Isle of Wight travel guide: Where to eat, drink, walk and stay on England’s biggest island

If you set sail from England’s southern shore to the quietly cool Isle of Wight for a staycation, you’ll find a destination that values the simple pleasures: food, fresh air and good old-fashioned fun. The Hampshire isle, once the home of dinosaurs and now a haven for the illusive red squirrel, marches to a gentler beat than the mainland, with over half of its countryside now recognised as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Beyond pocket-sized villages like Godshill that epitomise “chocolate-box”, a population of almost 142,000 call The Needles’ famed land of military forts and royal residences home. Classic beach days full of salt and sand meet the reinvented style of seafront restaurants and luxe hotels on the island that’s going from musty to modern.

Here’s what you need to know if you’re planning an Isle of Wight holiday.

Best time to travel for price, weather and crowds

While weather-dependent ferry crossings may not make it the easiest locale to access on a drab winter day, the Isle of Wight is rich with seasonal delights from.