Join the Jet Set in Cowes, Yachting Centre Extraordinaire

If you are looking for beauty and speed from a sleek sailing vessel on the Isle of Wight, look no further than Cowes. Renowned the world over as the centre of yachting, the River Medina provides boating enthusiasts with a natural harbour at the river’s mouth. Cowes still can boast a small town ambience but a cosmopolitan atmosphere can be felt as well. Cowes is where the wealthy gather to compare and race their water craft.

Actually there are two Cowes towns. The town on the west is referred to as Cowes proper, and East Cowes naturally lies on the east with a bridge that connects the two towns. Each has its own ferry terminal. An author once wrote about the towns in poetic terms, “The two great Cowes that in loud thunder roar. This on the eastern, that the western shore.”

Cowes Attractions

Cowes Castle is home to the elite Royal Yacht Squadron, one of the world’s most exclusive yacht clubs. The town is a premier spot for sailing and Cowes Week is an event that most boaters, even those that only wish they owned one, don’t want to miss. It is one of the oldest regattas in the world and happens each year in early August. Powerboat races can be seen towards the end of summer after the regatta is through. The social scene revolves around pleasure boats in the town of Cowes.

Cowes has a few museums and cultural attractions that visitors may want to explore while they are on the Isle of Wight such as the Cowes Maritime Museum, the Sir Max Aitken Museum and the Classic Boat Centre where those that want to know more about the boating history of the island can increase their knowledge. A trip to Butterfly & Fountain Worlds is a serene attraction and Calshot Castle will give visitors a chance to see an artillery fort. For a real treat, explore Osborne House which boasts the distinction of being the Queen Victoria’s seaside palace.

Accommodation in Cowes

Cowes has a large number of accommodation options. There are lovely cottages dotted along the sea, efficiency apartments, charming bed and breakfasts, quaint guesthouses and a nearby caravan park for families that enjoy camping by the sea. Visitors will find that choosing the ideal holiday lodgings will be difficult just because there are so many quality accommodations from which to choose. There are delicious restaurants serving freshly caught seafood as well as a wide variety of restaurants, cafes and pub fare.

A visit to Cowes is like a visit to another world; one that is centered on sailing and big, beautiful boats. The beach may not be the best in Cowes, but the island has plenty more that are perfect for bathing. The yachting on the island though is best left to Cowes.