Best Things to Do in Wales – Ultimate Road Trip Itinerary

Wales is definitely the most underrated country in the UK, if not the world. Honestly, we hadn’t heard much about Wales until we watched the TV show The Crown and saw its stunning landscapes. We immediately added Wales to our bucket list!

Not only is Wales a beautiful country with kind people, but there’s SO MUCH to do! When we were planning our trip, we were overwhelmed by all the places we wanted to visit and things we wanted to do. So, we decided the best way to explore and experience the best things to do in Wales was on a road trip!

In this blog, you’ll learn about all the best things to do in Wales that create the ultimate road trip itinerary down the coast. Including medieval castles, coastal walks, scenic drives through the mountains, quaint seaside villages, and so much more. If you’re ready for a less crowded version of Ireland or Scotland but just as beautiful – plan a trip to Wales ASAP!

A Quick Intro to Wales

If you’re like us and don’t know a lot about Wales, let me share a few quick facts. Wales is a country located in southwest Great Britain that borders England. It’s most known for its rugged coastlines and mountainous national parks. Just like the rest of the UK, they drive on the left side of the road. So many people are intimidated by that, but honestly, you get used to it quickly. Don’t let it stop you from taking a road trip down the coast of Wales!

Something else that surprised us was how widely spoken Welsh (their native language) is in Wales. You’ll see it on all of the road signs, restaurant menus, and more. Of course, English is also widely spoken, so you won’t have any issues communicating in Wales if you speak English!

Ultimate Wales Road Trip Itinerary

We fell in love with Wales’s coastline, so our itinerary is focused on driving from north Wales down the coast to south Wales. Depending on how much time you have in Wales, you can add a few days or remove days (or even explore additional areas that are more inland).

Below is an overview of our Wales road trip itinerary. So keep reading to learn all the details about the best things to do in Wales!

North Wales

2-5 days

• Conwy*
• Caernarfon Castle
• Isle of Anglesey
• Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park
• Swallow Falls
• Betws-y-Coed
•  Portmeirion*

South Wales

3-6 days

• St. David’s Cathedral
• Pembrokeshire Coast National Park
• Tenby
• Freshwater West Beach
• Pembroke Castle
• Marloes Peninsula
• Gower Peninsula*
• Skomer Island*

*The locations noted with an asterisk are places we sadly didn’t have time for on our trip, so you don’t see details on those locations below. But we wanted to include them because if you have time, you should definitely add them to your itinerary!

BEST THINGS TO DO IN NORTH WALES

Caernarfon Castle

Caernarfon Castle is a medieval fortress on the banks of the River Seiont. It’s one of the greatest buildings of the Middle Ages, and it’s a must-visit castle in North Wales!

If you’ve watched the Netflix tv show The Crown, you may recognize Caernarfon Castle. They filmed at the castle during Season 3, Episode 6 for Prince Charles’ investiture as Prince of Wales (which is where it took place in real life too).

In addition to walking around the castle grounds and exploring the medieval passageways, there’s a multi-level museum, Royal Welsh Fusiliers Museum, where you can learn more about the castle’s history.

The castle is open daily from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm (6:00 pm in late summer and 4:00 pm in the winter), with the last entry 30 minutes before closing. The entry fee is £13/per adult (they also offer family and student rates). There are a few different car parks around Caernarfon that are a short walk to the castle.

Isle of Anglesey -Tŵr Mawr Lighthouse

Tŵr Mawr Lighthouse is located on Llanddwyn Island on the Isle of Anglesey. This entire area is absolutely stunning and well worth visiting! To get to the lighthouse, you’ll walk along a beautiful walking path across a beach and into the rocky cliffside terrain. Keep reading to learn all the details you need to know before visiting!

While there’s no entry fee to walk to Tŵr Mawr Lighthouse, you’ll pay for parking. Parking is at Newborough Beach Car Park, and you’ll begin your walk from there. It’s a relatively large lot, but it does tend to fill up on warm summer days! It’s a paid lot that charges a max of £7 for all day. But if you plan to be there less than that (not completing the whole walk to the lighthouse), it’s £2 for 2 hours (and 40 pence for every 20 minutes after that to £7).

There are bathrooms in the parking lot (that close at 6:00 pm). And during our visit, there were even a few food trucks, including an ice cream truck! But I’m not sure how often they visit, so don’t necessarily plan on being able to purchase food once you arrive.

It’s VERY important to note that Llanddwyn Island, Anglesey, is a tidal island, which means that you can only walk to it during LOW tide. During high tide, it truly becomes an island, and you won’t be able to access it on foot. Be sure to check the Llanddwyn Island Tide Times here BEFORE you plan your visit! You wouldn’t want to get stuck on the island when you try to return (there are no facilities out there).

To get to the lighthouse, there are two trails: the blue Saint, Sand, Sea Trail (the one we took) and the red Commonwealth Running Trail. The Saint, Sand, Sea Trail is about 5 miles and takes around 3 – 3.5 hours depending on how often you stop.

To start the trail, you will walk down to the beach and across it for about a mile. Then, you’ll reach the section where it becomes impossible to pass at high tide. But you keep walking past a brown hut (with another map) to follow the footpath that opens up between the grass hills. After that, it’s pretty straightforward! The trails weave in and out of each other on the island and we just wandered taking all the sites in. To get back, we went returned the same way we came (although there is a loop option that takes you through the trees rather than the beach).

In addition to the Tŵr Mawr Lighthouse, there are a few other sites along the walk – Pilot’s Cottages, Tŵr Bach Lighthouse, and the St Dwynwen’s Church ruins. We even saw wild horses when we visited!

Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park

Eryri National Park, formerly known as Snowdonia National Park, is Wales’s largest national park, covering just over 823 square miles. It has endless mountain views and hikes to explore. You could easily spend an entire week JUST exploring the National Park, but below are a few must-see places if you only have a day (like us). We hope to return one day to spend more time hiking in this mountainous area!

Betws-y-Coed

Betws-y-Coed is a picturesque village that’s the gateway to Eryri National Park! It’s conveniently located, so it’s a great place to stay, eat, or even shop during your day trip. Be sure to walk around the main street and over Pont y Pair Bridge!

It’s not a large village so you don’t need more than an hour or so to walk around. Betws-y-Coed is the perfect pit stop before heading to a few more sites in the area, including Swallow Falls! More details on that below.

Swallow Falls

Swallow Falls is just a few miles down the road from Betws-y-Coed. It’s a small pull-off (or lay-by as the Welsh say) on the right side of the road (if you’re coming from Betws-y-Coed), so be sure you don’t miss it! There’s a small entry fee of £2 for adults (£1 for children) that you pay by cash or contactless card payment at a turnstile entrance.

The entire area is paved with paths and steps to different viewpoints of Swallow Falls! This is a great walking path for those who enjoy a nice view without working too hard for it. It’s a gorgeous waterfall that was honestly more impressive than we expected! You don’t need more than 30 minutes here. Again, it’s just another great stop on your mini-road trip through Eryri National Park.

Fairy Glen

Fairy Glen is a beautiful gorge located on a farmer’s private property. While it is on private property, the kind farmers do allow you to hike through their property to get there for a small fee! The cost is £1 for adults, 50P for children, and £1 for parking (there’s a small gravel lot on their property). It’s cash-only. You’ll pay by putting it in a box before entering the sheep gate onto the path.

We heard about Fairy Glen from people we met while at Swallow Falls and decided to see it for ourselves!

It’s a short hike through their fields and forests down into the gorge. The terrain is uneven, getting rockier as you get closer to the gorge. We’d recommend wearing durable shoes for your hike and bringing some water. There’s two trails on their property and we ended up walking through both – so peaceful and beautiful!

The best word to describe Fairy Glen is ✨ magical ✨ – it truly feels like a scene from a Lord of the Rings movie! You can watch our experience here (16:02) on our YouTube.

Pen-y-Pass

Pen-y-Pass is probably the most popular and famous mountain pass in Eryri National Park because it’s the starting point for the trails (Miners’ and Pyg Track trailheads) to hike up to the summit of Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa).

At the top of the pass, there is a parking lot, but you do need advance parking reservations. The parking rates are: Up to 8 hours – £20.00, 8 hours to 12 hours – £30.00, Daily – £40.00. If you do plan to summit Snowdon, you need to plan for 5-8 hours. You can book a parking reservations here.

We didn’t have parking reservations, so we just drove up and over the pass because the entire drive is very scenic! Other than the parking lot, there are no other pullouts (or lay-bys) on Pen-y-Pass. But there are a few before and after the pass where you can stop to take photos and enjoy the views!

Dolbadarn Castle

Dolbadarn Castle was fortified during the early 13th century, but what remains today is ruins with a small, round tower. It’s just on the border of the Eryri National Park.

To get to the castle, you’ll park in the local authority-paying public car park across the road from the castle. There’s no entry fee. So, you’ll just walk along a short dirt/gravel trail for about 5 to 10 minutes before seeing the sheep gate to the castle grounds.

The castle grounds are pretty small. The main attraction is climbing the castle tower and enjoying views from the top. You shouldn’t need more than 30 minutes here!

During our trip, we drove from Betws-y-Coed over Pen-y-Pass to Dolbadarn Castle before turning back around. It was the perfect route to spend a day exploring Eryri National Park! Although as we said before, we do wish we had more time to explore some of the longer trails in the park.

Be sure to watch our adventures on our YouTube video, all about the best things to do in Wales!

BEST THINGS TO DO IN SOUTH WALES

St. David’s Cathedral

St. David’s Cathedral is a 6th-century church located in St. David’s on the coast of Pembrokeshire. It’s still an operating Cathedral to this day! On site, there’s also the Bishops’s Palace ruins that you can tour (more details on that below).

Over the centuries, it’s changed from the purple Cambrian sandstone to the worn stones you see today. We visited on a very foggy and rainy day, which actually gave us the most beautiful, moody vibe. The entire property is absolutely gorgeous and is definitely worth a few hour’s visit on your way down the coast!

Inside the Cathedral and its grounds are free to visit (but they do suggest a £5/per adult donation). It’s open Monday to Saturday from 10:00 am to 4:30 pm and Sunday from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm. There’s no parking on-site, but there are a few parking lots a short walking distance away (Oriel y Parc, CoasMerrivale, and Quickwell Hill).

The Bishop’s Palace (Llys yr Esgob, Tyddewi) is a ruined medieval palace just a few steps from St David’s Cathedral. Between 1328 and 1347, Henry de Gower turned the modest bishop’s home into an elaborate palace fit for a king. There’s lots of interactive signs throughout the Palace where you can learn more about the history during your visit!

The entry fee is £ 5.90 per adult (they offer family and student rates). The palace is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (or 6:00 p.m. in the summer), with the last entry 30 minutes before closing. Learn more about the most updated visiting information here.

Pembrokeshire Coast National Park

Pembrokeshire Coast National Park is a stunning 250-square-mile national park along the Pembrokeshire coast. It’s one of three National Parks in Wales (Eryri/Snowdonia & Brecon Beacons are the others). This is definitely one of our favorite areas in all of Wales—there are so many beautiful spots to explore!

It’s known for its breathtaking cliffs, golden sand beaches, coastal islands, endless walking paths, and unique wildlife. The most famous walking path is the Pembrokeshire Coast Path. It’s a 186-mile (300km) path along the coast that offers some of the most incredible views in all of Wales. It’s quite a feat to complete the entire trail, so most people hike a portion of it (like we did) on a circular footpath.

Also, in addition to the walking paths, people enjoy beach days at one of the many blue water beaches. And you’ll even see people surfing! This surprised us because Wales is not necessarily known worldwide for its beaches.

You can learn more about Pembrokeshire Coast National Park here. Keep reading to learn more details about the exact walking path we explored in the National Park!

Tenby

Tenby is a colorful seaside village in South Wales. It was one of the most charming towns we visited in all of Wales! While the pastel-colored buildings reminded us of Italy, the town has so much more character, including 13th-century town walls and even castle ruins.

There’s lots to do in the city – from dining and shopping along the cobblestone streets to enjoying a beach day on one of the beaches. This is the perfect place to spend a day (or even two!) just wandering around and see what you find. We only spent a few hours here but wish we could have spent at least a full day here!

Some of the”must-see” sites in Tenby include Tenby Harbor, Castle Beach, St. Catherine’s Island, North or South Beach, Tenby Castle, and strolling along the Harbor.

Pembroke Castle

Pembroke Castle is a medieval castle right in the city center of Pembroke. It’s most famous for being the birthplace of Henry VII. Another unique fact is that it’s the only castle in Britain built over a natural cavern, known as the Wogan.

The castle is open daily from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm, with the last entry at 4:30 pm. They offer free guided tours at 11:00 am, 12:00 pm, 1:00 pm, 2:00 pm, and 3:00 pm. This is a great way to learn more about the history of the castle!

Tickets can be purchased on-site upon arrival (you do not need a reservation, nor do they offer advanced online ticket sales).

One of my favorite things about this castle is that there’s a walking path around the exterior, so you can get great views of the entire castle! The short path goes right under/against the castle walls and another one across the water. Definitely a great spot to take photos of Pembroke Castle!

Marloes Peninsula

Marloes Peninsula is actually part of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, but I wanted to include it separately because it was easily one of our favorite things we did on the entire trip. The Marloes Peninsula coastal walk was STUNNING!

If you do the entire coastal loop, it’s about 6.5 miles and takes around 3 hours (depending on how often you stop for photos). It took us closer to 4 hours because we kept stopping to take photos lol. While the path isn’t difficult, it can be narrow and uneven, so be sure to wear sturdy shoes.

The first few miles (from the start of the trail near Marloes Sands to Deer Park) are definitely the most stunning. If you don’t have time or just don’t want to walk the entire loop, we recommend turning around at Deer Park (at any time before then).

There is a large paid parking lot at the start of the trail (Marloes Sands National Trust Car Park). A short walk from the parking lot, there are bathrooms and a few cafes. After our walk, we ate lunch at Runwayskiln. It was delicious and 100% the best meal of our trip! I HIGHLY recommend stopping there to grab a drink or a meal either before or after your walk.

Want to get a better idea of this coastal walk? Check out our South Wales YouTube video!

Freshwater West Beach

If you are a Harry Potter fan, then you NEED to visit Freshwater West Beach. It’s the movie location of the Shell Cottage and the burial spot of Dobby the house elf in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part One.

While the Shell Cottage was deconstructed once filming was finished, Harry Potter fans have built a sweet little memorial to Dobby. People have left painted rocks, socks, and even a wooden cross over his fictional grave.

To find Dobby’s grave, you’ll map to Freshwater West Beach. There is limited parking along the roadside (especially if you go on a sunny Saturday afternoon like us) since it’s also a popular beach to enjoy (outside of the Harry Potter site).

After parking, you’ll walk across the paths on the dunes for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on where you parked. A local saw us looking around and immediately pointed us in the direction of Dobby’s grave. But in case you can’t find it and don’t have a kind Welsh person to help you, here are the exact coordinates: 51.6576875, -5.0593125.

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