Osborne
Queen Victoria and Prince Albert’s seaside home in East Cowes, with the historic house, gardens, grounds and private beach to explore.
MORE INFOWRWIGHTRIDES
Your Local Guide to
COWES &
EAST COWES
Isle of Wight
The Island’s famous sailing towns and northern gateway — discover royal history, the River Medina, marinas, independent shops, waterfront walks and world-renowned yachting, with WightRides available for local journeys, ferry connections and Island-wide travel.
Explore Cowes & East Cowes
Things to do, attractions & places to visit
Explore royal East Cowes, maritime Cowes and the River Medina. From Osborne and Northwood House to Cowes High Street, marinas, museums and world-famous sailing, there is plenty to discover on both sides of the river.
EAST COWES & ROYAL HISTORY
East Cowes Marina & Waterfront
A sheltered marina on the River Medina and a great place to watch visiting boats and explore East Cowes waterfront.
Cowes Floating Bridge
The chain ferry crossing the River Medina between Cowes and East Cowes — a distinctive and useful local connection between the two towns.
MORE INFOCOWES & MARITIME LIFE
Cowes Yacht Haven & Waterfront
In the heart of Cowes beside the High Street, the marina is a major hub for sailing and the town’s famous regattas.
Northwood House & Park
A historic house and park in the heart of Cowes, known for its Victorian connections and programme of community and cultural events.
Cowes High Street, Parade & Esplanade
Independent shops, cafés and restaurants lead towards the Parade and Esplanade, with views across the harbour and Solent.
SAILING & MARITIME HERITAGE
Cowes Week
The annual Cowes Week regatta is one of the town’s defining events, bringing yacht racing, visiting crews and spectators to Cowes each summer.
Classic Boat Museum
A fascinating collection of classic yachts, motorboats, lifeboats and maritime artefacts telling stories from Cowes, the Isle of Wight and the Solent.
MORE INFORed Jet & Cowes Gateway
Cowes is the Island arrival point for Red Funnel’s fast passenger service from Southampton, bringing visitors directly into the town centre.
Exploring Cowes or East Cowes?Pre-book WightRides for Osborne, marinas, ferry terminals, hotels, restaurants and journeys across the Isle of Wight.
BOOK A TAXIFind your way around
Cowes & East Cowes local map
Explore both sides of the River Medina, including Osborne, central Cowes, East Cowes and the ferry connections.
● Cowes● East Cowes● Osborne● Red Jet● Red Funnel● Floating Bridge
Food & Local Flavour
Places to eat in Cowes & East Cowes
Cowes and East Cowes have a strong mix of independent restaurants, cafés, seafood dining and relaxed waterfront places to eat. This section is ready for photographs to be added later.
COWES RESTAURANTS & CAFÉS
Smoking Lobster Cowes
Cowes High Street
Pan-Asian inspired restaurant celebrating Island produce and seafood, located in central Cowes.
Toninos Italian Restaurant
West Cowes
Long-established family-run Italian restaurant serving Cowes visitors and residents since 1979.
Number 3
Cowes Old Town
Intimate restaurant tucked away in the older part of Cowes, known for a locally focused menu.
Murrays Seafood Restaurant
Cowes
One of Cowes’ long-established seafood restaurants, with menus built around fresh local and regional ingredients.
The Coast Dining Room
Shooters Hill, Cowes
Central Cowes dining with locally sourced seasonal food and an informal all-day style.
Cowes cafés & light bites
Town centre & waterfront
Cowes also has a broad choice of independent cafés, bakeries and lighter places to eat close to the High Street, marinas and ferry terminal.
EAST COWES PLACES TO EAT
Prego
East Cowes town centre
Italian-style restaurant in East Cowes, close to local transport connections and the Red Funnel vehicle ferry terminal.
The Lunch Box Café
East Cowes
Local café in a Victorian building near York Avenue and Clarence Road, useful for breakfast, lunch and lighter meals.
East Cowes waterfront dining
River Medina / Marina
Visitors will also find waterfront dining around East Cowes Marina, with views across the River Medina and visiting boats.
A famous sailing tradition
Cowes Week
Cowes Week is one of the defining annual events in the town. The 2026 bicentenary regatta ran from 1–7 August and has now taken place.
The next Cowes Week is scheduled for 31 July–6 August 2027. The event combines racing on the Solent with a busy shoreside programme around Cowes.
During major sailing events, pre-booking local transport can be especially useful for ferry terminals, accommodation, marinas and evening journeys.
COWES WEEK
World-famous yacht racing and shoreside atmosphere in Cowes.
COWES WEEK INFORMATIONGoing out for a meal in Cowes or East Cowes?
Pre-book WightRides for restaurants, hotels, marinas, ferry terminals and journeys home or onwards across the Island.
Places to Stay
Hotels, B&Bs & accommodation in Cowes & East Cowes
From seafront hotels and boutique rooms to guest houses and self-catering accommodation, Cowes and East Cowes provide a useful base for sailing events, ferry travel and exploring the Isle of Wight.
COWES HOTELS & GUEST ACCOMMODATION
New Holmwood Hotel
Queens Road / Egypt Point, Cowes
Seafront hotel with Solent-facing areas and a strong position for watching sailing activity.
HOTEL WEBSITEVilla Rothsay Hotel
Baring Road, Cowes
Victorian boutique hotel with strong links to Cowes’ yachting history and views towards the Solent.
HOTEL WEBSITEPinnacle Suites Hotel
Central Cowes
Modern accommodation close to Cowes Yacht Haven and only a short walk from the Red Jet passenger terminal.
HOTEL WEBSITEThe Caledon Guest House
Mill Hill Road, Cowes
Family-run guest accommodation within walking distance of the town centre and Red Jet, with modern ensuite rooms.
WEBSITEGuest houses & B&Bs
Cowes
There are numerous smaller independent guest houses and B&Bs around Cowes, including properties within walking distance of the centre and waterfront.
Self-catering accommodation
Cowes & surrounding area
Apartments, cottages and larger properties can be useful for families, groups and sailing crews staying for several days.
EAST COWES & OSBORNE AREA
Marina View & waterfront stays
East Cowes Marina
Modern self-catering accommodation is available around East Cowes Marina, convenient for the River Medina and ferry connections.
Sovereign’s Gate Osborne
Osborne, East Cowes
Historic self-catering accommodation at the formal entrance to Osborne, giving visitors an unusual royal-estate setting.
East Cowes accommodation
East Cowes
East Cowes also offers holiday homes, apartments and smaller accommodation options close to Osborne, the marina and vehicle ferry terminal.
Door-to-door travel
Hotel & accommodation taxi transfers
WightRides provides pre-booked collections and drop-offs for hotels, guest houses and holiday accommodation throughout Cowes and East Cowes.
We can also provide onward journeys to Red Jet, Red Funnel, Newport, Ryde, visitor attractions and destinations across the Isle of Wight.
Staying in Cowes or East Cowes?
Pre-book your collection from your accommodation.
BOOK A TAXIGetting Around
Red Jet, Red Funnel, Floating Bridge, buses & taxis
Cowes and East Cowes are major Island transport gateways. This section links directly to current operator timetable information so visitors can check live schedules rather than relying on hard-coded times that may become outdated.
Red Jet
Southampton ↔ Cowes
Red Funnel’s high-speed passenger service links Southampton with Cowes. Current published crossing time is approximately 28 minutes.
VIEW RED JET TIMETABLERed Funnel Vehicle Ferry
Southampton ↔ East Cowes
The vehicle ferry links Southampton with East Cowes, with a current published crossing time of approximately one hour.
VIEW VEHICLE FERRY TIMETABLECowes Floating Bridge
Cowes ↔ East Cowes
The Floating Bridge crosses the River Medina between the two towns. Use the official timetable/service information for the latest operating details.
FLOATING BRIDGE TIMETABLEWightRides Taxis
Pre-booked local & Island travel
Pre-booked collections from ferry terminals, hotels, marinas, Osborne and addresses throughout Cowes and East Cowes.
BOOK A TAXILOCAL BUS CONNECTIONS
Route 4
Ryde ↔ East Cowes
Route 4 serves East Cowes via Wootton, Whippingham and Osborne House, providing a useful connection towards Ryde.
ROUTE 4 TIMETABLERoute 5
Newport ↔ East Cowes
Route 5 provides frequent links between Newport and East Cowes via Medina, Whippingham and Osborne House.
ROUTE 5 TIMETABLECowes bus connections
Cowes / Newport corridor
Southern Vectis also provides bus connections serving Cowes and Newport. Visitors should use the operator website for the latest route and service information.
ALL BUS TIMETABLESImportant: Ferry, Floating Bridge and bus timetables can change. The buttons above deliberately point to live operator information rather than displaying fixed times on the WightRides page.
Ferry collections made easier
Pre-book your onward taxi
WightRides can collect passengers arriving at Cowes Red Jet or East Cowes Red Funnel and continue to hotels, holiday accommodation, Osborne, Newport and destinations across the Island.
For a specific ferry arrival, pre-booking gives us the journey information before you travel.
Arriving in Cowes or East Cowes?
Arrange your onward journey before you cross the Solent.
BOOK A TAXITravel with WightRides
Popular Cowes & East Cowes taxi journeys
Pre-book local journeys, ferry collections, hotel transfers, Osborne visits and longer-distance travel from Cowes and East Cowes to destinations across the Isle of Wight.
Cowes→East Cowes
Cowes Red Jet→Hotels / accommodation
East Cowes Red Funnel→Hotels / accommodation
East Cowes→Osborne
Cowes & East Cowes→Newport
Cowes & East Cowes→Ryde
Cowes & East Cowes→Sandown & Shanklin
Cowes & East Cowes→West Wight
Cowes→Yarmouth
Cowes & East Cowes→Island attractions
Book Your Taxi
Cowes & East Cowes journeys made easy
Local journeys, ferry collections, hotel transfers, Osborne visits and Island-wide travel can all be pre-booked with WightRides.
Card payments are accepted and you can contact us by phone, online booking or WhatsApp.