Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park

One of the attractions of the Isle of Wight is that so much is crammed into a relatively small area. Guests can easily get to all the major sights simply by jumping on a bus outside the park. Budding zoologists are spoiled for choice: as well as the monkeys at Monkey Haven (20 minutes), there are mammals, birds, reptiles and insects at the Wildheart Animal Sanctuary (10 minutes). There are alpacas, penguins and meerkats at the Seaview Wildlife Encounter (20 minutes). Meanwhile, over 200 species are on view at the Amazon World Zoo (20 minutes). There’s also a donkey sanctuary at Carisbrooke Castle (half an hour), where visitors can see where King Charles I was locked up. Historical types should also check out Osbourne House (25 minutes), the seaside palace where Queen Victoria and brood used to come to top up their tans. For some beach time and swimming followed by dodgems on the pier, head to Sandown beach (10 minutes). It’s also worth taking a boat trip to see the iconic chalk stacks and lighthouse at The Needles (50 minutes). For oohs, aahs and eeks, Blackgang Chine (40 minutes) has loads of exciting and eccentric rides and exhibits crammed into 40 acres of Victorian gardens. Finish up the trip at Dinosaur Isle (10 minutes), where there are interactive exhibits about the island's fossils and geology; this should be a nice shout if your kids are into T-rexes. Model Village Godshill (25 minutes) is another nice end to the holiday, with its miniature Isle of Wight villages.