Top 15 Activities in Shanklin, Isle of Wight

For a family-friendly holiday on the Isle of Wight, Shanklin is an appealing destination that meets a variety of needs.

The area features an expansive golden sandy beach bordered by an esplanade along the seawall, which includes various attractions such as mini-golf courses, amusement arcades, ice cream shops, and traditional fish and chip establishments.

Nonetheless, Shanklin offers more than its picturesque coastline, as exemplified by Shanklin Chine, a coastal ravine adorned with ferns and rare mosses, historically favored by esteemed visitors such as Jane Austen and John Keats.

The Old Shanklin village presents a charming image with its thatched cottages and quaint arts and crafts boutiques, while Rylstone Gardens is a serene environment ideal for enjoying afternoon tea or attending summer outdoor concerts.

Let’s delve into the top attractions in Shanklin:

1. Shanklin Chine

A popular attraction for over two centuries, Shanklin Chine is a coastal ravine that cuts through soft sandstone cliffs.

This site includes a heritage center that presents the natural and historical significance of the ravine, along with pathways and walkways carved into its walls, offering enhanced views of abundant vegetation and cascading waterfalls.

The ravine spans 400 meters in length with a drop of 32 meters, and it remains largely unchanged since John Keats notably described it during his visit in 1819. Other notable early visitors included Jane Austen and J. M. W. Turner.

During summer evenings, Shanklin Chine hosts Chine Lumière, an enchanting event where paths, waterfalls, and the vibrant green gorge walls are illuminated by stunning lights.

2. Shanklin Beach

Spanning a mile of soft golden sand, Shanklin Beach is regarded as one of the finest on the island.

Its gentle slope into the sea provides ample shallow water, making it safe and enjoyable for younger visitors.

Located behind the beach is a tall sea wall topped with an esplanade, featuring every amenity necessary for an engaging and leisurely afternoon.

The Victorian pier that once graced Shanklin was destroyed during the infamous hurricane of October 1987, leaving behind a semi-circular lookout on the promenade with seating areas.

The atmosphere becomes more tranquil towards the south, near Shanklin Chine, where visitors can find a delightful row of painted beach huts.

3. Shanklin Esplanade

Shanklin’s appeal as a family vacation hotspot is further enhanced by the array of activities located at the base of the cliffs behind the beach.

An extensive paved promenade hugs the beach, providing a clear view of the sandstone cliffs adorned with lush vegetation that jut out south of Shanklin Chine.

The Esplanade features a bowling alley and three miniature golf courses, two of which will be discussed below.

The Summer Arcade is filled with ticket redemption machines, while Jungle Jim’s offers an indoor play area for younger children to enjoy during inclement weather.

For children, classic seaside snacks such as fish and chips, ice creams, and waffles are readily available.

4. Shanklin Old Village

As you approach Shanklin Chine, the Old Village offers a glimpse into Shanklin’s pre-tourism charm, showcasing some of the Isle of Wight’s oldest residences.

The High Street and Church Road are lined with thatched cottages, inviting pubs, tearooms, and dining establishments.

A quaint mews next to the Village Inn features six arts and crafts studios along with a shop offering various gift items.

Situated in the heart of the Old Village is Vernon Cottage Gift Shop, serving as Shanklin’s Tourist Information Point.

For those needing a moment to peruse maps or brochures, a lovely patio and garden area with outdoor seating is readily available.

5. Rylstone Gardens

This picturesque park located on the cliff at the south end of Shanklin Beach is set within the grounds of Rylstone Manor, and there is no admission fee.

Although somewhat challenging to find by road, Rylstone Gardens is situated on the outskirts of the Old Village.

Within Rylstone Gardens, visitors can enjoy a round of pitch & putt or crazy golf, followed by cream tea or a crab sandwich at the tearoom, which provides shelter in a sunlit nook overlooking the golf course.

The park also features an outdoor stage that hosts concerts throughout the summer.

6. Shanklin Theatre

The distinguished Shanklin Theatre originally opened as The Institute in 1879, featuring an amusement room and reading room, before transforming into Shanklin’s Town Hall in 1913. A fire in 1925 led to its conversion into a theatre, sharing the space with the town council (located in the basement, now a bar) from 1934 until 1995. The auditorium has recently increased its capacity to 615, becoming a vital component of the Isle of Wight’s cultural landscape.

Notable stand-up comedians frequently perform at Shanklin Theatre during their tours, including Henning Wehn, Al Murray, and Mark Steel as of 2019.

The venue hosts numerous tribute acts throughout the year, along with performances by well-known recording artists, musicals, and productions by touring groups such as Blackeyed Theatre and the Isle of Wight’s own Spotlight.

The latter company is known for its popular “Beyond the West End” stage show presented every summer.

7. Pirates Cove & Jurassic Bay Adventure Golf

A popular destination for families along the esplanade in Shanklin is the duo of imaginative crazy golf courses, each designed with intricate detail.

The pirate-themed course features a waterfall, fountains, a cave, palm trees, and a replica fully-rigged pirate ship.

The Jurassic Bay course, which consists of 18 holes like the prior, is surrounded by tropical plants and includes convincing dinosaur models such as a triceratops, velociraptors, and a tyrannosaurus rex.

The Pirates Cove Fun Park encompasses modern outdoor entertainment options, such as zorb balls and mini go-karts, as well as bumper boats, bouncy castles, and trampolines.

8. Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary

Set within 60 acres of scenic Isle of Wight countryside, this animal refuge offers a caring home for over 90 donkeys and approximately 25 horses and ponies.

The sanctuary accepts animals that have been abandoned, surrendered by farms and families due to changing circumstances, or confiscated due to poor living conditions and inadequate care.

While the primary aim of the sanctuary is to provide for its residents, it is also open to the public free of charge, seven days a week throughout the year.

Visitors are encouraged to support the sanctuary through donations and purchases made at its shop and tearoom while interacting with the donkeys, ponies, and horses in their large paddocks, where they can learn about each animal’s history and personality.

9. Steephill Cove Beach

To the south of Shanklin Chine, the coastline undergoes a striking transformation as you approach the Undercliff, an unusual landslide formation created in two phases: after the last Ice Age between 8,000 and 4,500 years ago, and through additional slips over the last 2,000 years.

This area features low sea cliffs beneath a bench of shifted clays, bordered by powerful sandstone and chalk bluffs reaching heights of up to 100 meters.

Within this rugged landscape lies Steephill Cove Beach, which is only accessible on foot. The beach presents rockpools and crystalline waters, all framed by beach huts, lobster pots, and quaint fishermen’s cottages.

If swimming isn’t appealing, visitors can rent canopied deck chairs along the promenade and indulge in freshly caught lobster or crab from The Boathouse Restaurant and Crab Shed, which receives daily deliveries.

10. Devil’s Chimney

Located approximately three miles south of Shanklin, the Undercliff features a unique natural monument.

Here, visitors can traverse a narrow fissure in the upper cliff, leading down to a Site of Special Scientific Interest recognized as the Bonchurch Landslips, which were created following a landslide in the 1810s and subsequently reforested during the Victorian era.

Though the walk is brief, it involves a steep descent and can be muddy in certain areas, so sturdy footwear is advisable.

Legend has it that this path to the sea was historically utilized by smugglers transporting illicit goods from the shore.

At the summit of the trail is Smugglers Haven Tea Gardens, where visitors can rest and recuperate after the challenging climb.

11. Isle of Wight Zoo

The Isle of Wight Zoo, which opened in the 1950s, is the oldest animal attraction located in the hinterland of Shanklin and has evolved over time, participating in the European Endangered Species Programme and officially becoming a charitable trust in 2017. The zoo prominently features a pair of African lions and seven tigers, the latter housed in a humane enclosure complete with ponds, natural vegetation, and glass viewing panels.

Other inhabitants of the zoo include wallabies, lemurs, spider monkeys, vervet monkeys, common marmosets, royal pythons, stick insects, Madagascar hissing cockroaches, tawny owls, and various others.

Visitors may partake in a variety of animal interactions for an additional fee, offering opportunities to become a keeper for a day or learn about the care of lemurs or big cats.

12. Amazon World Zoo Park

Specializing in animals primarily from South America, Amazon World Zoo operates as a conservation-focused attraction featuring marmosets, parrots, ocelots, tamarins, giant anteaters, and toucans.

Visitor experiences include close encounters with several exotic creatures that may be unfamiliar, such as the tamandua, a tree-dwelling anteater.

Whenever feasible, the zoo is designed with sub-tropical vegetation; in the Secrets of Zenathra exhibit, sloths can be seen hanging upside down from nearby trees.

At Madagascar, guests can walk among lemurs, while the Lost Temple offers elevated walkways traversing habitats for fennec foxes, armadillos, meerkats, and giant tortoises.

13. Brading Roman Villa

Situated behind Sandown Bay, the Brading Roman Villa is an intriguing Roman site that features the remnants of a once opulent Roman courtyard villa.

The villa was discovered in 1880 after a farmer encountered a mosaic while constructing a sheep pen.

Since its discovery, the villa has been a subject of interest and was enhanced with a new covering and visitor center in 2004. Renowned for its diverse mosaics, the villa dates back to the mid-1st century AD.

Despite suffering a fire in the 200s, the villa remained occupied until as late as 395. Walkways provide visitors a chance to ponder the ruins of 12 rooms, five of which feature mosaics illustrating scenes of gladiators, agriculture, Medusa, Orpheus, Bacchus, and a peculiar cockerel-headed man.

Interpretive panels and display cases containing artifacts such as coins, jewelry, Samian pottery, and games are displayed within the shelter.

14. PLUTO – Pipeline Under the Ocean

While walking through Shanklin Chine, visitors will encounter a section of piping marked PLUTO (Pipeline Under The Ocean). This installation is a remnant of a clandestine operation during World War II aimed at delivering fuel to Allied forces in continental Europe after the Normandy Invasion in 1944. Fuel was transported from Shanklin Chine to Cherbourg over a distance exceeding 130 kilometers.

Unfortunately, this ambitious initiative faltered when the pipeline was snagged by the anchor of an escorting destroyer.

A small heritage museum dedicated to the project is located within Shanklin Chine, screening a documentary assembled in 1994 featuring rare archival footage of the pipeline’s construction.

15. Shanklin to Ventnor Walk

The 70-mile Isle of Wight Coastal Path offers a unique opportunity to appreciate the island’s diverse coastal scenery, primarily utilizing paved footpaths and minor roadways.

In Shanklin, you can embark on one of the most exciting segments as you navigate into the Undercliff en route to Ventnor.

This pathway ascends the Appley Steps along the cliff face in Shanklin before guiding you towards Luccombe village, which overlooks breathtaking views of Sandown Bay to the north.

The trek leads through woodlands comprised of oak, ash, and beech in the Bonchurch Landslips, and offers a detour to the Devil’s Chimney.

The route subsequently returns to the seafront along the seawall of Horseshoe Bay, constructed from 6,000 cubic meters of concrete for protecting the chalk cliffs behind, completed in 1988. The journey concludes in Ventnor, another quaint seaside destination that features Steephill Cove Beach, its own chine, Blackgang, and a peaceful cliff-top park.