Isle of Wight Attractions

The Needles IOW The Needles - The Needles are the western most point of the Isle of Wight and are a series of chalk stacks which protrude intothe see at the end of which is a lighthouse. Nearby is Alum Bay, which is home of the famous iow coloured sand and a commercial theme park'. The is a chairlift from the top of the cliff to the beach. The sea around the Needles was notorious for shipwrecks. The first lighthouse was built in 1785 on top of the downs, the current one during from the 1850's. The Needles is one of the biggest Isle of Wight attractions.

St Peters Church Shorwell St Peters, Shorwell - The church was originally a chapel constructed around 1100, and was completely re-modelled in 1440. A Whitechapel treble was added and the bells tuned and rehung as a six in June 1998. The interior of the church features a famous 15th century painting of St. Christopher.

Isle of Wight Zoo Isle of Wight Zoo - Home to Britain's largest collection of tigers, this award winning iow zoo has been a dedicated ally to the tiger for over a quarter of a century. The Zoo also cares for a wide range of other animals including lions, leopards, jaguars, lemurs, monkeys, snakes, spiders and lizards. This is a great addition to the iow attractions.

Blackgang Chine Tourist Attraction Blackgang Chine Theme Park - Overlooking the spectacular South West of the Isle of Wight, Blackgang Chine is a mix of exciting rides, goblins, fairies, lifesize dinosaurs all designed to appeal to the child in us all! Itis allegedly the oldest theme park in the UK. Blackgang Chine is a great asset to the Isle of Wights attractions.

Amazon World Zoo Park IOW Amazon World Zoo Park - The iow Amazon World Zoo Park is a special kind of attraction. Here you can learn about conservation and rainforests and come face to face with some of the worlds most unusual, beautiful and endangered creatures. Try to spot the many species of tropical bird flying freely through the rainforest above your head or count the crocodiles in the pond. Enjoy the displays and talks or just sit and watch the lemurs as they sunbathe and play.

Dinosaur Isle IOW Dinosaur Isle - Dinosaur Isle is managed by the Isle of Wight Council and cost £2.7 million. The museum displays over 1000 fossils. The exhibition gallery covers the geology and fossils of the island in a walk back through time, taking the visitor from the Ice Age of the recentpast, back to the Cretaceous period when dinosaurs lived. Dinosaur Isle is an all-year-round Isle of Wight attraction combining entertainment, education and enjoyment.

Osborne House IOW Osborne House - Osborne House is Grade II* on the English Heritage Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest. This 19th century estate totals over 800 hectares. Osborne House was a retreat for Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. They greatly enjoyed the iow, far from the pressures court life at Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle. Queen Victoria, after Albert died, spent most of her time at Osborne House and she died there in 1901. Since her death little has changed at Osborne House and many of the royal couple's possessions, photographs and paintings are still at Osborne House. Osborne House is one on the main tourist attractions on the Isle of Wight.

Carisbrooke Castle IOW Carisbrooke Castle and Museum - Carisbrooke Castle is sited on a hill near Newport, in the middle of the iow. Its Norman stone walls encase a keep, a chapel and a small museum. It is one of the finest examples of a Norman Castle. It was built on the site of earlier Roman and Saxon defences. In 1377 the French landed on the northern shores, burned Yarmouth and then advanced to lay siege to Carisbrooke Castle. The castle was successfully defended after the French Commander was killed and his troops forced to pay a large amount of money for safe passage. The castle is where the Roundheads kept King Charles I a prisoner from 1647 until shortly before his execution on 30 January 1649. Both his children, Prince Henry and Princess Elizabeth were imprisoned with him. The castle remained the official residence of the governor of the iow until the death of the last resident governor, Princess Beatrice, in 1944. Since then it has been managed as an ancient monument. It is home to the Carisbrooke Castle Museum and, rather unusually, a team of donkeys that are used to demonstrate the treadwheel in the 16th century wellhouse. If you are looking for a true piece of history then this attraction is well worth a visit when you are on the Isle of Wight.

Seaview Wildlife Encounter IOW Seaview Wildlife Encounter (Flamingo Park) - This Isle of Wight attraction formerly known as the Flamingo Park has been helping to conserve exotic bird species and wildlife for over 34 years and decided to change the Park's name to better reflect the continual growth and expansion work that is ongoing. The Park is home to a huge diversity of rare and beautiful birds and animals, not just the famous flamingos and critically endangered Humboldt penguins but has evolved from a bird gardens into a unique wildlife encounter. There are mammal species from around the world where visitors have the chance to meet wallabies, meerkats and Canadian Beavers, a truly incredible experience. This iow attraction allows you to feed and stroke and learn all about the animals at very close quarters.

Ventnor Botanic Gardens IOW Ventnor Botanic Gardens - This is an interesting place on the iow for a pleasant amble amongst sub-tropical and exotic plants and trees from around the world. This is a free attraction so well worth adding to your list of Isle of Wight attractions to visit!