Southland Club Campsite, Isle of Wight Review (2023 & 2025)
- thecaravanningmummy
- Jun 28
- 6 min read
Updated: Jul 5
There are some campsites you don’t just visit once…
There are campsites you enjoy, and then there are the ones you find yourself booking again without hesitation.
Southland Club Campsite falls firmly into that second category for us.
We first stayed here during October half term 2023, and it instantly became one of those sites that just worked for our family. Peaceful, well-kept, easy to navigate, and in a brilliant location for exploring the Isle of Wight.
So when we found ourselves heading back again in October half term 2025, it honestly felt like returning somewhere familiar rather than trying a new site.
We’ve now visited twice and still feel like we’ve barely scratched the surface of the island… which says a lot about both the Isle of Wight and this campsite being such a strong base.
🏕️ Southland Club Campsite at a Glance
📍 Location: Isle of Wight
🏕️ Site Type: Caravan and Motorhome Club Site
🚐 Pitch Type: Hardstanding (both stays)
🐶 Dog Friendly: Yes
👨👩👦 Best For: Families, couples, and relaxed island exploring
🌙 Atmosphere: Quiet, calm, and well-kept
⭐ Overall Score: 9.5/10
Why We Visited
Our first visit in October half term 2023 was a standalone family break, purely to explore the Isle of Wight during a quieter time of year.
We wanted:
A central base on the island
A family-friendly site with good facilities
Somewhere dog-friendly for Hugo
Easy access to attractions without constant moving
Southland ticked all of those boxes.
We came away genuinely impressed and immediately added it to our “we’d go back here” list.
Why We Returned
Fast forward to October half term 2025, and we were back again.
The main reason? There is just so much to do on the Isle of Wight that one trip didn’t feel like enough.
Two trips later, and we still feel like we’ve only scratched the surface of what’s possible here.
That, in itself, probably says everything about both the destination and the campsite.
Facilities
Southland Club Campsite is exactly what you expect from a Caravan and Motorhome Club site, and that’s a good thing.
Everything is kept to a high standard, with a real focus on cleanliness and practicality rather than flashy extras.
What you’ll find on site:
Spotless toilet and shower blocks
Well-maintained hardstanding pitches
Reception with basics available
Children’s play area
Dog-friendly site
Experience Freedom safari huts for non-caravanning friends/family
There’s nothing over-the-top here, but everything you actually need is done really well.
It feels calm, organised, and easy to settle into straight away — which, for a family caravan trip, makes a huge difference.
Pitches
Both of our stays were on hardstanding pitches, and interestingly, we ended up on the exact same pitch both times, completely by chance.
The pitches at Southland are:
Nicely level (no faffing with ramps forever)
Well maintained and tidy
Good size for caravan, awning and car setup
Laid out in a way that still feels open and calm
There’s a nice balance here, it doesn’t feel cramped, but it also doesn’t feel like you’re miles away from facilities either.
Food & Drink
We didn’t rely on on-site food or any big dining options here, but one place absolutely stood out during both visits:
🐄 The Cow at Tapnell Farm
This became a bit of a must-visit for us.
We went during our first stay… and then ended up going back again in 2025 because it was that good.
It’s one of those places that works brilliantly for families, relaxed, easygoing, and tied in perfectly with a visit to Tapnell Farm Park.
Even if you’re not planning a full day there, it’s well worth making time for lunch or Dinner.
📍 Nearby Attractions
One of the biggest strengths of Southland is its central location on the island.
You can genuinely reach most parts of the Isle of Wight fairly easily from here, which makes it a brilliant base if you don’t want to move sites.
Some of our favourite nearby places include:
🏰 Osborne House
🏰 Carisbrooke Castle
🐑 The Garlic Farm
🏖️ Shanklin Beach
🏖️ Sandown Beach
🌊 The Needles
🦁 Amazon World Zoo Park
🌿 Shanklin Chine
🚜 Tapnell Farm Park
The mix is really what makes it special, beaches, history, farms, and family attractions all within reach.
Even after two visits, we still feel like there’s more we haven’t managed to fit in yet.
Travelling with Hugo
Hugo came with us on both trips, and the Isle of Wight is a really easy destination when travelling with a dog.
A few things that made it simple:
Ferry crossings had dog-friendly areas, so he didn’t have to stay in the car
Lots of open spaces and walks across the island
Generally relaxed, dog-friendly atmosphere everywhere we went
Once on site, Southland itself was calm and easy, no stress, no overcrowding, just a peaceful base to come back to after days out.
For us, it worked really well as a dog-friendly trip.
⚠️ Things to Note
There are a couple of practical things worth knowing before you arrive:
🚗 Arrival timing matters
There’s nowhere to really pull over early near the site, so you can’t just arrive hours ahead and wait around.
It’s best to time your ferry crossing so you arrive closer to check-in rather than early.
It’s a quiet site
This is a big plus for us, but worth knowing if you’re looking for entertainment or activity on-site, this isn’t that kind of campsite.
It’s very much a peaceful base site.
You’ll likely need the car
We didn’t really walk anywhere directly from site, so you’ll be driving out for most days.
But the upside is that everything is fairly central, so you’re never too far from anything on the island.
Little Things We Loved
These are the bits that don’t always make it into a standard review, but really shape how a place feels:
Ending up on the same pitch twice by accident
That instant “we know this place” feeling on arrival the second time
Quiet evenings on site after busy days out
The sense that the island still has loads left for us to explore
The simplicity of everything just working exactly as it should
Nothing flashy, just a really easy, relaxed experience both times.
👍 Pros & Cons
What we loved
✔ Exceptionally peaceful, even in half term
✔ Brilliant central base for exploring the Isle of Wight
✔ Spotless, well-maintained facilities
✔ Hardstanding pitches were level and spacious
✔ Great play area for younger kids
✔ Dog-friendly and easy travel with Hugo
✔ Ferry crossing with dog-friendly areas
✔ Experience Freedom safari huts for non-caravan stays
✔ Feels safe, calm and very family-friendly
✔ So much to do nearby, ideal for repeat visits
What to consider
✖ No real walking options directly from site
✖ No early arrival waiting area nearby
✖ Very much a “base site” rather than entertainment-led
✖ You’ll need to drive to explore the island properly
⭐ Our Ratings
📍 Location: 10/10
🚿 Facilities: 10/10
👨👩👦 Family Friendly: 10/10
🐶 Dog Friendly: 10/10
💷 Value for Money: 9/10
⭐ Overall Score: 9.5/10
👨👩👦 Who Is This Site Perfect For?
✅ Ideal for:
Families wanting a peaceful Isle of Wight base
Couples looking for a quiet, relaxed site
Dog owners travelling with pets
Anyone planning multiple days of island exploring
Caravan and motorhome owners who prefer calm, well-kept sites
❌ Less ideal for:
People wanting on-site entertainment or activities
Those wanting pubs, beaches or shops within walking distance
Holidaymakers who prefer lively, busy parks
Would We Return?
Yes, without hesitation.
We’ve now stayed twice and would happily return again. In fact, the biggest issue isn’t whether we’d come back… it’s that there’s still so much of the Isle of Wight we haven’t managed to see yet.
Southland works so well because it removes any stress from the holiday. You arrive, set up, and everything just works.
It’s the kind of site that makes island touring feel easy.
Final Thoughts
Southland Club Campsite is one of those rare places that quietly gets everything right.
It’s not flashy, it’s not over-the-top, and it doesn’t try to be anything it’s not. Instead, it offers something much better, a calm, reliable, beautifully kept base for exploring one of the UK’s most rewarding holiday destinations.
We’ve stayed here twice during October half term, and both times it gave us exactly what we needed: space to switch off, time together as a family, and the freedom to explore the Isle of Wight at our own pace.
And the fact we still haven’t seen everything the island has to offer? That probably tells you everything you need to know.
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