Dog-Friendly Places on the Isle of Wight

Having recently purchased our puppy, Biscuit, we headed off for a little holiday earlier this summer. We were incredibly surprised at just how dog-friendly the Isle of Wight is. We’re so glad we chose this place to take our first holiday with our Poochon Puppy.

We stayed at the amazing, Whitecliff Bay, a place I have recommended to everyone! It is an incredibly dog-friendly resort. The staff and facilities are second to none! Throughout the day, we explored the Isle of Wight and founds some incredibly dog-friendly places to visit!

The Needles

The Needles are one of the most famous landmarks on the Isle of Wight.

They can be viewed up close via The Needles Old Battery and New Battery, a property run by the National Trust. Or they can be seen via ‘The Needles Landmark Attraction.

This is a much more accessible option from where the Needles can be viewed from afar. What is great about viewing the Needles in this way is that you can bring your dog. ‘The Needles Landmark Attraction’ is a fabulous attraction which houses a range of shops, children’s rides and eateries.

You can also see The Needles via chairlift. This was an absolutely terrifying prospect for me and thankfully I had the excuse that the dog would not be permitted to ride!

Nevertheless, our dog was permitted in all parts of the outdoor attraction. Naturally, she was not allowed into the shops. However, we were able to view The Needles with the dog and had a really enjoyable afternoon at the attraction.

Furthermore, there were ample disabled parking spaces which were very close to the attraction itself. There were also disabled toilets on site.

Quarr Abbey

Quarr Abbey was another place we were able to bring our dog. Dogs are welcome all around the abbey grounds.

She was not able to enter the Church of course or some of the other indoor places. However, she was more than welcome to roam the grounds with us.

The restaurant provided water bowls for dogs. As this is such a dog-friendly attraction, many people had dogs with them.

Biscuit enjoyed feeding the pigs with us (although I think she would have preferred to eat the food herself).

You can read all about our visit to Quarr Abbey here.

Osbourne House

With the exception of the main house, dogs on short leads are welcome to explore the grounds of Osbourne House. And believe me, there is plenty to explore!

The gardens are absolutely beautiful. It is no wonder Queen Victoria and Prince Albert chose to spend their holidays at this breathtaking location.

We decided to take it in turns to go inside the house. So, whilst one went into the house, the other either sat outside and soaked in the atmosphere or went for a little walk exploring the gardens and the wider grounds.

One of the members of staff pointed us towards a path through the gardens. He said this was the best way to view Osbourne House, and he wasn’t wrong. This stroll gave Biscuit an opportunity to stretch her legs!

Biscuit was allowed into the cafe which is located at the entrance of Osbourne House. As it was raining when we arrived, this was much appreciated! She was also permitted into the gift shop, this gave us ample time to browse.

You will need a full day to fully explore Osbourne House, there are so many things to see and do. You can read all about our visit to Osbourne House here.

Carisbrooke Castle

Like many many other English Heritage sites, (including Osbourne House), dogs are welcome at Carisbrooke Castle. In order to access the site, visitors must walk through the gift shop, so our dog Biscuit was permitted in there.

We were told upon arrival that dogs were not permitted in the museum. However, when one of the volunteers saw me standing outside the museum with the said pooch, he told us dogs are welcome inside. The museum is in fact funded not by English Heritage, but by an independent charitable trust.

Understandably, dogs are not permitted in the cafe, which is rather small. But there was ample seating outside dogs were welcome in these areas.

Dogs on leads are also welcome to walk the castle walls and explore the courtyard and gardens with their owners. You can read about our visit to Carisbrooke Castle here.

Yarmouth Castle

Yarmouth Castle was another place where Biscuit was welcome.

As you can see, we really did make use of our English Heritage passes whilst on the Isle of Wight! But we were able to do so because these sites are so dog-friendly.

Our dog was welcome inside all parts of the castle.

There are some excellent interactive displays within the castle walls which were very entertaining.

Yarmouth castle is not very big. But it does lie in an ideal location to take in some amazing views!

Next to the castle, there is a little pebble beach which we strolled along for a little while and took in some sea air.

The Beach

Visiting the Isle of Wight was our first opportunity to take Biscuit onto a beach. She wasn’t too sure about the sand or the pebbles, but she did enjoy all the attention she attracted.

First, we visited Freshwater. This is an incredibly picturesque beach.

There are some restrictions depending on when you visit but there are some dog-friendly parts of the beach year-round. Up-to-date information can be found on the Isle of Wight Council website, here.

The beach at our resort, Whitecliff Bay was dog-friendly year-round. It was a bit of a steep climb to the beach but it was worth the view!

Click here for a full list of dog-friendly beaches on the Isle of Wight.

If you do have a dog and are looking for the perfect holiday location to visit, then you cannot go wrong with the Isle of Wight. Many shops, cafes and restaurants are dog-friendly on the Isle of Wight. As are many hotels and campsites. We will certainly be returning to this beautiful place with our lovely little pooch.