The Needles is named after a row of three stacks of chalk that rise about 30m out of the sea off the western extremity of the Isle of Wight in the English Channel close to Alum Bay. The beach is privately owned and is accessed by a chairlift. Famous for its different layers of coloured sand within the cliff face at Alum visitors are offered boat trips out to see the Needles rocks and the famous lighthouse that sits at the furthest point out.
At the top of the cliff there is a pleasure park where visitors can visit amusements, watch glass being blown, or sweets being made. There is ample parking on site.