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  • Home
  • Discount Isle of Wight ferry travel
  • Isle of Wight ferry beginners guide
  • Planning your holiday
    • Why you should visit the Isle of Wight
    • Which Isle of Wight town should I stay in?
    • What time of year should I visit the Isle of Wight?
    • 10 ways to save money on Isle of Wight holidays
    • Walking the Isle of Wight Coastal Path
    • Surviving an Isle of Wight holiday with a toddler
    • The beach holiday checklist - 5 accessories
    • Les vacances sur L’île de Wight
    • 10 reasons to visit the Isle of Wight
  • Where is the cheapest place to stay?
  • Family holiday parks, caravans, lodges
    • 10 of the best Isle of Wight caravan holiday parks
    • Park Resorts and Parkdean Resorts Isle of Wight holiday parks
    • Which Isle of Wight holiday park should I stay in?
    • Last minute deals and discounts at holiday parks
    • 5 best Isle of Wight holiday lodges
    • Cheap Isle of Wight ferry travel for caravans
    • Is there a Haven holiday park on the Isle of Wight?
    • Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park reviews and facilities
    • Lower Hyde and Landguard Holiday Park review
  • Camping & glamping
    • 20 Isle of Wight camping and touring parks
    • Isle of Wight Glamping
  • Hotels & guest houses
    • Isle of Wight Hotels - a beginner's guide
    • 10 of the best Isle of Wight luxury hotels
    • 5 Ventnor hotels and guest houses
    • Warner's Bembridge Coast & Norton Grange hotels
    • 5 best Isle of Wight coach tour holidays and trips
    • 5 best Isle of Wight spa break hotels and spa days
  • Cottages & self catering
    • 20 quirky places to stay on the Isle of Wight
    • 10 of the best places to stay in Shanklin
    • 10 of the best places to stay in Cowes
    • 10 of the best places to stay in Newport
    • Dog friendly Isle of Wight accommodation
    • 10 of the best places to stay for large groups
    • 10 best Isle of Wight Airbnb holiday homes
    • 10 Isle of Wight wheelchair accessible & disabled friendly holidays
    • Brambles Chine and Linstone Chine self catering
  • Dog friendly Isle of Wight holidays
  • Free days out, attraction discounts
    • Free days out on the Isle of Wight
    • Discounts to Isle of Wight attractions
    • Itinerary for a budget Isle of Wight holiday
  • Attractions for children, teenagers, adults
    • Activities for toddlers on the Isle of Wight
    • Activities for children and families on the Isle of Wight
    • Activities for teenagers on the Isle of Wight
    • Activities for adults on the Isle of Wight
    • Activities for an Isle of Wight stag do
  • Rainy day & winter attractions
    • Rainy day activities on the Isle of Wight
    • Itinerary for a rainy Isle of Wight holiday
    • Winter days out on the Isle of Wight
  • Zoos, historic attractions, gardens
    • Isle of Wight zoos and animal attractions
    • Historic attractions on the Isle of Wight
    • 10 Isle of Wight Gardens and Parks
  • Quirky days out
    • 10 quirky days out on the Isle of Wight
    • 10 things you can't do on the Isle of Wight
    • 10 things you can only visit on the Isle of Wight
    • Isle of Wight TV & Movie Tour
  • Days out in Ryde, Sandown, Shanklin, Ventnor
    • 15 things to do in Ryde
    • 15 things to do in Shanklin and Sandown
    • 15 things to do in Yarmouth and West Wight
    • 15 things to do in Ventnor and South Wight
    • 10 things to do in Cowes and East Cowes
    • 10 things to do in Newport and Carisbrooke
  • Best Isle of Wight beaches
    • Isle of Wight Beaches Interactive Map
    • Mobile version of Isle of Wight Best Beaches
    • Which is the best Isle of Wight beach for...
  • Food & drink
    • Eating out on a budget
    • Pubs and restaurants with a sea view
    • Isle of Wight Supermarkets
  • Festivals & carnivals
    • Major festivals and carnivals
    • Isle of Wight Festival 2020 lineup and tickets
    • 10 unforgettable Isle of Wight Festival moments
    • Isle of Wight Festival History
    • Cowes Week - attractions and accommodation
  • Public transport
  • Useful information/contact
    • FAQ
    • Isle of Wight newspapers, news websites and radio stations
    • Souvenirs
    • Which mobile phone network has the best signal on the Isle of Wight?
    • Cheap parcel delivery and sending mail to the Isle of Wight
    • Isle of Wight Map
    • Contact us/about/disclaimer
  • Weather, surf & tide forecasts
    • Isle of Wight weather forecast
    • Isle of Wight surf forecast
    • Isle of Wight tide times
  • Car journey games & viewpoints
    • 5 Isle of Wight car journey games
    • 15 of the best Isle of Wight car park viewpoints
    • The Isle Spy car journey game
  • Should I move to the Isle of Wight?
  • Who is the Isle of Wight Guru?
  • Blog
  • Privacy policy and cookies policy
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Itinerary for a rainy Isle of Wight holiday, with indoor and wet weather activities

Here's our itinerary for things to do on the Isle of Wight on a wet weekend, because trying to entertain children on a rainy holiday requires similar skills to those employed by riot police before a football derby match. Trouble could kick off at any moment between rival siblings unless you can provide a packed wet weather schedule and space to run around. 

Pick up your riot shield (umbrella), put on your steel toe-capped boots (wellington boots) and in case of emergency, use your pepper spray (Peppa Pig videos on Netflix).

We've also got an itinerary for a budget week, free days out, activities for toddlers and teenagers and discounts to Isle of Wight attractions.

Day 1 - Sandown and South East Wight

Once you've checked the weather forecast and muttered expletives under your breath, head over to Sandown, where there is a decent selection of indoor activities. 

​Amazon World (PO36 0LX) is a good option if you like slimy creatures. It also has a large soft play area called Monkey Madness which we quite like (you pay extra for this bit).
Entrance to Sandown Pier
In the afternoon, head to Sandown Pier (PO36 8JT) for a classic seaside experience. There is an indoor play area and 'adventure golf' among other dry things. Of course, you'll also be by the seaside in case the weather miraculously improves. Alternatively, there's a cheap and cheerful indoor play area in nearby Shanklin called Jungle Jim's (PO37 6BG).

If you want something a bit less twee then you might prefer Dinosaur Isle (PO36 8QA), for an exhibition of the Isle of Wight's prehistoric history.

If all that doesn't fill your day then you might like to stop off at The Heights swimming pool in Sandown (PO36 9ET), particularly if the little darlings optimistically packed their trunks despite the terrible forecast. 

As for eating out, 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 endure a soggy picnic. We've also got some suggestions of places to eat with a sea view in the area.

If you're on a tight budget, The Crab, Shanklin (PO37 6NS) does cheap pub grub. In nearby Lake, Morrisons has a cafe (PO36 9PA).

Day 2 - Ryde in the rain

For your second day of dodging the rain showers, head over to Ryde. The esplanade has a decent bowling alley (PO33 2EL). 

In the afternoon, Ryde Cinema (PO33 2HX) is a good way to waste a couple of hours. The cinema is small and quaint and is a fair distance from the esplanade but it is very good value (£4 at the time of writing, in 2019). If you prefer the multiplex experience then you will need to travel to Newport Cineworld (PO30 2TA), which is a 20 minute drive from Ryde.

Another all weather option in Ryde is Wight Karting (PO33 1QS). It is outdoors, but it runs in the rain if you don't mind looking like you've been on a log flume by the end of the day.

Finally, on the route between Newport and Ryde is Butterfly World (PO33 4RW), which is a fairly self explanatory attraction!

Again, there are some cheap options for eating out in the Ryde area.

I'm not sure if I dare suggest this...but there are a few fast food chains around Ryde, including McDonalds (PO33 1QG).

There is also a cheap carvery (about £4) at the Sloop Inn in Wootton (PO33 4HS) which is on the way to Ryde if you are travelling from Newport. There are sometimes offers to be had. 

There is also a Wetherspoons in Ryde (PO33 2LF).

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 and restaurants directly if you are planning a long journey - and please contact us if you find anything inaccurate. 

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Discount Isle of Wight ferry travel

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