Day trip to isle of wight tomorrow, what would you recommend?

[yoyou]

Travelling Lymington to Yarmouth(9am ferry). Myself and 13ds and 10dd. Would love to do the coloured sand. Catching the 6pm back. Any recommendations? tia

It's not a big island so you could get all over it in that time but I'd probably stay on the West side just so you're not spending a big chunk of your one day in the car. Compton is a well known beach and has dinosaur footprints you can see and Freshwater bay down the road is good for fossil hunting.

You could obviously head to The Needles although it gets very busy but if you're National Trust members you can easily park and walk along the coastal path and they're worth seeing.

The Cow near Tapnell Farm park is a nice restaurant for lunch although you will probably need to book.

We also like Arreton Barns for shops you can mooch around and you can sometimes watch glass blowing there.

Are you driving or going as foot passengers?

Driving :)

Great tips, thank you

Bump

RobinHill used to be good. They have had a change of owners though, so it may have changed.

Osborne House if your kids are interested in history.

Get English Heritage membership if you don’t have it already (you can use Tesco Clubcard vouchers, if you have those) and then go to Osborne House and Carisbroke Castle. That’s what I did on a recent IOW day trip with 3 DC aged from 9 to 17 and it was great, with a lovely paddle in the sea at Osborne.

Isle of Wight Steam Railway

https://iwsteamrailway.co.uk/

All the carriages are over 90 years old

Open Top bus to The Needles

https://www.islandbuses.info/needles-breezer

The Cafe on the pier at Yarmouth is nice and the Post Office had some huge rubber ducks

The Ferry Trip is good and the staff are nice as well

Agree with the suggestions so far, but to add:

Godshill (model village and scones)

Donkey Sanctuary

If you go to Alum Bay, then there are boat rides round the Needles (although it's not cheap).

Thanks all - do you think the Needles and Osborne House would be too much for one day?

Carisbrooke castle!

Hi Yoyou I would say yes....in one day that's a lot. Alum Bay / Needles is quite tatty (or it was) and expensive but your kids might enjoy it for the cable car ride and the views are pretty. Coloured sands and all that - I am not sure what access to the beach is like these days. It's quite far (in Island terms !) from Cowes.
Osborne House is a lovely park, obviously the grounds are gorgeous, and the house is so interesting (as well as the royal children's "play house") If it's still hot there will be plenty of shade. And also close to Cowes proper where there are lots of places to eat / watch the yachts from the beach etc. There may be a park and ride policy as parking is very difficult in the town. HTH ! Have a great trip 😎

I think so personally. It would definitely be possible but I think it would potentially feel hectic/you'd have one eye on the clock.

I would go one or the other. If you went with Osborne House then I agree that Cowes is very nice with plenty of good places for lunch. I suspect kids may prefer The Needles and the chair lift to the beach.