look for them, as it has a specially designed 'hide' for visitors. The nearest postcode to the hide is PO30 5UL (see map below). If you've managed to balance bikes on the back of the car you can take them for a ride around the Forest. Read about our trip the red squirrel hide or our fairly-successful bike ride in Parkhurst Forest.
"What are you looking at?"
In the afternoon, I would recommend a trip to the famous sailing town of Cowes, which is about 15 minutes from Parkhurst Forest in the car. It is crammed full of sailors with turned up collars during Cowes Week in early August (see our Cowes Week guide) but is still nice for a potter about during the rest of the year. We enjoy the walk along the esplanade to or from Gurnard, which can be managed with a pushchair.
There's somewhere to buy an ice cream on Gurnard seafront - or if you're as frugal as me you will start at Gurnard and end up in Cowes where you can buy a multipack of ice creams at a supermarket...Don't judge me.
Cowes and Gurnard are less good for swimming as the beaches are quite small, but some people do still take a dip at low tide (try not to swim into a cruise ship).
Other free things to do in that part of the Isle of Wight include Cowes Maritime Museum, the Max Aitken Museum, working monastery Quarr Abbey and St Mildred's Church in Whippingham, which has links to Queen Victoria.
Queen Victoria's holiday home of Osborne House is free if you already have membership.
There's somewhere to buy an ice cream on Gurnard seafront - or if you're as frugal as me you will start at Gurnard and end up in Cowes where you can buy a multipack of ice creams at a supermarket...Don't judge me.
Cowes and Gurnard are less good for swimming as the beaches are quite small, but some people do still take a dip at low tide (try not to swim into a cruise ship).
Other free things to do in that part of the Isle of Wight include Cowes Maritime Museum, the Max Aitken Museum, working monastery Quarr Abbey and St Mildred's Church in Whippingham, which has links to Queen Victoria.
Queen Victoria's holiday home of Osborne House is free if you already have membership.
Gurnard has a nice playground with a sea view
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Yachts at Cowes Week during August
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Eating Out on a budget around North Wight (Cowes)
The Fountain in Cowes does cheap pub grub or there are a couple of small supermarkets in Cowes town centre.
Isle of Wight self-catering? Try Hoseasons or HolidayCottages.co.uk
Day 3 - West Wight (Alum Bay and Hanover Point)
I'm in two minds as to whether I should recommend Alum Bay and the Needles for a cheap day out, as there are plenty of opportunities to spend money. However, it is possible to see one of the Isle of Wight's more popular attractions by just paying to park (see our guide to cheap parking).
Everything else is on a pay-as-you-go basis (chairlift, small funfair etc.)
If you would rather something a bit quieter then you can get a terrific view of the Needles by walking around Headon Warren or the Needles Old Battery (free to National Trust Members) or New Battery (free to anyone).
In the afternoon, head over to the South West Wight along the stunning coastal road where you'll find Hanover Point (sometimes called Shippards Chine), Brook Chine or Compton Bay. Unlike Sandown, these are backed by natural eroding cliffs and have little in the way of facilities so take your own food with you or find a supermarket. The Tesco in Freshwater is probably your best bet from here.
Hanover Point has toilets and an ice cream van most of the year but that's about it. Instead, they offer gorgeous views, waves for bodyboarding or surfing and tranquillity during the early evening. As the sun sets at low tide after a hot day, you'll find it impossible not to take a thousand arty photos, and you'll wonder why you ever went to the Costa del Grot.
If you wait until dark, you'll find that it's a terrific area for stargazing with minimal light pollution, apart from an occasional car on the Military Road that runs along the coast.
Alternative free things to do in the West Wight include a wander around the tiny town of Yarmouth with its pier and ferries or watching the crashing waves at Freshwater Bay at high tide. There are also pretty beaches at Totland and Colwell - see our best Isle of Wight beaches guide for more details.
Mottistone Manor Gardens is free if you have National Trust Membership, whilst Yarmouth Castle is free for English Heritage members.
Other free things in the West Wight include the thatched church of St Agnes in Freshwater Bay, the small willow maze at Golden Hill Country Park, the much-photographed Winkle Street in Calbourne, the Longstone, Brighstone's dragon tree and the small museum in Brighstone. There isn't a standout playground in the West Wight, but we've filled time at the playgrounds in Freshwater, Brighstone and Yarmouth (see our toddlers' guide for more playground waffle).
Everything else is on a pay-as-you-go basis (chairlift, small funfair etc.)
If you would rather something a bit quieter then you can get a terrific view of the Needles by walking around Headon Warren or the Needles Old Battery (free to National Trust Members) or New Battery (free to anyone).
In the afternoon, head over to the South West Wight along the stunning coastal road where you'll find Hanover Point (sometimes called Shippards Chine), Brook Chine or Compton Bay. Unlike Sandown, these are backed by natural eroding cliffs and have little in the way of facilities so take your own food with you or find a supermarket. The Tesco in Freshwater is probably your best bet from here.
Hanover Point has toilets and an ice cream van most of the year but that's about it. Instead, they offer gorgeous views, waves for bodyboarding or surfing and tranquillity during the early evening. As the sun sets at low tide after a hot day, you'll find it impossible not to take a thousand arty photos, and you'll wonder why you ever went to the Costa del Grot.
If you wait until dark, you'll find that it's a terrific area for stargazing with minimal light pollution, apart from an occasional car on the Military Road that runs along the coast.
Alternative free things to do in the West Wight include a wander around the tiny town of Yarmouth with its pier and ferries or watching the crashing waves at Freshwater Bay at high tide. There are also pretty beaches at Totland and Colwell - see our best Isle of Wight beaches guide for more details.
Mottistone Manor Gardens is free if you have National Trust Membership, whilst Yarmouth Castle is free for English Heritage members.
Other free things in the West Wight include the thatched church of St Agnes in Freshwater Bay, the small willow maze at Golden Hill Country Park, the much-photographed Winkle Street in Calbourne, the Longstone, Brighstone's dragon tree and the small museum in Brighstone. There isn't a standout playground in the West Wight, but we've filled time at the playgrounds in Freshwater, Brighstone and Yarmouth (see our toddlers' guide for more playground waffle).
The Needles Old Battery is free for National Trust members...
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...whilst the West Wight coastline has some terrific beaches
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Day 4 - East Wight (Bembridge, Seaview and Ryde)
The East Wight is the order of the day, firstly to visit the Lifeboat station in Bembridge where there are often free tours.
Bembridge is a pretty town, which is also home to the country's oldest working phonebox (well, I think it is but I've not had a great deal of luck confirming that fascinating fact). Other free things in Bembridge include rockpooling at low tide, the playground on Steyne Road in Bembridge (PO35 5SL) and Bembridge Heritage Centre.
In the afternoon, you have a choice of attractive beaches. Appley at Ryde is popular because of its (paid) parking, facilities, seafront playground and massive sandy beach. There is also a nearby park at Puckpool and a playground on the esplanade. See our cheap parking guide if you dislike paying to park as much as I do. Puckpool Park also has some interesting history as a former military base.
Personally, I favour Priory Bay at Seaview (round the corner from Seagrove Bay) or St Helens. The former is harder to access and is often too shallow for a proper swim, but it has gorgeous golden sands. St Helens is a bit better for parking (there's a free car park for National Trust members) and it has a nice busy atmosphere on a sunny day. You can also spend some time crabbing in the rock pools at St Helens or around Bembridge at low tide.
The Isle of Wight Bus Museum is a good free way to spend an hour, particularly if it's pouring with rain. It is run by volunteers and is open during the warmer months of the year.
Other cheap options in that part of the Isle of Wight include the cinema in Ryde, which may be rather small and quaint, but is also very good value. At the time of writing, it is £4 per person.
See our best Isle of Wight beaches guide for more detail.
If you've got National Trust membership, you can get in free to Bembridge Windmill.
If you can persuade the children to do a walk, take a look at our guide to circular walks, which include a couple of East Wight routes.
Bembridge is a pretty town, which is also home to the country's oldest working phonebox (well, I think it is but I've not had a great deal of luck confirming that fascinating fact). Other free things in Bembridge include rockpooling at low tide, the playground on Steyne Road in Bembridge (PO35 5SL) and Bembridge Heritage Centre.
In the afternoon, you have a choice of attractive beaches. Appley at Ryde is popular because of its (paid) parking, facilities, seafront playground and massive sandy beach. There is also a nearby park at Puckpool and a playground on the esplanade. See our cheap parking guide if you dislike paying to park as much as I do. Puckpool Park also has some interesting history as a former military base.
Personally, I favour Priory Bay at Seaview (round the corner from Seagrove Bay) or St Helens. The former is harder to access and is often too shallow for a proper swim, but it has gorgeous golden sands. St Helens is a bit better for parking (there's a free car park for National Trust members) and it has a nice busy atmosphere on a sunny day. You can also spend some time crabbing in the rock pools at St Helens or around Bembridge at low tide.
The Isle of Wight Bus Museum is a good free way to spend an hour, particularly if it's pouring with rain. It is run by volunteers and is open during the warmer months of the year.
Other cheap options in that part of the Isle of Wight include the cinema in Ryde, which may be rather small and quaint, but is also very good value. At the time of writing, it is £4 per person.
See our best Isle of Wight beaches guide for more detail.
If you've got National Trust membership, you can get in free to Bembridge Windmill.
If you can persuade the children to do a walk, take a look at our guide to circular walks, which include a couple of East Wight routes.
Bembridge's lifeboat station is free to visit...
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...whilst Appley is a sandy beach with a couple of playgrounds
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Eating out on a budget in the East Wight (Ryde)
Back in the day, there was a Wimpy in Ryde, but that disappeared a few years ago (Ed: nice bit of nostalgia, love it...). There are still a few fast food chains though, including McDonalds (PO33 1QG).
Fans of carveries might consider the Sloop Inn, which is a Stonehouse Carvery in Wootton. It is on the way to Ryde if you are travelling from Newport. There is also Wetherspoons in Ryde.
Fans of carveries might consider the Sloop Inn, which is a Stonehouse Carvery in Wootton. It is on the way to Ryde if you are travelling from Newport. There is also Wetherspoons in Ryde.
Day 5 - South Wight (Ventnor and Bonchurch)
The south of the Isle of Wight has lots to offer but it's a bit of a drive if you are staying around Ryde or Cowes, so it is worth cramming a few bits in.
If you are travelling from Newport, take a detour to either the Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary or Appuldurcombe House. Both are free, although the donkeys will stare at you until you donate a few pennies. Appuldurcombe House is a good place for hide and seek. The front is a grand old house whilst the back is a ruin. It is owned by English Heritage, but you don't need membership to get in for free.
Some of the Isle of Wight's best coastal walks can be found around the South Wight.
One option is to start at Bonchurch and make your way towards Shore Road. It's not a free car park, but you can park further away and walk.
We then like to head down to the walk along the seawall, which is wheelchair and pushchair friendly and leads into Ventnor. It starts with a very steep downhill section. There's a scale model of the solar system along the walk, which kept one of my children occupied. See our free parking guide for a couple of other suggestions in Ventnor.
An alternative is to park near Ventnor's beach or near Steephill Cove and then walk along the up-and-down coastal path, which links the two beaches. Steephill Cove is a little trickier to access than some beaches, but it has the feel of a mini Cornish fishing cove with a tightly packed beach overlooked by attractive cottages. There isn't a huge amount of beach, but it is tranquil spot and fairly good for a swim. If you time it right, you will see cricketers trying not to hit the ball in the sea at the nearby cricket ground.
Owners of walking boots should take a look at our circular walks guide, which includes a couple of excellent South Wight walks.
Ventnor itself has a nice beach with clean water for swimming (check the Safer Seas map) and a free paddling pool shaped like the Isle of Wight. There's a lovely esplanade with plenty of places to eat and public toilets.
After you've made the most of the beach, you might like Ventnor Park, which is a pretty and free public space with regular performances from the bandstand.
Finally, if you've got time, you could visit Old St Boniface Church, which has sections dating back to the 11th century and is open most days for free visits. St. Lawrence Old Church on Seven Sisters Road is another curious church that we like to visit occasionally.
Other free things to do around the South Wight include a short walk to The Pepperpot and Ventnor Heritage Centre. Our favourite playground in the area is the Seabreeze playground near Ventnor Winter Gardens. It isn't very big, but it has panoramic views that you can enjoy whilst pushing a swing.
If you are travelling from Newport, take a detour to either the Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary or Appuldurcombe House. Both are free, although the donkeys will stare at you until you donate a few pennies. Appuldurcombe House is a good place for hide and seek. The front is a grand old house whilst the back is a ruin. It is owned by English Heritage, but you don't need membership to get in for free.
Some of the Isle of Wight's best coastal walks can be found around the South Wight.
One option is to start at Bonchurch and make your way towards Shore Road. It's not a free car park, but you can park further away and walk.
We then like to head down to the walk along the seawall, which is wheelchair and pushchair friendly and leads into Ventnor. It starts with a very steep downhill section. There's a scale model of the solar system along the walk, which kept one of my children occupied. See our free parking guide for a couple of other suggestions in Ventnor.
An alternative is to park near Ventnor's beach or near Steephill Cove and then walk along the up-and-down coastal path, which links the two beaches. Steephill Cove is a little trickier to access than some beaches, but it has the feel of a mini Cornish fishing cove with a tightly packed beach overlooked by attractive cottages. There isn't a huge amount of beach, but it is tranquil spot and fairly good for a swim. If you time it right, you will see cricketers trying not to hit the ball in the sea at the nearby cricket ground.
Owners of walking boots should take a look at our circular walks guide, which includes a couple of excellent South Wight walks.
Ventnor itself has a nice beach with clean water for swimming (check the Safer Seas map) and a free paddling pool shaped like the Isle of Wight. There's a lovely esplanade with plenty of places to eat and public toilets.
After you've made the most of the beach, you might like Ventnor Park, which is a pretty and free public space with regular performances from the bandstand.
Finally, if you've got time, you could visit Old St Boniface Church, which has sections dating back to the 11th century and is open most days for free visits. St. Lawrence Old Church on Seven Sisters Road is another curious church that we like to visit occasionally.
Other free things to do around the South Wight include a short walk to The Pepperpot and Ventnor Heritage Centre. Our favourite playground in the area is the Seabreeze playground near Ventnor Winter Gardens. It isn't very big, but it has panoramic views that you can enjoy whilst pushing a swing.
The Bonchurch to Ventnor walk is an easy one with a pushchair...
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...whilst Ventnor is a good beach for a quick swim
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Steephill Cove requires a bit of effort but it's a pretty little beach
Day 6 - Central Wight
On your final day, explore the middle of the Isle of Wight. Is it the least interesting part of the Isle of Wight? Well yes, probably but let's not worry about that (Ed: you really need to work on your sales pitch).
Your options include Carisbrooke Priory, arty exhibitions at Quay Arts or the outside of Carisbrooke Castle.
Carisbrooke Priory is a former nunnery, still run by Christians and offering an open door on certain days for people wanting to explore the attractive gardens, cloisters and chapel (for free). You might like to combine it with a visit to St Mary’s Church in Carisbrooke, which is about 10 minutes' walk away. Its history dates back to the 12th century.
Carisbrooke Castle is a paid for English Heritage attraction, but it is free to walk around the (dry) moat. It offers nice views and still gives you a good idea of its scale. I would guess it is about 3/4 of a mile round the edge of the Castle (it's a bit too bumpy for pushchairs and standard wheelchairs, unless you have pneumatic tyres). You can go inside for free with English Heritage membership, or check our guide to attraction discounts for the latest deals. It features in our guide to short walks of about one mile on the Isle of Wight.
Godshill is another option. It's not right in the middle of the Island, but it's not coastal either. The village is often featured on souvenir boxes of fudge, with its twee thatched cottages. Personally, I find it a bit busy, but it is pretty so you might fancy a quick mooch. There's a little gardens at the Old Smithy which is free. The Model Village in Godshill isn't free but it's reasonably priced at around £7.
Godshill has a playground with the Isle of Wight's only wheelchair-accessible swing.
Our favourite playground in the Newport area is the one at Seaclose Park, although you have to pay to park (outrageous!). The best walking route in the Newport area is probably the one that goes from Newport to Cowes and then back down the other side of the River Medina. It's called the Medina Estuary Trail and is about nine miles.
Your options include Carisbrooke Priory, arty exhibitions at Quay Arts or the outside of Carisbrooke Castle.
Carisbrooke Priory is a former nunnery, still run by Christians and offering an open door on certain days for people wanting to explore the attractive gardens, cloisters and chapel (for free). You might like to combine it with a visit to St Mary’s Church in Carisbrooke, which is about 10 minutes' walk away. Its history dates back to the 12th century.
Carisbrooke Castle is a paid for English Heritage attraction, but it is free to walk around the (dry) moat. It offers nice views and still gives you a good idea of its scale. I would guess it is about 3/4 of a mile round the edge of the Castle (it's a bit too bumpy for pushchairs and standard wheelchairs, unless you have pneumatic tyres). You can go inside for free with English Heritage membership, or check our guide to attraction discounts for the latest deals. It features in our guide to short walks of about one mile on the Isle of Wight.
Godshill is another option. It's not right in the middle of the Island, but it's not coastal either. The village is often featured on souvenir boxes of fudge, with its twee thatched cottages. Personally, I find it a bit busy, but it is pretty so you might fancy a quick mooch. There's a little gardens at the Old Smithy which is free. The Model Village in Godshill isn't free but it's reasonably priced at around £7.
Godshill has a playground with the Isle of Wight's only wheelchair-accessible swing.
Our favourite playground in the Newport area is the one at Seaclose Park, although you have to pay to park (outrageous!). The best walking route in the Newport area is probably the one that goes from Newport to Cowes and then back down the other side of the River Medina. It's called the Medina Estuary Trail and is about nine miles.
You can wander round the outside of Carisbrooke Castle for free
More advice on Eating out on a budget
There are plenty of cheap places to eat if you know where to look. We've included some alongside the day's activities to avoid lots of travelling but you will probably find that you are often driving via Newport, as it is the central town which links up most of the other smaller towns.
If so, Newport offers lots of cheap options for eating out, including:
If so, Newport offers lots of cheap options for eating out, including:
- Hogshead
- Wetherspoons (The Man In The Moon)
- Medina Quay is a Whitbread pub. It's not particularly cheap, but there are regular discounts if you sign up for mailing lists.
- Supermarket cafes at Morrisons, Sainsbury's and Marks and Spencer
- Pizza Hut is not particularly cheap, but you might be able to dig out a voucher.
- McDonalds, KFC and Burger King (you might need a walk after that triple bill)
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