Family-Friendly Ideas for a Holiday in Wales

There are so many stunning places to visit across Wales, and it is well worth a visit if you are looking for a holiday that doesn’t require hopping on a plane abroad this year. You will be surprised by what can be found when you start looking a little closer to home. There are so many parts of the UK that are charming and have loads to offer, plus it’s more budget-friendly if you enjoy travelling and want to enjoy frequent holidays and adventures. To narrow things down a little, we will be looking at just Wales.

Accommodation

To help you figure out what kind of holiday you’d like, you should start by thinking about your accommodation. If the weather is guaranteed to be nice, then a camping trip could be great fun; caravanning is also really popular too. If you prefer to stay in a home away from home, a rental cottage is a great choice, and nothing can beat a dreamy, cosy cottage in an idyllic town. You can easily find holiday properties to rent online, a great site for holiday cottages is cottages-to-rent.co.uk, who feature a great selection of hand-picked cottages in all of the most picturesque locations. They include pet-friendly cottages too, which is a great option if you want to bring along your family dog for the adventure!  Rental properties are a good option if you prefer self-catered and having the place to yourself, but there will always be plenty of hotels and B&Bs if that’s more your thing. 

Areas to Visit

Wales is a fairly big place to visit, so you will have to decide which location takes your interest the most. Here are a few popular places to visit and why:

Wye Valley

Wye Valley is the perfect place if you are stuck choosing between England and Wales because it sits across both! This stunning, picturesque location isn’t labelled an Area of Outstanding Beauty for nothing, so if nature, woodland, and scenic river walks are your thing – this is a great choice. 

Kids who enjoy adventure and nature will appreciate the scenery here, but there are plenty of attractions and activities to keep them busy too. Many of the great things to see and do in the area are nature-centric and come with no price tag, like the Forest of Dean Sculpture Trail, but you can also explore Caldicot Castle, Gloucester Cathedral and the Wye Valley Butterfly Zoo. The Myths and Legends guide for Wye Valley and The Forest of Dean is full of ideas and trails for adventurous kids with an interest in mythology, so it is also a great source of inspiration. 

Pembrokeshire

Pembrokeshire is situated in the South-West of Wales and has stunning coastal views. If you enjoy coastal holidays, Pembrokeshire is a great place to visit. For kids full of energy seeking thrills and attractions, you won’t be short of fun-filled days. Oakwood Theme Park is the biggest theme park in Wales with over 40 rides to keep the kids thoroughly entertained. Blue Lagoon Waterpark is another great choice for a high-energy family, the kids will be entertained for hours and they cater to all levels of swimmers, with shallow pools and lazy floating rivers as well as torpedo pools and slides for the more confident. 

Pembroke Castle and Castell Henllys Iron Age Village are great places for children interested in history, and if you want to be sent back even further in time, Tenby Dinosaur Park is another popular attraction. Of course, whilst you are spoilt for choice with exciting attractions, from water parks to Folly Farm Adventure Park and Zoo, there is a lot of natural beauty to enjoy too. 

Stackpole Nature Reserve is a great place for nature lovers and Barafundle Bay prides itself as one of Britain’s most popular beaches. Llys y Fran Country Park and Reservoir is another great location for nature lovers and also a great choice if you love water activities – if water sports aren’t your thing, they have great cycle trails too! There are plenty of nature reserves, beaches, and scenic locations to visit if that’s what your family enjoys best and they are great for your budget too, as most scenic locations are free to visit!

Anglesey 

Head further north along the coast, and you will eventually reach the bridges you will need to cross to reach the final pick on this list – Anglesey. This island of the mainland’s North West coast can be reached by crossing the 19^th century Menai Suspension Bridge or the Britannia Bridge, across the Menai Strait. Anglesey is home to Beaumaris Castle, famous as ‘the greatest castle never built’ and a great spot for castle lovers. For a stunning country house, the National Trust’s Plas Newydd House and Gardens are well worth the visit. Holyhead Island is also a great place to visit, as is South Stack for its Lighthouse and Puffin watching. 

Anglesey is a great location for beach-lovers as you can travel along the coast and hop from beach to beach, Anglesey has even awarded 6 of its beaches with a blue flag so you know which to pick for the best quality of cleanliness, safety, and facilities. Among these are Porth Dafarch, popular for its rock pools and kayaking, and Treaddur Bay which has a lovely stretch of sandy beach with a promenade for shops. For a great beach and forest combo, Newborough Beach is another great option, especially if you want to bring your bikes along. 

Start Planning

The hardest choice you will have to make is deciding which area you want to visit first. There are so many great places to discover and explore, it’s going to be a tough decision, but if you’re local to the UK then you should feel at ease knowing these places are so close to your doorstep. Whilst holidays abroad are exciting and have their own share of great things to offer, there are so many great experiences to enjoy in the UK too. Once you’ve made up your mind about where you would like to visit first, you need to decide a few more things:

Firstly, you should work out your overall budget. Assign a good portion to your accommodation and food costs – remember that if you stay in self-catered cottage, for example, you can save money by doing a regular food shop, but you will likely want to spend money on restaurants and cafes too so still add that in! Driving is the easiest travel option, but you will still need to account for fuel costs. Then you should work out ticket costs and entry for any attractions you are likely to visit, but you can save money here too by opting for some of the many fantastic free-to-visit locations like woodland walks and beaches. Your budget should also help you figure out how long your holiday will be; just don’t forget to book the time off work. 

Wherever you choose to visit, no matter your budget, there are so many great things to see and do and some of the best places to visit come free. Travelling with kids is a great way to build treasured family memories together, if you start these adventures from an early age, they will be able to appreciate the fun that comes from stepping away from their video games and it’s a great excuse for you to put down your own phones and devices. So, put on your adventuring clothes and start exploring!

Thanks for reading xxx