Isle of Wight Aqua Park

The Isle of Wight Aqua Park sits just outside Yarmouth on the island's western tip, and it's the sort of place that works brilliantly if you've got restless children who need burning out before dinner. Water slides, inflatables, and splash pools make up the core offer - nothing revolutionary, but proper fun on a sunny day.

It's genuinely geared towards families with young kids rather than thrill-seekers hunting for extreme rides. Most children get a solid couple of hours out of it before the novelty wears thin, though that very much depends on age and how many times they can tolerate sliding down the same chute.

Staying at Tapnell Farm Holiday Destination or Tom's Eco Lodge puts you within spitting distance - both are practically on the doorstep, which makes it dead handy for a half-day activity slot. If you're based at one of the parks further out like Camp Wight or Glamping The Wight Way, it's still only a short drive.

Best visited mid-week when the crowds thin out, or early in the season before school holidays kick in. Summer peak times get rammed. Fair weather essential - a grey, drizzly day kills the appeal stone dead.

Worth slotting into a wider Isle of Wight holiday as a rainy-day backup or a morning quickie, but don't plan your whole trip around it. The island's beaches and coastal walks offer considerably more than a couple of hours at the water park.