EVERY time I go to the Isle of Wight, I fall in love with it again.

The scenery, atmosphere and often even the weather are so different from the Hampshire mainland that it nestles off the coast of.

The rolling hills and golden beaches make for stunning views and it has a laid back feel thanks, in part, to the lack of motorways, I'm sure.

This was our first trip to the Island as a family of four and with two preschool aged children, we had everything crossed for sunshine, so we could make the most of some of the stunning sandy beaches that it boasts – and we were in luck.

Our home for the long weekend was a superior lodge at Away Resorts Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park.

The park offers a range of accommodation, including lodges with hot tubs, caravans, chalets and glamping.

The lodge itself was very attractive and a generous size, including a private terrace, which was a lovely spot for enjoying the last of the days rays while admiring the views across rolling hills towards the Yarborough Monument.

We had some concerns about the fact that our three year old could open the door from the inside and unfortunately it wasn't possible for the park managers to do anything as the lodge was privately owned.

However, happily she didn't attempt to abscond and overall, it was a lovely place to stay, particularly with its large open-plan living space, meaning that it was easy to keep an eye on the little ones while making dinner, and the ensuite bathroom off the master bedroom.

The park offers a number of small play areas, which weren't really suitable for kids as young as ours, although they didn't mind.

The park also has both indoor and outdoor pools, the latter of which opens off of a restaurant/bar with stunning cliff top sea views.

The main clubhouse housed a small arcade and had nightly entertainment, which varied from professional singers, some of whom were excellent to less popular quiz evenings.

There are also daily activities for children, some of which are free, such as air archery, and some of which must be paid for, such as pottery painting.

The park boasts access to a gorgeous sandy beach, down a rather steep path, where a beach cafe is located.

Unfortunately for us, we struggled down the hill only to find the tide was in and the cafe was shut. Somethings are definitely worth checking first, especially when you have two small children in tow and a very steep climb ahead of you!

We were blessed with fantastic weather on our trip, so visiting the nearby beaches was a must.

Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park is in a great position on the east of the Island, and is a short drive to a wealth of attractions.

We headed to gorgeous Sandown beach, which although far from deserted, was also a long way from the crowded beaches one can look forward to visiting on a hot weekend on the mainland.

When everyone had had enough of sun, sea and sand, or when the grown-ups felt everyone had had enough, anyway, nearby Sandown Pier offered a huge amusement arcade and a great indoor crazy golf course.

The following day we hit Shanklin beach. While it was a struggle to park due to a regatta taking place, again, the beach wasn't crowded, despite it being a scorching Sunday.

Again, Shanklin sea front offers a huge amusement arcade, as well as a choice of crazy golf courses, bouncy castles, rides and more as well as a fantastic ice cream parlour which must have had a good 50 flavours to choose from, including a selection of vegan ice creams.

On our final day, we visited Osborne House. The English Heritage property which is the former home of Queen Victoria, is ideally situated in East Cowes, making a trip there the perfect way to get the most out of our final day before hopping on the ferry back to Southampton.

With so much to explore, including huge grounds, which combine formal gardens and rolling lawns, the Swiss Cottage, which was the royal children's play house, a small beach, play areas and, of course, the house itself, there was plenty to fill a day.

We headed back on the ferry, which was, of course, an adventure in itself for our children, all completely infatuated with the Island.

We will definitely be making the crossing in the opposite direction again soon.

* For more information about Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park and other Away Resorts destinations, visit awayresorts.co.uk