Isle of Wight Tourist Traps

 
by northeast80
 
  •   Tourist Traps
    by northeast80
  • The Needles you can not thread
      The Needles you can not thread
    by budapest8
  •   Tourist Traps
    by jayhawk2000
  • The hordes putting sand in bottles (!)
      The hordes putting sand in bottles (!)
    by northeast80
  • Osborne House
      Osborne House
    by jayhawk2000
 

Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

8 Wonders of the Isle of Wight

by budapest8

Needles you cannot thread Freshwater you cannot drink Cowes you cannot milk Newport you cannot bottle Lake you can walk through and stay dry Ryde where you walk! and two newer wonders... Newtown which is old Winkle street where there are no winkles One of the seven wonders of the Island: Needles you cannot thread. These chalk stacks are probably the best known landmark on the Island. The lighthouse is no longer manned. Until recently, the transfer of Christmas festive cheer to the lighthouse was an obligatory part of the local television news each year. The building in the background is part of a rocket testing station (from the second world war, now disused). The area is owned by the National Trust. Southern Vectis buses serve the area in Summer - but the trip is not for the fainthearted! The bus climbs the cliff edge zig-zag road to the delight of those passengers who have not shut...

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Alum Tourist Bay

by northeast80

I know this has been written about before but I just had to add my two pence worth.Alum Bay is horrbile!! It made me itch. It's full of small kids rides, tacky shops, some place to fill up bottles with stripy sand, all money grabbing things, the parking was £3 too, but you could just park a bit furthur out and walk.In a contrast to the area are the Needles and the Bay itself. It was a great relief to be by the beach and lapping water, there's some steps down to the beach from the Resort, you can by pulled in by the cable car to take you down.All the different coloured sands and views of the Needles. Ignor the rides, mini golf and fast food and take the 118 steps down to the beach You can walk along the cliff top to the Needles, we didn't as it was very cold and windy, wimps!

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Lavender farm

by kitty5

It's not as expected if ur expectin field of beautiful lavender even tho I went in july there wasn't much to see. You could buy the lavender products but the range is limited........... See something else instead.

Oooh, look at all the junk!

by jayhawk2000

Most of the shops in Godshill sell complete rubbish and you'll be hard pressed to find anything that isn't overpriced foreign-made crap that does little more than gather dust. The Cider Barn on the High Street sells local produce like wine, jam, mustard and biscuits, making it a lovely antidote to all the tat in town. They make their own cider, too! You can ring them on 01983 840 680.

ALUM BAY

by jayhawk2000

ALUM BAY. The British certainly have a knack for ruining their natural heritage. By all means avoid this dump.You pay 3 pounds to park in the huge car park. You are then assailed by a variety of tatty rides, shops and other wallet drainers. To see 'world-famous' Alum Bay and the far-off Needles (see photo) you can take some steps down to the beach and then catch a rickety chairlift back up (but this costs extra).Alum Bay purpots to be famed for its coloured sands in the cliffs. I detected about three shades of brown and yellow in total. Signs warn you to not shovel up any of the sand. Then you get back to the clifftop and there's a shop selling coloured sand by the bucketful!!! You're supposed to pick some tacky plastic bottle in the shape of the Isle of Wight or a teddy bear or something and then have it filled with layers of coloured sand. Bored teenagers stand behind the counter,...

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We were not amused.

by jayhawk2000

We were really disappointed by Queen Victoria's holiday villa, Osborne House. It was in a shoddy shape with peeling walls. The staff were surly and unhelpful. No photos could be taken inside. There were very few placards to explain anything, most of which was roped off anyway. Then we decided to get a coffee and a snack in the plastic tent that passed as a cafe. Everything was self-service and automatic, so we ended up with instant coffee and plastic-wrapped muffins for the price of what you'd pay for freshly made goods! Unfortunately, this type of lacklustre customer service can be encountered at many of England's tourist attractions. We're certainly not going back to Osborne House and I wouldn't encourage anyone else to visit. Take a horse carriage ride through the gardens down to the cottage to see the museum the royal children created from their personal souvenirs on their travels.

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Tourist Attractions in Isle of Wight

Top 3 Hotels in Isle of Wight

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Reviews and photos of Isle of Wight attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Isle of Wight sightseeing.

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Questions and Answers

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Q:  Hi All Has anyone ever cycled round the Isle of Wight? I've found a few routes and wondered if anyone had any suggestions. We... 

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A: IOW is a brilliant place to explore and especially out of school holiday season. I don't think it matters which way round you go as it is a circle and sooner or later you... 

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