Topic: Isle of Man 2026 does and dont's

[Bailgang]

Our youngest son and his wife has invited my wife and myself to travel with them to Dublin Ireland next spring, spend a few days in Ireland then while my wife and daughter inlaw do some more site seeing, my son and I will head over to the Isle of Man for a few days to watch qualifying for the TT. This is a first for us, the farthest I've been across my country's border is Montreal, Canada and Tijuana, Mexico. We're already booking flights and lodging (way ahead I know) but my question is to any of you who have been there and or are familiar with that area of the world and give me some ideas of what to see or do while we're there, what to expect and any advice on what NOT to do. I don't want to inadvertently do something stupid and piss off any of the locals. Even if we get rained out it will still be an adventure for us so I'm trying to make sure we make the most of it while we can because I don't know if the opportunity will present itself again.

[PeWe]

Guys on the Sohc UK site might know good details.
If you have a login. Easy to get one otherwise.

[simon#42]

Do what you like  , you will be made very welcome in both ireland and the isle of man . Plenty of things to see so do your research and pick what you want to see , you may not have a chance to visit again so try not to miss anything .

[Nasher]

Having been a TT, Manx Grand Prix and Classic TT visitor since 1976, I can concur that the Isle of Man is a beautiful, friendly place to visit

As you will be there for practice week, it's worth knowing road closure times - which may change if the weather is poor

As to what not to do: on no account go on the roads when they are closed, if you do you will spend the night in jail and be fined heavily

When the roads are closed, other spectating don'ts are:
Do not enter prohibited areas
Do not enter restricted areas
Do not disobey the marshals
Do not use selfie sticks
Do not overtake the roads open car
Do not block access roads
Do not fly drones
Do not remove any signs

If that all sounds daunting,  don't worry it's just common sense when you get there

As for the good stuff

Public transport is good, you can get multiple day passes
Try to get a lap of the course, the mountain section is one way. There may be coach trips available
Over the 37 & 3/4 mile course there are literally hundreds of places to watch from
My personal favourite is the bungalow (by the victory cafe). You can get the mountain railway to there from Douglas or Ramsey
Famous viewing spots like Balaugh bridge get very crowded, so get there early
Worth a trip to the paddock when practice isn't on, you can walk around freely
Other favorite viewing spots are: Creg Ny Baa, The Gooseneck, Sulby Straight, Cronk-Y-Voddy
Everyone has their own favourites

The biggest thing to be aware of, is that it's addictive! You go once and you want to go back for more
There is nothing like it anywhere else in the World - get over there and have a ball

I'll be there for the Classic TT in 39 days time and the 2026 TT in 319 days time - not that I'm counting


Any other question, happy for you to message me with your email address


(My Avatar is me on my 350 K4 at the 2018 Classic TT)

[Bailgang]

Thanks for all the input especially Nasher. Right now we're just trying to figure out what we want to see and experience and figure out an itinerary to make it happen.

[vfourfreak]

Hi Scott,

apologies for the delay in jumping in, as a Dublin native perhaps I can help . . .

As Simon says, there really are no does and donts, just have a good time.

First off, your most critical task will be to get accomodation sorted in the Isle of Man asap, as that will be in considerable demand. Bear in mind that while it is probably ideal to be based around Douglas, there are other locations such as Ramsey or Peel that may be just as attractive. Accomodation in Dublin is plentiful, but can be expensive. You also want to choose your location carefully, from the point of view of safety and accessibility. If you want to run a few suggestions by me in messenger, feel free to do so, I'll give you the best feedback that I can. While I have spent most of the last 21 years in France, I was based in Dublin during the Covid years, so I do have a good bit of recent knowledge of the city.

If you have not already booked your travel between Dublin and the Isle, it may be a good time to decide whether you want to fly or take the ferry. The flight is about 25 minute duration and is quite literally over before you know it. The ferry on the other hand is more like 3 hrs duration, but that will be where you will make your first new motorcycling friends. (At the bar of course). The ferry approaches the Island via it's south coast which is always a a lovely experience.

You might want to consider which means of transport gets you there early in the day, and leaves late in the afternoon to maximise your time there.

More than likely the visa you will use to enter the Republic of Ireland will suffice but check beforehand. The situation not totally straightforward

e.g. The Republic of Ireland is in the EU but is not part of the Schengen zone.
The UK is not in the EU and was never part of the Schengen zone
The Isle of Man is not in the EU and is not part of the UK.
The UK, Republic of Ireland and the Isle of Man are all part of the Common Travel Area so that may be your key unless you already hold RoI or UK passports. You should find guidance at https://www.gov.im/categories/travel-traffic-and-motoring/immigration/visit/

Bring plenty of motorcycle themed gear, even to include HD or Indian 
Be ready for rain, but you could get lucky, it will all be part of the experience. You can also get 3 seasons in one day. I remember helping my brother prepare his Yamaha TZ for the lightweight, and while it was bright sunshine on Glencrutchery Road, the mountain ascent/descent had rain and the summit was shrouded by fog. So be prepared for all eventualities.

I am sure you will have a great time there, and feel free to use me as a resource at least for the RoI aspects.

Kev