The biggest professional cycling event in the UK, the Tour of Britain, comes to the Isle of Wight on Sunday, 11 September. The final stage of the Tour will start in Ryde and work its way around the Island, with the finish line right by the destination's most iconic landmark, The Needles.

Those wanting to watch some of the world's best cyclists compete at the peak of their game with the family can visit the Island to catch Stage Eight as it unfolds. To really make the most of the Isle of Wight, Wightlink recommends making a weekend of it, so below the ferry company has put together an itinerary some of the things visitors could squeeze into a Friday to Sunday stay.

Family-friendly weekend itinerary

Friday, 9 - Sunday, 11 September

By taking a weekend break on the Isle of Wight, not only will families get to watch the final Stage of the Tour, they'll also have time to visit some of the Island's famous landmarks, relax on one the glorious, sandy beaches and maybe even do a bit of cycling of their own.

Wightlink recommends families head to the East of the Island as a base for a weekend away. Around Bembridge, Sandown and Shanklin, there's an excellent selection of places to stay and things to do for families, and it's within easy reach of the Stage Eight cycling route on the Sunday.

Away Resorts' Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park in Bembridge is a great family-friendly place to stay – choose from quirky caravans, luxury lodges, chic chalets and pitches for traditional tents.

Day one - explore Bembridge and grab some dinner

To make the most of the day on the Island, book an afternoon ferry on the Friday after school finishes. Wightlink has ferries running every 40 minutes in the daytime on their Portsmouth – Fishbourne route, so visitors can pick a time to suit them.

Depending on ferry times, there may be time to explore the beautiful village of Bembridge before the sun goes down. The village's harbour is about as picturesque as it gets and Bembridge Windmill, the only surviving windmill on the Island, is well worth a visit, if only for the photographs.

Dinner will be high on the agenda, and visitors won't be short of options within Bembridge. Fox's Restaurant, only a few minutes' walk from the harbour, is a popular choice – they have an extensive menu of delicious dishes and cater for children as well.

After that, it's back to the accommodation to catch some shut-eye ahead of a busy Saturday.

Day two - fun in Sandown

Make Saturday as relaxing or as jam-packed as the family can handle, but Wightlink recommends visiting Sandown, one of the Island's most well-known seaside resorts.

As a popular holiday destination throughout the summer, the town is full to the brim with family-friendly things to do and places to see.

If there are animal lovers in the family, Wildheart Animal Sanctuary is a great place to start the day. Formerly known as Isle of Wight Zoo, the sanctuary is a family-run wildlife haven that specialises in looking after big cats and Madagascan animals.

If, in true Tour of Britain style, the family has packed up their bicycles, there's a great cycle route from Sandown that is perfect for a family ride. With easy terrain and only a five mile distance, the route should only take around half an hour to complete and there are some great places to stop off for a bite to eat and something to drink.

Then it's time for the beach! The warm weather should still be lingering in early September and Sandown is home to one of the best stretches of beach on the Island. Long, sandy and lined with all the amenities families could want – from ice cream parlours to amusement arcades.

There's then plenty of time for dinner and to rest for the night ready for the big Tour of Britain day in the morning.

Day three - take in The Tour

It's the final but most important day of this long weekend away – Tour of Britain day!

It's worth getting up early to settle in a good spot to catch the cyclists. Sandown is a great location to watch the race as it winds down from its starting point in Ryde and along the northeast coast of the Island.

Once again, head for the Wildheart Animal Sanctuary, as the riders will pass along the main road to its front, adjacent to the sea. Witness the race kicking into gear in this section, as breakaway riders attempt to build a gap in front of the main peloton.

The cyclists will pass through Sandown pretty quickly but given the nature of the Island, and the route the Tour takes, spectators will be able to catch the race as it enters its latter stages only a few minutes down the road in Shanklin Old Village. Relax and grab some food before making a move, as the cyclists will have to cross the entire width of the Island and back before they return to the east coast.

There will be a definite urgency as the riders whizz through Shanklin Old Village because they'll be building up as much speed as possible before hitting the south coast of the Island, home to the final straight towards The Needles.

After they've passed through, spectators may want to head into a local pub – there are plenty of options within Shanklin – to watch the final few miles of the race unfold on TV. Or explore the village itself. One of the Island's most picturesque locations, there are plenty of quirky shops, eateries and landmarks to visit, Shanklin Chine being one of the most popular.

If there's time left in the day, there are still plenty of activities in Sandown left to tick off the list. Dinosaur Isle, a museum dedicated to all things dino, is great fun for any Jurassic fans in the family. Sandham Gardens is full of things to do for the kids, too, including crazy golf, go-karting and skateboarding.

Once the children have been tired out, it's back to Fishbourne for the ferry home. Pick up a locally-sourced bite to eat at the port from Wightlink's Creek Café.

For more information, visit Wightlink's dedicated Tour of Britain hub:www.wightlink.co.uk/tob 

Notes to editors:

Wightlink is the leading cross-Solent ferry operator carrying almost 4.5 million holidaymakers and Islanders across the Solent to the Isle of Wight every year. Eight ferries on three routes complete over 45,000 sailings a year, giving Islanders an easy and frequent service to mainland Hampshire, and tourists an accessible way to enjoy a taste of Island life.

Having introduced its new environmentally-friendly ferry – named Victoria of Wight – in August 2018, Wightlink is proud to be heralding a new, greener era of travel between the Isle of Wight and the mainland. As a hybrid energy ship that runs partly on electricity, Victoria of Wight offers greener crossings between the mainland and the Isle of Wight. The Isle of Wight is also the sixth area in the UK to be awarded a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, meaning it's now recognised as one of the best places in the world to explore the sustainable way people interact with their natural environment.

With seamless train connections to Portsmouth Harbour and Lymington directly to the Wightlink terminals, getting to the Isle of Wight could not be easier. Passengers can step off the train from London, hop on a Wightlink catamaran and be on the Island from just 22 minutes, while the car ferries take around 40 minutes from Portsmouth and Lymington. On board, passengers and drivers alike can relax in the lounges and enjoy some refreshments before arriving on the Island to enjoy the range of attractions, events and experiences that make the Isle of Wight a leading destination for tourists.

www.wightlink.co.uk