Where on earth is it?
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This is a small island where my gran owns a caravan site where we have our own caravan. I have been going there since I was a nipper and although it has changed over the years from a touristy place to more of a residential place, I love it to pieces. Most people haven't heard of Hayling Island unless they live in or around the Portsmouth area, probably because it is so teeny. However I would bet my bottom dollar that you will have heard of or even visited the infamous Isle of Wight, which is just west of Hayling and significantly larger. However bigger doesn't equal better.

How to get there
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Although very rural, Hayling Island is far from being out in the sticks. With the A27 running just north of the island, travelling to Hayling is simple. However being such a peaceful and lovely but remote island, Hayling isn't blessed with its own station. Havant station is the nearest link and as the bus service is good, travelling by train wouldn't cause to many problems.

For those looking to travel either to or from places further afield, Hayling is also within easy travelling distance of International airports and the European ferry port of Portsmouth.

By road you need to follow the A27/M27 south coast route or the A3(M) from London. Leave the A27 at the Havant / Hayling exit. Head South on to the A3023 which takes you on to Hayling Island. Road access to Hayling Island is through a single road bridge that makes up a stretch of the A3023. As the only access road this predictably can get busy during peak times, especially during the summer. All roads on Hayling Island operate either a 30mph or 40mph speed limit.

Regular rail services run from London Victoria, London Waterloo, Gatwick, Portsmouth, Southampton and Brighton to Havant station. From Havant station travellers can either take a taxi or hop on a bus from the nearby bus station.

National Express Coaches run services from London Victoria and other parts of the country to Havant Bus Depot.

There is also a regular foot & bike ferry service that takes roughly five minutes to cross between Hayling & Eastney.

Where to stay
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Obviously having my own caravan is pretty handy so I havent been to many other caravan sites. Hayling is geared towards caravan/camping holidays and only has two hotels - Langstone Hotel and Newton House Hotel, both of which look nice enough from the outside. However I find staying in a caravan half of the fun!

Warner Holidays seems a popular one and looks nice (http://www.warnerholidaysonline.co.uk/)

Mill Rythe Holiday village also attracts a lot of tourists. I visited when it belonged to Haven Holidays but not sure if it still does. It was very much a good family all singing all dancing holiday camp so definitely a good one for a family holiday.

Others include:
Fleet Farm Camping & Caravan Site
Higworth Caravan Park
Oven Camp Site
St Hermans Estate Co Ltd
Lower Tye Farm Camp Site
Elliotts Caravan Estates (north Branch)
Fishery Creek Caravan & Camping Park
Higham E.l Ltd
Woodstock Caravans
Ethelville Caravan Park

Higworth has a good reputation and Fishery Creek attracts a lot of campers and is quite big. Elliots is my particular favourite as it is opposite my site! It is another family holiday site with evening entertainment and all that (and a late liscence which is why I go there!). There are also many caravan sales sites where you can buy your own caravan. A lot of these caravan sites hire out pitches for people with their own caravans so it might be worth splashing out!

What to do
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Go to the beach. Its what Hayling is about. Hayling Island has over three miles of beaches along the seafront facing the Solent and many more miles of shore around the harbours of Langstone and Chichester. The three main beaches of the Island have won both the European Blue Flag and the Keep Britain Tidy Group - Seaside Award Flag for cleanliness and management.

The Hayling seafront is primarily a shingle/pebble beach above the high tide mark, with long stretches of sand below this line. Views of the Solent are exceptional with the Isle of Wight plainly seen and wide stretches of open water with yachts and ferries going to here and there.

At high tide the waters can get deep quickly and at low tides the waters are usually shallow, making the beaches excellent for swimming. There is a sand bank that stretches for about a mile into the Hayling bay, providing shelter from the larger waves for the beaches and at one beach, a 'lagoon' within which the waters warm nicely as the tide rises during the day.

About a third of the beach is protected by breakers which cut into the sea to prevent the removal of beach material and act as shelters from the sea breezes which blow throughout the year (and can be a bit strong in the winter). These breezes prevent the beaches and the Island from getting too hot during the summer (but still give you an amazing tan) and from being too cold in the winter. They also provide excellent sailing conditions for windsurfers throughout the year, making Hayling a very popular location for enthusiasts of the sport from all over the country and abroad.

Sheltered by the Isle of Wight, the waters of the Solent offer perfect conditions to those who enjoy sailing, windsurfing, power boating, jet skiing, kitesurfing and other water sports. It should then come as little surprise that windsurfing was invented on Hayling Island and the Island has since become an international venue for sailing.

Haylings history as a rural and marine based community has left us with a unique natural history and diverse wildlife, which can be found through a series for short scenic walks.

This is pretty much all there is to do on Hayling during the day, as it is very much a place for relaxation. There is no main highstreet so shopping is out of the question with the exception of little touristy shops, which can be quite quaint but Portsmouth is near and has a newish designer outlet called Gun Wharf. It also a historical town so you would find plenty to do or you could get the ferry to the Isle of Wight for the day. Likewise Southsea is even more accessible as there is a ferry which runs to and from Hayling. The beaches here are nicer and there is a busy pier with lots of hustle and bustle in the form of amusement arcades, fun fairs, gift shops and all the usual tack you usually find on a pier so is probably a good place to go with children. Saying that Hayling has its own funfair and its fair share of amusement arcades, though these are coming far and few between nowadays as it is becoming more of a residential area.

Of an evening there are many pubs which usually serve nice food. There is nowhere really for young people to go unless they venture off the island and head for Portsmouth/Southsea.

My opinion
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Hayling is a gorgeous little island that is easy to fall in love with. However at my time of life its not really happening enough for me. I wouldn't want to settle down and have kids there because it wouldn't be fair on them but I would eventually love to retire and move to Hayling Island in my old age. I haven't started my career yet but have planned retirement!