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Rays of Adventure
The Needles on the Isle of Wight

Top 25 things to do on the Isle of Wight

Posted on July 3, 2022July 3, 2022
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The Isle of Wight has a great range of activities for everyone. With beautiful beaches, great food and fun activities, there’s so much to do here. Here are my top 25 things to do on the Isle of Wight.

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1. Relax on Shanklin Beach

The first of my top 25 things to do on the Isle of Wight is to relax on Shanklin Beach. Shanklin has one of my favourite beaches on the Isle of Wight. There’s plenty of golden sand, and gentle waves in the sea. It’s the perfect place to relax. It’s also a really family-friendly, safe beach, so if you’ve got kids they can play in the sand.

The best itinerary for 5 days on the Isle of Wight

2. Go sailing on the Solent

The Isle of Wight is one of the most popular places in the UK to go sailing. The water between the Isle of Wight and mainland England is called the Solent. It’s a sheltered stretch of water, and it’s very unusual for it to get too rough. So it’s the perfect place to go sailing. You can take a sailing course from organisations on the Isle of Wight, like UKSA which is based in Cowes. Have a look at their website here for some ideas for sailing courses and tasters.

Sailing around the Isle of Wight

3. Stand at The Needles Viewpoint

The Needles is one of my favourite parts of the Isle of Wight. I just love the amazing white rock formations, with the red and white lighthouse at the end. You can park at the Needles Landmark Attraction car park, and walk along the coast path out to the Needles. It only takes about half an hour to walk from the car park to The Needles viewpoint. The views from the coast path are beautiful, and the views of The Needles are worth the walk.

The Needles, Isle of Wight

4. See lions and tigers at the Wildheart Animal Sanctuary

There are several good zoos on the Isle of Wight, which are perfect to visit when the weather isn’t good enough to be on the beach. The Wildheart Animal Sanctuary has some cute monkeys and meerkats, but the real highlights are the lions and tigers. They have lovely enclosures, with plenty of space and enrichment activities as well. You can read about each animal on information boards, and learn about their past before they came to this sanctuary. It’s lovely to see these beautiful animals living happy lives after their traumatic pasts.

Wildheart Animal Sanctuary on the Isle of Wight

5. Go shopping in Cowes

The town of Cowes, on the north coast of the Isle of Wight, has a great selection of shops. There are plenty of shops selling sailing and outdoor gear, plus some unique souvenir shops. The town centre is pretty, and it’s a nice place to wander for an hour or so.

Cowes on the Isle of Wight

6. See the multicoloured sands and cliffs of Alum Bay

Another of my favourite scenic spots on the Isle of Wight is Alum Bay and its coloured sands. The cliffs leading down to the pebble beach are striped with different coloured sands and rocks. You can park at The Needles Landmark Attraction to visit Alum Bay. There are lovely views down to the beach and cliffs from the coast path. Or you can walk down the steps to stand on the pebble beach to look up at the cliffs.

View over Alum Bay

7. Visit Osborne House

Osborne House is a great historic attraction on the Isle of Wight. It’s just outside East Cowes, and a great place to spend a few hours. Queen Victoria used to spend time here when she visited the Isle of Wight. The house is interesting to look around, and the gardens are lovely as well. Check out the opening times and prices here.

Osborne House on the Isle of Wight

8. Eat fish and chips on the beach

Another of my top 25 things to do on the Isle of Wight is to eat fish and chips on the beach. It’s such a classic British seaside tradition. Shanklin has a great fish and chip shop right behind the beach. You can get a takeaway and take it down to the beach to eat. It’s a perfect lunch on a sunny day.

Fish and chips on the beach

9. Make friends with donkeys at the Donkey Sanctuary

The Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary is a great place to visit for all the family. No matter what your age, everyone will love seeing the donkeys. The Donkey Sanctuary is free, although they always appreciate donations. You can see donkeys in the fields outside, and also in the barns. There are also Shetland Ponies as well, which are really cute.

Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary

10. Take a fast RIB ride

For another great adventure on the sea, take a fast RIB ride. These speedboats can go super fast over the waves. It’s a great adrenaline rush, and I love the feeling of the wind in my face as the boat flies. It’s a great way to see more of the Isle of Wight from the water as well.

Top things to do on the Isle of Wight
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11 thoughts on “Top 25 things to do on the Isle of Wight”

  1. Sara Essop says:
    August 7, 2022 at 5:52 am

    I’d love to visit the Isle of Wight some day. It looks like such a beautiful place!

    Reply
  2. Mona says:
    August 7, 2022 at 3:41 am

    Thank you for showing me somewhere new!

    Reply
  3. Megan says:
    August 7, 2022 at 2:13 am

    Wonderful! I was reading through and thought ‘Oh I love the Cowes shopping area” kept scrolling, “oh no, look at the Osbourne house, so beautiful,” then “*gasp* donkeys!” Looks like such a delightful visit. <3

    Reply
  4. Erica says:
    July 10, 2022 at 4:21 pm

    What a helpful and inspiring post about the Isle of Wight, thank you! I would especially enjoy sailing and seeing The Needles. It looks like a stunning area and I appreciate all of the nature based activities you’ve included.

    Reply
    1. Rays of Adventure says:
      August 19, 2022 at 7:35 pm

      Thank you! The scenery really was beautiful.

      Reply
  5. Brittany says:
    July 10, 2022 at 3:23 pm

    Needles Viewpoint is so beautiful, and I’d love the see the beautiful tigers and other animals at Wildheart Animal Sanctuary. Thanks for sharing this great guide to the Isle of Wight!

    Reply
    1. Rays of Adventure says:
      August 19, 2022 at 7:34 pm

      I really loved the view from the Needles Viewpoint!

      Reply
  6. Jasmine says:
    July 10, 2022 at 1:17 pm

    Great list! I could only imagine how much better the Needles Viewpoint looks in person – always interested in rock formations and how they got there. But also a donkey sanctuary?! i’m in.

    Reply
    1. Rays of Adventure says:
      August 19, 2022 at 7:33 pm

      The Needles viewpoint was a highlight for me – I loved the view there.

      Reply
  7. Heather says:
    July 9, 2022 at 9:48 pm

    Great post! Seems like there’s a lot to do and that is the first donkey sanctuary I’ve ever heard of!

    Reply
    1. Rays of Adventure says:
      August 19, 2022 at 7:28 pm

      I loved the donkey sanctuary, it’s definitely worth visiting if you get a chance!

      Reply

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Rays of Adventure

Hi, I’m Rachel. UK based Travel Blogger and Solo Female Traveller. Blogging about solo travel and traveling with chronic health issues. Read my blogs for loads of travel guides and travel tips for destinations around the world.

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