East Wight Beaches:

 

• Dunroamin (aka Lake beach):  Quieter section of beach between Sandown and Shanklin with water sports available.  Accessed by steps down or by walking from Sandown or Shanklin.  A lovely, sandy beach with a café.  Postcode:  PO36 8PL.

 

• Sandown:  Winner of the blue flag for clean water award, ideal for swimming, with pedalos hire, nearby parking, amusement arcade, pier, free toilets, plenty of choice for food and drink and good selection of shops/gift shops.  Beautiful sandy beach.  Address:  Pier street, Sandown, PO36 8JP.  Best place to park is IOW Zoo which costs less as it’s a private car park and is a large gravel style car park, just outside of Sandown and actually located in Yaverland.  Postcode for zoo is: PO36 8QB.

 

• Shanklin:  Ideal for families looking for a traditional bucket and spade day out.  Mini golf on the esplanade, toilets, paid parking, sandy beaches, plenty of places to eat and bouncy castle during peak times.  There is also a lift up to the clifftop.  Address: Eastcliffe promenade, PO37 6BJ.

 

• Whitecliff Bay:  Nice bay with sand, attractive tree lined cliffs, and enticing water for a swim with a nice café.  Access is via Whitecliff bay holiday park (not a private bay).  Address: Bembridge, PO35 5PL.

 

• Appley:  Sandy beaches with parking, a playground, café and toilet.  Address:  Appley lane, Ryde, PO33 1ND.

 

• Yaverland:  Less busy than nearby Sandown beach, near the Isle of Wight Zoo.  Pay and display car park, toilets and a café.  Plenty of beach with nice clifftop views.  Yaverland road, Sandown, PO36 8QB.  Parking is again best at the zoo which is a lot less than other car parks as it’s privately owned!  Dog friendly.

 

• Seaview:  Sand and shingle with large beach for games at low tide.  Basic facilities only with easy parking on the esplanade.  Seaview village nearby.  No postcode for this one.

 

• St Helen’s (near Bembridge):  Nice outlook and accessible sea wall for wheelchairs and push chairs.  Café and free toilets on site.   Small chargeable car park, but also accessible via Nodes Point Holiday Park, postcode for Nodes Point: PO33 1YA.

 

• Bembridge:  Quite possibly the best island beach for rockpooling at low tide.  Home to impressive lifeboat station.  Nice café nearby, toilets and pay and display parking.  Address: Beach road, Bembridge, PO35 5NZ.

 

• Seagrove:  Nicely shaped bay with large seawall, good for push chairs, etc.  Basic toilets with difficult parking.  Address: Pier road, Seaview, PO34 5BP.

 

West Wight Beaches:

 

• Alum Bay:  Chairlift down to multi coloured sands!  Boat road out to the needles, large stones make walking difficult.  Toilets in the pleasure park.  Address: Totland Bay, PO39 0JD.

 

• Hanover Point/Compton Bay:  Ideal for surfing and sunsets with a natural cliff backdrop.  Toilets and usually an ice cream van in the car park.  Car park belongs to National Trust.  Address: Newport, PO30 4HB.

 

• Brook Chine:  Natural cliffs that allows dog walkers on the beach.  National trust parking without any toilet facilities.  Popular with kite surfers.  Address: Military road, Newport.  PO30 4HA.

 

• Freshwater Bay:  One of the islands most picturesque beaches.  Stony beach on one side that’s sandier during low tide.  Water sports take place here, chargeable car park nearby.  Address: Freshwater, PO40 9RA.

 

• Colwell Bay:  Located between the towns of Totland and Yarmouth.  Small, easily accessible beach with clear, calm waters, gently sloping sand and shingle, an ideal beach for swimming.  Traditional beachside café just before you reach the beach and beach hut shops on each side of the slipway selling everything from ice creams and snacks to inflatable toys and wet suits.  Deck chairs and beach huts for hire.  Address:  Colwell Chine road, Freshwater, PO40 9NP.

 

• Totland Bay:  A picturesque sandy beach, ideal for swimming with clear turquoise waters and far reaching views to the mainland.  It has a short pier and opposite this are the toilets.  Parking nearby.  Walk along the seafront and there is a pub on the seawall at the eastern end of the road.  Beach postcode:  PO39 0BQ. 

 

• Chilton Chine:  Access via the steps near Isle of Wight pearl.  Free parking.  Mix of stone and sand.  Good for a walk, no facilities.  Address of car park:  Military road, Brightstone, Newport, PO30 4DD.

 

• Sconce Point:  Small stony beach next to Fort Victoria Country Park.  Free parking, café, free toilets and grassy area for picnics.  Park at Fort Victoria Park, address: Westhill Lane, Norton, Freshwater, Yarmouth, PO41 0RR.

 

 

South Wight Beaches:

 

• Ventnor:  One of the best beaches on the island and a wonderful sun trap!  A mix of sand and shingle with free toilets, paid parking, paddling pool for toddlers.  Range of shops/eateries on the esplanade.  Really good beach for swimming.  Worth visiting Lady Scarlett’s 1940’s tea parlour.  Original Victorian bathing machine still present (restored).  Longshoremans museum on the esplanade is very small but worth a quick visit.  Beach huts that line the back of the beach are converted Victorian bathing machines.  Address: Esplanade, PO38 1JT.

 

• Steephill Cove:  One of the most secluded and picturesque areas on the Island.  Too steep for a wheelchair but good for swimming, with toilets, and a café.  Address: Love Lane, Steephill Cove, PO38 1AF.

 

North Wight Beaches:

 

• Osborne Bay:  Only accessible via paid entrance to Osborne House (free to English Heritage members).  A lovely private beach frequented by Queen Victoria and her family.  Café, ice cream hut, toilets and deck chairs on site.  Queen Victoria’s original bathing machine has been beautifully restored.  Great views to the mainland.  A mile walk from the house with a frequent free shuttle bus. Grassy area for picnics.  Periodic events throughout the summer.

 

• Cowes:  A small, quiet shingle and sand beach with fantastic views across West Cowes, the marina and the Solent.  Idea for boat watching!  Woodland walks behind the beach.  Address:  Esplanade, East Cowes, PO32 6AD.

 

• Gurnard:  Pretty beach huts, café and pub nearby with limited parking.  Nice sunsets and mainland views.  A small beach even at low tide.  Address:  Shore Road, Cowes, PO31 8LD.

 

• Thorness Bay:  Accessed via this holiday park.  Lovely beach which is a mixture of sand and shingle.  Great spot for picnics, sunsets and sunbathing.  Great views across the Solent and plenty of wildlife.  From this caravan, follow the path directly opposite, walk across the meadow and you’ll soon be there.