East Cowes and Yarmouth
Osborne House · Photo: Suicasmo
Day one crosses to East Cowes for Queen Victoria's holiday house, gardens and her private beach, then heads inland to a hilltop castle where donkeys still work the well wheel. Day two is in the West Wight: animals and indoor play at a farm park, then a chairlift down to Alum Bay to see the Needles.
Historic House · 10:00–13:30 (3h30m)
house, gardens and the play area, then walk down to Queen Victoria's beach; lunch at one of the estate cafés.
An indoor and outdoor historic house in East Cowes, aimed at ages 4 and up.
Photo: Suicasmo
Castle · 14:00–16:30 (2h30m)
walk the castle walls and visit the donkeys in their stables before last entry at 16:00.
An indoor and outdoor castle in Newport.
Photo: Scribwik
Farm · 10:00–12:30 (2h30m)
animal handling and the covered play areas; lunch on site.
A West Wight farm park with covered indoor play, animal handling and feeding (wallabies, alpacas, donkeys, pigs) and a restaurant. About ten minutes from the Yarmouth ferry.
Photo: Graham Horn
Landmark · 13:00–15:45 (2h45m)
chairlift to the beach, fill a glass with coloured sand, or take a boat trip to the rocks.
A clifftop attraction above Alum Bay with a chairlift down to the beach, coloured-sand filling, small rides, boat trips to the Needles rocks and adventure golf. Season ends in October.
Photo: theneedles.co.uk
South EastBrighton seafront
Start under the Victorian arches of the oldest working aquarium in the world, then climb up to a quiet Kemptown park with a playground and duck pond for lunch. Finish back on the seafront with rides, ice cream and a long walk out over the waves on the Palace Pier.
SEA LIFE Brighton → Queen's Park → Brighton Palace Pier
South EastBeaconsfield
Walk through a miniature 1930s England at the world's oldest model village and ride its little railway, then drive into the hills to the village where Roald Dahl wrote, for an afternoon of story-making in his museum.
Bekonscot Model Village → The Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre
South EastArundel
Climb the keep of Arundel's huge restored castle in the morning, then walk down past the river to the wetland centre for a quiet electric boat ride through the reedbeds and some pond dipping.
Arundel Castle → WWT Arundel Wetland Centre
