In a fraction of the time it takes to cross the channel to France, families can cross the Solent on Wightlink ferry (www.wightlink.co.uk) (0870 582 7744) and enjoy a breakaway on the Isle of Wight, a must for families, with its mile after mile of sandy beaches.
Three of the Isle of Wight's most popular - Ryde, Sandown and Shanklin - hold the coveted Blue Flag award and their stretches of clean, golden sand make them a big draw for families. But the sand and shallow waters for swimming aren't their only attractions. All three boast a wide range of leisure facilities.
In Sandown, the perennial favourite with Wightlink visitors, you'll find go-karts, pedalos and jet skis; amusements arcades and even Europe's first purpose built dinosaur museum - Dinosaur Isle (www.dinosaurisle.com) which spotlights the startling dinosaur finds made on the Island's crumbling south coast. At Hanover Point, further west, you can even go digging for dinosaurs yourself. Here the bones of 120 million-year-old dinosaurs regularly fall out of the clay cliffs and there are giant casts of dinosaur footprints to discover.
There are quieter hideaways too, tucked well away from the tourist trail and set amongst areas of dramatic natural beauty: secluded coves with rock pools to explore, picturesque bays and long expanses of virgin territory, often reached only by an adventurous climb down cliffs. Wightlink's new leaflet – A Beach for All Seasons – spills the beans and is available free.
Away from the beaches there's plenty to tempt families. There are great walks along 500 miles of marked footpaths and the Isle of Wight is the ideal place to go on a bike ride too. Wightlink's free Easy Peasy Pedalling guide features six bike rides, all designed with families in mind, tracing routes through nature reserves, past river estuaries and around Parkhurst Forest, where a two-mile woodland trail has been created, complete with clues on how to spot the rare red squirrels that live there.
Adults and children can try their hand at a variety of watersports at Wightwater (www.wightwaters.com) in Sandown. There are courses in windsurfing, kayaking and CAT sailing as well as a kid's club. Nearby in Wroxall, would-be Harry Potters can try their hand at flying an owl at the Isle of Wight Owl & Falconry Centre. There are regular flying displays led by Crocodile Dundee-lookalike John Owen, featuring eagles, vultures, hawks and buzzards as well as owls, and courses in owl handling too. Email john@appuldurcombe.co.uk for more information.
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