Girls weekend done right!
This sweet little island off the south coast of England is worth your attention.
I spent the weekend down in the Isle of Wight with some dear friends. It was such a fun escape! You can catch a ferry to Isle of Wight from Portsmouth or Southampton. It was very easy and seamless to board the ferry with our car and find a spot to enjoy the sea breeze.
We got off at Fishbourne, which is at the north end of Isle of Wight and closest to our accommodations. We wanted a true girls weekend so we went with a hotel/spa option. Lakeside Park Hotel was very affordable, but wasn't the most luxurious stay in the world. The rooms were standard and perfect for our needs. The fun thing was we booked a special that came with afternoon tea, dinner, lodging, and spa treatments.
After checking in, we headed to the southern side of the island because to catch the sunset at "The Needles". The Needles are one of the Isle of Wight’s most iconic sights. These three white chalk stacks leading up to the Needles Lighthouse are the first thing that many people think of when they hear to words ‘Isle of Wight’. The name comes from a fourth pillar, which was more needle-shaped than the three stacks we see today. The original ‘Needle’ pillar collapsed in a storm in 1764, but the name lives on. On the cliffs above the stacks, the Needles Battery was an important military site until quite recently. The National Trust now own and curate what’s left of the Needles Old Battery.
There is a large car park to park in and from there follow the trail to "The Needles" viewpoint. It was a gentle climb and a beautiful place to be at sunset.
Travel Tip- There is a small carnival at "The Needles" and also a chair lift to take you down to the beach. From the beach you can also take boat trips out to see the rock formations up close. This was all closed when we came because of Covid closures.
Another highlight of our girls trip was our day spent at Osborne, the summer home of Queen Victoria, owned by English Heritage. I've been to a lot of National Trust and English Heritage sites and this one was incredible. One of the best I've ever been to. The house was unbelievable, the gardens were lovely, the grounds were huge, and it borders on the beach! We could have stayed here for hours and hours.
Speaking of beach- it is a must do! The water is cold, so it makes it easier if the sun is out to warm you up after getting out. There are great beaches all over the Isle of Wight, so find one and enjoy your time with tide pools, swimming, and even maybe some skinny dipping.