Why visit Hayling Island?
Hayling Island beaches
If you were to ask most of the daytrippers visiting Hayling Island from Portsmouth and Chichester what brings them here, most would probably say the beach. Whether you’re drawn to the colourful beach huts that line the island’s most popular shores or fancy the prospect of watersports like windsurfing, Hayling Island has several miles of gorgeous coastline to explore.
Hayling’s main seafront is bordered by a spacious shingle beach, where stretches of sand are exposed at low tide. The views over the Solent and the Isle of Wight make a gorgeous backdrop to barbecues, paddling or afternoons watching the boats go by… All three of the island’s main beaches – West, Beachlands Central and Eastoke – have plenty of parking, as well as handy amenities like toilets and cafés.
A Hampshire wildlife haven
Although most people come here for the beach, Hayling Island is a surprisingly green spot, with a number of nature reserves dotted around its coastline. The Hayling Billy Trail, an off-road route for cyclists and pedestrians, joins most of them up, passing through sand dunes, heathland, scrub and woodlands along the way. Bikes can be hired near Sandy Point if you haven’t brought your own two-wheeler, and it’s possible to arrange drop-off at your accommodation if booked in advance.
Fancy more nature-themed days out? Hayling Island is also just across the water from Chichester Harbour Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, where there are dozens of top-rated footpaths to try out.
A top family-friendly destination
Hayling Island is also a great family-friendly destination. The kids will have ample opportunities to keep themselves entertained if you pick a Hayling Island holiday park with a playground or a games room. Adventurous members of your travel tribe can also try out watersports like windsurfing – a sport with close connections to Hayling Island, as one of the first ever windsurfing boards was made here by local teenager Peter Chilvers in the 1950s; the activity has remained popular in the area ever since.
The best things to do in Hayling Island
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Classic fairground rides, arcade games and all sorts of seasonal special events are on offer at Funland, Hayling Island’s original theme park
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Take a nostalgic ride on the Hayling Seaside Railway, a steam-powered narrow gauge light railway that runs up and down the seafront
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Take the ferry from Hayling Island to Eastney Point in Portsmouth for a car-free day trip – this passenger service was purpose-built for bikes, which can be carried on board free of charge. Once on the other side, cycle around the quiet streets of Southsea, set off on the Langstone Harbour Waterside Walk or head into the centre of town to see top attractions like the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard and the iconic Spinnaker Tower
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Treat yourself to a round or two at Hayling Golf Club, a popular landscaped course overlooking the south coast.
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If you’re looking for a slightly less competitive game of golf, head instead to the island's family-friendly pitch and putt course – players of all ages and abilities are welcome to come and give the sport a go.
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For day trips off the island, head over to the attractive harbour at Emsworth before taking the path to Thorney Island, an off-shore wildlife haven owned by the Ministry of Defence
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Alternatively, drive over to Chichester to see one of South East England’s best-preserved cathedral closes, a Roman palace and the remains of a Norman castle
Unexplored Hayling Island
Second World War heritage
The seaside resort we know today was largely closed off to the public during the Second World War, when the island’s population more than doubled as holiday camps were taken over by the armed forces. Follow the World War II Heritage Trail to find out more about Hayling’s major role in the conflict, passing gun batteries, communications stations and a war memorial along the way.
Hayling Island’s oyster beds
In the 19th century, an ingenious group of investors set out to reclaim land from the sea and create wetlands suitable for farming oysters. After several decades of booming trade, with trainloads of oysters regularly being sent over to cities on the mainland, the oyster beds ceased production after the First World War. Today, these marshes are a nature reserve where you can see dozens of species of coastal birds as well as seals and relics of the area’s oyster farming past.
Down on the farm
Despite its small size, Hayling Island is lucky enough to have two farms where you can pick up the freshest local produce.
Stoke Fruit Farm is a family-run business selling fresh fruit and vegetables, but there’s so much more to see – pick your own pumpkins in autumn, stroll through fields of sunflowers in summer or visit in spring to see the farm’s fluffy newborn lambs.
Just down the road, Northney Farm is a dairy specialist with 120 gorgeous Ayrshire cows to its name. The farm has its own tea rooms where you can eat sandwiches, light lunches and home-made ice creams while looking out over Chichester Harbour.
Here’s how
Hoping for happy holidays in Hayling? You’ve come to the right place – we’ve got a range of sites to choose from, both on the island and in the surrounding area. Within that, we've got everything from traditional tent campsites to motorhome pitches to smart glamping sites. Popular options include:
If your perfect pitch isn’t free for the dates you had in mind, leave your email address and we’ll update you when new pitches become available. Alternatively, widen your search to take in all of our campsites in Hampshire, or have a look at other nearby areas like West Sussex and the South Downs National Park.
