Week in Isle Of Wight

duncan32

Hello,

Looking to go to the Isle of Wight for a week in summer school holidays. Anyone got any ideas / experience of the best place to go to, please? I have a vague notion about Shanklin, Sandown and Ventnor from when I was a kid.

Want self catering, NOT a caravan though.

Cheers!

Duncan

charlotte3

Hi Duncan, I live here so I may be able to help you out a bit.

Shanklin is lovely especially the old village, lots of character! It has a sandy beach and there is amusements, hotels, restaurants, and a bar or two along the front.

Sandown Has a good sandy beach too but lacks the charachter of Shanklin, however the beach is longer. (Actually the two beaches run into eachother to maker a 2 & 1/2 mile stretch so you should be able to find a quiet spot even in the summer!)

Ventnor has a lot of charachter too. The sea front is at the bottom of a steep cliff that you drive down, there's an array of cafe's and restaurants and a few pubs down there that are child friendly (from what I remember anyway!) Again the beach is sandy, you've got to try Blakes crab down there! He catches and cooks them fresh every day and you can get it whole, dressed or served in fresh baguettes from most of the cafe's down there! The only thing I would say about Ventnor is that it's a bit out of the way. If you want more choice and more facilities around you then I think Shanklin would be a good place for you.

If you need any ideas of what to do when you're there let me know, there's loads to keep you busy all week!

frizz_head

I love Isle of Wight - loads of fond childhood memories. We've stayed here before and can recommend them. It is a short stroll away from the old town of Shanklin, as Charlotte has said, is full of quaint oldie worldie shops.

We always have a day trip over every year - when the children were younger we used to tell them whilst travelling over on the ferry that we were going to Balamory, as the approach is very similar with the brightly painted houses on the shoreline.

Barcode

I grew up in Ryde, but I wouldn't recommend visiting there for a holiday. All manner of dodgy characters roaming the Esplanade late at night.

If you have children, I imagine Sandown is the most likely place for many to go, full of amusements, things on the pier, better beach.

If you're going across on the car ferry, it probably won't matter too much where you stay, nowhere is really out of the way, and it's fairly easy to drive around the Island in a day.

You might want to visit Blackgang Chine (well, what parts of it that haven't fell into the sea ...), Alum Bay and Robin Hood park (the attractions from the chine are being moved there as the cliff falls into the sea ...).

Ryde can be nice in the day, take a walk down to Puckpool park, kids can go on canoes or boats in the lake, or in the pool. There are also various attractions along the seafront.

I'm sure you'll have a good time. My family still live in Ryde, but I don't get to go back as often as I'd like. Also keep an eye out for vouchers for the car ferry, otherwise the prices can be quite steep.

duncan32

Thanks everyone. It does sound like a lovely place to spend a week in the summer. I think we'll go for Shanklin. In fact, I really like the look of the cottages that you recommend, FrizzHead. Prices are only available on request.... how much did you pay, out of interest, if that's not too personal a question? Its me and my wife, a 2 year old (by then) and 5 (by then).

Thanks again Charlotte, FrizzHead and Barcode for being so helpful.

Dunc

skintas_2

nodes point, haven park, sun holidays usally go there, i thinks its nr sandown. went there once when i was younger, they have self catering chalets thinkng of taking my 2 kids there

skintas_2

ps the sun holiday vouchers start this monday..........

MK500

I work for a travel company on the Isle of Wight mainly organising coaching holidays to the island.

The main hotels that i would recommend are:

THE HOTEL MARIA - SANDOWN SEAFRONT, This is the hotel which i have found to be the most popular for people returning after they have stayed there, it has recently been refurblished and is very reasonably priced, the staff are friendly and helpful and the location is ideal on the seafront and just a minutes walk to the town, it is also very reasonably priced offering room only basis b&b and half board.
website: http://www.hotelmaria.co.uk/

THE OCEAN VIEW HOTEL - SHANKLIN CLIFFTOPS, This hotel is considered to be one of the best on the Island, it is located on the top of the cliffs in shanklin just about 5 minutes walk from both the beach and town. prices are reasonable and they have a indoor pool and other leisure facilites for the kids.
website: http://www.holdsworthhotels.co.uk/hotels/ocean_view.php

If you are looking for self catering but not a caravan, there are a couple of parks on the Island which have log cabin/chalet style accommodation:

Thorness Bay - Nr Cowes
Gurnard Pines - Nr Cowes
Whitecliff Bay - Bembridge
Lower Hyde - Shanklin

Also for the ferry, in the summer the prices can be really high, always compare Red Funnel & Wightlink, also both of the websites advertise special offers if you book in advance. And sometimes it can be cheaper to buy two day returns if you are staying over 5 days, you can compare all of the dates & price combinations on the websites,
https://www.redfunnel.co.uk & https://www.wightlink.co.uk

Alternatively if you're not bringing the car there is always the hovercraft which takes about 7 minutes from Southsea to Ryde. http://www.hovertravel.co.uk/

Hope this helps.

duncan32

skintas wrote:

ps the sun holiday vouchers start this monday..........

That's a good point. Thing is, you're not guaranteed to get to where you want are you? Don't know if I want to risk it.....

Dunc

kitchpoo

We are going over this summer too - and have been doing a fair bit of research. Dont forget that Wightlink ferries take Tesco deals - as to 2 or 3 of the attractions there.

hpiper

We've been there for the last two years and had great family holidays.

We stayed at Thorness Bay (Park Resorts) whcih was nice. If you book earlier enough, you get free ferry cossings. Although predominately a caravan park, they have a few chalets which we stayed in.

Places to visit:
Needles Park - lots of activities
Cowes - interesting shops etc
Beaches - loads - we liked Colwell bay
Calbourne water mill - one of favourite place with interesting little museums, mini golf course, water mill etc

One of the best things about the IOW was that its a relativley small island so nowhere is too far away.

Also, theres lots of acitivites which can be payed for using Tesco Clubcard deal vouchers.

Have a great holiday!