🚂 Isle of Wight Steam Railway – A Journey Through Time I had an amazing time at the Isle of Wight Steam Railway. The train ride itself was a joy—rolling through beautiful countryside with stunning views that made every moment feel special. The vintage carriages and the sound of the steam engine added a nostalgic charm that’s hard to find elsewhere. The highlight for me was the Train Story museum. It was fascinating to walk through the exhibits and learn about the history of trains on the island. From old locomotives to interactive displays, it brought the past to life in such a vivid way. I left with a deeper appreciation for how rail travel shaped the world. Whether you're a history buff, a nature lover, or just looking for a unique day out, this place is a gem. A truly wonderful experience that blends scenic beauty with rich heritage.

Now this is a true treat, for the enthusiast or for just the casual daytripper wanting a fun day out, in friendly company and idyllic surrounds. Turn of the century rolling stock, some of the oldest you will find, transports you back to the halcyon days of steam travel on the island. There is a nice tea room at Haven Street, which is reasonably priced and offers tea, coffee, meals and alcoholic beverages too. A must visit if you're on the island. Easily reached by rail via the adjoining station at Smallbrook Junction.

I can't recommend visiting here enough. I bought my two children here under 5 and we had the best day out. Staff were absolutely brilliant, some spooky ( Halloween term) and everyone just really helpful and chatty. Cafe was really lovely, we only had a takeaway coffee but it was lovely. They had Free crafts going on which were really fun even for my young ones. The train ride it's self was really good. Long enough the kids don't get bored and you can alway jump off at the stations. We visited the big museum at the top where kids could dress up and telly emerse into the train world! It was fun seeing all the old carriages, carriages being painted & done up. A fantastic place and you can tell so much love and dedication has been put into here ❤️ we can't wait to come back next year! Thank you

Wonderful experience in steam railway. Can tavel between stations all day around. Main station Haven street station have plenty of free parking. Nice cafes, museum & gift shop. Train Story is a big exhibition of trians ,just few yards behind the station. Can spend few hours with friends & family. Had Halloween activities also when we visited in mid October. Family ticket is a bargain if travel with kids.

Thoroughly enjoyed the experience today, with my granddad. The trains are in fantastic condition, it really makes you appreciate the work they put in to these trains! A big thank you to all the workers who were all very polite and professional. A special mention to the driver, the signal box operator and I believe an engineer, for not only taking photos for me, but allowing me to board the footplates, and control room to take some great pictures. All of which very knowledgable in educating me on the operations of the station/engines! Thank you for today.

The weather today was frightful! It didn’t matter a bit at this amazing place. We were a three generation group and everyone enjoyed it. The staff were great, catering tasty and reasonable. It’s half term this week and the added magician and activities for the children were superb. And of course…. The trains ! Being able to get inside some of the carriages in the Train Story was great. Next time we visit we’ll go First Class. One end of the line to the other wasn’t enough. Thank you everyone.

It's excellent. The ride is in old carriages that have been beautifully restored, even "third class"!! The exhibition shows how the rail system on the island evolved and how the current steam railway society developed. And, of course, there is a cafe for tea etc, and also a restaurant for a hot lunch.

I took a group of 10 year olds this week and they had a fab time. From start to finish the instructors were calm, clear, so helpful and encouraging with the climbers. Their way of teaching about the ropes, knots and how to use the tree is easy to listen to and follow. The instructors remembered every child’s name and used them to communicate from the ground-up! There was a great mix of challenge to suit all abilities. I enjoyed watching them laughing and chatting up in the branches. Looking forward to our next visit. Thank you.

⸻ 🌳 Tree Climbing Review – 5/5 Stars My son recently tried the tree climbing experience and it was incredible! From the moment we arrived, the instructors were welcoming, knowledgeable, and clearly passionate about what they do. They gave a thorough safety briefing and made sure everyone was comfortable with the gear and basic techniques before they began. The tree itself was stunning and a great choice of tree to climb, suitable for all age ranges and capabilities. Another thing to add was how well organised all the equipment was. We will back again soon.

My boys and I had the best last day on the beautiful Isle of Wight thanks to Goodleaf Tree Climbing at the start of Cowes week too. As a single mum it was great to enjoy the experience too as I love the outdoors and boys were nervous at first (ASD family) The guys were so reassuring and friendly we managed to climb for the whole hour we had booked, which was an amazing result. Plus the offer of taking some photos on my phone for me was an added bonus as we had no one else with us to do that! Thank you so much, we have now experienced what we saw at Godshill model village too (it’s shown there and that’s where I found out about this)

Great experience with the excellent and friendly Goodleaf team. A wonderful oak tree climb in a glorious park. If you have the opportunity, take it. Climb different routes and enjoy the peace and quiet. Thank you for a wonderful afternoon.

We climbed last Friday and had a wonderful experience! Our instructor Steve was terrific, he was calm, clear, and friendly. A huge oak tree in the middle of a park. I felt very assured of both my daughter's safety and us adults. The added bonus of a giant hunk of homemade flapjack sealed the deal!! Thanks so much for a fantastic climb!!

Great experience, kids and adults loved it. Our instructor Matt was very calm and ensured it was a safe but exciting activity

I visit Goodleaf Tree Climbing every year with a class of children and every year they deliver a fantastic experience. The team are brilliant with our young climbers and clearly passionate and expert in their field. All safety processes and steps to climb are clearly and effectively explained. The children get a chance to rehearse the skills before they leave the ground and vanish into the canopy. When my own children are older, this is definitely an experience they would love and I hope to keep on visiting Goodleaf with the children I work with in the interim. Fabulous activity run by a fabulous team. A must do if visiting the Isle of Wight.

We were welcomed by very friendly volunteers who gave us a good introduction to the museum. Entry is free with donations. There's a fine collection of buses, bus paraphernalia and information on each vehicle and it's history. There's free access to some of the buses. A very nice cafe and shop selling gifts and second hand books and maps relating to buses. Our favourite was the converted double decker which had sleeping upstairs and a kitchen downstairs, which was driven in the 1960s- 1970s to places like India and Burma( as it was) What a trip!?

Brilliant bus museum, packed with exhibits and beautifully restored vehicles, each telling part of the story of the island's bus service. Well worth a visit. Family friendly, great were tea room, and a brilliant selection of books to be purchased by the avid enthusiast.

Is very lovely place and is free to enter a good amount of busses from the old age and the todays busses and very nice staff and the cafe is really lovely if you are looking for a things to do on the isle of wight come and visit I came here on holiday

Lovely museum ran by volunteers who are so passionate - make sure you get a hot drink in the cafe!

We planned our visit as the weather was a bit wet and so pleased we did from the moment you walk through the door you are made to feel welcome by passionate volunteers. We went to the tea room at the back of the museum 1st had tea and muffins sat in an old coach which is not something you do everyday🤣 The museum is full of old and interesting buses and coaches you can look in the workshop to see the old buses being restored which is wonderful to see. We sat in some of the exhibits one double decker was converted in a camper with seating and a kitchen downstairs and single beds upstairs this old bus travelled to Europe with paying passengers in the 70/80s. The museum also has a room for children to play and an engine room with some old bus engines that have been removed from some of the displayed buses. This museum is definitely worth a visit it’s a free entry but you can donate if you wish.

Fantastic family day out staff are amazing friendly and so knowledgeable. It's completely free! Buses you can go inside. A tardis. Treasure hunt trail and toys games room. Homemade game to take home. Honestly this place is simply the best and indoors so good on wet day

Great museum with plenty of history. Loads to see including old buses which you can sit on and even enjoy a cuppa and snack on one that has been converted into a mini cafe . Staff are friendly and full of knowledge. Thoroughly enjoyed the visit

A really beautiful place and very peaceful. Not wise to go when weather is hot which it was today as other than the short woodland walk there isn’t much shade and at the cafe, obviously everyone grabs the tables in the shade or inside so no chance of keeping out of the hot sun. After seeing the quite high prices of the food and having to queue for ages, I gave up and left. But, on a cooler day, a perfect place to spend some time at . Will go again when weather a bit cooler.

Parked in the large free car park and walked around the spacious grounds, enjoyed coffee and cake in the cafe and visited inside the Abbey. There is a nice little shop which sells lots of interesting items including jams, chutneys and bottles of alcoholic beverages to take away. They have lots of pigs and piglets...a hide where you may be lucky to see red squirrels as well as birds. The ruins of the old abbey are within half a mile walk. Dogs welcome.

Loved visiting the pigs before you get to the Abbey. Very stunning building not what I expected to see, very modern inside. Could find the old chapel due to poor signage from the roadway. Lots of parking.

The weather was against us - the first rainy day for a long time. But we were made welcome, even the 2 dogs were fussed over in the art gallery and gift shop. Very pleasant staff, especially at the cafe despite the appalling weather. Stood and watched the sows with their baby piggies, we didn't get a chance to feed them. But we promise to visit again.

Lovely peaceful and calm place. Great for young and old alike. The Abbey is lovely to visit and such a wonderful building. Small quality craft shop, well worth a browse for a surprise gift buy 🎁

A lovely little place which is so peaceful. A medieval ruin of the old abbey, the current abbey which is beautiful inside.and out and a nice shop with plenty of local produce. However the real gem here is a lovely tea room which serves a great selection of hot and cold food and drinks. The service was good and the prices very, very reasonable (bordering on undercharging). There was a lovely, serene and very calming atmosphere here, although there's not much to do, it's a really nice place to visit.

A lovely peaceful place to visit. Beautiful grounds and Cafe. The pigs were a joy to see. Perfect place to stop just before you get on the ferry. Dog friendly too.

Had a great time there. 2 of us, me a 64 year old free bus pass type of guy, plus a 16 year old first timer. Well organised and a great experience, but the others that were racing didn't like being overtaken. But this didn't detract from the great experience we had.

We had 2 good races, track is good and cars working. My son aged 8 lived the experience although wished he had the bigger car! Fun for adults too. They kept good time getting you on track and it was well organized.

Booked my 12-year old son in for 2 races over our holiday time on Isle of Wight and he thoroughly enjoyed himself. Easy booking online and check-in process. There’s a waiting lounge offering hot and cold beverages while you watch the races on screen or on the patio deck outside overlooking the circuit. Thanks to the team for their great service.

The Junior Truck Day was a highly professional event that provided a fantastic experience for my son. I would also like to extend my gratitude to Dale for making the track experience more accessible for the juniors and for his excellent teaching methods.

Incredible experience racing at the track. They were really kind and enthusiastic to our group. We raced in two sets of 15 minutes and enjoyed ourselves with a wet track after the rain. Great venue for groups and parties. Definitely will come back again!

Fun 30mins of track racing my son really enjoyed it although thought it was alittle pricey. We were booked for a later session but as we were leading the area turned up to see if we could move our session forward which we did. Staff were very accommodating,friendly and had no qualms in doing so and as it was quite the briefing and kitting up took no more than about 15mins. Overall great experience with friendly staff my son can’t wait to go again

Absolutely amazing. The staff were lovely and we all had a fantastic time can’t fault them for anything the track fun and we will be visiting again. Worth the price and worth the trip

Absolutely fantastic food.. We shared starters & dessert . The Roast beef was exceptionally tasty & so much of it... ( there was 4 in our party... no one managed to eat it all) The sticky toffee pudding was deelish.. Staff were very good. All in all great experience..

We went for a 50th birthday and had an amazing experience, food and cocktails were lovely and service was very friendly. Would thoroughly recommend.

An amazing place with delicious food made our friends 30th birthday all the more memorable

Enjoyed a lovely celebration dinner. The dishes were well presented and very tasty, hence no photosof the fabulous appetizers or cocktails, the atmosphere was vibrant yet relaxed, the wait staff was competent and warm and the cocktails we had went down a treat. Reservations are a must. Vegetarian and Vegan offerings.

For my wife's birthday. There are 4 Michelin restaurants on the IOW. I chose to eat here simply because the Menu was more to her taste. 2 course lunch with 2 🍸 cocktails only £77.00 . Great quality food, extremely well presented. Clearly fresh food served. I give this restaurant 5*'s. The staff were attentive and knowledgeable about the food they will serving. They also had all signed a birthday card to my wife which was waiting on the table. Well done and thank you. Greatly appreciated.

My family and I celebrated my mums 60th birthday here and it was probably some of the best service I’ve experienced and made the occasion very special. The team were very attentive and added small and memorable details to the night that we were all very impressed with. Food and drinks were delicious and the atmosphere was amazing too! I would highly recommend - a very reasonable price for the meal and service we received!!

An upmarket restaurant on the Ryde cost. A great place to finish our holiday. Staff are knowledgeable with the dishes. The food looks gorgeous to the eye, as well as the pallet. The views of the sea are relaxing. In all the ambience of the duck restaurant is one to enjoy.

This is a delightful little restaurant. Very attentive to your needs and the food was so tasty. The only minor thing for me would be the freezer in the corridor to the toilet.

We were just having a wander around Ryde and thought we'd stop for a coffee. This place looked delightful. I had a freshly cooked, still warm Almond Muffin, which was delicious. Husband had roulade, which he loved. Staff were lovely and we met a nice local couple there who we chatted to. Giving us ideas of places to see on the island. Would visit again if we were nearby.

Excellent Italian. Friendly staff. Book or come early.

Had a great evening here with friends, service excellent, food very nice indeed, felt like a old style Italian restaurant, which is just what I was looking for. Would definitely go again. Thank you for a lovely evening.

Great place. We went here for lunch right after we landed at Ryde via Hoovertravel. Staff is kind and asks you all your requirements and tries to accommodate any special request. They suggested us veg dishes which we wanted and also allowed customisation like extra chilli in pasta. Service quality was excellent - food was served quickly. Presentation was good.

Very good food, arguably the best restaurant in ryde. Good authentic Italian 🇮🇹 been many times never disappointed. If your eating on a Friday or sat night book first or may be disappointed.

A true taste of real Italian food with all the traditional flavour that you expect but sadly don't always find in the UK, or even sometimes in Italy. But this is run by an Italian family and you feel the love and skill of cooking has come down through generations. Service is friendly and efficient and the place is welcoming. I rarely visit the Isle of Wight but make a point of visiting Michaelangelos when I do. If you enjoy real, straightforward Italian food, you'll most likely want to do so also.

We came as the concept of blind tasting and that they sourced locally. We went with the 7 course. The place had a lot of potential. The waitresses could have done more to explain the concept and the background of the food. The food was good but the overall service and experience made it less value for money. Also, fig sorbet being counted as a course is a bit unfair.

We had the most amazing experience at The Heron for their 7 course blind tasting. I emailed ahead of time to ask if they allow children which they were more than happy to do. They even asked if they had any dislikes so they could adjust the menu accordingly. Every single meal was beautifully crafted and was Absolutely delicious. The host was such a lovely lady as well and made our children (12 & 13) feel very grown up during the whole experience and she Was very knowledgeable about what was being served. The atmosphere was really chill and nothint Was too much trouble. We will return next time we are on the island!

Stunning food and excellent service from James and Hannah. This is a special restaurant - calm, relaxing and sophisticated. The food was so tasty and beautifully presented. We really enjoyed being able to watch the food being prepared and dishes created. Highly recommend as the best food we've had on the Isle of Wight.

Went a year or so ago and wasn't blown away, thought I'd give it another go and had the blind taster menu , very nice evening and nice combination of courses. Would recommend.

This was the most exciting food we’ve had for ages. James and Hanna made our whole experience outstanding. The cocktails and canapés next door were perfect too. Highly recommend and we will be back!

We had the blind tasting menu. Everything was delicious (even the coconut sorbet which I wouldn't normally go for). The menu makes local seasonal ingredients the star of the show in simple but refined dishes. Wine pairings were well selected as the service was friendly and welcoming. All very reasonably priced too. Absolutely recommended.

Had a great dining experience trying the tasting menu. Lots of interesting tastes and textures. Service was excellent. A real treat.

Such a lovely place! The Dell is a gem in Ryde. Fresh, flavorful dishes with great attention to detail. The beef and pork were outstanding: tender and beautifully cooked. The staff really kind, and the sea view made it extra special. A place I’d happily return to!

Brilliant!!! The Dell saved the day with wonderful food and service! We had planned an anniversary celebration meal with 27 people at a different restaurant but due to unforeseen circumstances they had to cancel an hour or so before. We called the Dell and they were brilliant at accommodating us! We couldn’t have asked for better food, service and atmosphere. There was even live music! Thank you so much

Apparently it is a well known or famous cafe in Isle of Wight. O_o You need to make a reservation when trying to dine in this cafe, for it is very busy. We made reservation for Monday Mid July 2025, for 10:45am, and the cafe was still busy. Staff were busy and servitude, no time wasting. Food did not take long to arrive after placing our orders, but drinks took longer than I expected, though it was because they were busy. I ordered the banana+dates smoothie, it looked so nice in the glass and I liked the taste, not many may like this drinks. Others ordered a Macha Latte, quantity was good but one of them had too much rose inside. The food I ordered was American style pancakes with bacon; and added syrup. Though my syrup had less amount, but I was given more syrup in a mini cup when I asked. Others at my table ordered Full English breakfast, another ordered poached egg, and another ordered chorizo hash. The poached egg comes with avocado, but the avocado was hard (unripe). Chorizo hash tasted so nice, it tasted like Korean topokki. In terms of the taste of the food, they were delicious! However the portion size were very small in regards to the price. When I saw the full English breakfast, it looked like a dish that wouldn't fill me up. My American bacon pancakes came with 5 slices of pancakes, though small in shape. Bakebeans for the full English tasted like Heinz but with different beans added to it. I would not recommend the chorizo hash as breakfast but for lunch as it will fill you up quickly, unless you are good with potato for breakfast. Price for 5 drinks and 5 food including tips, came to a total of £95. For a breakfast. The toilet had a little bit of queue or wait time. The cafe and outside sitting were clean enough. Cafe is pets friendly, so bring your dogs along. The nice thing about this cafe is they change their menus twice a year which is a refresher for the locals. Would I recommend this place? I would recommend because the food isn't just a regular dish served like other places, you can actually taste the goodness and quality of the food. The only off putting thing is the price and portion, I don't mind the price but the portion size needs to justify the price point. It is advisable to make reservations here.

Beautiful location and very popular cafe as generally you need to have a reservation. Disappointed as ordered toast and preserves. The sour dough toast was burnt and the perseve that accompanied it was a bitter tasting orange marmalade that did not improve the burnt toast taste.The coffee lattes were served cold in cups that are worn and possibly need replacing.

My husband and I had coffee and breakfast here on a sunny Saturday morning. It has a very pleasant terrace. The food we ate was delicious, the coffee portion was quite large. The staff was friendly and the service was fast. Thank you.

Always a favourite spot to stop on a sunny day. Great service, lovely food and I loved the smoothie - and the view speaks for itself

Fantastic food with great view out to sea. Service was really friendly. Crispy lamb gyros was amazing!

We regularly eat at The Olive Tree restaurant inside Busy Bee Garden Centre. It is roomy and also has outside seating weather-permitting, as well as some tables allocated for visitors with dogs. The staff are always friendly, and always around keeping the eating areas clean and tidy. The food is always good. The pizzas are cooked in a pizza oven, with a good range and some great specials. The cake selection is legendary! We love visiting on our own, with family, and it’s a great place to meet up with friends. Highly recommended.

We have eaten here quite frequently and its sad to see that unfortunately it's gone downhill. 4 breakfast came to just over £50. The quality of the breakfast has gone downhill. We had 3 of what you'd call a full English. All were over cooked except the bacon which was not done enough. The scrambled eggs on toast had added extras including egg shells and hair. It was very disappointing. The staff seemed to be spending their time in the kitchen so was difficult to get their attention. Won't be going again which is a real shame.

Stopped off here for a breakfast, very well presented, quality ingredients and friendly staff. The eggs weren’t runny as I like, but all in all a very nice way to start my holiday. Not cheap at £12 but feel it was worth the money

Coeliac-friendly, staff well-trained, the stone-baked pizza is a must, really clean, plenty of gluten-free options, and the best part: dog-friendly.

The food was really tasty and the service was quick. The staff made me feel welcome and checked in often. I enjoyed my meal and had a good time with friends. I’ll definitely come back again.

Staff are great, and usually very helpful. Food is also good. Acoustics can make it difficult to hear others, when busy, particularly for those with hearing difficulties.

Just had fab breakfast. Shame no black pudding. But overall good. quality sausages. Wife had the biggest pavlova with cream and strawberries ever lush.