Wales is a Top Destinations

Anglesey

The Isle of Anglesey is just off the north coast of Wales and is separated from the mainland by the Menai Strait. Only two bridges cross over the Menai Strait into Anglesey, the Menai Bridge and the Britannia Bridge. Due to much of Anglesey's coastline having been designated as area's of outstanding natural beauty there are some really wonderful beaches and unspoilt scenery to be enjoyed around the whole island ranging from steep sea cliffs to sandy beaches.
Anglesey is home to the village with the longest place name in the UK: Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch which translates as:St Mary's church in the hollow of the white hazel near to the rapid whirlpool and the church of St Tysilio of the red cave. If this name is too much of a mouthful for you you can just use Llanfair P.G. as some of the locals do. There is a train station in the village where it is a popular practice for visitors to have their picture taken next to the station sign and you can also get your passport stamped at one of the local shops.
Beaumaris Castle which began being built in 1295 although never completely finished is still an amazing site. It is said to be the most technically perfect castle in Britain.
Anglesey Sea Zoo located on the shores of the Menai Strait is Wales' largest Aquarium. The habitats from around the whole of Anglesey have been re-created and there is also a shark pool, several tropical displays and much more.
South Stack cliffs RSPB nature reserve is well worth a visit for a look at the many species of birds which nest there, including Peregrine falcons. You can follow a path and then 400 steps which are cut into the cliff face down to the lighthouse which is open to visitors during the tourist season. The slow walk back up the steps gives you plenty of time for spotting birds on the cliffs.

Clywd

Prestatyn is set on the north coast of Wales in the preserved county of Clwyd has a history of tourism going back to the nineteenth century when the Chester to Hollyhead line came to the town back in 1848 and people have been coming ever since to enjoy the great weather and fantastic beaches that the area affords to visitors. There are 3 beaches in Presatyn covering four miles with donkey rides available on the Frith beach, and just up the road in Rhyll there is another wonderful 3 miles of golden beaches which is served in the holiday season by a lifeguard patrol.
Rhyl has an aquarium on the promenade called the Seaquarium which has Wales' only underwater tunnel so you can get really close to the underwater world and stay dry at the same time, many different underwater settings are recreated from shallow water habitats to deep sea settings. The Rhyll Suncentre with its surf pool, lagoon pool, and large water slides one at 200 feet and another at 300 feet long is well worth a visit. The Rhyl Sky Tower, is a 240ft high revolving tower with great views of the surrounding countryside and of the North Hoyle wind farm which is about 5 miles off the prestatyn coast. Further away in Llandudno there is a dry ski slope and toboggan run if your feeling adventurous.
Rhuddlan Castle, Conwy Castle and Denbigh Castle are all within 20 miles of Prestatyn. There are cycle routes all over the area and one particular route, the Sustrans Cycle Route(Chester-Hollyhead) of which a 7 mile stretch runs between Prestatyn and Rhyll is decorated with ceramic art installations along the route makes for a pleasant ride. If you can't bring along your own bike don't worry as there is a bicycle hire shop on the high street in Prestatyn. There's also plenty of walking to do if you enjoy the countryside, the Offas Dyke walk starts in Prestatyn and finishes 177 miles further south at Sedbury Cliff in Gloucestershire. Fortunately there are plenty of shorter walking routes too around the Prestatyn Hillside.

Conwy

Conwy on the north coast of Wales is a county of contrasts, there are hills with great views, the forested valleys with gentle walks and the towns and villages on the coast with their long golden beaches and promenade walks and traditional seaside entertainment. In the town of Conwy you will find Conwy Castle which is an impressive piece of architecture that was finished in 1289 for Edward I as part of his 'ring of iron' in Wales. The castle sits on a rocky outcrop over the Conwy Estuary with the view of Snowdonia in the background. As well as the castle a good proportion of the town walls still remain around Conwy and some of them can be walked on which helps to get good views around the castle from the outside to really appreciate its size and grandeur. The Conwy Suspension Bridge which was built by Thomas Telford crosses the river next to the castle. Gwydir Castle, a Tudor courtyard house set in grade 1 listed gardens in Llanrwst, is open to visitors although it could be closed some Saturdays for weddings and guided tours are available. The Welsh Mountain Zoo in Colwyn Bay has great displays of various animals some of which include Andean Condors, camels, tigers and bearded dragons, there are also falconry displays throughout the summer. Llandudno has an award winning pier which is a grade 2 listed building, and the North Wales Theatre is on the promenade where there is usually something on from musicals to live bands. You can ride the Great Orme Tramway(the only cable-hauled tramway in the UK) to the top of Great Orme from where you can get great views of Snowdonia and Angleseyand sometimes even farther afield. Also in Llandudno there is an artificial ski slope and toboggan run.
Inland and near the point that two other rivers join the river Conwy is Betws-y-Coed. There are some beautiful walks in the area one of which takes you to the Swallow Falls, the Conwy valley railway museum is found through the Betws-y-Coed train station and set in the old goods yard and includes a miniature railway and a tramway. Just a few miles away on the coast is Rhyl which is packed with loads of attractions such as an aquarium, Suncentre, and Sky Tower. Only an hours drive away and you can be in Snowdonia National Park or in Anglesey.

Denbingshire

Denbighshire occupies a thin strip of the north coast of Wales and continues south all the way to Llangollen and ends just short of the Berwyn Mountains. Two major seaside resorts are set in the county, one being Rhyl and the other Prestatyn, both with miles of wonderful beaches and with Rhyl beach having a lifegurd patrol operating during the tourist season, as well as both resorts having traditional seaside attractions Rhyl also boasts an aquarium, the 240ft revolving Rhyl Sky Tower and the Rhyl Suncentre with wave pool and massive roller coaster style slides. There is a coastal cycle path running from Chester to Anglesey and the 6 mile section which runs between the two seaside resorts has an outdoor art display along the route, and don't worry if you don't have room to take a bike with you as they can be hired in Prestatyn town centre.
What trip to Wales would be complete without a trip to a castle and there are several in Denbighshire some of the most noteworthy ones being; Rhuddlan Castle which overlooks river Clywd, Denbigh Castle which sits high above the town of Denbigh, which although mostly in ruins is still an impressive site and then there is Bodelwyddan Castle, although this is actually a Victorian fake it is impressive and it does have a portrait gallery and out in the vast gardens there is an adventure playground, garden maze, Victorian games room, gift shop and tea room. Some other places of interest in the county are the Marble Church in Bodelwyddan and the tourist town of Llangollen where you can take a steam train journey along the Dee valley, visit the Canal Museum and take a ride on a horse drawn canal boat or climb up to the ruins of Dinas Bran Castle which sits high up on a hill outside the town and from where you can get great views of the Dee valley.

Flintshire

Flintshire, sometimes referred to as the Gateway to North Wales, is on the north coast of Wales and bordering England. This puts Flintshire in a good position for visiting places in both Wales and England. Flintshire is rich in history and has some absolutely beautiful countryside too, and the county also boasts an award winning beach.
Some places of interest in Flintshire to visit include: St Winefride's Well in Holywell is the oldest operating pilgrimage site in the Britain and is known as The Lourdes of Wales, nearby to Holywell is the Greenfield Valley Heritage and Country Park which has several woodland walks and a farm museum and dotted around are remnants of buildings from the industrial revolution which are now scheduled ancient monuments. Other attractions near Holywwell include 4 golf courses, horse riding and trekking, course fishing or even sea fishing in the Dee estuary. The town of Caerwys is one of the smallest towns in Britain to have been given a Royal Charter back in the year 1290, Caerwys is surrounded by areas of outstanding natural beauty and stunning views across mountains and valleys. Attractions in Mold include the 13th-century parish church a small museum, and the regional arts centre, Clwyd Theatr Cymru. The nearby Clwyd Hills offer some great walks and arguably some of the best Mountain Bike Trails in the UK.
The Isle of Anglesey and the Snowdonia National Park are just over an hours drive away and the long golden beaches and traditional seaside entertainment of Rhyl and Prestatyn are only several miles further along the coast. The historic walled town of Chester is around a 25 minute drive away and you will find plenty to do there from exploring the Roman history of Chester at the Dewa Roman Experience or going to visit Chester zoo or maybe a boat trip on the River Dee and there's absolutely loads of other things to do there too.

Gywnedd

Gwynedd is on the north west coast of Wales and borders onto the Irish sea, this county has everything you need to make a great holiday, from relaxing on one of many miles of golden sandy beaches to walking on or around the towering mountains of the Snowdonia National Park, exploring the castles and other historic sites and towns or maybe enjoying water sports such as canoeing, windsurfing or jet-skiing. Some of the famous towns and villages in Gwynned include Portmeirion which is home to an Italianate resort village which was made famous when used to film the television series 'The Prisoner'. Beddgelert lying in Sowdonia is another well visited place and is famous for the 'Legend of Gelert', and the 'grave' of the dog Gelert is a very popular tourist spot, there are plenty of restaurants and pubs in the village and as the area is surrounded by some of the most beautiful countryside in Wales which this is a great place to relax and enjoy them . Around the town of Llanberis there are lots of different things to do such as going on the tour of the Electric Mountain which is the Dinorwig Hydro Power Station located deep inside the mountain Elidir Fawr, inside tunnels and caverns, at the time the construction was started in the 70's this was the largest civil engineering project ever undertaken in the UK. You can catch the Snowdon Mountain Railway train (a rack railway) which starts in Llanberrris and goes to the top of Snowdon and get to enjoy some of the most amazing views of the Snowdonia area. Just outside Llanberris there is the National Slate Museum which has slate splitting demonstrations, workshop tours and historical displays and the largest working waterwheel in mainland Britain and much more, the best thing is that you can get to the museum using the Llanberis Lake Railway which is a narrow gauge railway which usually uses steam trains, there are also several other stops along this line which are worth a look. Llanberris also has park and ride facilities to Pen-y-Pass which is a popular location from which to set of on a walk up to the top of Snowdon, as three of the popular routes; the Miners Track, the Pyg Track and the scramble up to Crib Goch can be started here. The two most popular castles in Gwynedd are Caernarfon Castle which is architecturally one of the most impressive of all of the castles in Wales, and Harlech Castle with its imposing and massive twin towered gatehouse. Bala Lake is a popular spot for enjoying a day on the water, there are several companies which hire out canoes, yachts and various other types of boats around the lake.

Powys

Powys is in the middle part of Wales which joins England. It hosts many festivals and events which are worth adding to your list of things to do in Powys. Llandrindod Wells Victorian Festival - this festival reflects victorian style talks and entertainments, dramas and music as well as street theatre.
Classical music fans will enjoy the Machynlleth Festival and the Presteigne Festival of Music and the Arts.
In the many villages and towns you'll find artists and crafters. The region has potters, jewellerys, weavers and wood carvers who create beautiful items in traditional ways.
Children will love the Museum of Mechanical Magic which has many wondrous automatons. If the kids are interested in wildlife they can have some unique experiences at the Elan Valley Visitor Centre, - including moonlit trips to look for badgers and other wildlife.
Railway lovers will enjoy both the Brecon Mountain Railways and the Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway steam trains.

Cardiganshire

Cardiganshire is on the central part of the West Wales Coastline. Its a beautiful area with towns like Lampeter, Aberystwyth, New Quay and Cardigan. There's some beautiful countryside inbetween and the coast is amazing with bottlenose dolphins seen regularly. The coastline is Heritage coast and protected.
There are many walks and tours of the coastline which can be slow and relaxing or more invigorating like a mountain hike!
Local food is celebrated with The Lampeter Food Festival and Cardigan river and food festival! You'll find many good local restaurnts providing local food.
The Constitutional Hill Aberystwyth has the UK's longest hill railways and the biggest Camera Obscura in the World.
Boat trips and activity centres are available for lots of outdoor fun and excitement.