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Parkdean Resorts Isle of Wight Holiday Parks (2024 Guide)
**Parkdean Resorts offers: Caravan holidays from £99 + discount Isle of Wight ferry travel**
One of the cheapest accommodation options we've found for an Isle of Wight holiday is caravan holiday parks. There are several caravan and holiday parks on the Isle of Wight, but four of the biggest and most popular are the Parkdean Resorts sites at Nodes Point, Thorness Bay, Landguard and Lower Hyde. Park Resorts merged with Parkdean Resorts a few years ago, but you'll still find them referred to as Park Resorts in some crusty old brochures.
Here's our comparison of the four Parkdean Resorts/former Park Resorts holiday parks on the Isle of Wight, including a price comparison for a week in early August 2024.
Here's our comparison of the four Parkdean Resorts/former Park Resorts holiday parks on the Isle of Wight, including a price comparison for a week in early August 2024.
1. Nodes Point Holiday Park, near St Helens, Isle of Wight
Nodes Point is the Isle of Wight's Parkdean Resorts/former Park Resorts holiday park with the best reviews - although there's not much in it.
It is usually the most expensive Parkdean Resorts holiday park on the Isle of Wight in our price comparisons (as was the case for 2024).
On TripAdvisor and Hoseasons it scores about 4/5, whilst on Google Reviews it scores 4.3/5. Lower Hyde in Shanklin gets the second-best review scores.
Nodes Point is on the Isle of Wight's pretty east coast, near to St Helen's and Seaview. The nearest large town is Ryde, which is convenient for travelling via Portsmouth (see our ferry guide).
The area is less busy than Sandown or Shanklin but is not as quiet as the Isle of Wight's west coast. There are gorgeous beaches, which generally have pretty shallow water but not a lot of surf. St Helen's is good for a paddle and an ice cream, and it's also got a watersports centre called Tackt-Isle where you can hire a kayak or a standup paddleboard.
Nearby, Priory Bay is much harder to reach but it's a beautiful sandy beach which feels like a foreign island on a good day. Family-friendly Appley is a short drive away and has playgrounds on the beach. See our guide to beaches.
It is usually the most expensive Parkdean Resorts holiday park on the Isle of Wight in our price comparisons (as was the case for 2024).
On TripAdvisor and Hoseasons it scores about 4/5, whilst on Google Reviews it scores 4.3/5. Lower Hyde in Shanklin gets the second-best review scores.
Nodes Point is on the Isle of Wight's pretty east coast, near to St Helen's and Seaview. The nearest large town is Ryde, which is convenient for travelling via Portsmouth (see our ferry guide).
The area is less busy than Sandown or Shanklin but is not as quiet as the Isle of Wight's west coast. There are gorgeous beaches, which generally have pretty shallow water but not a lot of surf. St Helen's is good for a paddle and an ice cream, and it's also got a watersports centre called Tackt-Isle where you can hire a kayak or a standup paddleboard.
Nearby, Priory Bay is much harder to reach but it's a beautiful sandy beach which feels like a foreign island on a good day. Family-friendly Appley is a short drive away and has playgrounds on the beach. See our guide to beaches.
The Isle of Wight is not huge (about 26 by 13 miles) so you could see the whole island from Nodes Point, if you're bringing a car. The popular beach at Shanklin is 20 minutes' drive whilst Osborne House is 30 minutes. The Needles is an epic journey of about an hour - that's about as far as you can drive on the Isle of Wight without going round in circles. Don't tell an Islander that you are driving for a whole hour. They will begin to shake their heads and puff out their cheeks to try and put you off.
You could just about rely on public transport to explore, but Landguard and Lower Hyde holiday parks are nearer to the main trainline on the Isle of Wight.
Nodes Point is near to attractions such as Ryde's bowling alley and other days out and Bembridge's lifeboat station. There are several facilities at Nodes Point, including an indoor swimming pool (but not an outdoor pool), an all-weather sports court and an adventure playground. The beach is walking distance from the site, and they offer horse riding on the beach during the summer.
Nodes Point offers glamping, much like Thorness Bay and Lower Hyde. However, it has the major advantage of some of its glamping tents having private toilets rather than a shared block.
Read about our visit to Nodes Point.
You could just about rely on public transport to explore, but Landguard and Lower Hyde holiday parks are nearer to the main trainline on the Isle of Wight.
Nodes Point is near to attractions such as Ryde's bowling alley and other days out and Bembridge's lifeboat station. There are several facilities at Nodes Point, including an indoor swimming pool (but not an outdoor pool), an all-weather sports court and an adventure playground. The beach is walking distance from the site, and they offer horse riding on the beach during the summer.
Nodes Point offers glamping, much like Thorness Bay and Lower Hyde. However, it has the major advantage of some of its glamping tents having private toilets rather than a shared block.
Read about our visit to Nodes Point.
How much does Nodes Point Holiday Park cost?
In our price comparison, a week in August 2024 at Nodes Point started at £1049 for 4 people. An electric pitch for touring or camping for 4 people cost from £330 for the week.
Based on the week that we looked at, Nodes Point is the most expensive of the four Parkdean Resorts/former Park Resorts holiday parks on the Isle of Wight for a caravan holiday. It is second cheapest for a camping holiday.
Based on the week that we looked at, Nodes Point is the most expensive of the four Parkdean Resorts/former Park Resorts holiday parks on the Isle of Wight for a caravan holiday. It is second cheapest for a camping holiday.
2. Thorness Bay Holiday Park, near Cowes, Isle of Wight (Joint cHEAPEST IN OUR PRICE COMPARISON)
Thorness Bay has slightly lower review scores than Landguard and Lower Hyde Parkdean Resorts holiday parks with an average score of 3.5/5 on TripAdvisor and 3.9/5 on Google Reviews. It came out as the cheapest in our price comparison of all four former Park Resorts/Parkdean Resorts holiday parks on the Isle of Wight.
The park is on the Isle of Wight's quiet north west coast, between Cowes and Yarmouth. Thorness Bay is a 10 - 15 minute drive from Newport and Cowes, which are both decent towns for shopping. Newport is bigger and has more supermarkets, whilst Cowes is famous for sailing and has a nice range of independent shops.
The nearest car ferry ports are Yarmouth and East Cowes (see our ferry guide).
Thorness Bay is not particularly near to the most famous or popular Isle of Wight beaches (e.g. Shanklin, Ventnor and Appley at Ryde) but it is in a nice quiet location. You'll drive for half an hour to get from Thorness Bay to Shanklin seafront.
Thorness Bay may be a good option if you want to experience the turned-up collars and deck shoes of Cowes Week without paying the high prices for accommodation in the town itself. The park itself has facilities including an indoor pool, adventure playground and all-weather sports court.
There's also glamping in safari tents on offer at Thorness Bay, with a shower block and toilets nearby.
The park is on the Isle of Wight's quiet north west coast, between Cowes and Yarmouth. Thorness Bay is a 10 - 15 minute drive from Newport and Cowes, which are both decent towns for shopping. Newport is bigger and has more supermarkets, whilst Cowes is famous for sailing and has a nice range of independent shops.
The nearest car ferry ports are Yarmouth and East Cowes (see our ferry guide).
Thorness Bay is not particularly near to the most famous or popular Isle of Wight beaches (e.g. Shanklin, Ventnor and Appley at Ryde) but it is in a nice quiet location. You'll drive for half an hour to get from Thorness Bay to Shanklin seafront.
Thorness Bay may be a good option if you want to experience the turned-up collars and deck shoes of Cowes Week without paying the high prices for accommodation in the town itself. The park itself has facilities including an indoor pool, adventure playground and all-weather sports court.
There's also glamping in safari tents on offer at Thorness Bay, with a shower block and toilets nearby.
How much does Thorness Bay Holiday Park cost?
In our price comparison, a week in early August 2024 at Thorness Bay started at £869 for 4 people. An electric pitch for touring or camping for up to 6 people cost from £325 for the week.
That means that (based on one week in August), Thorness Bay is the cheapest Parkdean Resorts holiday park on the Isle of Wight for renting a caravan. It is also the cheapest for camping and touring.
That means that (based on one week in August), Thorness Bay is the cheapest Parkdean Resorts holiday park on the Isle of Wight for renting a caravan. It is also the cheapest for camping and touring.
3. Landguard Holiday Park, Shanklin, Isle of Wight
Landguard Holiday Park near Shanklin gets similar Trip Advisor ratings to Lower Hyde and Thorness Bay sites, scoring 4 out of 5. However, it gets a very slightly lower score on Google Reviews.
Landguard is located near to the busy holiday towns of Shanklin and Sandown. It's a great location for children with families as there are several attractions nearby (Wildheart Animal Sanctuary, Dinosaur Isle, Sandham Gardens) as well as beaches with good facilities.
However, it isn't a quiet area - the seafronts are more classic seaside resort rather than quiet secluded bays.
Landguard itself has good-sized indoor and outdoor swimming pools as well as a children's playground. Like all the Parkdean Resorts holiday parks on the Isle of Wight, Landguard has a restaurant, bar, on-site shop, launderette and amusements such as darts and pool. It's about a 20-minute walk from the seafront at Shanklin, so it isn't as close to the beach as Nodes Point or Thorness Bay.
It's worth noting that Landguard has a more 'leisurely' entertainment schedule than nearby Lower Hyde Holiday Park, which is more 'lively'.
Shanklin is accessible by train via a ferry from Portsmouth, although a car is useful on the Isle of Wight. The nearest car ferry ports are Portsmouth and East Cowes (see our ferry guide).
Landguard is located near to the busy holiday towns of Shanklin and Sandown. It's a great location for children with families as there are several attractions nearby (Wildheart Animal Sanctuary, Dinosaur Isle, Sandham Gardens) as well as beaches with good facilities.
However, it isn't a quiet area - the seafronts are more classic seaside resort rather than quiet secluded bays.
Landguard itself has good-sized indoor and outdoor swimming pools as well as a children's playground. Like all the Parkdean Resorts holiday parks on the Isle of Wight, Landguard has a restaurant, bar, on-site shop, launderette and amusements such as darts and pool. It's about a 20-minute walk from the seafront at Shanklin, so it isn't as close to the beach as Nodes Point or Thorness Bay.
It's worth noting that Landguard has a more 'leisurely' entertainment schedule than nearby Lower Hyde Holiday Park, which is more 'lively'.
Shanklin is accessible by train via a ferry from Portsmouth, although a car is useful on the Isle of Wight. The nearest car ferry ports are Portsmouth and East Cowes (see our ferry guide).
How much does Landguard Holiday Park cost?
In our price comparison, a week in early August 2024 at Landguard started at £999 for a family of four. An electric pitch for touring or camping for four people cost from £386 for the week.
That means it worked out as a mid-priced former Park Resorts/Parkdean Resorts site on the Isle of Wight for camping and touring. It was the joint most expensive for renting a caravan. There wasn't really all that much between Landguard and Nodes Point but Lower Hyde and Thorness Bay were notably cheaper when we checked.
That means it worked out as a mid-priced former Park Resorts/Parkdean Resorts site on the Isle of Wight for camping and touring. It was the joint most expensive for renting a caravan. There wasn't really all that much between Landguard and Nodes Point but Lower Hyde and Thorness Bay were notably cheaper when we checked.
4. Lower Hyde Holiday Park, Shanklin, Isle of Wight (JOINT CHEAPEST IN OUR PRICE COMPARISON)
Lower Hyde Holiday Park is very near to Landguard Holiday Park (also run by Parkdean Resorts/formerly Park Resorts) near the busy seaside towns of Sandown and Shanklin.
So, which is better? Lower Hyde or Landguard?
Well, Lower Hyde gets marginally better reviews than Landguard but not quite as good as Nodes Point. Lower Hyde scores 4/5 on TripAdvisor or 4.3/5 on Google reviews.
In our price comparisons for the last three years, Lower Hyde has come out slightly cheaper than Landguard. Honestly, I wouldn't say there's a whole lot in it. They are both a pretty similar distance to the seafront at Shanklin (about 15-20 minutes' walk). Landguard is on a flatter site than Lower Hyde, which has its advantages for pitching a tent.
Lower Hyde's indoor swimming pool is much smaller, but you can walk 15 minutes to use the pool at Landguard instead.
Lower Hyde is a bit nearer to Shanklin's railway station, so is better if you aren't bringing a car. Lower Hyde's evening entertainment is a bit livelier than Landguard, which is described as 'leisurely' in the official blurb.
Lower Hyde also has glamping in safari tents. The toilets and in a shared block, whereas some of the glamping tents at Nodes Point have private toilets.
So, which is better? Lower Hyde or Landguard?
Well, Lower Hyde gets marginally better reviews than Landguard but not quite as good as Nodes Point. Lower Hyde scores 4/5 on TripAdvisor or 4.3/5 on Google reviews.
In our price comparisons for the last three years, Lower Hyde has come out slightly cheaper than Landguard. Honestly, I wouldn't say there's a whole lot in it. They are both a pretty similar distance to the seafront at Shanklin (about 15-20 minutes' walk). Landguard is on a flatter site than Lower Hyde, which has its advantages for pitching a tent.
Lower Hyde's indoor swimming pool is much smaller, but you can walk 15 minutes to use the pool at Landguard instead.
Lower Hyde is a bit nearer to Shanklin's railway station, so is better if you aren't bringing a car. Lower Hyde's evening entertainment is a bit livelier than Landguard, which is described as 'leisurely' in the official blurb.
Lower Hyde also has glamping in safari tents. The toilets and in a shared block, whereas some of the glamping tents at Nodes Point have private toilets.
How much does Lower Hyde Holiday Park cost?
In our price comparison, a week in early August 2024 at Lower Hyde started at £939 for a family of 4. An electric pitch for touring or camping for up to 6 people cost from £483 for the week.
Which is the cheapest Parkdean Resorts/Park Resorts holiday park on the Isle of Wight?
We looked at one week in early August 2024, to get a rough idea of which is the cheapest Isle of Wight Park Resorts/Parkdean Resorts holiday park (although of course there are special offers etc at different times of year and lots of upgrade options).
Cheapest price for a family of four:
Cheapest price for four people renting an electric pitch for touring or camping:
So, Thorness Bay and Nodes Point are cheapest for caravan holidays. Landguard and Landguard are somewhere in the middle.
However, we searched long in advance (nine months before the holiday date) when the cheapest accommodation was still available. Nearer the time I would expect the choice to narrow, so it's worth checking more than one site to get a good deal. Over the years that we've been doing these price comparisons, I'd say that Thorness Bay is usually the cheapest Parkdean Resorts/former Park Resorts Holiday Park on the Isle of Wight but it does vary.
For camping and touring, there was a bigger variation with Thorness Bay and Nodes Point as the cheapest.
Price search carried out and information checked in December 2023.
Cheapest price for a family of four:
- Thorness Bay Holiday Park - £869 (cheapest)
- Lower Hyde Holiday Park - £939
- Landguard Holiday Park - £999
- Nodes Point Holiday Park - £1049 (most expensive)
Cheapest price for four people renting an electric pitch for touring or camping:
- Thorness Bay Holiday Park - £325 (cheapest)
- Nodes Point Holiday Park - £330
- Landguard Holiday Park - £386
- Lower Hyde Holiday Park - £483 (most expensive)
So, Thorness Bay and Nodes Point are cheapest for caravan holidays. Landguard and Landguard are somewhere in the middle.
However, we searched long in advance (nine months before the holiday date) when the cheapest accommodation was still available. Nearer the time I would expect the choice to narrow, so it's worth checking more than one site to get a good deal. Over the years that we've been doing these price comparisons, I'd say that Thorness Bay is usually the cheapest Parkdean Resorts/former Park Resorts Holiday Park on the Isle of Wight but it does vary.
For camping and touring, there was a bigger variation with Thorness Bay and Nodes Point as the cheapest.
Price search carried out and information checked in December 2023.
Which of the Isle of Wight's Parkdean Resorts would you choose?
Personally, I would go for Nodes Point Holiday Park if it is similarly priced to the other three resorts for the dates you want to visit. You will find that the difference in price is usually less significant if you are visiting off-peak.
Nodes Point just about edges it on reviews and I think it is in the nicest location. I prefer the beaches around Nodes Point to the beach at Thorness Bay.
Lower Hyde and Landguard are better choices if you are not bringing a car, as they are near to a railway station, which links up with the passenger ferry from Portsmouth Harbour. However, they are a little way inland, so it isn't as easy to stroll down to the beach in an evening with kids.
Nodes Point just about edges it on reviews and I think it is in the nicest location. I prefer the beaches around Nodes Point to the beach at Thorness Bay.
Lower Hyde and Landguard are better choices if you are not bringing a car, as they are near to a railway station, which links up with the passenger ferry from Portsmouth Harbour. However, they are a little way inland, so it isn't as easy to stroll down to the beach in an evening with kids.
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