Ventnor IoW as a base for holiday?

Pumpkinbumkin200 · 2023-07-05T10:45:59+00:00

Would you recommend this area as a base? Will have two young children with us. Not going in peak season. Finding including the ferry, 4 days was costing around £850+ but found a cheaper accomodation in this area. We like fairly quiet places, access to beach and will have a car.

purpleboy · 05/07/2023 12:18

IOW is a pretty small place, you can access the whole island very easily, so anywhere you base will be fine for exploring the island.

user1471474138 · 05/07/2023 12:21

as long as you’ve got a car Ventnor is a great base for a holiday. Beach is safe, lovely coastal walks great pub/cafes and with a car you can access everywhere else on the island pretty easily

Lonelycrab · 05/07/2023 12:23

Hope you like hills😁

But yes Ventnor is fairly nice compared to some places in the island.

PlatBilledDuckypuss · 05/07/2023 12:27

The IOW is so small and easy to get around that anywhere will do as a base. The only downside I can think of to Ventnor is that it has some very steep hills if you're walking with a buggy.

Nitgel · 05/07/2023 12:29

Ventnor is a bit cut off, there is a lovely park with cabins at Wootton Bay.

SaffyWall · 05/07/2023 12:35

Ventnor is quite a small town and there's not a lot going on, but it's easy to reach the rest of the island from there. The beach was washed away in a storm a few years ago and there isn't any sand now - just a small area of pebbles. Lots of the marketing photos still show the beach though so if it's a beach you're after then I'd look somewhere else.

Time40 · 05/07/2023 12:41

The beach was washed away in a storm a few years ago and there isn't any sand now - just a small area of pebbles

Ummm ... I was there last September, and there was beach. A lot of beach. I've got the photos to prove it.

Original poster

Pumpkinbumkin200 · 05/07/2023 15:36

Lonelycrab · 05/07/2023 12:23

Hope you like hills😁

But yes Ventnor is fairly nice compared to some places in the island.

Happy to consider any areas! Any suggestions?

OP posts:

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 05/07/2023 15:51

Time40 · 05/07/2023 12:41

The beach was washed away in a storm a few years ago and there isn't any sand now - just a small area of pebbles

Ummm ... I was there last September, and there was beach. A lot of beach. I've got the photos to prove it.

Do you think the tide might've been in ? 😂

The island is so small as long as you have a car it doesn't matter where you stay.

DMCWelshcakes · 05/07/2023 17:17

Ventnor is lovely but very hilly if you're pushing a buggy. There's a brilliant tearoom down on the seafront called Lady Scarlett's. It's a vintage place with a load of memorabilia in it. But basically anywhere on the island works to stay if you have a car.

Zebedee55 · 05/07/2023 17:23

Ventnor is fine, as a central point. The IOW is small anyway. If you go to Ventnor..the Spylass Inn (there) or the Buddle Inn (Niton) are nice places to eat. 🙂

Avariceagain · 05/07/2023 17:42

My toddlers loved the Ventnor paddling pool on the seafront! It's also really close to Blackgang Chine which is great for little ones. It's a town on a very, very steep hill so something to bear in mind depending on where you are staying!

EmmaPaella · 05/07/2023 17:47

Where were you thinking of staying? In a cottage? Not really an expert on IOW as only been a few times but I would personally go to somewhere like Colwell Bay with kids. But the Blackgang Chine area near Ventnor is popular. There didn’t seem a lot actually in Ventnor to me so you’d be getting in a car a lot and the drive down to the beach was indeed steep.

Lonelycrab · 05/07/2023 18:13

Happy to consider any areas! Any suggestions?

The west of the island is imo the nicest, it’s less developed and some of the villages are lovely. Yarmouth, Brighstone, Brook and Shorwell are small but very pretty and peaceful I found. Piano cafe in Freshwater is great for a bite to eat.

I saw something online the other day about Sandown and how badly it had gone downhill, was actually quite shocked at how bad parts of it now look so I’d say don’t get too close to that area. Shame, as I had many happy childhood holidays there. Wasn’t too keen on Newport either, fine in the day but a strange vibe in the evening.

As others have said, as long as you have a car you could almost stay anywhere on the island due to its size, but if it was me I’d look on the west or south west side.

arapunzel · 05/07/2023 18:42

Ventnor is nice, just very steep hills.

Like others have said IOW is very do able with a car - but be prepared for getting anywhere to take longer as the roads are very rural, it’s not a straight road to anywhere.

When we’ve been over tended to stay in Shanklin for accommodation. Sandown is also nice

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 05/07/2023 21:24

Lonelycrab · 05/07/2023 18:13

Happy to consider any areas! Any suggestions?

The west of the island is imo the nicest, it’s less developed and some of the villages are lovely. Yarmouth, Brighstone, Brook and Shorwell are small but very pretty and peaceful I found. Piano cafe in Freshwater is great for a bite to eat.

I saw something online the other day about Sandown and how badly it had gone downhill, was actually quite shocked at how bad parts of it now look so I’d say don’t get too close to that area. Shame, as I had many happy childhood holidays there. Wasn’t too keen on Newport either, fine in the day but a strange vibe in the evening.

As others have said, as long as you have a car you could almost stay anywhere on the island due to its size, but if it was me I’d look on the west or south west side.

Sandown has always been a bit of a dive, west island is definitely better imo.

cocksstrideintheevening · 05/07/2023 21:53

We love IOW always stay at the away holidays caravan park. Everywhere is accessible if you have a car.

Original poster

Pumpkinbumkin200 · 06/07/2023 08:14

Thanks all I've booked somewhere near Freshwater so hopefully will be nice.

OP posts:

Lonelycrab · 06/07/2023 09:25

Colwell bay is a good, fairly quiet beach with good access from what I remember. Rock pools when the tide is out. The walk from Freshwater to Yarmouth along the estuary is very tranquil and buggy friendly too. Hope you have a nice break.

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 06/07/2023 09:55

Compton beach is fab too. Nothing much in Freshwater,it's always been dead as a donut but there's a small Tesco now and it's a good place to stay as you'll be near Colwell which is a beautiful beach. Have a great time 😊

otherusername · 06/07/2023 10:03

If you're going out of season black gang chine and robin hill might be closed but Tapnell farm is great for kids.

SUPsUP · 06/07/2023 10:10

Freshwater is lovely.
make sure you follow Wightwood pizza on Facebook and they’ll tell you where they’re baking (they have a good truck) but usually do freshwater beach one night. And there’s usuallly a bar in a vintage bus too - lovely vibes to have pizza on freshwater (pebble) beach with a beer or cocktail while kids throw rocks on the sea 😂

not sure how old your DC are but tapnell farm is awesome - maximise your time slot there.
blackgang is bonkers but kids love it
body boarding at Compton

ventnor is good for food - Cantina and Crave ice cream
Yarmouth deli is awesome and there’s good fish’n’chips at the blue crab
steephill cove for old fashioned seaside and crab pasties - but check tide times and pack light as it’s a steep walk down
have a lovely trip