Things To Do In Conwy

Encompassed by the lush countryside and overseen by the magnificent mountains of Snowdonia, Conwy’s one of the most beautiful places to travel to. The original spot for the Aberconwy Abbey, Conwy was established by Llywelyn, the Great and also has other notable tourist attractions like the Suspension Bridge by Thomas Telford, the Railway Bridge, Aberconwy House, Vardre Hall and more. It’s seldom that you have much to do in a small town like Conwy, what with its enormous castles and Britain’s smallest house, taking woodland walks whilst enjoying the local wildlife, witnessing the highest flowing cascade in the beautiful Gwydir forest, being just few of the many things to do here!

With captivating scenic views, an accessible locale and world-class facilities, the Conwy Marina & Quay is a beautiful spot to sit back, relax and watch the world go about its business, with a variety of experiences that include, drinking outside the Liverpool Arms to enjoying some fish & chips at the Wrapper, to just breathing in some of the most spectacular sights around you. In addition, you can also walk around the RNLI Boathouse, the muscle museum and visiting the smallest house.

The Adventure Parc in Snowdonia is perfect for exploring outdoor activities like gorge walking, mountain biking and watersports in the midst of intriguing landscapes, encompassed with glorious forestry, mountains, and lakes, with one of the world’s first inland surf lagoons. One of the fastest-growing sports in the world and exciting outdoor activity for solo travelers and groups alike, stand up paddleboarding or SUP is an all the year-round kind of activity that you can enjoy even when the sky is overcast and the sun is playing hide n’ seek! Irrespective of whether you’re completely new to the watersport or an expert, there are a variety of experiences available for all age groups & abilities in SUP. Some other considerable and must-try activities in the same domain include windsurfing, kayaking, canyoning, etc.

From Bird Watching to Guided Tours around the Reserve witnessing birds of all varieties and shapes, there’s some activity or the other always going on at the RSPB Conwy Nature Reserve. Located on Conway Esutary’s eastern side in the Conwy county borough, the RSPB Conwy Nature Reserve spans over 47 hectares of landscape, protecting a variety of grasslands, salt marsh, scrubland, and mudflats. Here you can experience nature’s beauty, up close and personal, exploring the wetlands, marvel at flocks of water birds, enjoy watching the frogs and dragonflies in the ponds or participate in trails, quizzes, and different activities.

Enjoy a lovely walk by the coast around Little Orme’s headlands, which although’s less developed in comparison to its more renowned neighbor, the Great Orme, it makes for a must-experienced journey of the wildlife. Spanning 5 hectares, the Little Orme trail houses distinct plants of the limestone prairie, including Dropwort and Hoary Rockrose with several scrub areas, ideal for hosting different bird species. You can also visit the Penrhyn Bay for beautiful views of the Atlantic Grey Seals in the Angel Bay or witness a rare sighting of the Cormorants in the spring and the Fulmars on the rugged cliffs.

Spend a day out in the Welsh Mountain Zoo, a zoological garden near the Colwyn Bay town. Spanning over 37 acres, the zoo was established way back in 1863 by Robert Jackson, a naturalist and wildlife enthusiast. Set amidst one of the most scenic and gorgeous landscapes in the whole of the UK, this zoo overlooks the Carneddau mountains and houses nearly 140 species with a visitor count of over 8 million visitors each year. From Snow Leopards to Margary to the Sumatran Tiger, you will find some of the most ferocious group of animals here, in addition to a variety of primates, reptiles, birds and more. You can explore numerous activities like feeding the penguins, playing with meerkats, sharing your lunchtime with the soft furry big cats or becoming a zookeeper for the day to experience how they work every day with the animals.

Conwy has a rich variety of beaches you can move around in and enjoy from a wide expanse of sand, overlooking the Conwy Mountain at Conwy Morfa, to the flat shore stretch that was augmented by an abundance of extra sand near Porth Eirias for use by visitors during the high tides at Colwyn Bay. Then, there’s a pebbled beach at the entry to Conwy Estuary at Deganwy and a 5 mile-long stretch of sandy beach at Kinmel Bay. Feel free to explore the Llandudno North Shore, a popular seaside town with a lovely blend of sand and rocks between the pier and the Little Orme or enjoy watching the sand dunes with a spectacular view of Penmaenmawr, Anglesey, and Llanfairfechan at the Llandudno West Shore.

Just by the seaside resort of Llandudno is the Llandudno Cable Car, a popular attraction in the Conwy County Borough that runs along the Great Orme. Spread over a distance of 40 feet to be precise, the cable car was founded in 1969 and has been running since. Painted in yellow, orange, red & light blue, the cable cars make for a vibrant addition to the Great Orme’s Country Park, supported by 9 pylons. The cars glide between the Happy Valley to the Summit at 679 feet with breathtaking scenic views of the Llandudno Bay, the Conwy Estuary, the Little Orme and of course the Irish Sea. You’d also catch a glimpse of the Llandudno Ski & Snowboard Centre and the beautiful Gardens of the Happy Valley.

Experience the best views of the medieval town of Conwy and its neighboring areas with popular castle tours, views of Snowdonia and more with sights of the lower valley, Glan Conwy and breathtaking views of the mainland coast, the Irish Sea, Puffin Island and Anglesey. You can choose from an hour to an hour & a half cruise inland with chances of spotting the local wildlife that includes the herons, egrets, mallards and shell ducks, or an hour going down the river, towards the sea or cruising both ways with 30 minutes each way to make the most of the tour! The 1 ½ hour cruise involves a cruise up the river towards Tal y Cafn or going down and into the Conwy Bay, aboard Queen Victoria.

Go trekking on ponies or enjoy riding the horses at the Bwlchgwyn Farm in Gwynedd. A pristine campsite that overlooks the serene Mawddach Estuary and the Snowdonia National Park Coastline from an elevated location, the Bwlchgwyn Farm is a live cattle and sheep farm with an assortment of traditional self-serviced holiday cottages, a separate campsite and a small caravan park, that’s private, in close proximity to the Fairbourne Beach. Doubling up as a pony trek centre, the farm offers rides not only along the Estuary but also up to the foothills of the beautiful Cregennan Lake and the Cader Idris Mountain Range.

Every year in May, come May Day/Bank Holiday Weekend, and Llandudno organizes a one of the largest family Burlesque that features a street fair with a Victorian theme with fun stalls, exciting activities, fair rides from the old days, people dressed up in traditional costumes, steam engines, street entertainment and parades every noon daily. These are meant for people from all age groups and all abilities. A 34-year-old, outdoor event, the extravaganza is free for entry and takes to the streets for 3 full days of vintage entertainment, funfair & attractions.