There is plenty to do and see on your next island escape.
Alongside our beaches and countryside, there are attractions across the island for all ages covering the island’s heritage, nature and of course, some fun attractions!
In addition to this guide, we’ve also got our activities guide, which covers a range of activities and experiences – from exploring the island by foot, bicycle, horse, boat or even plane, doing a spot of fishing or enjoying a game of golf, take in a performance or exhibition or taking a course in cookery, jewellery or arts and much more.
We’d recommend checking on the provided links for updates on hours, booking and other arrangements, as well as regular winter closures.
Shanklin
| Shanklin Chine | Web: shanklinchine.co.uk Tel: 01983 866432 |
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Historic gorge with famous waterfall, home to plenty of wildlife and a rich history from smuggling to a role in the World War Two – plus dinosaurs! |
| Summer Arcade | Web: shanklinseafront.co.uk Tel: 01983 867585 |
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An arcade full of games and amusements for you, as well as Toppings ice cream parlour, Bayside Fish and Chips and Caddyshack indoor golf. |
| Pirates Cove and Jurassic Bay Adventure Golf + Fun Park | Web: shanklinseafront.co.uk Tel: 01983 867585 |
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A choice of two different adventure golf courses themed round pirates and dinosaurs plus fun park and The Clubhouse cafe. |
| Rylstone Gardens Tea Gardens, Golf + Bandstand | Web: facebook.com/rylstoneteagardens Tel: 07305 098262 |
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Large tea gardens with a wide selection of plants and flowers on show with crazy golf and food and drink, plus park next door with bandstand and performances through the summer months. |
| Big Mead Park, Play Area + Pond | – |
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Large public park with plenty of grass, duck pond and children’s play area. Lots of daffodils in the spring! |
| Shanklin and Godshill Cricket Club | Web: shanklin.play-cricket.com Tel: 01983 868436 |
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Cricket club with matches throughout the summer and clubhouse. |
| Shanklin Theatre | Web: shanklintheatre.com Tel: 01983 868000 |
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A community theatre that punches above it weight with a selection of local shows including Spotlight’s Best Of The West End and Christmas panto plus a wide number of celebrity performances from comedy, dance, music and much more, as well as behind the scenes tours available to book throughout the year. |
Around The Island
| Amazon World | Web: amazonworld.co.uk Tel: 01983 867122 |
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Zoo with animals from around the world with cafe and also Monkey Madness soft play. |
| Appuldurcombe House | Web: english-heritage.org.uk |
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The remains of a once great manor house, open for you to explore, including the grounds designed by Capability Brown. |
| Arreton Barns, Museum of Glass + Shipwreck Centre | Web: arretonbarns.co.uk Tel: 01983 528353 |
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Selection of local craft shops, Dairyman’s Daughter pub, Isle of Wight Museum of Glass and Shipwreck Centre. |
| Bembridge Heritage Society and Centre | Web: bembridgeheritage.org.uk |
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Museum with history of Bembridge |
| Bembridge Windmill | Web: nationaltrust.org.uk Tel: 01983 873945 |
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The island’s only surviving windmill. |
| Blackgang Chine | Web: blackgangchine.com Tel: 01983 730330 |
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Theme park with rides and attractions. |
| Brading Roman Villa | Web: bradingromanvilla.org.uk Tel: 01983 406223 |
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Explore the remains of a roman villa with mosaics and artefacts, plus find out about the island’s role in Roman Britain. |
| Brading Station | Web: bradingtowncouncil.org Tel: 01983 401222 |
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Restored Victorian station buildings which include tea rooms, heritage centre and signal box. |
| Brown’s Golf | Web: facebook.com Tel: 01983 716370 |
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A selection of traditional grass pitch and putt and putting courses and cafe. |
| Butterfly World | Web: butterflyworldiow.com Tel: 01983 883430 |
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See a wide selection of butterflies flying freely. |
| Canopy Skatepark | Web: canopyskatepark.com |
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All weather skateboarding park for all ages. |
| Carisbrooke Castle | Web: english-heritage.org.uk Tel: 01983 522107 |
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Historic castle with rich history including an important role in the royal family. |
| Chessell Pottery | Web: chessellpotterycafe.co.uk Tel: 01983 531248 |
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Pottery gift barn and cafe. |
| Cowes Maritime Museum | Web: iow.gov.uk Tel: 01983 823433 |
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A museum celebrating Cowes’ maritime heritage. |
| Dimbola | Web: dimbola.co.uk Tel: 01983 756814 |
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Museum and gallery dedicated to Julia Margaret Cameron with additional contemporary exhibitions. |
| Dino Islands Adventure Golf | Web: sandhamgardens.com Tel: 01983 407802 |
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Dinosaur themed adventure golf. |
| Dinosaur Isle | Web: dinosaurisle.com Tel: 01983 404344 |
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Interactive dinosaur museum. |
| Farringford | Web: farringford.co.uk Tel: 01983 752500 |
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Tennyson’s historic home. |
| Fort Victoria | Web: fortvictoria.co.uk Tel: 01983 823893 |
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Country park with planetarium, reptilarium, Archaeology Discovery Centre and more. |
| Godshill Model Village | Web: modelvillagegodshill.co.uk Tel: 01983 840270 |
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The famous model village featuring Godshill and Shanklin and RHS partner garden. |
| Isle of Wight Bus and Coach Museum | Web: iwbusmuseum.org.uk Tel: 01983 567796 |
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A selection of buses and coaches dating back to the 1920s. |
| Isle of Wight Deer Farm | Web: isleofwightdeerfarm.co.uk Tel: 01983 638680 |
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Guided tours of deer farm. |
| Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary | Web: iowdonkeysanctuary.org Tel: 01983 852693 |
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Home to over 90 donkeys and more in the sanctuary. |
| Isle of Wight Steam Railway | Web: iwsteamrailway.co.uk Tel: 01983 882204 |
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Historic steam railway line with train rides, museum and Train Story. |
| Lilliput Doll and Toy Museum | Web: lilliputmuseum.co.uk Tel: |
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Doll and toy museum home to over 2000 items |
| Longshoreman’s Museum | Web: facebook.com/longshoremansmuseum Tel: 07745 696916 |
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Maritime museum located on Ventnor seafront |
| Monkey Haven | Web: monkeyhaven.org Tel: 01983 530885 |
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Rescue haven for monkeys, owls and more. |
| Mottistone Gardens | Web: nationaltrust.org.uk |
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Expansive gardens set in the grounds of an Elizabethan manor house. |
| Museum of Island History | Web: iow.gov.uk Tel: 01983 823433 |
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Located in Newport Guildhall, museum charting the history of the island from the dinosaurs to present day. |
| National Poo Museum | Web: poomuseum.org |
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Interactive micro museum all about poo set in the former public toilets at Battery Gardens. |
| Newport Roman Villa | Web: iow.gov.uk Tel: 01983 823433 |
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Explore the remains of a former roman villa. |
| Osborne House | Web: english-heritage.org.uk Tel: 01983 200022 |
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Former royal residence of Queen Victoria. |
| Quarr Abbey | Web: quarrabbey.org Tel: 01983 882420 |
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Monastery home to a small group of Benedictine monks set within 200 acres and featuring tea shop and art gallery. |
| Quay Arts | Web: quayarts.org Tel: 01983 76067 |
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Set in a converted 12th century brewery, home to three art galleries, theatre for live performances and artist studios and workshop sessions in Jubilee Stores including pottery and drawing. |
| Ryde Superbowl + LaserQuest | Web: rydesuperbowl.com Tel: 01983 617070 |
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Ten pin bowling and laser quest. |
| Sandham Karts | Web: sandhamgardens.com Tel: 01983 407802 |
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Electric go karts for ages 4+. |
| Sandham Sky Nets | Web: sandhamgardens.com Tel: 01983 407802 |
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Sky nets with open air bounce park. |
| Sandown Pier | Web: sandownpier.co.uk Tel: 01983 404122 |
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Pier with amusements, Lost World adventure golf, Magic Island soft play, Superbowl bowling, Scruffy Jacks sports bar and end of the pier rides. |
| Sir Max Aitken Museum | Web: sirmaxaitkenmuseum.org Tel: 01983 293800 |
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Maritime history museum with nautical artefacts |
| St Catherine’s Oratory | Web: english-heritage.org.uk |
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Medieval octagonal tower that is the remains of the oratory |
| Tapnell Farm | Web: tapnellfarm.com Tel: 01983 758722 |
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Visit the farm park to see the animals, soft play, jumping pillow, mini golf, zip wires, sledge slides, aqua park for an inflatable obstacle course, The Cow restaurant and more. |
| The Falconry Experience | Web: thefalconryexperienceiow.com Tel: 01983 716556 |
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Falconry centre with flying displays and over 50 birds to see. |
| The Museum of Ryde + Donald McGill Museum | Web: themuseumofryde.org Tel: 01983 717435 |
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Set in the historic Royal Victoria Arcade, explore the history of Ryde and also see the vast collection of Donald McGill postcards including some of his most famous and saucy scenes! |
| The Needles Landmark Attraction | Web: theneedles.co.uk Tel: 01983 752401 |
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See the famous needles and lighthouse from land or the chair lift, pick up some Alum Bay glass and sand and go on the rides. |
| Ventnor Botanic Gardens | Web: botanic.co.uk Tel: 01983 855397 |
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Explore the gardens from around the world that thrive in our microclimate, visit the hot house, take a break in the cafes and see the regular workshops and exhibitions. |
| West Wight Alpacas | Web: westwightalpacas.co.uk Tel: 01983 760900 |
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Enjoy a walk with the alpacas and llamas, explore the farm and meet all of the other animals. |
| West Wight Heritage Centre | Web: fatag.co.uk Tel: 01983 759353 |
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A new museum showcasing the archive of Freshwater and Totland Archive Group. |
| Wight Aviation Museum | Web: wightaviationmuseum.org.uk Tel: 07949 704052 |
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Museum celebrating the history of aviation on the Isle of Wight, located at Isle of Wight Airport in Sandown. |
| Wight Karting | Web: wightkarting.co.uk Tel: 01983 565366 |
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All weather 520m floodlit go kart track for ages 8+. |
| Wight Military and Heritage Museum | Web: wmahm.org.uk Tel: 01983 632039 |
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Military museum with wide range of tanks, vehicles, war heritage and more. |
| Wildheart Animal Sanctuary (formerly Isle of Wight Zoo) | Web: wildheartanimalsanctuary.org Tel: 01983 403883 |
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Rescue sanctuary with plenty of big cats, monkeys and much more. |
| Yarmouth Castle | Web: english-heritage.org.uk Tel: 01983 760678 |
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16th century castle built for King Henry VIII. |
Last Updated: 03/04/2024