Trying to figure out where to go on your Trip to North Wales?
After Exploring the very best things to do on a North Wales Road Trip, I’ve got you covered!
I am Welsh and have explored its roads and the best things to do hundreds of times and I cannot recommend this part of the country enough!
Ancient woodlands, Insta Worthy Lakes and Misty Mountains. This is just a start to the amazing things you can see during a visit to North Wales.
But which places are worth adding to your itinerary?
Let me walk you through the ultimate places that every Welsh person would recommend you visit for an unforgettable trip.
Planning A Trip? Use The Resources Below!
► Accommodation– I Recommend Booking.Com
► Local Tours– I Recommend Viator.Com
► Car Rental– I Always Use DiscoverCars.Com
North Wales By Car (Or Public Transport) Quick Guide:
Route Time: Without stopping, it takes around 4 hours
Where To Stop In 5-7 Days (If you have less time cut out the * stops)
✔️ Day 1: Arrive at Snowdonia National Park
✔️ Day 2: Climb Cadair Idris or Snowdon at sunrise*
✔️ Day 3: Explore Pistyll Rhaedr Waterfall
✔️ Day 4: Visit Wrexham and spot the Hollywood-like sign*
✔️ Day 5: Spend the day at Bangor and relax at nearby beaches like Beaumaris*
✔️ Day 6: Take the Bridge over to Anglesey & visit the famous Llanfairpwllgwyngyll
✔️ Day 7: Travel back (stop in Aberystwyth if it’s on your route)
Getting Here
🏆 Discover Cars: The best way to compare EVERY rental option available and there options where you don’t need to use a credit card!
🚉 Trainline: Quickest Option Without Driving
⭐️ Private Tour: For those who want a road trip vibe but with the luxury of not driving!
Your ready to use North Wales Road Trip Map
My top North Wales Stops
- Snowdonia National Park
- Pistyll Rhaedr Waterfall
- Wrexham
- Bangor
- Anglesey
- Llanfairpwllgwyngyll
1. Snowdonia National Park (Days 1 &2)
- Enjoy a meal at Hangin’ Pizzeria
- Take in the views at sunrise from Cadair Idris
- Stroll around Lake Vyrnwy
- ⏳ Length of time to spend here: 8+ Hours
Snowdonia National Park is one of the most popular stops and it’s not hard to see why…
Snowdonia National Park offers something for everyone. It’s so popular that you can actually book trips here from London!
It is one of the most scenic areas in Wales and I will never be able to recommend it enough 🤩
I could honestly spend my entire visits to this part of Wales just enjoying the delights the National Park has.
You will find so many amazing places to stay around Snowdonia, making it the best getaway!
Where to Visit in Snowdonia National Park:
✔️Snowdonia
✔️Conwy
✔️Llyn Padarn & the lonely Tree
✔️Lake Vyrnwy
✔️Dolgellau
Best Places to Stay in Snowdonia
📍 O Dan Y Coed Swedish Log Cabin – Amazing views, and great outdoor space. It has a hot tub, is dog-friendly, and does not break the bank!
📍 Safari Tent in the heart of Snowdonia – Incredible location. The luxury tent has an outdoor fireplace and a hot tub
☝️It is well worth booking one of these and will be more comfortable than your rental car!
2. Pistyll Rhaedr Waterfall (Day 3)
I stumbled upon this Waterfall by mistake and I’m so glad I did!
Pistyll Rhaedr Waterfall is seen as one of the wonders of Wales. Even though it can be seen from the road, it is well worth stopping here.
Parking at the Waterfall is pretty easy but be warned when it is a hot day the spaces fill up fast as it’s a great place to cool off.
Visiting here can easily be done in 20 minutes so it’s well worth your time (it’s also free!).
3. Wrexham (Day 4)
- Explore Chirk Castle
- Take in the views from Pontcysyllte Aqueduct
- Dine at The Fat Boar
- ⏳ Length of time to spend here: 6+ Hours
With the local football team being bought by Ryan Reynolds, Wrexham is now on everyone’s radar.
This was the one place that surprised me the most as this town is surrounded by history and the most stunning scenery.
There are so many amazing places to stay in this area, especially if you are looking for a hot tub!
Wrexham has great tourist attractions, places to eat and the most lovely country pubs.
So if you want a perfect mixture of City and Country, visit Wrexham.
Best Places to Stay in Wrexham
📍Hollies Farm B&B – Lush staff, and great natural light to the rooms. Comfortable beds, great breakfast and I would stay here again and again!
📍 The Lemon Tree – great location with parking and easy access to the train station. It is also set in the most stunning Victorian building.
4. Bangor (Day 5)
- Explore Penrhyn Castle & Garden
- Stroll down Garth Pier
- Visit Penrhyn Castle & Garden
- ⏳ Length of time to spend here: 5+ Hours
‘Ban-gor’ is the oldest City in Wales. You will not find a lot to do here but is a great base for exploring places on your North Wales Road Trip, like Anglesey.
Bangor also has a beach, pier and is a great seaside pitstop for a few hours. It’s definitely worth visiting Wales’ oldest City but you don’t need to plan much time here.
(Note: If you are looking for something to do in Bangor, Visit Penrhyn Castle).
Best Places to Stay in Bangor
📍 The Slate – All mod-cons and has an onsite restaurant if you are too tired to go out after your day of exploring.
📍 Pant Teg B & B – Amazing location for exploring the surrounding areas. The most friendly hosts- it helps when you are new here!
5. Anglesey (Day 6)
- Admire the views from Menai Suspension Bridge
- Take a picnic to Llanddwyn Beach
- Visit South Stack Lighthouse
- ⏳ Length of time to spend here: 8+ Hours
Drive across the Manai Suspension Bridge across to the wonderful Island of Anglesey
The bridge from mainland Wales to Anglesey is pretty impressive. But not as impressive as Anglesey.
Full of Geological landforms, rolling hills and Blue Waters, this is one of the most incredible stops when exploring North Wales by road.
P.S. When you arrive at Anglesey, try and stop at the Snowdonia Panoramic viewpoint.
On a clear day, you can see all the Mountains in Snowdonia. There is also a really useful slate sign that tells you all the mountains you can see from that point.
Best Places to Stay in Anglesey
📍 Lastra Farm Hotel – A luxury stay while surrounded by Welsh rolling hills. You can also do activities like golfing, horse riding and hiking here.
📍 The Anchorage – THE best budget-friendly option with glowing reviews. I think the epic beachfront location helps!
6. Llanfairpwllgwyngyll (Day 6)
Llanfairpwllgwyngyll or more commonly known as Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch is on the Island of Anglesey.
And Yup, this is a real place.
It is the second longest-place name in the world.
The English Translation for this 58-character village name is “St Mary’s Church in the Hollow of the White Hazel near a Rapid Whirlpool and the Church of St. Tysilio near the Red Cave”.
You can visit the sign at the local Train Station and even though it’s just a sign, it’s well worth stopping here.
When is the best time of year for a North Wales Road Trip?
So when is the best time of year to visit North Wales?
Unfortunately, the Weather can be very temperamental in Wales.
Springtime is always a good time to plan your Road Trip as even if it rains, seeing the landscape changing before you is pretty special.
You will always find the major tourist spots a lot less crowded during this time too.
If you are planning to explore the outdoors on your great Welsh road trip, I recommend June-October as the Weather is usually warmer.
North Wales is a great place to explore all year round but I recommend packing a raincoat regardless of what time of year you want to go (it rains a lot here).
How long does it take to drive around Wales?
This question is asked a lot!
Even though Wales doesn’t look like a big Country, the many Country roads may add some time onto your trip.
Some of the routes are full of potholes and tight bends so having sturdy luggage is a good idea!
To drive from one side of Wales to the other (West to East) is about 4 hours. To drive from South to North Wales you are looking at a drive time of 5 hours.
North Wales has a lot to see and do so 7 days is the ultimate time frame.
If you can’t spare that amount of time or are just briefly visiting North Wales, you will be surprised how much you can see in a day or two.
➡️ If you want to explore Wales and not drive, there are plenty of great tours that leave London that you can book!
How long does it take to drive around North Wales?
North Wales is over 200 Miles with so many areas to explore, 5-7 days is the perfect timeframe to drink it all in.
But if time isn’t on your side, you may want to limit your North Wales driving route to one area.
The most recommended destination for this is Snowdonia. It is BY FAR my favourite place to visit in North Wales because it is so pretty 😍
To make travelling by road go a lot smoother, I also recommend having some of these road trip essentials with you.
Where to stop on the way to North Wales
On the way to your North Wales Adventure, there are some great places to stop and break up the Journey.
The one place I couldn’t recommend enough is Aberystwyth (I lived here for 4 years).
If you are travelling Mid or South Wales this spot is a must-visit, even for a few hours.
The stunning Coastal town of Aberystwyth is only small but the Sea Views and Foodie hot spots make this a great way to start your trip up North.
Here are a few things you can do when you visit Aberystwyth:
🏖️ Climb or get the Tram up Constitution Hill. The Walk is pretty steep so the Tram is a great alternative. (Note: You do have to pay for the Tram, tickets can be bought from the Cliff Railway at the entrance)
🏖️ Get Fish and Chips at North Beach (be careful of the Seagulls, they will try their luck!)
🏖️ Stroll around Aberystwyth Harbour and South Beach
🏖️ Kick the Bar outside Alexandra Halls (Look out for the sign explaining the History and what you have to do)
🏖️ Have a drink at the Glen Gower Pub and Watch the Waves
🏖️ Stop by the Arcade and play a few games
🏖️ Watch the Sunset if you get a chance (this is when I have always seen a Dolphin)
A North Wales Road Trip in 3 days
Even though it’s recommended to spend 5-7 days exploring North Wales by car, it is totally possible to see a lot in 3 days.
There are so many sites you can actually see from the comfort of your vehicle.
To save time on your 3-day itinerary you can just do a drive-by of a lot of the attractions, stopping only at the sites you are desperate to see.
The top sites to add to your 3-day North Wales Itinerary are:
✔️ Snowdonia National Park
✔️ Anglesey
✔️ Barmouth
✔️Conwy (the castle here is epic!)
What can you do in 2 days in North Wales?
If you only have 2 days to road trip around North Wales, don’t expect to see everything.
However, you can certainly make a very good dent in your itinerary. For those who want to see a lot, it’s highly recommended to take a decent day bag with you.
Exploring Snowdonia National Park is a great place to spend your two days. You will see the prettiest rural villages, the most amazing views and always have plenty to do.
➡️ Snowdonia is my favourite area in this part of Wales. If you are running low on time, you can easily dedicate your whole driving time here.
This is how I would spend 2 days exploring North Wales:
✔️ Betws-y-Coed & Snowdonia National Park
✔️ Llangollen
✔️ Barmouth
✔️ Conwy (make sure you stop by the Castle)
Final thoughts on exploring North Wales by car or public transport
This is without a doubt one of the most scenic Road Trips you can do.
If you are an outdoor adventurer or just looking for the best spot for a beer, North Wales will not disappoint 😍
I love visiting here because it has a great blend of everything Wales offers. Amazing driving routes, cosy pubs and some world-class beaches!
Just don’t forget to pack a coat- it will probably rain, even if you visit in August.
I hope this article helped! Here are some more posts to get your plans started:
✔️ Best Cardiff Airport Transfers (By A Local Who Flys A Lot)
✔️ Where To Stay In Cardiff, Wales: Best Areas & Hotels
✔️ 17 Best Day Trips From Cardiff (By A Local)
✔️ Can You Drink Tap Water In The UK? Expert Guide
Lowri Thomas is the founder of Many Other Roads. She lives and travels in Europe and has explored more than 40 countries. She is joined on her travels with her dog Scout and they explore Europe mostly by road. Born in Wales, she also shares the best things to do in Wales, UK and beyond. She helps over 50,000 people per month plan epic Europe adventures and road trips.
