Tourist Shops

Right along Ventnor's seafront, you'll find the usual cluster of tourist shops doing what tourist shops do best - selling everything from Isle of Wight fudge to plastic windmills. These aren't going to win any awards for originality, but they serve their purpose well enough.

Expect the standard seaside fare: postcards featuring local beauty spots, Isle of Wight-themed tea towels, and enough fossil-related tat to stock a small museum. The fudge shops are actually worth a browse - the local varieties are proper good, especially if you're after edible souvenirs.

Kids will make a beeline for the bucket-and-spade displays and those spinning racks of seaside toys. Parents might find themselves drawn to the local honey and preserves sections, which tend to be better quality than you'd expect.

It's all fairly predictable stuff, but sometimes that's exactly what you want from a seaside holiday. Pop in after a day on Ventnor beach or before heading back to one of the nearby holiday parks like Appuldurcombe Gardens or Parkdean's Lower Hyde. The shops generally follow typical seaside opening hours, staying open later in summer months when the tourists are out in force.

Not essential viewing by any stretch, but handy for last-minute gifts or forgotten beach kit.