The good old English summer always provides at least one rainy day. Thankfully, the Isle of Wight is great no matter what the weather, so make sure these are on your wet weather hit list…
Osborne, the palatial holiday home of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. They created their family holiday home here between 1845 and 1851, where Queen Victoria enjoyed family times, ruled her empire and entertained foreign royalty.
Many of the royal family’s birthdays were spent at Osborne, where the exchanging of gifts on the ‘Present Table’ became an annual event. You can see these presents on display at Osborne by following the brand new birthday trail.
Explore the Island’s fossil, geology and prehistoric history all under one roof at Dinosaur Isle. This large museum is shaped like a giant pterodactyl and displays over 1,000 of the best fossils from the collections plus a large dinosaur gallery, showcasing real fossils, skeletal reconstructions, life-sized fleshed reconstructions and two animatronic dinosaurs!
You can still have all the quintessential seaside fun when it’s raining with a visit to Sandown Pier. You will find indoor golf with special lighting and sound effects, ten-pin bowling and Magic Island, a soft play area. There is also a café and bar, plus, when the rain stops, head outside to the end of the pier where you will find rides for all the family.
Brading Roman Villa is one of the best examples of Roman architecture, with beautifully preserved mosaic floors and an extensive collection of Roman archaeology. Kids will love discovering the artefacts and getting dressed up as a centurion. Relax in The Forum Café afterwards with a beautiful view across the countryside down to Sandown Bay.
Visit Amazon World Zoo Park and its huge range of unusual and exotic animals. At the last count, it was somewhere in the region of 200 different species, spanning the entire animal kingdom! Much is indoors and there is a brand new soft play area, Monkey Madness, that kids can run amok in.
One for the grown-ups, Farringford is the home of the celebrated Victorian Poet Laureate Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809–1892) and one of the Island’s most important historic estates. After undergoing an immense refurbishment programme that spanned five years, the house has been returned to its former glory and now offers a glimpse of life here in the 1800s. Book a house tour to learn more about Tennyson, his family and friends and the enduring appeal of his poetry.
