Isle of Wight - Lunch spots, things to do and any other advice

[SoTiredNeedHoliday]

Hi, Looking for good lunch spots (or dinner) for a family with teenagers. Im trying to think of spots we can stop off at while cycling around. We've staying near Shanklin but anywhere on the island is fine.

Also other activities with teenagers?
Cycling
Needles cable car
Horse riding

What else?????

Also Blackgang Chine and Robin Hood - are they suitable for teens? or too childish?

We have an annual crazy golf challenge on Shanklin sea front, taking all our copper coins for the 2p shove machines.

Blackgang is definitely for small people, but Robin Hill may still suit younger teens.

The Buddle at Niton is on a good cycling route. The Wight Mouse is also popular at Chale. Briddlesford Farm has a lovely cafe and the Dairyman's Daughter both near Robin Hill are good for a break.

Alpaca trekking at West Wight Alpacas and pottery painting/cake/lunch at Chessell Pottery on the Yarmouth/Freshwater side are also great.

St Helens beach near Bembridge is excellent for families, there is paddle board and canoe hire, horse riding, bike hire and a beach cafe (licensed) and safe bathing. Just around the corner at low tide is the beautiful priory bay, better than being abroad.

Spy Glass Inn in Ventnor is a hit with my teens - at end of the beach and a decent pub food with live entertainment (google for times).
There are places like Tackt isle in St Helens where they can do paddle boarding and other water sports.
Mackerel fishing with Catchalot also in St Helens - 2 or 4 hour fishing trips and they can gut your catch for you to throw on your BBQ always fun.
Alamo Steak house in Ryde esplanade - Ryde has a huge beach.
Goodleaf Tree Climbing at Appley Beach also in Ryde.
There’s a few things to be getting on with!

I definitely recommend Ventnor Fish Haven for their stunning freshly caught and cooked totally seasonal fish and chips - or try their crab and chips featured on The Hairy Bikers television programme! Ventnor Fish Haven is the iconic building on the pier above the harbour. They also serve tiger prawn tails, rock salmon, mackerel, crab croquettes, apple fritters and - my favourite - the crab samosa and chips.
Also in Ventnor, there’s a brilliant ice cream parlour called Crave which is apparently the best in the country! www.countypress.co.uk/news/16385713.ventnor-ice-cream-parlour-named-best-in-the-uk/
The Bandstand in Sandown is a lovely restaurant for brunch, a light lunch or dinner. It also does some great cakes and the views are pretty special.
The Grand View Tea Garden at Luccombe Manor is a top spot for a light bite. The hotel does a very decent afternoon tea.
There’s a lovely sweet shop with a chocolate cafe in Godshill called Chocolate Island, which isn’t too far from Shanklin.
I’d also recommend Driftwood Beach Bar and Grill in Shanklin. It’s a good place to chill over a cool beer on a hot day as there’s plenty of outdoor seating. It has a good choice of interesting soft drinks too.

Tackt Isle in St Helen's (east Wight near Ryde) offers Dinghy Sailing, Kayaking, Land Yachting, Paddleboarding, Windsurfing and even Standup Paddleboard Yoga. They also hire out things like fishing equipment, kites and the like. Costs vary from free things like geocaching through to kayaking at about £10 - £20 or private lessons in sailing, windsurfing which are more like £50.
Wight Water Adventure Watersports is halfway between Sandown and Shanklin on Dunroamin Beach and rents out things like Standup Paddleboards, Surfboards, Windsurfers, Kayaks and Sea Trampolines. Rental tends to cost between £10 and £20 and hour, lessons cost about £25-£40 an hour, so it's not a cheap activity. Last time I went there was a nice cafe there so you can have lunch whilst they charge around the beach.
An affordable option (£10 when I last went) and possibly even something you could do together as a family is archery at Adventure Activities.
Random Rooms in East Cowes hasescape games which are suitable for 12+.

wow some really great ideas and recommendations!

Looking forward to the trip!!

My favourite eating places on the island currently are 'La Cantina' in Ventnor, 'Cibou' in Wootton, we use these for brunch but they are open in the evenings as well and Michaelango's in Ryde for dinner.

My teenagers all still like crabbing. We love IOW. Carisbrooke castle is interesting. Needles battery also. Osborne house has amazing grounds. There must be some good boat trips too if into that.

mattandcat.co.uk/ Link to IW foodie website

thanks all this advice is making things so much easier planning the days. Ive never been crabbing....wouldn't even know where to start, I'll have to research that one.

What are the best bike routs for me to look into doing? We're all pretty ok cyclists and I'm hiring mountain bikes

If you head into Newport, Caffe Isola on St James Street is nice - trendy independent and does good coffee and sandwiches etc for lunch or snack.

Look at single-track riding.com (Isle of Wight trails) there is a 50 km chalk ridge track which is supposed to be great as long as dry.

Singletrackriding.com

Thanks! excellent advice all.

So we have been and enjoyed the Isle of Wight. We loved the beaches and the hiking and cycling.

Activities kids loved:
Cycling the red squirrel trail its mostly good paths and there is a cafe on the cycle path.
Kayaking at St Helens beach (2 hour guided explorer session)
Walking the coastal train shanklin to Ventor (ice cream stop on route!)
Bembridge bakery
Bembridge beach
Horse riding St Helens
The garlic Farm (mainly for me, no kids activities that I saw)
Beach hopping, we loved Colwell bay / beach there is the posh restaurant which we didn't go to and the Long Beach bar which we did go to and it was perfect for what we needed.
Freshwater beach collecting smooth stones and skimming the water. Snorkelling looked good there too but we ran out of time.

Definitely book in action sports as we couldn't get a paddle-boading slot unfortunately.

We did NOT rate the needles area, very tacky rides and shops, expensive for anything including parking.

Definitely Osborne house! I didn't find the house itself that special but I loved the Swiss Cottage in the grounds, where Queen Victoria's children used to play.

Don't waste money on that model village. I was expecting something similar to Bekenscot but it was pants.

If you hire bikes, don't get lost! Our 2 hour bike ride had reached 7, before we finally gave up trying to find our way back and rode back to the holiday house instead. We had to call the bike people to come and get them back. Very embarrassing!