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Today, I want to take you around The Isle of Man to see and explore all the amazing sites and activities this amazing island holds! If you missed part one of this series be sure to head over here and check it out first!
Now, let’s dive into all the fun activities you and your family will be able to enjoy while on the Isle of Man!
If you look at the Isle of Man tourism site, you might notice that there are a decent number of trains or train type activities. As soon as I saw this, I knew I wanted to try one out! We decided to go on the Isle of Man Steam Railway. This amazing ride through the countryside was even more amazing than I had imagined.
The Isle of Man Steam Railway is the longest narrow gauge steam line in Britain that still uses its original locomotives and carriages. As you pop into the individual cars, you know this is going to be a unique experience.
Kids will love watching the steam come billowing out from the engine, and the adults will love watching all the beautiful scenery passing by.
Peel Castle
West Quay, Peel, Isle of Man M5 1TB
Peel Castle lies in the fantastically adorable seaside town of Peel. Have you ever entered a city or town and immediately felt wrapped up in the essence of the place? This is what you feel when you enter Peel. You immediately will notice the beautiful ruins of Peel Castle and the sprawling beach below. There are colorful boats, people kayaking out to sea and amazingly green hills.
It feels like a scene out of a movie, and you wish you could just spend all your days here. While the castle is great to walk around and take a look at, I believe the best views of the Castle and Peel are from Peel Hill right next to the castle. From here you can look out and view the whole area as one gorgeous picture. A climb to the top will also provide quite a workout for the day!
Castle Rushen
Castle Street, Castletown, IM9 1LA
If you are looking for the ultimate castle experience, then look no further than Castle Rushen. This is quite possibly one of the coolest castles our family has been to. It is in fantastic shape, and you can even walk through the large dining halls and rooms that were used by past residents of the castle.
CastleRushen really is the best mix of history lesson with an amazingly cool backdrop. Make sure you head all the way to the top of the castle where you can get 360° breathtaking views!
Curraghs Wildlife Park
Main Road, Ballaugh, IM7 5EA,
Curraghs Wildlife Park is Isle of Man’s only zoo, but it has so much more for family fun than just animal viewing. Curraghs Wildlife Park is filled with playgrounds, a mini train and so much more! This is definitely a fun, leisurely activity to pass the afternoon. This year, they will be adding a new exhibit called Lemurs of Madagascar! Be sure to check it out!
Laxey Wheel
Wheelview Wheel Hill, Mines Road, Laxey IM4 7NL
The Laxey Wheel is truly an Isle of Man treasure. I was so impressed with this amazing landmark, and my kids were even more impressed; still talking about it to this day! It is and will remain the largest water wheel I have ever seen!
One of the coolest parts of visiting the Laxey Wheel is that you can climb all the way to the top of it! Built in 1854, this marvel still is running to this day. With a 72 inch diameter, the Laxey Wheel or also known as Lady Isabella is gigantic! You can also visit and tour the mine right next to the wheel or go hiking on some of the trails nearby.
Sound Visitor Centre
Sound Road, The Sound, IM9 5PZ
The Sound Visitor Centre near Cregneash offers beautiful, panoramic views of the Island and the Calf of Man. Soak up the beautiful scenery and visit the restaurant after for lunch.
Ape Mann Adventure Park
South Barrule Plantation, near Foxdale, IM4 3ES
We didn’t have enough time to check this out, but it looks like a blast! This rope course will provide hours of family fun! The park is suitable for both children and adults with plenty to do. Or if all of that sounds too much, why not just enjoy a coffee and lose yourself in a book while the kids burn up some energy in the trees.
Looking for more ways for the kiddos to burn off some of their never ending energy? Here are a couple of parks/playgrounds that we found while on the island:
If you head to Douglas you can't miss the huge playground right on the waterfront. Kids will love climbing all around and the fact that this awesome playground is next to the water doesn't hurt.
On the other side of the Isle of Man Steam Railway Castletown stop you will find this whimsical playground that will provide hours of fun. I loved how colorful and fun this playground was.
As you can see this is not your typical island; Isle of Man is packed full of amazing adventures for your family vacation! Head over here to start planning your vacation and get started on your amazing Isle of Man adventure! FYI - The Isle of Man website has a fantastic feature where you can save and create a whole customized itinerary just for you! Click on the Itinerary Planner button to add any activity, accommodations or more to your trip itinerary!
A big thank you to The Isle of Man Tourism and partners for hosting our family in order to facilitate this review, all opinions are my own.
Check out more views of The Isle of Man below:
