Rainy day ideas on the Isle of Wight

Sometimes when we go on holiday the weather isn’t on our side. You have to forgo the beautiful beaches, stunning landscapes and outdoor adventures in favour of something a little drier. If you're looking for something to do, here’s a selection of great things the Isle of Wight has to offer to get you started.

Get active indoors

If you’d like to do something energetic and lively but stay relatively dry, we’ve got plenty of ‘all weather’ attractions for you to try. Set a new lap record at the Island’s all weather karting track at Wight Karting and feel like a true F1 pro. Run around at JR Zone’s soft play centre and laser combat arena. Have a game or two of tenpin bowling at Ryde Superbowl – they even have their own laser quest arena. With a large soft play zone, filled with slides, bridges, ball pits and more, there's loads for kids of all ages to swing, bounce, run and jump around at Tapnell Farm Park. For those that don’t mind getting a little wet, head to The Heights, Medina Leisure Centre, Waterside Pool or West Wight Sports Centre for a relaxing dip.

All things cute and fluffy

The Island features a large and brilliant selection of animal attractions, wildlife parks and zoos. On the Island you can visit a farm and meet sheep, cows, chickens and pigs as well as donkeys, rabbits and guinea pigs – some with family friendly areas where you can see them up close. Take a trip to Amazon World, the Island's largest exotic animal attraction. Get up close with something cute and fluffy at Tapnell Farm Park. Step into a world of beautiful butterflies and learn about their life cycle from egg to pupa to adult at Butterfly World. You can even visit a zoo based in an old fort at Isle of Wight Zoo, home to a wide variety of animals with a special interest in tigers and lemurs.

Not just to for the garden

The garden centres of the Isle of Wight are fantastic places to shop for bits for the garden, but did you know that they are also great places to go for lunch? Busy Bee Garden Centre, Honnor & Jeffery, Medina Garden Centre and Thompsons all offer a selection of light refreshments as well as gardening supplies. 

Get your thinking caps on

The Island is rich with art and history – you’re guaranteed to learn something new. At the Museum of Island History you’ll discover more about the Island from pre-historic to the modern day with hands on exhibits, quizzes and games. Dinosaur enthusiasts will love Dinosaur Isle and the Dinosaur Expeditions, Conservation & Palaeoart Centre where you’ll find out about the Island’s surprisingly large collection of home-found fossils.

History buffs will get a kick out of the Ventnor Heritage Museum, Carisbrooke Castle Museum, Brighstone Village Museum, Isle of Wight Bus & Coach Museum, The Wight Military & Heritage Museum, Shipwreck Centre and Maritime Museum, Newtown Old Town Hall, Bembridge Windmill, Calbourne Water Mill, Newport Roman Villa and Brading Roman Villa - so many museum to choose from! Visit Queen Victoria's stunning family home Osborne House, take a walk around an Elizabethan artillery fortress at Carisbrooke Castle or climb the battlements and enjoy the views of the Solent at Yarmouth Castle. You can even explore a Victorian coastal defence and secret rocket testing site at The Needles Old Battery & New Battery, perched high above the Needles Rocks.

Train enthusiasts will love the Isle of Wight Steam Railway surprising and inspiring and equally appealing to adults and families.

Art lovers will find Dimbola Museum and the Quay Arts Centre captivating and Chessell Pottery Barns a great place to unleash your creativity. And for the star gazers among you, take a trip through space and time at the Island Planetarium.

Have an adventure at a fort

Fort Victoria, a short walk from Yarmouth, is a great family day out. The Victorian fort sits in a grassy area next to the sea and has stunning views out over the Solent, especially from its roof. There's so much to see and do with lots of visitor attractions and a café. There you'll find the Archaeology Discovery Centre, Fort Victoria Model Railway, Island Plantarium and the Isle of Wight Reptilarium. Also, if you don't mind getting a little wet, surrounding the fort is a country park with over 20 hectares of woodlands and a rocky beach to explore.

A foodie’s paradise

The Isle of Wight is fast becoming the foodie capital of the south coast and it is easy to see why. You will be spoiled for choice with a variety of afternoon tea rooms, country pubs, quality restaurants and beachside cafes. Whether you are looking for something family friendly like the warm and inviting Bebeccino, or gourmet dining, the Isle of Wight is truly unique in what it has to offer. The diversity of the landscape is reflected in the quality and choice of local produce on offer in many of its eateries or local farmers markets.

Explore a monastery

Nestled among the trees in Fishbourne is the tranquil monastery Quarr Abbey, which not only has a well stocked farm shop selling homegrown produce, a teashop selling Island Roasted coffee and freshly prepared food, an art gallery showcasing work by local artists, a shop with a wide selection of products and tours of the monastery, it's also home to a small group of Benedictine monks.

Visit a famous landmark

Even though it's raining, there's still plently to see and do at The Needles Landmark Attraction, with it's many indoor attractions, from glass blowing at Alum Bay Glass to coloured sand souvenir making, as well as the IW Sweet manufactory where you can watch skilled sweet makers create sweets and an exciting 4D cinema. You can still ride the chairlift down to the beach or take a ride on the Victorian carousel, just make sure you wear your waterproofs!

Catch the latest film

Rainy days are a great excuse to head to the cinema to watch the latest blockbuster, and Cineworld in Newport has a wide selection to choose from. If you fancy something with retro charm, the Commodore in Ryde also shows a selection of the latest films for just £4.

Retail therapy

Fancy a bit of retail therapy to brighten your day? The Oasis shopping centre is a unique shop based Brading selling Teak furniture, soft furnishings, gifts, artificial flowers, homeware and much more. Learn all about garlic and how to grow your own at The Garlic Farm - you can even sample their delicious products from garlic chutney to garlic beer and ice cream or have a bite to eat in their restaurant. A haven of tranquillity and relaxation, The Lavender Farm offers a lovely selection of lavender-based products that include pot pourri, scented candles and message oils, as well as offering a relaxed environment for a rainy day lunch in their restaurant. Take a drive along the Military Road and pop in to Isle of Wight Pearl, grab a bite to eat in the Pearl Café and have a go at Pick-A-Pearl - enjoy picking your own oyster and discovering the gem within.

Local live productions

Catch a local live production –  the Island is full of talented actors putting on shows all across the Island. Choose from the Apollo Theatre, Medina Theatre, Shanklin Theatre and Trinity Theatre and be dazzled by the talent on display. The Ventnor Fringe, which runs in August, is also a great place to watch brand new productions in quirky venues.

Fun and games at Sandown Pier

Sandown Pier is a set on a beautiful sandy beach in the bay area of the Isle of Wight. Work your way through the amusements and try your hand at the classic arcade games before stopping for some freshly baked doughnuts.

Visit our much loved libraries

Come rain or shine, Isle of Wight libraries often have all sorts of great events and activities going on - from craft to storytime, there's lots for children to take part in. Or you could always just pop in to get out of the rain and read a book or two. Discover all about our libraries here and find one near you.