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Referred to as the 'Gateway to the Island' thanks to the Hovercraft and Wightlink catamaran linking the mainland and the Isle of Wight. The most notable and best thing about Ryde is the beautiful miles of unspoilt golden sands. Lined with beach cafes, ice cream pit-stops, and plenty of family-friendly entertainment makes this a great holiday destination.
Union Street rises up from the Esplanade and is home to many eateries, boutiques and quirky shops. Also, providing a great view of the Victorian pier once you have reached the top.
Some of the Island’s biggest events take place in Ryde. These include the famous International Scooter Rally on the August Bank holiday weekend. During this weekend, you can’t move for scooters, and the smell of two-stroke fills the air.
Known as 'the town on the beach', Ryde is the largest town on the Isle of Wight. The pier in Ryde is said to be the oldest in the UK, and the town is also home to Britain’s oldest carnival.
The pier goes out into the Solent for almost half a mile to meet Wightlink’s Fast Cat passenger service. The Island Line train service also runs along the pier to meet the Fast Cat before travelling down the Isle of Wight’s south east coast via Brading, Sandown and terminating at Shanklin.
Based near the pier and also Ryde Esplanade bus station, is the HoverTravel hovercraft. The world’s only commercial hovercraft service 'flies' to the mainland in less than 10 minutes, making it the quickest way to get to the Isle of Wight.
Ryde has miles of sandy beach, which at low tide creates a vast playground for all manner of seaside fun. The town and seafront are packed with a variety of pubs, restaurants and shops. Six miles of beaches connect Ryde to the villages of Bembridge and Seaview to the east, which makes for a pleasant walk or cycle ride.
Ryde Bus Station is the second busiest on the Southern Vectis network, with routes from across the Island. The busiest route is 9 to Newport, others include routes 2, 3, 4 and 8 and local route 37. In the Summer, the open-top bus "Downs Breezer" and the tourist services "Island Coaster" and "Sea Breezer" serve Ryde.
Travellers to and from Portsmouth are served by Wightlink's catamaran passenger ferry, the FastCat and Hovertravel's hovercraft service.
Ryde is served by Ryde Pier Head, Ryde Esplanade and Ryde St John's Road Railway Stations on the Island Line Railway with stops at Ryde, Smallbrook, Sandown, Lake and Shanklin.