Of the 7 campsites within 2.5 miles of Colwell Bay, 6 are good for families.
With children, Colwell works best around low water. When the tide comes in and the sand goes, Fort Victoria, about 1.5km along the coast path, makes a good second half of the day: crabbing from the sea wall, rock pooling, free barbecues and the Island Planetarium, listed at £4 for a child and £6 for an adult in 2026. The flat sea wall south to Totland suits a pushchair.
The places to stay are close. Linstone Chine is right above the bay, with free pitch and putt, crazy golf, a grass tennis court and a play park, but its own beach path through Brambles Chine has been restricted since the 2023 repairs. Heathfield Farm is a 10 to 15 minute walk and has five large pitches for big family tents and a playing field with two communal barbecue areas. The Bay, on Fort Warden Road, adds soft play and summer holiday activities.
One rule for the whole coast here: do not swim off Fort Victoria, where the council warns of very dangerous currents. Colwell is the calmer water. See camping with kids.
Holiday park · Colwell Bay · on the doorstep
Play area · Two-bedroom bungalows above the bay with free on-site games. Saturday to Saturday weeks, with shorter breaks by phone. No pets.
Chalets
from £90/night
ViewTouring park · Freshwater · 0.4 miles
Five larger pitches for big family tents and a playing field with picnic tables and barbecue areas. Walk to the beach in 10 to 15 minutes.
Tents, caravans, motorhomes
from £28/night
ViewHoliday park · Colwell Bay · 0.5 miles
Play area · indoor pool · entertainment · Cottages a few minutes from the sand, with soft play and pop-up activities in the school summer holidays.
Cottages, lodges
from £45/night
ViewCampsite · Freshwater · 1 miles
For organised youth groups only; Colwell Bay is about a mile from the field.
Pre-pitched tents
from £112.50/night
ViewGlamping site · Freshwater · 1.1 miles
Farm animals · Three-bedroom safari lodges with a cot and highchair included, about 2km from the beach.
Safari tents
from £342.50/night
ViewCampsite · Totland · 1.5 miles
About 2.4km south; walk into Totland and along the sea wall to Colwell in around 40 minutes.
Tents, caravans, motorhomes, cottages
from £24.50/night
ViewNo campsites match all of those.
Yes. It faces the Solent, so the water is usually calm, and the sand and shingle shelve gently. There is a cafe, beach hut shops and toilets by the slipway. Go around low tide, because at high water there is very little beach.
Walk about 1.5km north along the coast path to Fort Victoria for crabbing, rock pooling and the attractions inside the fort, or take the flat sea wall south to Totland Bay.
Linstone Chine Holiday Village (Brambles Chine and Cliff End), right on the doorstep.
Stoats Farm Caravan and Camping, from £24.50 a night for two adults, is the lowest price we can find over the next year. Prices change with the season and the day of the week, so put your dates into the calculator on this page.
3 of the 6: Heathfield Farm Camping, The Bay Colwell and Stoats Farm Caravan and Camping.
Not as far as we know. All of them close for part of the winter, so check the opening dates on each campsite's page.
Yes, at Glamping The Wight Way and Stoats Farm Caravan and Camping. Most want fires in a raised pit, not on the ground.
