PLACES TO VISIT ON THE ISLE OF WIGHT

There is always something new to explore every time you visit the island. From festivals to vineyards, historic houses to donkey sancturies, theme parks to dinosaurland, the island has it all. We have included a brief list of some of the more famous items but we encourage you to explore.

Osborne House

“It is impossible to imagine a prettier spot” – such were the words of Queen Victoria after her first visit to Osborne House on the Isle of Wight. No trip to the island would be complete without a visit to this royal seaside palace where Queen Victoria lived with her beloved Prince Albert and their nine children.

Osborne House

Take an intimate glimpse into Queen Victoria’s family life as you tour the nursery and private rooms of Victoria and Albert. Marvel at the magnificence of the Royal Apartments including the sumptuous drawing and dining rooms and the richly decorated Indian-inspired Durbar Room. Admire the stunning view from the terraces across the Solent – said to remind Prince Albert of the bay of Naples and stroll through Osborne’s extensive grounds.

Explore Queen Victoria’s private beach, now open to the public for the first time. “We have quite a charming beach to ourselves,” Victoria wrote in 1845 and it was here that the Queen regularly bathed and where her children learned to swim.

The beach is a pleasant 20 minute stroll from the house down the Valley Path – stout footwear is recommended in the winter. Enjoy views across the Solent from Queen Victoria’s alcove, and spot seabirds from the shore.

Carisbrooke Castle

One of the main tourist attractions in the Isle of Wight, Carisbrooke Castle is best known as the place where King Charles I was imprisoned. You can still play bowls on the very green Charles used. For a castle that has lived through more than 800 years of service, including resisting a siege by the French and seeing off the Spanish Armada, it’s also wonderfully well preserved.

Castle

There are all the ingredients here for a great value family day out in the Isle of Wight. Children will love dressing up as Norman soldiers or Civil War troopers, and meeting the castle’s famous donkeys, while for the grown-ups, the new Edwardian style Princess Beatrice Garden is a joy to explore.

Donkeys

Not to be missed…

The New Princess Beatrice Garden, designed by TV presenter and award winning garden designer, Chris Beardshaw.
The tranquil castle chapel and museum with its fascinating Charles I memorabilia.
Feeding and grooming demonstrations at the donkey centre.

Isle of Wight Steam Railway

Your visit to The Award-Winning Isle of Wight Steam Railway will engage, inspire and excite you. The sight of powerful majestic steam engines, the charm of quiet rural stations, and the friendliness of traditionally uniformed staff, will leave you with some enduring memories of a special day out.

isle of wight steam railway

Ventnor Botanic Garden

“Nestling in the microclimate of The Undercliff, Ventnor Botanic Garden on the Isle of Wight has a subtropical and exotic plant collection unrivalled elsewhere in the UK. Plants which would normally be found in protected glasshouses thrive and naturalise in geographical plantings based on the Mediterannean zones of the world.

As you will see at Ventnor Botanic Garden there is much to see at Ventnor and we hope you enjoy this unique and wonderful garden.”

Chris Kidd, Curator.

Ventnor Botanic Garden

Tapnell Farm

This is great local attraction that is 10 minutes by car from the holiday site. Tapnell Farm Park is a former dairy farm, turned all-weather attraction, surrounded by the beautiful landscapes of the Isle of Wight. It is one of most popular things to do on the Isle of Wight, and a great family day out whatever the weather!

Meet the animals in our Animal Barn, and get up close and personal with some of Tapnell’s cutest and smallest residents. Wander round the Wallaby Walkabout with our mob of tame wallabies, and admire the marvellous meerkats as they stand guard. Venture into The Paddock and enjoy the views in the company of our friendly goats, alpacas and their other animal chums.

They also have a great on site restaurant, The Cow, serving some great steaks and burgers.

Mottistone Gardens

Set in a sheltered valley this magical garden is full of surprises, with shrub-filled banks, hidden pathways and colourful herbaceous borders. Surrounding an attractive Elizabethan manor house this 20th-century garden is experimenting with a Mediterranean-style planting scheme to take advantage of its southerly location. Other surprises include a young olive grove, a small organic kitchen garden and a traditional tea garden set alongside The Shack, a unique cabin retreat designed as their summer drawing office by architects John Seely (2nd Lord Mottistone) and Paul Paget.

Mottistone Gardens

Fort Victoria

Fort Victoria combines country park natural trail with some local attractions in the old Fort. There is a cafe, planetarium, reptilarium, model railway and local art shop. Parking is free. There are fantastic views across the solent and you can climb on top of the fort roof to get some real panoramic views. You can easily walk to this attraction from Linstone Chine Holiday site via the public footpath at the top of the site. Its about a 15 minutes walk.