As well as being the sunniest place in Britain, a designated UNESCO Biosphere Nature Reserve, and over half the Island an Isle of Wight National Landscape (formerly known as Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty), it’s the Island’s uniqueness that brings visitors back to visit time and time again. 

Although only 23 miles long, the Island has been described as England in miniature, as somewhere on the Island you will find an example of the mainland’s landscape. There are over 60 miles of varied coastline – high cliffs, sheltered coves, marshes, and seaside towns with sandy beaches, and inland there are high downs, woodlands, picturesque villages, river valleys and miles of open farmland.

There are no motorways or tunnels on the Island (unless they’re old smuggling tunnels!) so you’ll always have the opportunity to appreciate the spectacular scenery as you travel.

So, what can you do on the Island that you can’t do anywhere else?

Dinosaur footprints on Isle of Wight beach

  1. Experience a thrilling 10-minute flight over to the Island onboard a hovercraft. It is the only commercial hovercraft in the UK and was invented by Sir Christopher Cockerell on the Island.
  2. Try the only blue sparkling wine made in the UK, at Adgestone Vineyard. Something Blue is a unique, lightly bubbling Cuvee made wholly from English grapes grown at the Vineyard. If you're lucky, you may even find natural crystals in the bottle that further reflect the sea's beauty.
  3. Follow dinosaur footprints and go fossil hunting on Dinosaur Island – as one of the richest areas for Dinosaur discovery in Europe, visitors can view a fossilised forest of huge trees and fossilised footprints of dinosaurs on Brook Beach.
  4. Book a stay on the original Spice Girls bus from the 1997 movie. The colourful Union Jack themed bus has now found a permanent home on the Island, overlooking Island Harbour Marina. Decked out with zebra print carpets, pink Union Jack bus style chairs and an illuminated 'GIRL POWER' sign, super fans can now live out their wildest dreams.
  5. Ride the chairlift at The Needles – the best way to see the world-famous Needles Landmark Attraction, and one of the Isle of Wight’s most iconic sights.
  6. Have fun at the UK’s oldest theme park, Blackgang Chine – dating back to 1843 it’s the home to many lands of imagination, including Pirate Cove, Restricted Area 5, Fairy Land and Village, and Cowboy Town.
  7. Take a walk along the UK’s oldest pier. Ryde Pier was made during Victorian times and is the UK’s oldest seaside pleasure pier still in use. Before the pier was built, passengers had the uncomfortable experience of coming ashore on the back of a porter and then, depending on the state of the tide, having to walk as far as half a mile across wet sand before reaching the town.
  8. Make a call on the country’s oldest working street phone box, K1 Bembridge phone box. The telephone box was installed in the early 1920s and is believed to be the last surviving K1 box still in daily use. As a ‘building of special historic or architectural interest’, this K1 telephone box was listed on 6th August 1986 by Lord Elton, the environment minister of the day, giving it Grade II status.
  9. Visit the Longstone at Mottistone Estate. Legend has it that St Catherine and the Devil had a contest to see who should control the Isle of Wight. The Longstone’s tall iron sandstone pillar was supposedly thrown by St Catherine from the Down to the east which bears her name. At over 4m high and 2m wide, this was a mighty feat indeed. The Devil’s smaller stone (a mere 2.9m high and 1.2m wide) fell short and he lost the wager. The final resting place of the stones – St Catherine’s dominating the recumbent smaller stone – is said to symbolise the triumph of good over evil.
  10. Spot a red squirrel – with no grey squirrels on the Island, you may just spot a flash of a red squirrel on the Red Squirrel Trail.
  11. Explore the Island’s rivers – ride across the floating bridge, visit Shanklin Chine, go paddleboarding, the rivers are an integral part of the Island.
  12. Stay at Windmill Campersite for a unique, quirky glamping experience. The site is located within the centre of the Isle of Wight and has beautiful countryside views all around. Accommodation includes the original submarine used in the 1999 James Bond; The World is Not Enough film. an original 1965 Falklands ‘Rescue’ helicopter, an ex-Ganges 1948 coach, Shepherd huts, and a VW Campervan.