Explore the Isle of Wight for less: Here’s 10 things to do on a budget for half term May 2025

It can be a challenge to organise family fun during the school holidays. Luckily Wightlink is here to tell you how to get the best from the Isle of Wight, the family-friendly destination on your doorstep.

There are plenty of low-cost family activities to enjoy, making it a great day trip option. So, bring your family together to create magical memories this half term.

During every school holiday, kids go free* when you travel on foot with Wightlink. Tickets for under-fives are always complimentary, but during May half term two children aged 5-15 can travel for free with every adult or senior.

Families can be on The Isle of Wight in just 22 minutes using the FastCat foot passenger sailings between Portsmouth Harbour railway station and Ryde.

Cycle rides

Bikes go for free with Wightlink when travelling as a foot passenger. The whole family can get active and cycle through some of the most scenic countryside in the UK together. Wightlink’s website has loads of suggested cycle routes, so whether you’re a family that already cycles together or if you’re just starting out, you’re bound to find the best trail for you.

Bring Fido

It doesn’t stop there – dogs travel free on all Wightlink’s ferry routes too. They are able to wander around the top decks or in inside the ferries’ dedicated pet areas before exploring one of the most dog-friendly places in Britain. There are dog walks for days, through enchanting woodland, vast beaches and stunning countryside, with lots of opportunity for refreshment at dog-friendly cafes.

Famous Landmarks

Check out the infamous Needles rock formation – one of the Isle of Wight’s most iconic sights and a unique part of Britain – and capture the perfect family photo. You can get the best views from a nearby hilltop (try Headon Warren viewpoint) or by walking down the 185 steps to Alum Bay – where you’ll be mesmerised by the multi-coloured cliffs too.

Sandy shores

Golden sandy beaches are just a short walk down Ryde Pier from Wightlink’s FastCat. There’s a large expanse of sand, particularly at low tide, meaning there’s loads of room to play. The waters are shallow and warm, making it great for little ones and there are several amusements and playparks just off the beach. Check out the fairytale-style tower at Appley, too.

Fossil hunting

The Isle of Wight is famed for its dinosaur heritage, earning the name ‘Dinosaur Island’, and kids can find their very own fossils when they visit. Book a fossil tour with a dinosaur expert or hunt on your own as a family. Explorers can also ‘discover’ huge fossilised foot casts preserved in the rocks on the beach on the west of the Island.

Donkeys

The Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary is home to over 100 rescued donkeys, mules, and Shetland ponies. It’s free to enter, there’s free parking and you can bring your own picnics, making it a low-cost day out for the whole family. The animals live in a loving forever home, in 55 acres of countryside in the Wroxall valley. Book one of the free ‘Meet Our Donkeys’ tours for a guided walk around the sanctuary – you may just be tempted to adopt a donkey to help the sanctuary provide care.

Garlic everywhere

Get the full garlic experience at a beautiful farm on the Isle of Wight for free – we’re talking country walks, garlic folklore, tasters and tractor rides! You can add on family farm tours for £5 per adult during half term (children under 14 are free). Garlic can be seen growing in the fields from March to August and there’s play equipment for young children with lots of space for running, rolling and playing when you visit the restaurant.

Visit a monastery

Not far from Wightlink’s ports at Fishbourne and Ryde you’ll find Quarr Abbey, home to a small group of Benedictine monks. It’s situated within 200 beautiful acres of pasture, woodland, coastline, and formal gardens. Follow the walking trail past the old Abbey ruins as it meanders through a beautiful forest. Children can borrow Quarr Explorers to really make the most of the trail. You can also visit the visual arts gallery, walled garden, café, farm shop and resident pigs.

Learn about lifeboats

Bembridge Lifeboat Station is housed in an impressive offshore boathouse on the eastern side of the Isle of Wight. And when better to visit their station and two lifeboats – a Tamar Class All Weather Lifeboat and a D-Class Inshore Lifeboat – than the RNLI’s 200th year of lifesaving? It’s free to enter and you might even be lucky enough to catch a training launch.

See red squirrels

Wild red squirrels live on the Isle of Wight and, with a little patience and stillness, you might be able to see one of these shy creatures on your travels. If you’re serious about spotting some, Parkhurst Forest in the Island’s northeast is the perfect location as they have a mixture of trees and a log cabin hide for you to shelter in.

*Full offer terms and information can be found here