Why Visit seaview?

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Until mid Victorian times, Seaview was a relatively unknown fishing village but, along with Ryde and Cowes, it became popular with the 'in-crowd' following Queen Victoria to the island in pursuit of pleasure and relaxation.  

A pier and a large hotel were built where ladies and gentlemen could promenade, people-watch and be seen.   Sadly, these two symbols of Victorian confidence are long gone, but the attractive esplanade and many elegant Victorian village houses remain, as does the Sea View Yacht Club, established in 1893 during the height of the Victorian period when the Island was established as the premier yachting venue worldwide.  Seaview is one of THE seaside villages to go, and is just that bit different from other resorts - full of tradition and quirky corners, with a naturally slower pace of life - it's a very special place to spend your holiday.

Every day, all day long, there is a plethora of boats and ships to watch from Seaview and, indeed, from Gullsands.  Ranging from vast container ships through naval vessels (including the wonderful brand new aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth which arrived in her new home in Portsmouth Harbour in summer 2017), to large and small yachts, fishing dinghies and RIBs.

The Sea View Yacht Club is unique in owning, and chartering, a fleet of beautiful keelboats called the Mermaids, each having a different brightly-coloured hull with spinnaker to match.  The Mermaids can be seen moored off the Esplanade and also racing on most days, between April and the end of September, especially during the height of the summer. 

During that period visitors can also enjoy seeing the large fleet of privately-owned Seaview One Design dinghies, the largest fleet of clinker-built wooden dinghies on the South Coast, the vast majority of which were built and continue to be looked after by the same family business, here in the village. Many of them spend the summer moored out just beyond the slipway, and they race every summer evening and are a wonderful sight in the glorious sunsets we enjoy almost every evening in Seaview, especially watched with a cool drink from the Old Fort pub on the Esplanade!

As well as the Duver beach immediately opposite Gullsands, there are plenty of other beaches in Seaview and in easy walking distance.  At the bottom of the high street, find the famous crabbing rocks where many generations of children (and grown-ups) have enjoyed catching the crabs and returning them to the sea, only for someone else to catch them again the following day!  Enjoy walking further along to Seagrove and Priory Bays with sandy beaches, rockpools and space for beach games.

Every year, in late August, the Seaview Village Regatta takes place - most of which is not sailing-based, and all are welcome to enter the plethora of fun activities - beach games, swimming races, diving, and the famous 'greasy pole' competition - culminating in a truly magnificent fireworks display from the water.

There is a good choice of pubs and restaurants in the village itself, on the edges towards Ryde, and within a few miles of Seaview, in St Helen's, Bembridge and Ryde.  We have a comprehensive list with contact details to send you, in plenty of time before your visit, so that you can choose and book where you want to go to eat and drink during your stay.

The island boasts a vast number of visitor attractions, ranging from Queen Victoria's holiday 'cottage' Osborne House, through the quite unique Garlic Farm, to Dinosaur Isle and Monkey Haven.  There's something for all the family to enjoy, if they can tear themselves away from the delights of sandcastle-building, crabbing and paddling in Seaview itself!

It never takes long to get anywhere from Seaview, and there are so many beautiful places to see all over the island.  Visit the Needles, Tennyson Down, wonderful beaches including that at Compton Bay, coloured sand at Alum Bay, and so on and so on!