If you fancy exploring some great family beaches, here is our guide to the 'Best Beach for...':

Remember to check the tide times before you make plans.

Family Beaches on the Isle of Wight

Building a sandcastle...Appley Beach

Although we tend to associate building sandcastles with hot, summery, beach days, it can be fun to spend time at the beach even if the weather isn't great, without the distraction of suncream and sunhats. Why not be creative and take a collection of kitchen utensils, along with the usual buckets and spades, when you head down to create your masterpiece? With the tide out, you'll have plenty of space and perfect sand for building. For more information about Appley Beach, click here.

Rockpooling...Bembridge Ledge

Bembridge is well known for its abundance of sea life, which inhabit the rocky area at Bembridge Ledge, near the Lifeboat station. The ledge makes an excellent spot for rockpooling and you're sure to find some interesting creatures. You don't need the best day for this, but it's important to plan your trip for low tide and keep an eye for it creeping in, as the pools fill up quickly and things can get slippery! At low tide you will be treated to a plethora of pools to explore. Take fishing nets, buckets and a pair of wellies with a good grip to them. Everything caught must be put back, but take pictures of all your findings and you'll be able to look them up when you get home. There might also be opportunities to see what other people have caught as this is a popular place for rockpooling. For more information about Bembridge, click here.

Going for an esplanade walk...Gurnard

For a leisurely stroll, with beautiful views across the Solent, Gurnard to Cowes makes for a great day out. Start your walk at the Gurnard end and you'll arrive in Cowes in around 25-30 minutes later depending whether your mode of transport is bike, buggy, scooter or just foot. When you arrive in Cowes, you'll be met with a wonderful range of places to get lunch located on, or just off the main pedestrianised area. We'd recommend Captain Takeout for great pizza or Corries Cabin for classic fish and chips. Whatever you choose, take it down to the promenade, watch the boats sail past and enjoy. For more information about Gurnard, click here.

Looking for dinosaur fossils...Compton Bay

There have been over 20 different species of dinosaur found on the beach around Compton Bay, making it a great place to go and explore. Why not go for a walk and spot some fossils? You could even make it a competition to see who can find the most footprint shaped rocks. To get more information and find out what you're looking for, visit the National Trust website here and to find out more about Compton Bay, click here.

Flying a kite...Seaview

Seaview is great in terms of accessibility with parking all along the seafront. There are also lots of rocks and interesting things to explore. It's important to check the tides before you make plans, as there is a very small area of the beach exposed at high tide. At low tide, you'll have lots of space and with a bit of wind, you'll be able to get your kite up in the air with hopefully very little chance of your yarn crossing over into someone else's activity! For more information about Seaview Beach click here.

Playing mini golf...Sandown

With Sandham Gardens just a stone's throw away from the beach, it's perfectly possible to combine a beach trip and a game of mini golf at the dinosaur themed golf course. Dino Islands was new for 2019, and is a 2000 metre square multi-level course with volanoes, bridges and waterfalls. It has 18 holes and has been designed and constructed by Rockart UK, who are international specialists and a market leader in adventure golf design and construction. Therefore, if you're a mini golf enthusiast (or even if you're not) this one is the one to try. Click here to find out more about Sandown Beach.

Going for lunch...Ventnor

Ventnor has a great range of places to eat and combined with a walk along the esplanade towards Bonchurch, this is a great trip out, especially if the weather isn't that good. There is also the Seabreeze playground, if you fancy a climb to the top of the cliff to either work up an appetite or walk off a big lunch. And for lunch, we'd recommend the maritime themed Spyglass Inn for a great family, friendly pub experience. You'll have the chance to meet the pirates and either sit outside or inside. Either way you'll feel like you're on a ship and the kids will love it. Click here for more information about Ventor Beach.