Welcome to the Golden Heart of the

Do you want to have a marvellous holiday that will stay with you for the rest of your life? Then you should go to Shanklin. You can experience the fabulous beach, visit the enchanting Shanklin , shop in the charming Old Village and hunt for sea creatures in the fascinating rock pools.

Location and transport links Shanklin is a seaside town that is situated on the south east side of the Isle of Wight on Sandown Bay.

You can get to the Isle of Wight by ferry (a Red Funnel ferry from Southampton to Cowes or a Wightlink ferry from Portsmouth to Fishbourne) or hovercraft (Portsmouth to Ryde). Once you are on the Isle of Wight you can get to Shanklin by car,taxi,train (Ryde to Shanklin) or by the number 2 bus which goes between Newport and Ryde and stops in Shanklin.

Travel times: ● London to Shanklin by car takes 3 hours and 11 minutes via the A3. ● Brighton to Shanklin by car takes 2 hours and 45 minutes via the A27. ● Crowborough to Shanklin by car takes 3 hours and 9 minutes via the A27.

Highlights

The Seafront and Beach

Shanklin has an incredible seafront and beach. The sea is clear and blue and it is very nice to swim and paddle in. You could even have a thrilling ride on a cool jet ski. The beach has golden sand that stretches for miles and miles. At low tide you can discover the spectacular rock pools where you can see all sorts of interesting sea creatures.

The seafront has an attractive promenade to stroll along. Here you will find: hotels, restaurants,cafes, an ice cream parlour where they serve delicious ice creams in all sorts of flavours, souvenir shops and a pirate theme park where you can have loads of fun.

Shanklin Chine

See the fascinating geological features at Shanklin Chine. ​ ​ ​

Shanklin Chine is a breathtaking gorge in a wood by the sea. It has fantastic waterfalls, lots of trees and has a range of unusual plants. The Chine covers an area of about 1.2 hectares, its length is just over 400m and there is a drop of 32m to sea level.

There is an amazing wooden walkway where you can walk around the Chine. You can get a ticket that allows you to visit the Chine in day time and at night time when you can see the Chine lit up by colourful spotlights.

The historical side of the Chine is fascinating. Some famous writers and artists have visited it such as the poet Keats and the artists Thomas Rowlandson and Samuel Howitt. Also, Shanklin Chine was taken over and used by Royal Marine ​ Commandos during the Second World War to train for the in 1942.

Shanklin Old Village

Shanklin Old Village is a part of Shanklin which you must see. The majority of the buildings in the village are very old and have got thatched roofs which makes the place look really picturesque. There are lots of unusual gift shops, tearooms, pubs and restaurants to enjoy for example:

● The Pencil Cottage gift shop which sells interesting souvenirs and has a tearoom ● The Rock Shop where you can buy a gigantic range of sweets ● The Christmas Shop where you can get multiple Christmas trees and decorations all year round. ● Vernon Cottage which has a tearoom and a useful tourist information centre. Entertainment

Shanklin Theatre is a Theatre that is open to the public all year round and it has thrilling live performances to see on stage.

Annual Events

The Isle of Wight Garlic Festival takes place every year in August near Shanklin. There are gift and food stalls, live music, a dog agility show, vintage cars, bouncy castle to enjoy. Why not bring the family for a day of fun?

If you come in August, you could also be entertained by the Shanklin Carnival. The procession goes all through The Old Village, the High Street and onto the Esplanade.

The Shanklin Regatta is a big annual event that also takes place in August. You can see exciting boat races across the sea and incredible helicopter and rescue boat displays put on by the RNLI. Children can join in the beach races and everyone can enjoy a beach barbecue. Gasp at the stunning firework display at the end of the Regatta!

Hotels,Food and Drink

There are lots of lovely places to stay, eat and drink in Shanklin.

You can book yourself a place in a hotel, bed and breakfast accommodation or even a self-catering apartment. One of the top places to stay in Shanklin is the fantastic four star Aqua Hotel. This hotel is right on the seafront, it has very nice rooms (some have a balcony and many of them have a great view of the sea), it has a bar and restaurant which serve delicious meals and all the staff are really friendly.

For food and drink you could go to a scenic restaurant, pub or tearoom in the Old Village. You could also go to a restaurant or pub on the seafront (like The Steamer Inn or Waterfront) and sit outside and watch the sea as you eat.

There are also lots of small cafes, a fish and chip shop and ice cream parlour where you can get tasty treats.

So come down to Shanklin and you will have a fantastic time in our town!