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Where are the best views on the isand?
Best pubs.best food etc.
Visiting the IoW wouldn't be complete without a trip to the Needles. But don't drive there - park up at Freshwater Bay and walk there along the cliff tops.
Watch out for the locals. Especially the ginger ones with lairy socks...
Don't say I didn't warn you!
Are you with kids?
We went last year. Loads and loads to do with the family.
We have English Heritage and National Trust membership, so houses and castles are free.
Needles (use Tesco vouchers)
The Garlic Festival 18th & 19th August
Blackgang Chine - Go again for free one evening for the fire works
Godshill Model Village
Osbourne House
Carrisbrooke Castle - Go twice if there is an event on. We saw jousting.
Shanklin Crazy Golf
Steephill Cove
Depends what you want views of
food wise I like (in no particular order) The pointer in newchurch, the cow co. at tapnel farm, off the rails in Yarmouth, the boathouse in seaview (more like puckpool than seaview)
i hate the neadles “pleasure park”, but the views, old battery and little museum about the British space agency (they test fired rockets at the needles) are worth going to, but as said before pare in freshwater and enjoy the walk up over Tennyson down
cowes week (sailing) starts on Saturday so lots of entertainment and beer tents in cowes for the next 9 days
Always had good food in the New Inn at shalfleet, The White Hart in Haven Street, The Steamer for lunch
Garlic Farm is worth a visit
Robbin Hill if you have kids
The Spyglass Inn in Ventnor is a rather pleasant spot on a summers evening.
And Bembridge Windmill is worth a look (National Trust)
Mottistone Gardens too, also National Trust, if you like gardens.
St Catherines Oratory for views - handily almost directly above Blackgang Chine.
That's where I proposed, and unbelievably she said yes. So we rode down for chips in Ventnor 🙂
The Balcony in Ryde
If you are with the kids you should try and catch David Randini's magic show. Not as difficult as it sounds as we managed to bump into him 3 times over 2 weeks, to the extent that he knew my kids' names when we saw him the final time.
He was on at The Garlic Festival and did the entertaiment at Needles.
On reflection I think that there must be more than one of him, or perhaps he is actually magical.
Wot, no Alum Bay? 🙂
Some fabulous beaches - I think this was Seagrove Bay, round that area anyway.
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Wot, no Alum Bay?
🙂 I went to Alum Bay a couple of years back (I'm in my mid 40s) and it literally hasn't at all changed since I went there as a young child. It's like stepping back in time. Same shops and attractions and the ski lift doesn't look like it's been maintained at all for about 50 years.
I also have that exact sand filled model on the IOW sitting on the window sill in the spare room.
Shanklin chine is nice on a hot day - cool shady ravine with waterfall.
The military road along the SW part of the island towards Freshwater bay is very scenic.
great views walking from Tennyson monument to the NT Battery.
Great food at the taverners in Godshill
Don't bother going to Ventnor Botanical Gardens, it's rubbish. We went in May, it's basically a wedding venue with a crap overpriced restaurant in the middle of some neglected second rate gardens. It was the one thing we did on holiday that we wished we hadn't.
Mottistone gardens are much better if you're into that sort of thing; the garden cafe is lovely.
We are here .
The drive from Ventnor to the Needles is beautiful. I wouldn’t want to cycle out of Ventnor at the western end. Bloody steep.
Did the needles after needles land shut. Not even the best view on the island.
Staying at the Lakeside Park Spa and the food is excellent. 3 courses of proper top notch food for £25. The best value food I’ve ever had.
Shall stock up with cheese before we go home.
Don’t bother going to Ventnor Botanical Gardens, it’s rubbish.
I'd agree with that. The best bit was that it was so shit that we were out of there quickly and went to Steephill Cove by accident.
I've only been to the Isle of Wight once on a day trip from Portsmouth.
The garlic farm was good and we had lunch there. The food was good quality and value. We also went to Adgestone Vineyard. It's small and the wine is ok, but it's a nice place to spend some time on a sunny day drinking very cold white wine.
Go to Newtown - its NT but free. There's often some nature trail type stuff on for the kids and early morning or late evening its beautiful (I am biased, I used to work there for the NT - best job I've ever had!)