Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park
Whitecliff Bay is a family holiday park run by Away Resorts, set on the cliffs above its own sandy cove at Bembridge, on the eastern tip of the Isle of Wight. It's a busy, self-catering park in the Haven or Parkdean mould, with two pools, a restaurant and a full day-and-evening programme, and the draw is the secluded beach below and a base to explore the island from.
On this page
Is it worth it?
Who Whitecliff Bay suits, who would be happier elsewhere and the facts to skim first.
Whitecliff Bay is the flagship of Away Resorts' four Isle of Wight parks, and it's built around two things: its own beach and a full holiday-park programme. It's a large, animated site with a daytime activity programme, nightly entertainment, two pools, the Nab Bar restaurant and a private cove below the cliffs, so it suits families who want plenty going on rather than a quiet retreat. Reviews across Google and TripAdvisor are consistently good. The beach is the differentiator that comes up again and again: its own sandy, shallow, secluded cove below the cliffs.
The trade-offs are worth knowing before you book. Everything is self-catering, so there's no all-inclusive dining and no drop-off childcare, and the path down to that beach is steep. In peak season the park is busy and the extras add up, from archery to bike hire. If you want a private beach on the doorstep, hot-tub lodges and a lively programme for the children, it's well worth a look. If you're after calm, flat ground and childcare so you can slip away for dinner, it isn't the fit.
Best for
You want a secluded sandy beach below the park, two pools including an indoor flume, a full day-and-evening programme and a self-catering base to explore the Isle of Wight from.
Maybe not for
You want a quiet retreat, you'd struggle pushing a pram up a steep slope or you need drop-off childcare for a baby or toddler.
Best ages
Any age. The daytime programme runs for ages 5 to 12, with under-fives welcome alongside a parent, plus Away Resorts' network-wide Bear in the Woods toddler entertainment, which the park doesn't name in its own listings.
What stands out
The secluded cove below the park, the hot-tub Exclusive lodges, an indoor pool with a flume and a toddler splash area and the Away Resorts ferry discount.
What to check
Which accommodation grade and which side of Hillway Road you're booking, and the swim-slot and lifeguard arrangements at the pool on arrival.
Where is it?
Bembridge, on the eastern tip of the Isle of Wight, with its own beach below the cliffs.
Quick facts for families
What the park is like
Its scale and character, how the two sides of the park work and getting around.
Whitecliff Bay is a mid-to-large holiday park of the Haven or Parkdean kind, at Hillway Road, Bembridge (PO35 5PL), on the easternmost point of the Isle of Wight. It's a busy, family-oriented site rather than a luxury resort, with a daytime and evening programme, two pools, a restaurant and bar, an adventure playground and its own beach. Bembridge is the furthest point from the mainland ferry ports, which is exactly why the beach below stays so secluded. For the wider island, its towns and its seasons, see our Isle of Wight guide.
The park is split across two areas divided by Hillway Road. One side holds the pools, the entertainment venue, the Nab Bar and most of the facilities; the other is quieter. You can request a location within the park when you book, though it isn't guaranteed, so families choosing between the busy and the quiet side are worth flagging that preference early. The road crossing to reach the pools and restaurant from the far side is a point to weigh, more for the walk than any safety concern.
Away Resorts has upgraded the park over the years, adding premium Exclusive lodges and chalets alongside the older caravan stock. Part of it, an area called Itchycoo Park, featured on the Channel 5 series Caravanning with Shane Richie, which put the Rockstar and TriBeCa lodges on the map. It won Gold at the Red Funnel Best Holiday Park Awards and Silver at the Beautiful South Tourism Awards for holiday park of the year, both for the 2022-23 season.
A car is the practical way to arrive and to explore. The island is compact, and from Whitecliff Bay you can reach almost anywhere on it within about 50 minutes. Bembridge village is within walking distance, Ryde is about 20 minutes and Newport about 30.
The accommodation, every type
Every grade, what's included, the baby fit, check-in, camping and the dog policy.
Everything at Whitecliff Bay is self-catering, with an equipped kitchen for cooking. An optional half-board add-on is available if you'd rather not cook, covered under eating and food below. Book directly with Away Resorts and your stay includes Guest Passes for the facilities and entertainment; a privately owned caravan rented through a site like Booking.com needs a Guest Pass bought separately, so check what's included before you book that way.
The table below lists every grade with its bedrooms, how many it sleeps and the key features. Away Resorts doesn't publish floor sizes for any of its accommodation, so those aren't shown.
| Type | Bedrooms | Sleeps | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| The TriBeCa (Exclusive) | 2 | 7 | Hot tub. Double room, a bunk and single, plus a pull-out sofa. As seen on Channel 5. |
| The Rockstar (Exclusive) | 2 | 7 | Hot tub. Double room, bunks and a pull-out sofa. |
| Exclusive Seaview Lodge | 3 | 8 | Hot tub. Double and two twin rooms, plus a pull-out sofa. Only at Whitecliff Bay. |
| Burst of Blue (Exclusive) | 2 to 3 | 7 to 8 | The one Exclusive grade without a hot tub. Two layouts sleeping seven or eight. |
| Luxury Caravan | 2 to 3 | 4 to 8 | Heating throughout, double glazing, towels and decking. Three size variants. |
| Superior Caravan | 2 to 3 | 4 to 8 | Heating, beds made up on arrival and a Freeview TV. Three size variants. |
| Comfort Caravan | 2 to 3 | 4 to 8 | Beds made up on arrival and a Freeview TV. Three size variants. |
| Wheelchair Accessible Caravan | 2 | 4 | Twin beds in both rooms, adapted for accessibility needs. |
| Superior Lodge | 2 to 3 | 2 to 8 | A step up from the caravans. |
| Luxury Lodge | 2 to 4 | 2 to 8 | The largest bedroom range, sleeping up to eight. |
| Superior Chalet (2-bed) | 2 | 2 to 6 | Modern décor, hotel-grade mattresses and pillows, heating. |
| Superior Chalet (3-bed) | 3 | 2 to 6 | Only at Whitecliff Bay. |
| Comfort Chalet | 2 | 2 to 6 | Refreshed décor. The most popular chalet. |
| Value Chalet | 2 | 2 to 6 | Basic and affordable. Entry level. |
The Exclusive tier is the premium end, and most of it comes with a hot tub: the TriBeCa, the Rockstar and the Exclusive Seaview Lodge each confirm one. Burst of Blue is the exception, listing a flatscreen TV and kitchen appliances but no hot tub. The Exclusive Seaview Lodge and the three-bedroom Superior Chalet are found only at Whitecliff Bay.
For a family with a baby or toddler, the useful thing is that any two or three-bedroom unit gives a separate room you can close on a nap or an early bedtime, which matters most with under-twos. A six to eight-berth caravan brings the per-person cost down for extended families or two families travelling together, which reviewers rate as good value. The self-catering kitchen for bottle-warming and food prep is standard in every caravan, lodge and chalet, though it doesn't extend to camping.
Tent camping runs in summer only, from May to August, on basic grass pitches of 10m by 8m for up to six people. There are no electric hook-ups, and the shared facilities are showers, a washup area and a laundrette, with full access to the park's pools and entertainment. Camping check-in is from 11am and check-out by 10am, distinct from the 4pm check-in for the caravans, lodges and chalets. A tent pitch has no kitchen, so families camping with a baby need to bring their own cooking kit or use the park's food outlets.
Dogs are welcome, up to two per booking, at an extra charge. In a caravan, lodge or chalet it's £45 for a short break of six nights or fewer, or £60 for a longer stay, per dog (last checked July 2026); on a touring or camping pitch it's £4 per dog per night.
Eating and food
The half-board option, the Nab Bar and the rest of the on-park food.
Whitecliff Bay is self-catering, so most families cook in the caravan, but there's an optional half-board add-on for the whole party for the whole stay. It covers breakfast and a two-course evening meal from the main or kids' menu. It's a practical way to cut down on cooking on holiday, though it isn't all-inclusive: drinks, activities and some meals are still paid for on top.
The Nab Bar is the park's main restaurant and family pub, open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, serving hand-stretched pizzas, burgers and pub food with sea views over the bay. Dogs are allowed, and it sits close to the indoor pool, so you can eat without a long walk in wet swimwear. Dining offers include a £12 meal deal, a kids' meal deal (a main, side, drink and dessert) and a kids-eat-for-£1 deal with an adult main. Happy hour runs from 3pm to 6pm and again from 9:30pm, buy one get one half price.
The Culver Club is the entertainment hub and the main evening venue, serving beers, wines and cocktails, with dogs allowed. Catch 22 is a fish-and-chip takeaway, freshly prepared, which you can order through the Away Resorts app for collection or delivery. The on-site shop stocks everyday essentials. For a week's stay the on-park food is enough to get by without leaving daily, and the Nab Bar's family-pub format suits the holiday-park style.
Pools and water
The indoor pool is heated, with a flume, which is a fun waterslide, and a separate shallow toddler splash area with a gradual entry that suits babies and toddlers who aren't yet confident in water. The changing rooms have lockers, mirrors, hairdryers and a spectator seating area, and the pool sits near the Nab Bar. Swim slots aren't bookable; they run first-come, first-served, so at peak times, especially around midday, expect to queue.
Away Resorts sets out its pool supervision ratios. A child aged 0 to 3 needs one adult in the water with them at all times. One adult can supervise up to two children aged 4 to 7. A child of 8 or over who can swim 25 metres unaided may swim independently when a lifeguard is present; where there's no lifeguard, one adult supervises up to three children aged 8 to 15. Whether the pool is lifeguarded isn't clear from the official terms, so check the pool rules and lifeguard hours at Guest Services when you arrive rather than assuming cover.
There's also an outdoor heated pool. It opens seasonally, in the warmer months, and Away Resorts doesn't publish set opening and closing dates, so check the current dates with the park if it matters to your trip. Near the pools is the Aqua Run, an inflatable obstacle course for children and adults willing to have a go. No accommodation has a private pool; the hot tubs sit in the Exclusive tier, on every grade except Burst of Blue.
A secluded coveThe beach
Whitecliff Bay beach is a sandy cove directly below the park. It's reached mainly by the park's own steep private path, which keeps it secluded and means it doesn't get busy the way the resort beaches at Sandown or Shanklin do. The sand is long and the water very shallow, which is good for paddling with young children, and it's one of the east of the island's quietest beaches.
The path down is the catch, and it's the single most consistent complaint families raise. The official warning is that it's quite steep in parts, so take care. It's a real push with a pram and there's a significant gradient, so a carrier is easier for a baby.
Watersports are allowed on the beach, though there's no confirmed onshore hire or facility there; the park's water-activity offer is the Aqua Run at the pools rather than anything on the sand. The beach is sandy, sheltered and shallow, which is what suits toddlers paddling.
Babies and toddlers
What's here for the youngest children, what fills a day on the park and the days out around it.
Whitecliff Bay is a family holiday park, not a resort with a baby-specific offering, and the difference matters. There's no crèche, no nursery, no baby concierge and no on-site nurse. What works for the youngest children is the self-catering set-up: a kitchen in every caravan, lodge and chalet for bottle-warming, weaning food and an early breakfast without waiting for a restaurant to open.
A few things to know before you travel. There's no babysitting or in-room childcare listed, so an adult evening out means bringing your own sitter. Cots and highchairs aren't provided or listed to hire, so pack your own travel cot and highchair. The on-site shop carries everyday essentials, but bring the critical baby supplies with you rather than counting on it. None of that rules the park out for a baby, but it does mean planning around it.
What's here for the youngest is real, though. The indoor pool's toddler splash area is shallow with a gradual entry. The adventure playground sits under a large waterproof canopy, so it works in rain. Bear in the Woods, the Away Resorts toddler entertainment programme run across its parks for ages one to six and up, brings story time, songs, puppets and live shows. The park's own listings refer to evening kids' clubs and live shows rather than naming the programme, so its presence here is inferred from the network offer rather than confirmed for this park. Where it runs, it gives toddlers an early-evening activity without a late night. The beach below is long, shallow and sandy for paddling, with the steep path the thing to weigh. Half-board is there if you'd rather not cook every night.
On the parkThings to do on the park
The daytime activities programme runs for children aged 5 to 12, with creative and outdoor sessions; under-fives are welcome as long as a parent or carer comes along, so it isn't a drop-off. The evening entertainment at the Culver Club is where a lot of the appeal sits, with a Bear in the Woods character show, a Mini Disco, the Kids House Party, two bingo nights (Linked Bingo, a cash-prize game run across the Away Resorts network, and the music-led Boombox Bingo), Quiz Whiz, karaoke, a late DJ, a glow party and virtual horse racing, plus a seasonal outdoor cinema.
The adventure playground is nautical-themed and covered by that tensile canopy, with smaller play areas on the Nab lawn and the camping side too. Some activities are included and some are paid on top. Included are both pools, the adventure playground, the daytime programme, the Culver Club evening entertainment and the arcade. Table tennis is listed as included by island review sites too, though it isn't named on the official facilities page. Paid extras are archery, laser tag, crazy carts, an 18-hole crazy golf course with clubs from Guest Services, bike hire in a range of sizes and individual activity sessions such as pottery painting, arts and crafts and slime workshops. The exact roster of paid sessions changes through the season, so check what's running through the Away Resorts app or at Guest Services when you book. There's an amusement arcade with coin pushers and video games, plus a laundrette on the camping side.
The area and days out
The eastern location puts the park within easy reach of the island's main family attractions, and the whole island is reachable in under 50 minutes. Bembridge village, within walking distance, has a harbour, a lifeboat station open to visitors for free, a few shops and the UK's oldest working phonebox; its own beach is good for crab-spotting but too shallow to swim. The drive times below are approximate.
| Place | What it is | Drive |
|---|---|---|
| Bembridge village | A harbour, a lifeboat station open to visitors, a few shops and the UK’s oldest working phonebox | Walkable |
| Priory Bay and St Helens | A sandy beach with good access, quiet, near Nodes Point | 5 to 10 min |
| Ryde | A sandy beach, a beachside swimming pool, bowling and a seafront toddler playground | About 20 min |
| Sandown | A sandy beach, the Dinosaur Isle museum and Sandham Gardens with its skate park, minigolf and go-karts | 15 to 20 min |
| Shanklin | A sandy beach, the wooded Shanklin Chine gorge, an arcade, seafront minigolf and restaurants | About 20 min |
| Robin Hill Country Park | A family adventure park with rides, zip lines, gardens and events | About 20 min |
| Wildheart Animal Sanctuary | Wildlife and animal encounters at Sandown, toddler-friendly (formerly the Isle of Wight Zoo) | About 20 min |
| Amazon World Zoo | A tropical zoo at Arreton, well reviewed for families | About 25 min |
| Osborne House | Queen Victoria’s seaside home near Cowes, with the Swiss Cottage children’s playhouse in the grounds | About 30 min |
| Blackgang Chine | The UK’s oldest theme park, open since 1843, suited to children roughly three to eleven | 30 to 35 min |
| Tapnell Farm Park | A toddler-friendly farm with indoor play barns, bouncing pillows, a petting zoo and pedal go-karts | About 45 min |
| The Needles and Alum Bay | Chalk stacks, a cable car, coloured sand and amusements | About 45 min |
Blackgang Chine is the island's headline attraction for this age group, the UK's oldest theme park, open since 1843 and suited to roughly three to eleven-year-olds; ticket prices vary by date and format, so check the current cost when you book. The Red Squirrel Trail, a traffic-free cycle route reachable from the eastern side of the island, is easy to combine with the park's bike hire, and the Isle of Wight is one of the better family cycling destinations in the UK. There's no water park on the island, so the indoor pool is the nearest equivalent; a separate West Wight aqua park is aimed at older children rather than toddlers.
Loves and gripes
What families rate and what they flag, how it compares, the journey in and the weather by month.
What families love
- The beach, the standout differentiator: a sandy, shallow, secluded cove that doesn't get crowded.
- The indoor pool with its flume and toddler splash area, a reliable option whatever the weather.
- The evening entertainment, the Mini Disco and Kids House Party in particular.
- The Away Resorts ferry discount, a real saving especially at the August peak.
- The location for reaching the island's attractions, all within about 50 minutes.
- The value in a larger caravan for extended families.
- The covered adventure playground and the seasonal outdoor cinema.
Common gripes
- The steep path down to the beach, the most repeated practical complaint and a real push with a pram.
- Busy and noisy in peak season; this is a large, active park, not a quiet one.
- Extra costs that add up, from archery and crazy golf to bike hire and paid activity sessions.
- First-come, first-served swim slots, which mean queuing for the indoor pool at busy times.
- No electric hook-ups for camping, which is basic and summer-only since the larger touring site closed in 2022.
- The park split by Hillway Road, a road crossing and walk from the far side to the main facilities.
Across the review sites the park does well, rated around 4.2 out of 5 on Google from roughly 1,800 reviews and around 4 out of 5 on TripAdvisor. Treat those as a rough steer rather than a precise score, since they shift over time.
Against the alternativesHow it compares
The closest comparison is Nodes Point, the Parkdean park a few minutes away near St Helens. Both have indoor pools, beaches and a full programme. Nodes Point offers horse riding along the beach in summer and direct access to St Helen's Beach at the foot of the park, but no outdoor pool. Whitecliff Bay's own draws are the more secluded cove, the hot-tub Exclusive lodges, the Aqua Run and an outdoor pool. The two are very closely matched on guest ratings, with Nodes Point a fraction ahead. For most families the choice comes down to whether beach horse riding and St Helen's Beach matter, which favour Nodes Point, against a secluded cove and an outdoor pool, which favour Whitecliff Bay; Nodes Point also sits a little closer to the Fishbourne ferry. Neither is clearly better overall.
Lower Hyde, another Parkdean park at Shanklin, is larger with both indoor and outdoor pools, and it won Silver for UK Family Holidays at the 2025 British Travel Awards. It's five minutes from Shanklin's sandy beach with easier town access; Whitecliff Bay's edge is the private beach without a steep town descent. Among the other Away Resorts island parks, The Bay Colwell in the west is smaller and quieter with a gentler pace for younger children, The Lakes Rookley is inland with on-site watersports, and St Helens is quieter with an outdoor pool only. Whitecliff Bay is the flagship of the four, the largest and most facilities-rich, with the best beach.
Getting thereGetting there, and when to go
There's no foot-passenger route that's useful for Whitecliff Bay, so a car is the practical way in. The Wightlink car ferry from Portsmouth to Fishbourne is the most convenient crossing for the eastern island, and Fishbourne is about 8 to 10 miles from the park, roughly 20 to 25 minutes' drive. Away Resorts has a negotiated ferry discount that applies to all three car-ferry routes, booked as an add-on, and it's a saving families flag repeatedly. In one August 2026 comparison the discounted Wightlink return was cited at around £150 for a car with passengers against £277 booked directly with Red Funnel, though the exact saving depends on your dates and route.
The Red Funnel crossing from Southampton to East Cowes takes about an hour, and East Cowes is around 14 miles from the park, so it's less convenient. The Wightlink crossing from Lymington to Yarmouth carries the discount too, but Yarmouth is on the far west of the island, around 21 miles away, which makes it the least practical of the three for this park. The Southsea to Ryde hovercraft is foot passengers only, so it doesn't suit a family with a car and luggage.
The caravans, lodges and chalets are open year-round, while tent camping runs May to August. July and August are the warmest months and the school-holiday peak, so June and September are the best shoulder options, with facilities open, fewer crowds and better pricing; May and October get the indoor pool only. Off-season, from about October to spring, pricing is lower and some facilities run reduced hours. For anything urgent, the nearest A&E is St Mary's Hospital in Newport, about 12 miles away, the island's only A&E, open 24 hours.
Month by monthWeather
The Isle of Wight has a mild maritime climate, sunnier and drier than the English mainland average, and the east of the island, where Whitecliff Bay sits, is the warmest and most sheltered part. The figures below are typical monthly averages. The Solent is relatively warm by UK standards, around 16 to 17°C in June and peaking near 18°C in August before it drops back in autumn, so it's swimmable in high summer but cold for anything longer.
| Month | Daytime high | Overnight low | Rain | Wet days | Sea temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 8.5° | 4° | 105 mm | 13 | 9° |
| February | 8.5° | 3.5° | 74 mm | 11 | 8° |
| March | 10.5° | 4.5° | 60 mm | 10 | 8° |
| April | 13° | 6° | 54 mm | 9 | 10° |
| May | 16° | 9° | 52 mm | 8 | 13° |
| June | 18.5° | 11.5° | 54 mm | 8 | 16° |
| July | 20.5° | 13.5° | 52 mm | 8 | 18° |
| August | 20.5° | 14° | 67 mm | 8 | 19° |
| September | 18.5° | 12° | 72 mm | 9 | 18° |
| October | 15° | 9.5° | 113 mm | 13 | 16° |
| November | 11.5° | 6.5° | 118 mm | 14 | 13° |
| December | 9.5° | 4.5° | 119 mm | 14 | 10° |
Typical monthly averages from weather-station records. Sea temperature is the open-water figure, so a sheltered bay can feel a degree or two warmer.
Questions
The things families ask most, the official page worth a bookmark and when this guide was last refreshed.
How do we get the ferry discount, and is it worth it?
Book your crossing through Away Resorts rather than direct with the ferry company. The discount applies to all three car-ferry routes, and for this park you want Wightlink from Portsmouth to Fishbourne. It's a real saving, most noticeable at the August peak, though the exact amount depends on your dates and route.
Is there any childcare so we can have an evening out?
No. There's no babysitting service and no drop-off crèche, and the daytime programme needs a parent along for under-fives. For an adult evening you'd need to bring your own sitter, or plan around the self-catering kitchen and, where it runs, the early Bear in the Woods show while the children are still with you.
Do we need to bring a travel cot and highchair?
Yes. The self-catering accommodation doesn't come with baby furniture, and there's none listed to hire, so pack your own travel cot and highchair. The on-site shop stocks everyday essentials, but bring the critical baby supplies with you rather than relying on it.
How hard is the beach path with a pushchair?
Getting a pushchair down to the cove and back up is a real effort, so a second pair of hands helps. It's manageable with a pram, but for a baby a carrier is the easier option.
Can we book a pool session in advance?
No. Swim slots are first-come, first-served, so at peak times, especially around midday, expect to queue for the indoor pool. Going early or outside the busiest hours is the way round it.
Is the outdoor pool open when we visit?
The outdoor heated pool opens seasonally, in the warmer months, but Away Resorts doesn't publish set opening and closing dates. If it matters to your trip, check the current dates with the park before you book.
Can we bring the dog?
Yes, up to two dogs. In a caravan, lodge or chalet it's £45 for a short break of six nights or fewer, or £60 for a longer stay, per dog (last checked July 2026). On a camping pitch it's £4 per dog per night.
Where’s the nearest A&E?
St Mary's Hospital in Newport, about 12 miles away, which is the Isle of Wight's only A&E and is open 24 hours. Worth knowing before an evening or weekend mishap, given it's a drive across the island.
See more Whitecliff Bay photos
Open the Whitecliff Bay photo gallery →
Useful links
- Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park: the operator's own site for accommodation grades, facilities and booking.
- Isle of Wight with little ones: our guide to the wider island, its beaches and when to go.
Last updated 17 July 2026.
