Isle Of Wight

[Justme]

Where is the Best place on the Isle of Wight to take my 4 and 9 year old children and what activities is there for them ?

[evedawn]

Osborne house - the toys and clothes that the royal children used will be deemed "weird / funny" by them perhaps? The dolls house will delight any little girl,

[granny grump]

It's quite a long time since I lived there but Black Gang Chine - which may have fallen into the sea now; Robin Hill country park; Brading waxworks and of course the sea all around were all popular when we had visitors and I'm sure that there will be lots more now

[Answerprancer]

Puckpool Park is nice - nice seafront there too with old war forts etc

[bednobs]

you could probably do the whole island in a day Blackgang chine and alum bay for kids

[flump1]

Hi Justme, In depends a little about what time of year you come and where you stay. There are of course things to do over here that can be costly for a family. However if you can afford to visit two sites, I would suggest Carisbrooke Castle and Osbourne House, with Swiss Cottage ( Where Victoria and Albert's children played. We have a lighthouse to visit and a working windmill and even a Roman Villa....now enough of that ,,,there are hundreds of the most beautiful walks , costal country forest and all full of adventure. The water on the Island beaches is safe and beautiful for bathing/paddling. ( Car parking is a pain...) There are zoos Isle of Wight and Amazon World, there are petting farms . Colemans is good. The Needles Park is splendid. There is an awful lot to see and do over here, unfortunately Brading Wax Works is no more and Blackgang is suspended. We have loads and loads of parks for children to play in ...come and see.....

[granny grump]

I wondered if Blackgang had gone flump - I left a long time ago and it was a bit 'unstable' then. Shame about Brading I loved it and so did any young visitors

[flump1]

Granny, I was lucky to have visited both places before they closed. Brading was unique and is missed more than Blackgang, The park called Robin Hill is owned by Balckgangs owners so I think all won't be lost. Apart from the view .

[Answerprancer]

Oh yes, and Bembridge windmill is worth a visit.

[New Judge]

Don't forget the preserved IOW Steam Railway (at Havenstreet) and the "Island Line" (all that remains of the island's once extensive railway system). The Island line runs from Shanklin to the end of Ryde Pier (the "Pier Head) and is operated by former London Underground trains from 1938.

Parking is a pain at most venues, especially in summer, so try the buses. They run all over the island and are frequent on most routes. You can buy "rover" tickets and although not cheap, by the time you've paid for parking (if you can find a space) the fares don't compare too badly.

[New Judge]

BTW, I was surprised to hear that Blackgang had closed (it's about six years or so since I visited the IOW) and it seems it has not:

http://www.blackgangchine.com/prices-and-times

It seems it reopens in March. (I seem to recall it always closed for the winter).