The Isle of Wight is a fantastic family holiday location with sandy beaches, summertime festivals and a history of Kings and Queens (well, King Charles I and Queen Victoria at least).
We’ve picked 10 caravan holiday parks worth a look, including busy family friendly holiday parks with indoor swimming pools as well as some quiet holiday parks.
We’ve picked 10 caravan holiday parks worth a look, including busy family friendly holiday parks with indoor swimming pools as well as some quiet holiday parks.
1. Cheverton Copse Holiday Park, Sandown (basic facilities, outstanding reviews)
**Winner: best value Isle of Wight holiday park**
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Cheverton Copse gets the best reviews of all of the Isle of Wight's holiday parks - and it was also the cheapest when we searched.
However, it's not for everyone because there's not a lot to do onsite and it isn't right by the sea. It's best to think of it as a base for a cheap and peaceful holiday, rather than somewhere to slide down some flumes. There isn’t a swimming pool, but there is a games room, a children’s play area and a clubhouse during peak season. It’s a couple of miles inland on the busier and more touristy side of the Isle of Wight, half way between Sandown and Shanklin. Reviews are consistently brilliant, averaging about 9/10 on Hoseasons or 5 out of 5 on TripAdvisor. Price: £495 for a Bronze caravans for a week in August 2018 for a family of four |
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2. Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park, Bembridge (busy holiday park, beachside, indoor swimming pool)
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Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park’s trump card is its location next to a beautiful sandy beach, which doesn’t get too busy as it is only really used by residents at a couple of holiday parks.
The park itself is run by Away Resorts and has indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a sauna, pool, table tennis, a playground, crazy golf, soft play as well as kids and evening entertainment. They also put on outdoor cinema during the summer and there are various activities you can pay extra for. Bembridge is on the east of the Isle of Wight. It’s near to Sandown and Ryde but it’s a long drive to The Needles in the West Wight (well, an hour, which is a long drive by Isle of Wight standards) Reviews average about 7 to 7.5/10 on most sites. My advice is to look at reviews of different grades of caravan on Hoseasons. Price: £936 for a family of four for a week in August 2018 in a superior caravan |
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3. Nodes Point Holiday Park, St Helen's (good facilities, beachside, indoor swimming pool)
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Park Resorts' Nodes Point will tick most boxes for a family looking for a beach holiday on the Isle of Wight.
The park is right next to the sandy(ish) beach at St. Helen’s which has knee-deep water for paddling. It’s also got enough onsite to fill a couple of days if the sun doesn’t shine, including an indoor swimming pool, all weather sports court, adventure playground and bar and restaurant. In the summer you can ride horses along the beach and pretend you’re in a 1980s film. It gets solid reviews of 4 out of 5 (TripAdvisor). Nodes Point is at the eastern end of the Isle of Wight in a quiet area, so you’ll need a car if you want to visit Shanklin, Ventnor or Ryde. Price: £879 for a family of four staying in a caravan for a week at the end of August 2018 |
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4. Landguard Holiday Park, Shanklin (indoor swimming pool, 20 minutes walk to beach)
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There are two Park Resorts caravan holiday parks in Shanklin – Landguard and Lower Hyde – and there’s not a great deal between them.
They both get about 4 out of 5 on TripAdvisor and they’re both about 20 minutes walk from the beach. They both have indoor and outdoor swimming pools and generally cost about the same. They both have places to eat, kids entertainment and play areas. In fact, last time I checked they were doing a deal where you could use the facilities at either park once you’ve checked in. Personally, I’d go on price and reviews of individual caravans. The caravans with better reviews get booked up quickly and they aren’t necessarily the more expensive options. Price: £729 for a caravan for a week for a family of four in August 2018. |
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5. Lower Hyde Holiday Park, Shanklin (indoor swimming pool, near railway, 20 mins walk to beach)
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As discussed in tedious detail above (#4) Lower Hyde is the sister holiday park to Landguard in Shanklin. They’re both busy parks with plenty to do (including indoor swimming pools) and they get similar reviews.
I would recommend either park to families looking for a fairly cheap holiday park with plenty to do onsite, and with a sandy beach within walking distance. Personally I prefer Shanklin to Sandown, but the latter does have a pier and decent seafront attractions too. One slight advantage that Lower Hyde offers over Landguard is that is a bit nearer to the train station at Shanklin. So, you could easily get the foot passenger ferry or hovercraft to Ryde Pierhead or Ryde Esplanade and then take the short train ride to Shanklin. The trainline is a nostalgic experience, which uses former London Underground carriages. You’ll be able to get around the Isle of Wight on the buses, though it is a fair bit slower than driving (see our Isle of Wight Guru site for public transport advice). Price: £749 for a caravan for a family of four for a week during August 2018. |
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6. Orchards Holiday Park, near Yarmouth (quiet park, indoor swimming pool)
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Orchards Holiday Park is a friendly caravan park which is well placed for exploring the West Wight, which (in my opinion) is the prettiest side of the Island.
It’s a quiet location and you couldn’t spend all week onsite, but its trump card is its indoor and outdoor swimming pools. Don’t expect bingo nights or karaoke, but you can hope that the children might put down their smartphones and get some fresh air. It isn’t right by the beach unfortunately, but the Isle of Wight isn’t huge so you can be at the coast in a few minutes in a car. It's near to Tapnell Farm Park and there are watersports at Freshwater Bay. Reviews are very good for this one – averaging nearly 9 out of 10 on Hoseasons or 4.5/5 on TripAdvisor. Price: £760 for a Pippin caravan for a week in August 2017 for a family of four (2018 was unavailable when we searched) |
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7. St Helen’s Holiday Park (outdoor swimming pool, good reviews)
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St Helen’s Holiday Park is near to Nodes Point (see #2) but it’s a much quieter option with simpler facilities.
There’s an outdoor swimming pool (I’m writing this in winter, but I’m sure it would be more appealing in July), as well as a playground and somewhere to kick a ball around. I personally really like the local area, which has a nature reserve called The Duver which is looked after by the National Trust. It’s also near to posh Bembridge and there’s a watersports company in the area where you can hire kayaks. Reviews average just above 8/10 on Hoseasons or 4.5 on TripAdvisor. You couldn’t spend all week onsite, but if you’ve travelled miles and then got on a ferry to waste all your time in a bingo hall then there’s no helping you… Price: £829 for a family of four, staying in a caravan for a week in August 2017 (August 2018 wasn't available when we checked) |
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8. Appuldurcombe Gardens Holiday Park (outdoor pool, rural location, great reviews)
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Appuldurcombe Gardens is the only holiday park in the South of the Isle of Wight to make our list, and it gets great reviews (generally 4.5/5)
It’s got an outdoor swimming pool in summer and a play area and bar. It’s also right by the remains of an old manor house which has grounds designed by Capability Brown, which makes for a rather idyllic setting. You’ll need a car for this one. It’s a short drive to Ventnor which is a pleasant seaside town which still thinks it is the 19th century or there are some nice walks in the local area. Price: £779 for a week in a Culver caravan for a family of four in August 2018. |
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9. Rookley Country Park (fishing lakes, central location, indoor swimming pool)
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Rookley Country Park doesn't get quite as strong reviews as some on the Isle of Wight (about 3.5/5) but it’s in a central location which means you’ll never drive more than about 20-25 minutes for a day out.
It’s also got indoor and outdoor swimming pools, as well as a bar, fishing lakes, a children’s playground and somewhere to eat. They also put on entertainment during peak periods. The nearest beaches are family friendly ones at Sandown, Shanklin or Ventnor which are all about 15 minutes in the car. Price: £766 for a week in a two bedroom caravan for a family of four in August 2018 |
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10. Thorness Bay Holiday Park (indoor swimming, beachside)
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Thorness Bay is another Park Resorts holiday park (well, technically the company has now merged with Parkdean Resorts).
Generally it doesn’t get as good reviews as you’ll find at the other three Park Resorts sites on the Isle of Wight (Landguard, Lower Hyde and Nodes Point). However, it does have some plus points. In most price comparisons we’ve done it is the cheapest of the four, so is a good option if you want a well equipped and busy family holiday park on a budget. It is also in a very remote location, on the rarely explored North-West coast of the Island (you’ll need a car). The beach is a scrubby natural haven type of place, rather than a sandy beach with ice cream stalls. The beach is mostly just used by holiday park residents, plus a few visiting anglers and is right on the park’s doorstep. Onsite at Thorness Bay you’ll find an indoor swimming pool, as well as a sports court, adventure playground, bar and restaurant and the usual entertainments. Price comparison: £709 for a week in a Longitude caravan for a family of four in August 2018. |
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Price comparison of the Isle of Wight's 10 best caravan holiday parks
Yes, we know that prices vary throughout the year and that there are special offers...
For what it's worth here is our price comparison for a family of four staying in an Isle of Wight holiday park caravan for a week in August 2018. We looked for the cheapest option available, arriving and leaving on a Saturday.
For what it's worth here is our price comparison for a family of four staying in an Isle of Wight holiday park caravan for a week in August 2018. We looked for the cheapest option available, arriving and leaving on a Saturday.
- Cheverton Copse Holiday Park - £495 *Winner: best value Isle of Wight holiday park*
- Thorness Bay Holiday Park - £709
- Landguard Holiday Park - £729
- Lower Hyde Holiday Park - £749
- Orchards Holiday Park - £760
- Rookley Country Park - £766
- Appuldurcombe Gardens - £779
- St Helen’s Holiday Park - £829
- Nodes Point Holiday Park - £879
- Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park - £936
