Things to do on the Isle of Wight
One of the great things about the Isle of Wight is that there’s lots to do and see and as it only takes around 40 minutes to drive from one side of the island to the other, it's easy to explore every corner!
Tapnell Farm, Yarmouth - a great day out with the kids with lots of activities and a large water park - www.tapnellfarm.com
The Needles, Alum Bay - one of the island’s main attractions. There’s shops, rides, boat trips, a chairlift and plenty of other things to see and do on a day out - www.theneedles.co.uk
Robin Hill, a large country park with loads of family fun family to be had. There are restaurants and rides, lots of climbing and adventure activities. There’s also picnic areas and gift shop, a great day out! - www.robin-hill.com
Yarmouth - A quaint little town that’s worth a visit. A great place for crabbing on the pier. It has some lovely shops, pubs and restaurants and a Castle. There is also nearby Fort Victoria Country Park with attractions and a cafe - www.visitisleofwight.co.uk/explore/towns/yarmouth
Bicycle hire - you can hire bicycles at the Yarmouth station and explore the West of the Island. Booking required - www.wightcyclehire.co.uk
The Garlic Farm - Shop, farm walk and restaurant for all garlic lovers. There’s always lots of activities throughout the summer with the garlic festival, bread making workshops, family supper with a live magic show and lots more. Check out their website for all the info - www.thegarlicfarm.co.uk
Fishing trip - Black Rock Charters in Yarmouth. A supervised fishing trip where all of the equipment is provided - www.blackrockcharters.co.uk
Go karting - You can book a session at Wight Karting in Ryde. Great fun for adults and juniors - www.wightkarting.co.uk
Osborne House, East Cowes - Queen Victoria’s family home on the Isle of Wight. Stunning stately home and gardens where you can also walk (or shuttle bus) down to the private beach where the Royal children learnt to swim -
www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/osborne/
Dinosaur Isle museum - a great family friendly activity to learn all about fossils and dinosaurs - www.dinosaurisle.com
The Model Village in Godshill - A lovely, beautifully detailed model village of the local area - www.modelvillagegodshill.co.uk
Freshwater Golf Club - play with stunning sea views - www.freshwaterbaygolfclub.co.uk
Horse and pony rides at Hill Farm Stables in Norton Green - www.hillfarmstables.com
Beaches
With over 25 beaches on the island, we are spoilt for choice for a sunny day out with a few favourites on the West side
Colwell Bay, our nearest beach. Sand and shingle with a gentle slope which makes it perfect for young families. The summer sunsets are stunning! - www.visitisleofwight.co.uk/things-to-do/colwell-bay-p968881
Compton Bay is a beautiful, unspoiled beach which is popular with fossil hunters. Freshwater Bay is great for water sports and exploring - www.visitisleofwight.co.uk/things-to-do/compton-bay-p968911
Totland Bay is 2 miles away and is great for a spot of kayaking or paddle boarding, with the added bonus of glorious sunsets glorious sunsets - www.visitisleofwight.co.uk/things-to-do/totland-bay-p970741
Appley Beach in Ryde is a long sandy beach with some beach front cafes and beach shops. Sandown - A traditional “bucket and spade” day out. A long, sandy beach, pier with amusements, crazy golf, deck chair hire with plenty of shops and restaurants.
www.isleofwightrocks.co.uk/things-to-do/appley-beach
Shanklin - A historic village with a bustling sea front and lots to do, crazy golf, amusements, shops and restaurants -
www.visitisleofwight.co.uk/things-to-do/shanklin-beach
Restaurants
Some of our favourites on the West of the Island -
Off the Rails,Yarmouth - Lovely, unique cafe situated in Yarmouth's former train station serving delicious breakfasts and lunches, booking recommended - www.offtherailsyarmouth.co.uk
The Hut - enjoy some of the best seafood on the island while watching a stunning sunset on Colwell Bay and all within walking distance to Hawthorn Cottage! - www.thehutcolwell.co.uk
The Waterfront Bar and Restaurant in Totland Bay, delicious Mediterranean inspired menu and some of the best sunsets to be seen on the island! - www.waterfrontiow.com
The Red Lion Pub in Freshwater (within walking distance of Hawthorn Cottage or two stops away on the number 7 bus) - award winning local pub with an excellent menu offering the best local ingredients - www.redlion-freshwater.co.uk
Jaffran Indian Restaurant - highly recommended by locals and within walking distance of Hawthorn Cottage - www.jaffraniow.co.uk
Freshwater Captain Cabin Cafe in Colwell Bay serving tasty cafe treats with a fantastic sea view
Salty’s - A popular harbourside restaurant in Yarmouth, recently under new management serving excellent seafood dishes - www.saltysiow.co.uk
The Blue Crab in Yarmouth - A longstanding, popular fish and chip takeaway with a lunchtime eat in menu too - www.thebluecrab.co.uk
The Piano Cafe in Freshwater - Once the location for Queen Victoria's piano tuner and supplier, serving excellent freshly cooked seasonal dishes with local produce, artisan coffee and home baked cakes, booking recommended - www.thepianocafe.co.uk
Rainy day activities
If you do happen to have a rainy day to fill, there is a modern Cineworld cinema in Newport or the historic Commodore Cinema in Ryde which dates back to the 1930's
www.cineworld.co.uk/cinemas/isle-of-wight
Freshwater has a sports and community centre with a gym, swimming pool and climbing wall. Bookings can be made at www.westwight.org.uk or give them a call on 01983 752168
Walking and cycling
There are public foot paths and bridleways all over the island. You can download a map at www.wightpaths.co.uk which has all of the routes clearly marked.
Public transport
Buses The number 7 bus stops at the end of the road on Pixley Hill which runs from Alum Bay to Newport - www.islandbuses.info/services
Shopping
There is a large Tesco on Alton Road, PO40 9UH which is approximately 1 mile away from Hawthorn Cottage
Along Freshwater high street you will find a smaller Sainsburys and Co-op along with a great butcher, fishmonger, baker and a selection of other shops
Further afield, Harvey Browns is an excellent farm shop around a 30 minute drive away in Newport. Well worth a visit for some tasty treats, they have a large selection of all the usual farm shop fayre including a fresh deli counter, butchers counter, artisan foods and local breads. They also have a very popular canteen style café serving locally sourced produce - www.harveybrowns.co.uk