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Why You Should Visit The Isle of Wight (2024 guide)
**Wightlink offers: Kids go free during school holidays + afternoon return from £15.60**
Is the Isle of Wight really "the best holiday spot in the UK"*?
Or are there better options for an English break such as Dorset, Devon, Cornwall, The Lake District, Yorkshire or Slough?
We could settle it with a fight, but alternatively you could look at my analysis of how the Isle of Wight compares to other UK family holiday destinations. I've looked at nine areas including beaches, attractions, location and weather.
Of course, I think the Isle of Wight is the best place to visit in England. However, I'm not so blinkered that I can't give you a fair comparison...honest guv.
Or are there better options for an English break such as Dorset, Devon, Cornwall, The Lake District, Yorkshire or Slough?
We could settle it with a fight, but alternatively you could look at my analysis of how the Isle of Wight compares to other UK family holiday destinations. I've looked at nine areas including beaches, attractions, location and weather.
Of course, I think the Isle of Wight is the best place to visit in England. However, I'm not so blinkered that I can't give you a fair comparison...honest guv.
1. Isle of Wight Beaches
Compton Bay has crumbly cliffs and an ice cream van...
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...whilst Sandown has a pier, deck chairs and seafront hotels
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Beaches are the Isle of Wight's trump card in my view, because of its remarkably varied 70 mile coastline. They are my number one argument for calling the Isle of Wight the best place to visit in England for a beach holiday (yes, the Isle of Wight is part of England...).
There are multiple currents and even climates, so you can plump for whatever you feel like when you wake up. (Unless you follow the system where each member of the family chooses a day's activities, so you end up wasting the sunniest day of the week in a ball pit).
There are multiple currents and even climates, so you can plump for whatever you feel like when you wake up. (Unless you follow the system where each member of the family chooses a day's activities, so you end up wasting the sunniest day of the week in a ball pit).
Bembridge is our favourite beach for rockpooling...
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...whilst Freshwater Bay has caves and crashing waves
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Perhaps you fancy a wide open sandy beach, like England's North East coast? The Isle of Wight's got Appley in Ryde which is a massive playground for beach games.
How about a Cornish-style surfing or bodyboarding beach? Try Compton Bay on the West coast. There are two brilliant rockpooling beaches (Bembridge and Freshwater Bay's second beach), a couple of mini-Blackpool style beaches with kiss-me-quick hats and chips on a bench (Sandown and Shanklin), secluded coves (Steephill Cove or Reeth Bay near Ventnor are nice) and a busy shipping lane (Cowes).
There are beaches for dog walking (Chilton Chine, Brook Chine and others), paddleboarding (Colwell, St Helens and Totland) and kitesurfing (Brook Chine). There are beaches that hardly anyone ever visits and a beach which everyone visits (Alum Bay). And there's even an unofficial beach for people who like to, ahem, let it all hang out on holiday (Blackgang Beach).
See our watersports guide for a summary of which beaches are best for surfing, bodyboarding etc.
How about a Cornish-style surfing or bodyboarding beach? Try Compton Bay on the West coast. There are two brilliant rockpooling beaches (Bembridge and Freshwater Bay's second beach), a couple of mini-Blackpool style beaches with kiss-me-quick hats and chips on a bench (Sandown and Shanklin), secluded coves (Steephill Cove or Reeth Bay near Ventnor are nice) and a busy shipping lane (Cowes).
There are beaches for dog walking (Chilton Chine, Brook Chine and others), paddleboarding (Colwell, St Helens and Totland) and kitesurfing (Brook Chine). There are beaches that hardly anyone ever visits and a beach which everyone visits (Alum Bay). And there's even an unofficial beach for people who like to, ahem, let it all hang out on holiday (Blackgang Beach).
See our watersports guide for a summary of which beaches are best for surfing, bodyboarding etc.
Ventnor is a great place to take Grandma for an ice cream...
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...whilst Colwell Bay is popular with paddleboarders
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As a general rule, the Isle of Wight does things a bit smaller than other places. Dedicated surfers will tell you that the waves are usually not as big as they are in parts of Cornwall. The seafront rollercoasters are bigger in Blackpool and I expect the souvenirs are ever so slightly tackier in Skegness. But if you want a varied holiday, rather than just one stretch of coast then consider the Isle of Wight.
The Isle of Wight is also a good option if you want a cheap UK holiday on the beach. The beaches are so varied that you won't get bored by day three and spend the rest of the week in the cinema.
See our guide to the Isle of Wight's best beaches for more information. That guide suggests the best beach for you whether you are a family of enthusiastic sandcastle builders or a couple of old dears who just want to eat chips on a bench with a view.
The Isle of Wight is also a good option if you want a cheap UK holiday on the beach. The beaches are so varied that you won't get bored by day three and spend the rest of the week in the cinema.
See our guide to the Isle of Wight's best beaches for more information. That guide suggests the best beach for you whether you are a family of enthusiastic sandcastle builders or a couple of old dears who just want to eat chips on a bench with a view.
2. Isle of Wight Attractions
Yeehar! Nostalgic fun with a sea view at Blackgang Chine
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The royal prison...Carisbrooke Castle
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For its size, the Isle of Wight is very well equipped for summer attractions, with a good mix of adventure parks and zoos as well as historic things like castles, stately homes, museums, lighthouses and roman villas and other days out for adults. There's certainly enough to see a good quality attraction every day for a couple of weeks or perhaps more, and there are also quirky things to do and free days out.
Tapnell Farm is home to a farm park with bouncy pillows, football golf and the Isle of Wight Aqua Park
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Queen Vicky's pad - Osborne House which has a lovely private beach
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The Isle of Wight's attractions are on the small and medium scale, rather than massive great theme parks with vomit-inducing rides. If you're expecting Alton Towers, London Zoo or the British Museum you'll be disappointed. However, if you're expecting something a bit more modest and less corporate then you'll be impressed.
If you're trying to entertain teenagers, I suggest you start looking at watersports, adventure activities and other similar ideas. We've also got guides for primary and junior school aged children, a guide for toddlers as well as a guide for adults, golfers and loved-up romantic couples (Ed: swit swoo).
History fans tend to end up well known places like the Isle of Wight Steam Railway, Osborne House and Carisbrooke Castle but there are lots of lesser known historic sites.
Expect to pay about £5 - £15 to get into most attractions on the Isle of Wight, rather than £20 - £30 which you'll pay for bigger attractions in the rest of England nowadays (Blackgang Chine is the main exception, but it's good fun and fills several hours).
If you're trying to entertain teenagers, I suggest you start looking at watersports, adventure activities and other similar ideas. We've also got guides for primary and junior school aged children, a guide for toddlers as well as a guide for adults, golfers and loved-up romantic couples (Ed: swit swoo).
History fans tend to end up well known places like the Isle of Wight Steam Railway, Osborne House and Carisbrooke Castle but there are lots of lesser known historic sites.
Expect to pay about £5 - £15 to get into most attractions on the Isle of Wight, rather than £20 - £30 which you'll pay for bigger attractions in the rest of England nowadays (Blackgang Chine is the main exception, but it's good fun and fills several hours).
Choo choo! All aboard the Isle of Wight Steam Railway
3. Getting around on the Isle of Wight
Another plus point for the Isle of Wight is that you won't spend the whole week in the car. From Newport in the centre of the Isle of Wight you can't really drive for more than about 25 - 30 minutes without ending up in the sea. You shouldn't have massive great journeys every morning unless you get stuck behind a tractor.
We've had trips to Yorkshire and Cornwall where everything seemed to be an hour away. Similarly, the Lake District made the Isle of Wight's narrow roads feel like the Autobahn. We spent half a day trying to get from one side of a mountain to another.
The Isle of Wight's roads are a bit wiggly, so you'll drive at 35 miles per hour for most of the week. Trains only cover one side of the Island but there are buses, which are good value if you travel as a group. During the summer, there are open top buses which are much cheaper than the ones in London.
We mostly use the car, but you can still get around if you don't have that luxury (see our guide to public transport). If you want to do a quick driving tour, check out the Wighty 90 Driving Route - a 90km journey which covers most of the Isle of Wight's best scenery in two hours.
You can occupy children with our selection of Isle of Wight car games.
We've had trips to Yorkshire and Cornwall where everything seemed to be an hour away. Similarly, the Lake District made the Isle of Wight's narrow roads feel like the Autobahn. We spent half a day trying to get from one side of a mountain to another.
The Isle of Wight's roads are a bit wiggly, so you'll drive at 35 miles per hour for most of the week. Trains only cover one side of the Island but there are buses, which are good value if you travel as a group. During the summer, there are open top buses which are much cheaper than the ones in London.
We mostly use the car, but you can still get around if you don't have that luxury (see our guide to public transport). If you want to do a quick driving tour, check out the Wighty 90 Driving Route - a 90km journey which covers most of the Isle of Wight's best scenery in two hours.
You can occupy children with our selection of Isle of Wight car games.
It takes about an hour to drive from the Isle of Wight's western point (The Needles)...
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...to the Isle of Wight's eastern point (Bembridge)
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4. Isle of Wight caravan holiday parks and other accommodation
OK, so I admit the Isle of Wight is not unique in offering cheap accommodation. However, there is a big range of family caravan holiday parks all within a short distance of each other. There are:
If you've got your own caravan, there's a similar number of camping and touring sites.
Alternatively, there's a big choice of quirky places to stay, including glamping, houseboats, manor houses, treehouses, helicopters, railway stations and a castle. See our top 20 quirky places guide.
There are also lots of posh hotels for those looking to impress a loved one or need to make up for apparently doing something wrong because of an innocent misunderstanding over whose responsibility it was to take out the bins. Sorry, got a bit personal there.
Check out our guide to where is the best place to stay on the Isle of Wight for...? This rollicking good read aims to give you a couple of personal accommodation suggestions depending on who you are travelling with.
- busy caravan parks near beaches which have lots of facilities such as indoor swimming pools for anyone who is too sane to swim in the sea. Whitecliff Bay, Nodes Point, Landguard and Lower Hyde are big ones, but there are others.
- quiet holiday parks which are usually family run and provide a chance to look for red squirrels and collect eggs in the morning if you can drag the children away from their smartphones (Cheverton Copse, The Orchards and others).
- posh holiday parks which call themselves 'Retreats' (Woodside Coastal Retreat, Woodside Bay Lodge Retreat). Many of these lodge parks offer hot tubs for those who enjoy outdoor baths.
If you've got your own caravan, there's a similar number of camping and touring sites.
Alternatively, there's a big choice of quirky places to stay, including glamping, houseboats, manor houses, treehouses, helicopters, railway stations and a castle. See our top 20 quirky places guide.
There are also lots of posh hotels for those looking to impress a loved one or need to make up for apparently doing something wrong because of an innocent misunderstanding over whose responsibility it was to take out the bins. Sorry, got a bit personal there.
Check out our guide to where is the best place to stay on the Isle of Wight for...? This rollicking good read aims to give you a couple of personal accommodation suggestions depending on who you are travelling with.
Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park has two swimming pools and is next to a lovely beach...
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...whilst this loved-up couple stayed at Nodes Point
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5. Food and drink on the Isle of Wight
You'll see a lot of garlic, some crab on chips, various local ales, trendy local gin, some local wine, loads of local seafood and Minghella's Ice Cream. However, there isn't a food or drink which all visitors feel they have to try whilst on holiday (unlike the Cornish Pasty or the Eccles Cake for example). There's a flimsy argument that the doughnut was invented on the Isle of Wight but even I don't believe that. There was also a TV programme on Channel 5 in 2023 that made a big thing of blue wine made on the Isle of Wight - but that's a new thing rather than a long held tradition.
However, there are a fantastic range of places to eat on the Isle of Wight, from the very cheap through to the posh nosh type places. Several of the best pubs and restaurants on the Isle of Wight are overlooking the sea so you can gaze into each other's eyes whilst listening to the waves. We've also compiled a (much-copied...) list of Isle of Wight pubs with playgrounds for anyone attempting a meal out with children.
See our Isle of Wight Food and Drink Tour, which is suitable for couples looking to fill their faces on holiday.
However, there are a fantastic range of places to eat on the Isle of Wight, from the very cheap through to the posh nosh type places. Several of the best pubs and restaurants on the Isle of Wight are overlooking the sea so you can gaze into each other's eyes whilst listening to the waves. We've also compiled a (much-copied...) list of Isle of Wight pubs with playgrounds for anyone attempting a meal out with children.
See our Isle of Wight Food and Drink Tour, which is suitable for couples looking to fill their faces on holiday.
There are lots of seaside dining options - such as The Waterfront in Totland
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There are good views and chips-a-plenty at The Spyglass pub in Ventnor
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6. Getting to the Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight isn’t quite as remote and cut off as you might think. If you're looking for a Tom Hanks in Castaway experience then you might have got the wrong ferry.
The Isle of Wight is only a few miles from Southampton and Portsmouth and it’s certainly easier to get to than the Isle of Man, Guernsey or the Scilly Isles. The ferries take from 10-60 minutes and they're run by Wightlink, Red Funnel and Hovertravel (foot passengers only).
The Isle of Wight is only a few miles from Southampton and Portsmouth and it’s certainly easier to get to than the Isle of Man, Guernsey or the Scilly Isles. The ferries take from 10-60 minutes and they're run by Wightlink, Red Funnel and Hovertravel (foot passengers only).
Red Funnel run ferry services between Southampton and the Isle of Wight
For day trips, see our guides to visiting the Isle of Wight from Portsmouth, Southampton and Lymington. We've also got a guide just for people visiting from London.
For most people in the UK, travel time is comparable to some other big tourist counties, even when you include the time taken on the ferry. For example:
Bear in mind that during high season the ferry can add a fair bit to your holiday budget. It'll cost you anywhere from £60 up to £300 for a car full of people. However, there are lots of ways to keep the cost down, such as asking your accommodation provider to book for you (see our beginners' guide to the Isle of Wight ferry or our list of current ferry offers).
If you’re travelling as a family, it will probably only work out as £20 - £60 extra per person. Try not to blow your budget on the ferry's café.
For most people in the UK, travel time is comparable to some other big tourist counties, even when you include the time taken on the ferry. For example:
- From Birmingham you could be on the Island within 4 hours. It would take the same time to get to Truro in Cornwall, or 3 hours to get to the Lake District.
- From Central London, you could be on the Island with a car in about 2 hours 40 minutes, compared to 5 hours to the Lake District or Cornwall. See our guide to visiting the Isle of Wight from London for more detailed advice.
- From Manchester, the Isle of Wight is comparable to Truro (about 5 hours 30 including the ferry) whereas the Lakes are about 2 hours.
Bear in mind that during high season the ferry can add a fair bit to your holiday budget. It'll cost you anywhere from £60 up to £300 for a car full of people. However, there are lots of ways to keep the cost down, such as asking your accommodation provider to book for you (see our beginners' guide to the Isle of Wight ferry or our list of current ferry offers).
If you’re travelling as a family, it will probably only work out as £20 - £60 extra per person. Try not to blow your budget on the ferry's café.
7. Isle of Wight festivals and events
Personally, I think the Isle of Wight punches above its weight for festivals nowadays. It used to be somewhat quieter when I was growing up.
There are currently two BIG festivals each year on the Isle of Wight – Cowes Week and the Isle of Wight Festival. Besides that, there are several small and medium sized events like carnivals, food themed events, a classical music festival, and walking and cycling festivals (see our festivals guide). Festival season starts in the Spring and continues through until mid-Autumn.
My usual advice to people planning a visit to the Isle of Wight is to avoid Cowes Week (early August) and Isle of Wight Festival (early to mid-June) unless you plan to attend. They bump up prices and general busyness.
The smaller events don’t affect prices as much and are a nice thing to incorporate into your visit.
If you can name another UK coastal county with as many carnivals and festivals within a very short distance of each other then I'll send you a postcard with a written apology. We wrote a piece for the Huffington Post on this topic.
You see...the Isle of Wight is the best place to visit for a beach holiday in the UK. Are you convinced yet?
There are currently two BIG festivals each year on the Isle of Wight – Cowes Week and the Isle of Wight Festival. Besides that, there are several small and medium sized events like carnivals, food themed events, a classical music festival, and walking and cycling festivals (see our festivals guide). Festival season starts in the Spring and continues through until mid-Autumn.
My usual advice to people planning a visit to the Isle of Wight is to avoid Cowes Week (early August) and Isle of Wight Festival (early to mid-June) unless you plan to attend. They bump up prices and general busyness.
The smaller events don’t affect prices as much and are a nice thing to incorporate into your visit.
If you can name another UK coastal county with as many carnivals and festivals within a very short distance of each other then I'll send you a postcard with a written apology. We wrote a piece for the Huffington Post on this topic.
You see...the Isle of Wight is the best place to visit for a beach holiday in the UK. Are you convinced yet?
Having a large one...at the IOW Festival
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Cowes hosts the imaginatively titled Cowes Week in August
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8. Isle of Wight scenery and views for walking and cycling
We've now been to most of England's touristy counties and my general conclusion is that the only place that beats the Isle of Wight for views and scenery is the Lake District. The Isle of Wight is hilly, but it doesn't have any mountains. The most spectacular bits (in my view) are the high cliffs around the west coast.
Having said that, the Lake District doesn't have the beaches of the Isle of Wight and it does rain...a lot. Plus, it takes an eternity to drive three miles, and there's no phone signal etc...
The Military Road in the West Wight provides some of the finest scenery but there are also terrific walks in the South Wight and parts of the East Wight. You can either attempt the Isle of Wight coastal path on foot or bicycle (about 70 miles, split over 4-7 days usually) or just choose from our favourite circular walks (3-9 miles, which is much more civilised).
Shorter legs may like our selection of short walks of about one mile or a trail that disguises a walk as a treasure hunt.
I'm not going to pretend that I've cycled all of the UK but I will say that cyclists have a couple of excellent choices on the Isle of Wight. Families of wobbly cyclists tend to choose one of the Isle of Wight's many former railway lines, which are now traffic-free cycle routes. Hardcore cyclists in tight-fitting clothing can either do a full circle of the Isle of Wight in a day or two or something called the Chalk Ridge Extreme. See our guide to Isle of Wight cycling holidays for more waffly details of your options.
The lazy/wet weather option is to check out my favourite views from car parks on the Isle of Wight or the Wighty 90 Driving Route, which shows off many beauty spots at 35 mph.
Having said that, the Lake District doesn't have the beaches of the Isle of Wight and it does rain...a lot. Plus, it takes an eternity to drive three miles, and there's no phone signal etc...
The Military Road in the West Wight provides some of the finest scenery but there are also terrific walks in the South Wight and parts of the East Wight. You can either attempt the Isle of Wight coastal path on foot or bicycle (about 70 miles, split over 4-7 days usually) or just choose from our favourite circular walks (3-9 miles, which is much more civilised).
Shorter legs may like our selection of short walks of about one mile or a trail that disguises a walk as a treasure hunt.
I'm not going to pretend that I've cycled all of the UK but I will say that cyclists have a couple of excellent choices on the Isle of Wight. Families of wobbly cyclists tend to choose one of the Isle of Wight's many former railway lines, which are now traffic-free cycle routes. Hardcore cyclists in tight-fitting clothing can either do a full circle of the Isle of Wight in a day or two or something called the Chalk Ridge Extreme. See our guide to Isle of Wight cycling holidays for more waffly details of your options.
The lazy/wet weather option is to check out my favourite views from car parks on the Isle of Wight or the Wighty 90 Driving Route, which shows off many beauty spots at 35 mph.
Freshwater Bay is one of several gorgeous spots around the West Wight
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The cliffs around The Needles headland are some of the most dramatic on the Isle of Wight
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9. Isle of Wight weather
UK tourism bosses fall out over statistics about which one has the best weather, because you can measure these things in different ways. One place claims to have the most hours of sunshine, another claims to have the most days with at least some sunshine. One claims to have the highest one-off temperature. Another claims to have the highest average temperature and so it goes on.
For what it's worth, the Isle of Wight seems to be hovering around the top in most measures that I've looked at:
The number of 'rain days' each month is a useful indicator of how much time you will spend desperately scrolling through a rainy day guide. The Isle of Wight has six in July, Cornwall has seven and the Lake District has (wait for it...) twelve (source: World Weather Online). During the Easter holidays in April, the Isle of Wight averages six 'rain days', whilst Cornwall has seven and the Lake District has eight. I can't exactly figure out why the Lake District gets more rainy days in July than Easter but let's ignore that.
That means during a typical seven-day holiday in July, you can expect 1.3 rainy days on the Isle of Wight, 1.6 rainy days in Cornwall or 2.7 rainy days in the Lake District.
Based on the weather alone, I'm going to declare the Isle of Wight as the best place for a UK beach holiday. Oh come on, you know I'm right...
For what it's worth, the Isle of Wight seems to be hovering around the top in most measures that I've looked at:
- The Isle of Wight averages 53mm of rain in July, compared to 135mmn the Lake District and 70mm in Newquay (Cornwall)
- The Isle of Wight's average daytime temperature in July is 20 degrees celsius, compared to 17 in the Lakes and 18 in Cornwall.
The number of 'rain days' each month is a useful indicator of how much time you will spend desperately scrolling through a rainy day guide. The Isle of Wight has six in July, Cornwall has seven and the Lake District has (wait for it...) twelve (source: World Weather Online). During the Easter holidays in April, the Isle of Wight averages six 'rain days', whilst Cornwall has seven and the Lake District has eight. I can't exactly figure out why the Lake District gets more rainy days in July than Easter but let's ignore that.
That means during a typical seven-day holiday in July, you can expect 1.3 rainy days on the Isle of Wight, 1.6 rainy days in Cornwall or 2.7 rainy days in the Lake District.
Based on the weather alone, I'm going to declare the Isle of Wight as the best place for a UK beach holiday. Oh come on, you know I'm right...
Sun...on the Isle of Wight's west coast
Conclusion
Of course, I'm a bit biased - I love the Isle of Wight. I should also mention that we own a holiday apartment in Freshwater Bay (Ed: shouldn't you have mentioned this earlier?). However, I don't own a ferry company or a tourist attraction on the Island, so I can speak pretty frankly.
The Isle of Wight is a fantastic choice for a UK beach holiday. The beaches offer a bit of everything on a modest scale. Average weather is generally better than other parts of England (although several counties will tell you they are the best). The attractions are ideal as long as you aren't expecting Alton Towers. Free days out are in abundance.
The scenery is beautiful and among the best in the UK with plenty of off-road cycling and walking routes.
You can do a food and drink tour or eat out at a classy seaside restaurant. Getting around the Isle of Wight is pretty quick...although some Islanders would raise an eyebrow at that claim. Getting there isn't as awkward as you might think, and there are loads of festivals to either avoid or plan your visit around.
So, what next? Are you convinced that the Isle of Wight is the best place for holidays in the UK?
If so, read our guide to which Isle of Wight town should I stay, and then our guide to holidays including ferry travel or our discount Isle of Wight ferry travel. Or take a look at holiday parks, big cottages for family gatherings or hotels, if that's your thing. We've also got a guide that gives advice on picking the best Isle of Wight accommodation depending on whether you are visiting with children, dogs, as a couple or a someone with limited mobility.
The Isle of Wight is a fantastic choice for a UK beach holiday. The beaches offer a bit of everything on a modest scale. Average weather is generally better than other parts of England (although several counties will tell you they are the best). The attractions are ideal as long as you aren't expecting Alton Towers. Free days out are in abundance.
The scenery is beautiful and among the best in the UK with plenty of off-road cycling and walking routes.
You can do a food and drink tour or eat out at a classy seaside restaurant. Getting around the Isle of Wight is pretty quick...although some Islanders would raise an eyebrow at that claim. Getting there isn't as awkward as you might think, and there are loads of festivals to either avoid or plan your visit around.
So, what next? Are you convinced that the Isle of Wight is the best place for holidays in the UK?
If so, read our guide to which Isle of Wight town should I stay, and then our guide to holidays including ferry travel or our discount Isle of Wight ferry travel. Or take a look at holiday parks, big cottages for family gatherings or hotels, if that's your thing. We've also got a guide that gives advice on picking the best Isle of Wight accommodation depending on whether you are visiting with children, dogs, as a couple or a someone with limited mobility.
*Me, just now
