North Wales Tourist Attractions
Come and find the best North Wales tourist attractions. There's so many places to visit in North Wales that one visit is often never enough, and that's one of the best advantages of the region as there's always something new to discover or explore. Many of North Wales tourist attractions are suitable for the whole family and can present an exciting day out to keep all ages entertained, whether it's visiting ancient castles, riding steam railways or travelling to the top of Mount Snowdon, Wales tallest mountain, where the views on a clear day are fantastic.
North Wales Attractions
Tourism in North Wales covers a wide range of interests. Below is a list of the best North Wales Attractions that are simply too good to miss when you visit the area.
Greenwood Forest Park
Greenwood Forest Park is North Wales premier family theme park and offers a wide variety of attractions for younger children and families. The park is located close to Caernarfon which is one of North Wales most historic sites with Caernarfon Castle and the Roman fort of Segontium.
Greenwood is not just named for the beautiful trees that surround it but for the ethos of renewable energy and limited impact on the environment. Rides such as the Green Dragon provide a fun roller coaster experience and are powered almost entirely without the need for electricity.
Greenwood has plenty of other attractions as well to keep children entertained from archery and climbing frames to the Woodland Walk and Riverboat Ride. If the weather is nice it's easy to spend a full day at Greenwood Forest Park so plan to get there early to get the most from your visit.
Bodnant Garden
Bodnant Garden is the best open garden in North Wales and is located close to the town of Conwy in the Conwy estuary. The garden covers over 80 acres and mature woodland and formal gardens. Visitors can stroll around the various gardens taking in the beautiful landscaping and many different varieties of plants.
Beaumaris Castle
Beaumaris Castle is located on the east coast of Anglesey a few miles north of Menai Bridge. Although Beaumaris Castle was never completed it is accepted as one of the most perfect examples of this style of concentric castle in the world.
Snowdon Mountain Railway
At the foot of Mount Snowdon lies the town of Llanberis and the starting point for the Snowdon Mountain Railway. Visitors ride on the train as it climbs slowly up towards Snowdons' summit taking in many breathtaking views and scenery along the way. Once at the summit you can enjoy plenty of refreshments at the Snowdon Summit Cafe and make the short climb to the actual summit. On a clear day the spectacular views take in most of North Wales and the Snowdonia National Park.
Welsh Mountain Zoo
Visit the National Zoo for Wales at Colwyn Bay. The Welsh Mountain Zoo is located high above the town in an area known as Colwyn Heights. There's plenty of different shows on throughout the day and the cafe is a great place to relax and get some refreshments.
Llechwedd Slate Mines
Close to the town of Blaenau Ffestiniog is the Llechwedd Slate Mines. There are two tours on offer showing you what life was once like for the miners who helped to export Welsh Slate around the whole world.
Conwy Castle
Conwy Castle towers over the town of Conwy on a natural headland and once guarded the Conwy River. Whilst Conwy Castle has seen plenty of action over the centuries it remains today as a terrific example of a medieval castle.
Great Orme Copper Mine
Discovered just a few years ago the Great Orme Copper Mine is now a major tourist attraction in Llandudno. The mines have been opened up and visitors can descend deep into them to explore what life was like over 4000 years ago.
Ffestiniog Railway
The Ffestiniog Railway was once a working railway used for transporting slate from the mines around Blaenau Ffestiniog to the port of Porthmadog. With the decline of slate usage in the early 20th century the railway closed but was reopened by volunteers in the 1950's as a visitor attraction. Today the Ffestiniog Railway runs throughout the year with visitors able to start there journey at many different points along the route.
Great Orme Tram
Take the strain out of reaching the Great Orme summit by taking a ride on the Great Orme Tramway. Your journey starts close to Llandudno town centre at the foot of the Great Orme and climbs steeply to the Half Way Station where visitors change for the second part of the journey to the Great Orme Summit Complex. At the summit you can take in the views of the Irish Sea, the Isle of Anglesey, and the Conwy Estuary and Snowdonian Mountains.
Great Orme Cable Car
Another great way to reach the Great Orme summit in Llandudno is via the Great Orme Cable Car which is the longest of its type in Britain. Many visitors choose to combine the cable car with the Great Orme Tram choosing to travel up on one and down on the other.
Your journey starts close to Llandudno's pier in Happy Valley and ascends to the summit in a journey taking around 15 minutes. Along the way you'll get some great bird's eye views of Llandudno Pier and the town itself so have your camera ready.
Welsh Highland Railway
The Welsh Highland Railway runs from the town of Caernarfon south past Snowdon and through the village of Beddgelert before reaching Porthmadog.
Caernarfon Castle
Caernarfon Castle is perhaps North Wales finest castle and was built as the main seat of power of the English Kings in the 12th century. Caernarfon Castle has been the home of many historic moments throughout history and was most recently used for the crowning of Prince Charles as the Prince of Wales.
Pili Palas
Pili Palas is a butterfly and insect sanctuary located on the island of Anglesey close to the Britannia Bridge. As well as the butterfly house and many varieties of insects and lizards children can also enjoy the fun centre.
Portmeirion
Portmeirion is a very popular tourist attraction located a few miles to the south of Portmadog in North Wales. The attraction is based on a italian style village and was designed by Clough William. It's worth visiting if you like the architecture and will even keep children entertained for a few hours with access to wonderful sandy beaches and play areas. You can also stay in the Portmeirion Hotel which is a popular wedding destination.