Known for its superb beaches and seafront promenades such as Shanklin Beach and Ventnor Beach, the Isle of Wight is a great place to live.
The island offers residents a relaxed lifestyle in one of the United Kingdom’s most picturesque locations, making it highly desirable for people of all ages.
However, many local citizens enjoy visiting the UK mainland to attend live sports events, concerts and theatre shows in Southampton, Portsmouth or London.
Given that this involves travelling across The Solent, people have to give some extra thought when it comes to making their social arrangements.
With that in mind, read on as we offer a quickfire guide for islanders planning to book event tickets, ferry crossings or overnight stays on the mainland.
Event tickets
Tickets for football matches, live music events and theatre shows often sell out extremely quickly, which can be hugely frustrating for people planning their social activities.
Secondary ticket marketplaces such as Gigsberg are an invaluable resource, allowing people to buy and sell tickets to upcoming events across a wide range of entertainment genres.
People can access tickets for thousands of sold-out and high-demand live events, making Gigsberg the perfect place to secure coveted tickets.
Gigsberg is a resale marketplace: sellers list tickets, and buyers pick them up for gigs, plays, stand-up, festivals and sporting events in the UK and abroad. Sellers choose their own asking price, so a listing can cost more or less than the ticket originally did. Here’s what to check before you buy:
• Who you’re buying from. Gigsberg checks sellers before they can list, and each order is covered by its Buyer Guarantee.
• If the show is called off. When an event is cancelled outright rather than moved to a new date, Gigsberg arranges a refund. Digital tickets stay where they are; paper ones need sending back first.
• Getting help. You can browse and buy at any hour from a phone, tablet or computer. The support team is staffed for 16 hours of every day, all week, and you can reach it by email, the website or chat.
• Paying. Checkout takes Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Apple Pay and Google Pay.
• When tickets arrive. The original ticket company often releases resale tickets, especially mobile ones, shortly before the event. Tickets landing a few days, or even hours, before the show is normal.
Ferries
Ferry and hovercraft services operate from various ports on the south coast of England, including Southampton, Portsmouth and Lymington.
The journey takes around 15 minutes to one hour depending on the departure point. There are passenger and car-carrying ferries available.
There are three main operators serving the Isle of Wight – Wightlink, Red Funnel and Hovertravel. They each operate their own timetables throughout the year.
Last sailing times vary between location and operator, with the latest service generally running at 23:59 from Monday to Sunday.
Schedules can vary during off-peak, holiday or winter maintenance periods. It is always recommended to check the live booking calendar on the operator’s website before travelling.
Overnight stays
Islanders who attend live events staged in Southampton or Portsmouth are generally able to use ferry services to return home on the same day.
However, most people planning to attend events in London will probably not have time to make it back to the south coast to catch a ferry.
In those instances, accommodation comparison services such as TripAdvisor or Booking.com are an invaluable resource for people who live on the Isle of Wight.
The sites provide easy access to reviews and advice from their massive online communities. Users can find savings on hotels and get great deals for a wide range of other venues.
Search engines such as Google are also great for finding details about places to stay, where to eat and other associated travel information.
Regardless of where your chosen event is being staged, it has never been easier for islanders to enjoy a vibrant social life on the UK mainland.
