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  1. Things to do in Sandown
  2. Places to stay
  3. Sandown beach
  4. Getting there

Sandown

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  4. Guide to Sandown, Isle of Wight

Your guide to Sandown

A charming seaside town on the south east coast of the Isle of Wight, Sandown is a popular destination for holidaymakers, especially during the summer months.

Offering an ideal blend of natural beauty and fun, family-friendly things to do, it’s no wonder it’s a hit with visitors of all ages.

Alongside it’s pristine sandy beach (hence the name!), the town even has its own airfield, Sandown Airport, home to the Wight Aviation Museum and a base for loads of thrill-seeking activities.

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Flowers along the walkway at Sandown beach under sunset

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Sandown Beach

Things to do in Sandown

Sandown boasts a variety of attractions but it’s perhaps best known for its family-friendly things to do.

What used to be Isle of Wight Zoo (or Sandown Zoo) is based here – more on that in a moment – while perched in the middle of the town’s glorious beach, you’ll find Sandown Pier. Like any self-respecting seaside pier, it’s home to play areas, an arcade, crazy golf and even 10 pin bowling.

Find three of our favourite places to visit in Sandown below.

Wildheart Animal Sanctuary

A family-run wildlife haven set on the land of an old Victorian fort – Wildheart Animal Sanctuary is unlike any animal experience you’ve seen before.

On site, you’ll find a huge collection of animals from all across the world, many of whom have been rescued from awful conditions.

Though the sanctuary has a specific interest in big cats, you’ll also get to meet monkeys, meerkats and reptiles.

Isle of Wight Zoo – Wildheart Animal Sanctuary
Inside Dinosaur Isle Museum

Dinosaur Isle

The Isle of Wight has a Jurassic past that not many people know about.

At Dinosaur Isle, they want to change that, as Britain’s first dedicated museum for all things dinosaur.

Featuring a collection of over 1,000 fossils, life-like dino technology and fun interactive displays, this is a real must-visit attraction.

Dinosaur Isle

Sandham Gardens

With a trio of on-site activities plus some delicious refreshments on offer from the Ice Cream Shack, Sandham Gardens is the ultimate day out.

There’s Skynets: The Big Bounce, a huge open-air bounce park; Sandham Karts, a winding go-karting track with six battery-powered electric karts and Dino Golf, an 18-hole dinosaur-themed crazy golf course.

Pick up tickets for any of their three attractions or save on an all-inclusive ticket.

Sandham Gardens

Places to stay

As you’d expect with any seaside resort town, there are a wealth of accommodation options in Sandown, both along the main beach area and further inland.

You’ll find independent hotels, B&Bs, holiday parks and plenty of self-catering options – see three of our favourite places to stay below.

Trouville Hotel

Perched right on the seafront, The Trouville Hotel has 88 rooms, the majority of which come with beautiful sea views.

Uniquely, this hotel is a firm favourite for dancing holidays, with a huge ballroom hosting events covering everything from line dancing to rock and roll sessions.

Trouville Hotel

Landguard Holiday Park

Between Sandown and the popular seaside town of Shanklin, you’ll find Parkdean Resorts’ Landguard Holiday Park.

A peaceful holiday village, Landguard comes with all the amenities you’d expect, including indoor and outdoor pools, a bar and restaurant and a bustling entertainment venue.

Parkdean Resorts Landguard Holiday Park

Wight Bay Hotel

A family-friendly hotel within a five minute walk of Sandown’s Pier and beach, many of the Wight Bay Hotel’s rooms come with splendid views towards Culver Cliff and the bay.

There’s parking on site, as well as a breakfast dining area and a popular terrace, perfect for winding down on those warm summer evenings.

Wight Bay Hotel

Sandown beach

Perhaps Sandown’s most famous attraction is its golden sandy beach. With luscious, clean bathing water and all the typical seaside resort amenities you can expect, it’s a hit during the summer months.

Find out what you can get up to on a day at the beach in Sandown.

Sandown Beach guide

Getting there

If you’re brining your car across to the Isle of Wight and visiting Sandown, you’ll be well served by our Portsmouth to Fishbourne route, which connects the major south coast city with the east of the Island.

You can be in Sandown within around 25 minutes of leaving our Fishbourne port.

If you’re visiting the town from our port in Yarmouth, in West Wight, you can expect a journey time of approximately 45 minutes.

Travelling on foot? We’d recommend using our FastCat, which runs between Portsmouth Harbour and Ryde. Sailings only take around 22 minutes and from there, you’ll be able to catch an Island Line train all the way down to Sandown.

The train from Ryde Pier Head will take around 20 minutes, taking you through Ryde town, Smallbrook Junction and Brading.

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