Anyone give advise on ISLE OF WIGHT holiday break?

dreemgirl

Never been b4, but fancy going to the Isle of wight in May.
Anyone been there b4? Any tips, places to stay, places to visit, how long it takes to drive the island in a car?
Wheres the best place to stay? was thinking of Yarmouth? is this good place as a base?

solarstone

We stayed at a Vineyard, I think it was called Adgestone Vineyard, near Sandown. Google it and you should get their website. If it's the same people, they were really friendly and it was a great place to stay. They did wine tastings too, which was a good start to a night out, hic.

Also Sandown wasn't too far from Cowes, and pretty close to Ryde, Shanklin and Ventnor.

Worth a visit is Black Gang Chine, a kind of Alton Towers type thing. Also Osborne House, Queen Victoria's old place. A really good website for help on what to do is - here

flutterbyuk25

Ahh I love the Isle of Wight. We went there on our first ever family holiday when I was about 9, and again when I was 11. So many happy memories (even though my brother broke his foot *falling* off an slide! [ummm, may have been accidentally pushed....by me :rolleyes: ])

If your going with kids then there is loads to do, getting round the island is pretty easy by car/bus/train, it's small enough to get anywhere quick enough.

Black gang Chine was excellent, Needles point is great too.

x

neiltat

I live on the Isle of Wight.

It will take you 40 minutes to drive anywhere you want to go an hour maximum, the traffic isn't that bad apart from the Newport to Cowes road.

Yarmouth is nice so is Cowes. Shanklin and Sandown are where all the hotels that are packed in the summer. If you choose Yarmouth you can get to Newport (where the main shops are) in 20 minutes. If you do that park in Mark & Spenser as its very easy access.

Visit Cowes its nice there. I live in Ventnor which is good in the summer but quite dead when the sun takes its holiday.

Tarry

I also have happy childhood memories of Isle of Wight too (my friend can always remember me falling down some steps on the ferry going over, lol).

If you have children there is Blackgang Chime http://www.blackgangchine.com/ is good and likewise Brading Wax Works http://www.bradingtheexperience.co.uk/intro.htm are worth a visit. Also, Osborne House as frequented by Victoria Osborne http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osborne_House is nice to visit. The Needles is another place that is worth a visit: http://www.theneedles.co.uk/, I remember having some lovely mint cushion sweets there and watching them being made. There is also the coloured sands there and a chair lift down to the beach.

Just a few places off the top of my head.

isaacsmummy_2

The IOW is my favourite place in the UK (great childhood memories). We alwasys stay at the Orchards Holiday Park in a static caravan, but there are loads of options - B&B's, holiday cottages, hotels etc. It depends on what you like regarding best places to visit, my top places are:

The Needles
Godshill
Shanklin Chine - A must see
Blackgang Chine - if you have kids
Cowes
Carisbrooke Castle
Osborne House


so many more lovely places to walk or cycle - it the sort of place where you can find quiet places or very busy spots (Sandown, Ryde) depending on your preferences.

You'll love it.

Well worth a day trip to Portsmouth to see the Victory and Spinaker Tower.

Totland Bay

zenmaster

When are you thinking of going?

I got this from Travelzoo the other day.

Melville Hall and Utopia Spa on the Isle of Wight is offering a 2-night dinner, bed and breakfast package for only £99 per person, including FREE car-ferry travel from Southampton to East Cowes. That's a saving of nearly £200 per couple.

Here's what's included in this special winter offer:

* Two nights' accommodation in a standard room
* Breakfast on both mornings
* Dinner on both nights
* FREE car-ferry travel
* £20 e-voucher for use in the spa (per person)
* FREE leisure club pass to use the indoor pool, spacuzzi, sauna and detox cabin

The offer is available from now until 2 April, but you must book by 21 January. Note: Stays over a Friday or Saturday night incur an additional £10 per person, per night, surcharge.

Blackout dates: 13-25 February

PS Just re-read your OP and see you want to go in May. Oh well perhaps someone else will find it useful.

dreemgirl

Thanks for all your advise, alot of good ideas and comments.
I was actually thinking of doing the £9.50 sun holidays to here, noticed they do sites in isle of wight and cheap ferry deal.
I dont mind being more remote say yarmouth as we will have a car to travel to all the best places. No kids just me and my boyfriend, but just want a base really and away from any kids clubs and kids....

Motivatedworkingmum

I have just booked the Cowes location on the Sun holiday deal and managed to get the last weekend just before the kids go back to school so I am really pleased and judging by what everyone has written here I am very excited especially as I love the children having such a great time. The sun recommends using Red funnel ferries and said that they are 50% off and from £34 return crossing. I have just tried to book a return crossing for 1 car with 4 passengers and cannot see how it could be as cheap as this. Can anyone recommend the most cost effective way to get over (and back)!!! Much appreciated!

angel00079

Motivatedworkingmum wrote: »

I have just booked the Cowes location on the Sun holiday deal and managed to get the last weekend just before the kids go back to school so I am really pleased and judging by what everyone has written here I am very excited especially as I love the children having such a great time. The sun recommends using Red funnel ferries and said that they are 50% off and from £34 return crossing. I have just tried to book a return crossing for 1 car with 4 passengers and cannot see how it could be as cheap as this. Can anyone recommend the most cost effective way to get over (and back)!!! Much appreciated!

Did the Sun give you a code? We booked last October using a code from the Sun so we got the £34 return offer. It was a lot more expensive without it. We got a leaftlet with our holiday confirmation details. If you haven't been given a code it might be worth waiting to see if you get a leaflet.

angel00079

We sent at Thorness Bay using Sun tokens. The link below shows how close it is to the coast:

http://img234.imageshack.us/my.php?image=pa060058mk1.jpg

The resort seem quiet but that might have been due to the time of year.

I would recommend the Shaklin Chine. We mainly went for walks so didn't visit anywhere else apart from the zoo.