Beach Resorts on the Isle of Wight

Sandown

The wide sandy beach at Sandown is one of finest in the UK, framed by the bright white cliffs of Culver down to the north and the red cliffs of Luccombe to the far south. The traditional seafront includes an amusement pier which is also popular with fishermen and was once busy with regular steamers arriving with visitors from all over the south coast. These days visitors arrive by car, bus or to the Islandline train station which connect the town to Ryde. The Esplanade is perfect for strolling and stretches as far as its sister resort of Shanklin. The long High Street has an array of gift shops, cafes, bars and restaurants.Windsurfers and sailors are a regular sight at the Yaverland end of the beach, before you find the Dinosaur Isle visitor attraction, Browns Golf Course and Sandham gardens and rides.

You might want to enjoy Los Altos park and there is also a cliff walk from Sandown towards Lake and Shanklin. This starts in the Old Battery gardens which has amazing panoramic views over Sandown Bay as well as a refurbished childen’s play area. A dedicated cycle path starts at Sandown and extends all the way to Cowes via Newport for a safe family cycle ride.

Visit the new website for Sandown and the bay are including Lake, Yaverland and Brading for up-to-date information and news about visiting Sandown on the Isle of Wight.

See our feature guide on visiting Sandown Bay, Isle of Wight here.

Ryde 

“Welcome to the town on the beach” is the sign that greets you on arrival in Ryde. It’s the largest town on the Isle of Wight and is also known as “The Gateway to the Island”. The pier in Ryde goes out into the Solent for almost half a mile to meet Wightlink’s Fast Cat passenger service. The Island Line train service meets the Fast Cat before travelling down the Isle of Wight’s south east coast via Brading, Sandown and terminating at Shanklin.

Based next to the pier and Ryde Esplanade bus station is the Hover Travel hovercraft which “flies” to the mainland in less than 10 minutes. Ryde has miles of sandy beach which at low tide creates a vast playground for all manner of seaside fun. The town and sea front are packed with an array of pubs, restaurants and shops. It also hosts the UK’s oldest carnival in August each year. Six miles of beaches connect Ryde to the villages of Seaview and Bembridge to the east which makes a wonderful walk or cycle ride.

Shanklin

The sister resort to Sandown shares the same sandy beach with the red cliffs of Luccombe creating a dramatic backdrop at the southern most point of Sandown Bay. The famous Shanklin Chine is one of Britain’s oldest visitor attractions and was popular with Victorian visitors as a natural and beautiful wonder. The delightful waterfall and rare plants make it a firm favourite to this day and It also connects the beach with Shanklin Old Village a picturesque collection of thatched, Island-stone cottages that now have a range of boutiques, gift shops, cafes and restaurants to enjoy.

Close-by you can relax in the peaceful Rylstone Gardens or perhaps enjoy a show at the town’s lovely theatre. The beach itself remains the town’s greatest asset and as well as being superb for swimming it is also a favourite for sailing and windsurfing enthusiasts. Shanklin probably has the Island’s widest selection of hotels and guest houses as well as a fine range of restaurants, bar and pubs.

Ventnor

The beach at Ventnor is sought out all year round and benefits from a very secluded position, nestling under St Martin’s down, one of the Island’s highest hills, creating its famous micro-climate. A wonderful natural suntrap which appealed to the Victorian visitors who flocked to Ventnor as a health resort. The beach is great for swimming or sunbathing and is half sand and half shingle. There are  still working fishing boats bustling around its small harbour. A fantastic place to buy and enjoy locally caught seafood.

Pubs such as the famous Spyglass Inn or more recent additions like The Met bar are a perfect place to while away a few hours and with plenty of other cafes and bars dotted along the seafront, refreshments are never far away. Head away from the Esplanade and up into the main town which is built on a series of winding zig-zag terraces and you will see more charming Victorian architecture as well as numerous independent shops, including some very popular antique and bric-a-brac emporiums. The tranquil Botanic Gardens at ventnor is set in over 22 acres of sub-tropical landscaping and well worth a visit. If you venture out along the sea wall paths you can discover the small village of Bonchurch or the tiny fishing hamlet of Steephill Cove, a true delight.