Isle of Wight

The Isle of Wight needs 2 days: Osborne House, Queen Victoria's private summer residence in Cowes, on one, and The Needles, chalk stacks rising from the sea at the island's western tip, on the other. May-September is best. It's mid-priced by British standards. Cowes hosts the world's oldest and most prestigious sailing regatta (Cowes Week, since 1826), and the whole island can be driven around in a little over an hour, making it a classic short trip from England's south coast.