Accessible Holidays on the Isle of Wight

From the moment you make your booking with us, our dedicated team is available to assist in any way they can, ensuring your crossing is pleasant and safe.  For more information about our facilities and support available, please check our website or contact Customer Services by calling 023 8001 9192 at least 48 hours prior to travelling.

We also offer an Accessibility & Sensory Guide to help you understand what to expect from your ferry travel experience, where you need to go and the boarding process. This guide includes information about what you might see, hear, and feel during each stage of your crossing with us. 

Eligible customers can make use of a 25% Disabled Persons Discount, bookable for travel with a vehicle online here. Those travelling via Red Jet or the vehicle ferry on foot can request use of the Disabled Persons Discount at our ticket offices on the day. Please make sure you’re carrying your Blue Badge, Access Card, or Disabled Persons Railcard to show when boarding your pre-booked vehicle ferry journey and for booking foot passenger travel on the day.  

Should you require specialist care during your journey, we are proud to offer additional assistance via a dedicated support person, offering greater and personalised support to customers travelling with physical or hidden disability and accessibility needs. Please contact 01983 681263, or email [email protected] to arrange additional assistance.

There are over 50 top attractions on the Isle of Wight all no more than a 1-hour drive from one another, making for a fun and jam-packed day out whatever your age or interests. The Island offers a good accessible bus network, with many great places to visit along the route and regular buses throughout the day. Some of the best accessible attractions, as rated by previous visitors, include Monkey Haven, Brading Roman Villa, The Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary, Isle of Wight Pearl, Quarr Abbey, Busy Bee Garden Centre, Ventnor Botanical Gardens, Isle of Wight Bus & Coach Museum, Godshill Model Village, Ryde Superbowl, The National Poo Museum and The Isle of Wight Steam Railway.  If you’re worried about visiting somewhere new and the facilities and assistance in place, we’d recommend calling ahead or sending an email or message on social media – there will always be someone happy to help. 

The Island boasts wheelchair-friendly beaches at Sandown and Shanklin, with several ramps along the beach front down to the sand. There are also beach wheelchairs available to book free of charge from the lifeguard stations at Ryde and Sandown, providing access to the beach and shallows for adults and young people living with disability. The beach wheelchairs are only available for use while lifeguards are on duty during the months of July and August between 11am and 6pm.

You’re spoiled for choice when it comes to food and drink on the Isle of Wight, with a great range of cafes, restaurants, farm kitchens and pubs to visit for a bite to eat. Many Isle of Wight eateries will use local produce within their menu, but if you’re looking to sample or take a taste of the Island home with you, we’d recommend trying our Isle of Wight Cheese, garlicky goodies from the Garlic Farm, Mermaid Gin, IOW Tomatoes and Briddlesford Farm cheese and dairy as signature Island produce. Some of the recommended accessible places to dine out across the Island include The Fighting Cocks in Arreton, The Globe in Cowes, The Garlic Farm, The Mill Bay in Ventnor, Caulkheads in Sandown, and The Isle of Wight Distillery in Ryde – each offering flat or ramp access, plenty of space inside and accessible toilets. There are plenty of other places for a special meal across the Island, but we would recommend checking websites and contacting ahead if visiting for the first time - some buildings (particularly pubs) are Grade listed and so may not be as accessible as others despite best efforts.

When you book your ferry and accommodation together with Red Funnel, you’ll save 25% on ferry travel to the Isle of Wight whatever the time of year. There’s a great choice of accommodation to choose from across the Island, from cosy cottages and coastal apartments to fancy hotels and glamping sites –many of which will be suited to your needs. You can browse our portfolio of places to stay online, and contact the Holidays team direct with any questions before you book at [email protected].

There are several holiday parks on the Isle of Wight offering Disabled Access Holidays, with adapted premium caravans and lodges for your stay, brilliant facilities onsite and situated in picturesque locations in the country or close to the sea.

Centrally located and set in acres of beautiful parkland, guests of The Lakes Rookley Holiday Park can reach anywhere on the Island in around half an hour, making it the perfect base for exploring. Whilst on holiday you will be able to enjoy the Lakeside Bar & Eatery, the Spinnakers Entertainment Lounge, adventure playground, indoor and outdoor swimming pool plus a host of activities and a variety of water sports such as kayaking and paddle boarding available on the lakes too. Or you can even book a picnic pleasure boat where you can sit back and relax with your own picnic and drinks, or order food from the restaurant and enjoy it in the middle of the lake. 

The Lakes offer an accessible ‘Comfort Caravan’ sleeping up to four people. This adapted caravan offers ramped wheelchair access, wider doorways and lowered surfaces making it more suitable for guests with disabilities. 

There is also an adapted ‘Luxury Island Cottage’ available sleeping up to six people, with contemporary furniture and fittings, plenty of space inside, wheelchair access and a wet room with grab rails. 

Registered Assistance Dogs are also welcome in all adapted caravans.

Nestled in a stunning location and overlooked by the Culver Cliffs, Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park has direct access to the private beach with a stunning shoreline and only a short drive to the quaint, picturesque village of Bembridge. Whilst on holiday you'll be able to enjoy a range of food outlets, the Nab Bar with impressive views of the bay, Culver Club where holiday magic happens as it's an entertainment space as well and the Beach Cafe, yes, you guessed, on the beach! For fun, you have the choice of an indoor or outdoor swimming pool and various play areas for the kids. There is Guest Services available as well as a well-stocked shop and a laundrette.

Stylish, comfortable, and convenient, the ‘Westwood Holiday Home’ sleeps up to six guests and offers ramped access, lowered surfaces, wider doorways, and a fully adapted bathroom for those with a wheelchair or physical disabilities. 

Whitecliff Bay also offers an adapted ‘Luxury Accessible Caravan’ and ‘Luxury Accessible Lodge’, built for wheelchair users and those with mobility issues with ramped access, wider doorways, lowered surfaces, and a wet room with grab rails. 

Registered Assistance Dogs are also welcome in all adapted caravans.

Located on the west coast of the Isle of Wight, The Bay offers beautifully designed holiday cottages just a stone's throw away from the picturesque Colwell beach. Take a dip in the indoor swimming pool or enjoy a beverage in the coffee house, there is even a soft play area where the kids can have a ball! The Bay Colwell is a luxurious and peaceful complex, perfect for active families, groups and couples seeking high quality accommodation for a relaxing coastal escape, or a base to explore the Island.

There are two accessible holiday cottages at The Bay, the first has a hot tub and is accessible with wider doors, lowered surfaces, a wet room with grab rails and a lowered loo. The second cottage offers the same, minus the hot tub – however there is ramp access to the swimming pool on site if you fancy a dip. 

Registered Assistance Dogs are also welcome in all adapted caravans.

To find out more or to request accessible accommodation as part of your booking, please email our dedicated Red Funnel Holidays Team: [email protected]