The Isle of Wight lies two miles off the south coast of England and covers around 150 square miles.

The easiest way to access the island is by sea, with ferries, catamarans and hovercrafts all providing a direct route to Ryde, a seaside town on the north east coast of the isle.

And while there is a dedicated car ferry to the town from Portsmouth, why not leave your vehicle at home and do most of your exploring by foot – with Co Wheels car club there when you need it?

The town of Ryde

Ryde is the perfect place from which to explore the Isle of Wight.

With miles of long, sandy beaches, tempting restaurants and cafes, and an eclectic mix of high street stores and independent shops, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

There are also plenty of places to stay, from budget chains to boutique hotels, meaning it’s the perfect base for your Isle of Wight break.

Fossil hunting

If shops and bars don’t do it for you – or if you have dino-mad kids in tow – why not go fossil hunting? The island is famed for its dinosaur remains, which can be found in a number of locations, so much so that it is sometimes referred to as Dinosaur Island.

Most famous of all is Compton Bay, the soft cliffs of which house the remains of dinosaurs that have been trapped for millions of years. As the cliffs have been eroded, the remains are revealed, and over 20 different species of dinosaur have been found so far.

Most exciting for young dinosaur hunters are the three-toed footcasts of iguanodon, measuring between 1ft and 2ft across.

The Needles

The Needles are one of the Isle of Wight’s most iconic attractions, comprising three white chalk stacks leading up to the Needles Lighthouse.

Nowadays, the Needles aren’t the only attractions on the site, with glass blowing, Jurassic-themed mini golf and boat trips all available, weather dependent.

Most famous of all is the Needles chairlift, which takes visitors all the way from the top of the Alum Bay cliffs to the beach below, providing stunning views across the sea.

Stargazing

Looking for a night with the stars? The Isle of Wight is a great place to see the night skies and has even been named a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, for its demonstration of people and the natural environment co-existing in harmony.

Separated from the mainland and with no major cities, the island has very little in the way of light pollution, which makes it ideal for stargazing, particularly on the south-west coast.

On a clear night (which most of them are), sky watchers will be able to see all the big names, including the Milky Way, Cassiopeia, Orion and the Plough.

Monkeying around

Monkey Haven is the island’s very own award-winning primate rescue centre, home to 13 different species of monkeys, along with owls, meerkats, reptiles and creepy crawlies.

All of the animals in the sanctuary have been rescued, whether they were being bullied in their original groups or from the illegal pet trade.

The venue opened in 2010 and since then has gone on to become one of the island’s most popular attractions.

The beauty of the Isle of Wight is its compact nature – you could do a round trip of the entire island in around three hours. Hiring a mid-sized Co Wheels car for a full day would cost just £38.50, and you could fit in every attraction on this list – door-to-door!

The Co Wheels Car Club is the perfect way to travel round the island, giving you all the benefits of car ownership without any of the hassle or expense.

The club is so easy to use too. Simply sign up online and you’re ready to book a car when you need one and drive away using our safe and secure smartcard system.

Where will Co Wheels take you?