Local area
Ventnor: With its warm microclimate, tropical plants and our resident little wall lizards, our guests often tell us they feel like they are in the Mediterranean. As well as its family friendly beach, you can enjoy the botanical gardens, fantastic coastal and downland walks with hidden gems such as Steephill Cove. There are lots are charming shops and a great variety of cafes and restaurants, or you can relax with a coffee whilst the children play in the famous "island shaped" paddling pool.
See the loveVentnor website for a tour of our lovely Victorian town.
The Isle of Wight: From sandy beaches, stunning coastal path walks to bracing hills, the Isle of Wight landscape is very diverse, and about half of the Isle of Wight has been designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. With the highest number of sunshine hours anywhere in the country it makes for a great holiday destination. There are attractions to suit all ages, budget and weather. The Isle of Wight tourist information lists everything from fun parks to animal sanctuaries, award winning beaches, dinosaur hunting to extreme sports and if you are looking for a relaxing break then you can enjoy a wide range of museums, galleries and arts & crafts across the island.
Beaches: There are lots of beautiful sandy beaches locally, and plenty of rockpools to play in, with many beaches winning the prestigious blue flag award. For a guide to Isle of Wight beaches click here.
Salty Top Tips: Our top tips for local walks, eating out and things to do can be downloaded here. Our personal family recommendations would be:
- Best breakfast - Besty and Spinky in Ventnor
- Best walk - along the beach to Steephill Cove and onto the botanical gardens (probably with some rockpooling on the way)
- Best sunny lunch destination - a glass of wine in the Crab Shed at Steephill Cove with a fabulous crab pasty
- Best ice cream - definitely Crave ice cream in town
- Best restaurant in Ventnor - Smoking Lobster - at the bottom of our garden!
- Best Sunday lunch - the Taverners in Godshill
- Best rainy day option - a fun art workshop with Nicola at Oracle arts in Godshill
Annual Events: There are a large number of exciting events on the Isle of Wight. Here is a link to our round up of some of the annual events for your diary including everything from rock to garlic festivals, carnivals and marathons, yacht races and easter egg hunts. For more details check the Tourist Information site.
Cycling: Cycling holidays on the Isle of Wight are becoming increasingly popular as there are many routes to suit all abilities. There are some fantastic, family friendly, old railway tracks crossing most of the island, and as many of the roads are being newly resurfaced, road cyclists will enjoy miles of quiet lanes with fantastic views. Mountain bikers have a huge choice of downland or coastal routes with plenty of hills. You can choose your perfect route with isle cycle route planner or participate in one of the many organised events. Please speak to us if you wish to bring your bikes with you.
