The big oneEvery crazy golf course on the island
All 14 courses, from Shanklin seafront to the dinosaur course in Sandown, with prices, seasons and which ones are indoors.
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Written on the island
Isle of Wight attractions, beaches and days out
Where to go, what it costs and whether it’s worth your day. Prices, opening times and dog rules checked against the places themselves.
Pick a spot on the map
The island is 23 miles across and you can drive end to end in under an hour, but every coast feels different. Here’s where our guides will take you.
- 1The NeedlesChairlift and landmark park
- 2Colwell BayCalm, clear swimming beach
- 3Compton BayDinosaur footprints and fossils
- 4ShorwellThe Crown Inn and its trout stream
- 5BlackgangThe clifftop theme park
- 6NewportThe county town
- 7East CowesHeritage centre and Osborne
- 8RydeSands, pier and a Wetherspoons
- 9BembridgeThe best rock pooling
- 10SandownSunbathing and the pier
- 11ShanklinCrazy golf capital
Start with the favourites
Beaches
Sand or shingle, fossils or rock pools: which beach suits your day.
BeachesColwell Bay Beach: Parking, Dogs, Snorkelling & Tides
Colwell Bay, Isle of Wight: calm Solent water, snorkelling and low-tide springs, plus 2026 parking prices, dog rules by the slipway, toilets and buses.
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BeachesBest Beach for Sandcastles on the Isle of Wight
Shanklin, Sandown and Ryde have the best building sand on the Isle of Wight. Which to pick, when to go for the tide, and how to build a castle that lasts.
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BeachesBest Beach for Sunbathing on the Isle of Wight
Shanklin is our pick for sunbathing on the Isle of Wight: soft sand, sheltered from the westerlies, with cafés on the esplanade. Plus Sandown and Appley.
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BeachesBest Isle of Wight Beaches for Fossil Hunting
Where to find dinosaur bones and footprints on the Isle of Wight: Compton, Brook, Yaverland and Whitecliff Bay, plus the rules, tides and guided walks.
Read the guide →Pubs
Village inns, old coaching houses and both island Wetherspoons.
PubsThe Castle Inn, Newport: The Town's Oldest Pub (Review)
The Castle Inn has been licensed since 1550, making it Newport's oldest pub. Our review covers its history, the Charles I tunnel legend, food, beer and dogs.
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PubsThe Crown Inn, Shorwell: Review, Food & Trout Stream Garden
Our review of The Crown Inn, Shorwell: huge pies, a garden with a trout stream you can feed, a play area, food times, the bus there and dogs.
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PubsWetherspoons on the Isle of Wight: Both Pubs Listed
There are two Wetherspoons on the Isle of Wight: The Man in the Moon in Newport and S. Fowler & Co in Ryde. Addresses, opening hours and how to get there.
Read the guide →Cafés
Coffee, cake and lunch stops worth the detour.
CafésFrench Franks, Newport: Baguettes & Lunch Review
Our review of French Franks in Newport's St Thomas Square: made-to-order baguettes with island ingredients, monster salads and frozen yoghurt shakes.
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CafésQuay Arts Café, Newport: Our Review, Menu & Prices
Our review of the café at Quay Arts in Newport: huge lunch portions, breakfasts, the menu and what we paid, plus opening hours, parking and dogs.
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CafésRichmonds Bakery, Newport: Café & Cake Review
Our review of Richmonds Bakery café on St James' Street, Newport: thick millionaire's shortbread, cupcakes, bagels, a dog-friendly welcome and opening hours.
Read the guide →History
Museums, heritage centres and the stories behind them.
Straight answers about the island
Do you need a passport? Is it a tax haven? Is it a Channel Island? The questions people actually type into Google, answered properly.
All island questions →- Are There Police on the Isle of Wight?
- Can Anyone Live on the Isle of Wight?
- Can You Drink Tap Water on the Isle of Wight?
- Can You Drive to the Isle of Wight?
- Can You Fly to the Isle of Wight?
- Do You Need a Passport for the Isle of Wight?
- How Many Days Do You Need on the Isle of Wight?
- Is English Spoken on the Isle of Wight?
- Is It Warmer on the Isle of Wight?
- Is the Isle of Wight a Channel Island?
- Is the Isle of Wight a Tax Haven?
- Isle of Wight Prisons