Photo: JackPeasePhotography (CC BY 2.0), via Wikimedia Commons
Things to do in Gwynedd
The best holidays are planned around great days out. Here's what's on the doorstep in Gwynedd, from big-ticket attractions to rainy-day savers.
Showing museums, aquariums and attractions with indoor areas — the ones that work whatever the forecast.
Aquariums
22.8 mi from Gwynedd
Anglesey Sea Zoo
Anglesey Sea Zoo is an independent aquarium on the Isle of Anglesey, showing off British marine wildlife across more than 40 tanks, from octopus and lobsters to seahorses, conger e...
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Museums & Galleries
6 mi from Gwynedd
Lasynys Fawr
Located at the NE boundary of the community, set back some 250m from the road and sited against a rocky outcrop in the former flood plain; accessed from the road via an unmetalled...
7.3 mi from Gwynedd
Llechwedd Slate Caverns
Llechwedd Slate Caverns, in Ffestiniog, Gwynedd, is a former slate quarry turned adventure site where most activities take place underground. You can bounce in a cave twice the siz...
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7.6 mi from Gwynedd
Porthmadog Maritime Museum
Porthmadog Maritime Museum sits in the last remaining slate shed on Porthmadog's historic harbour, telling the story of 200 years of local maritime life. Inside you'll find a large...
13.2 mi from Gwynedd
Tŷ Gwyn and the Maritime Museum
Tŷ Gwyn and the Maritime Museum occupies the Barmouth Sailors' Institute, a rare survivor of the seamen's institutes once common in coastal Britain, established in 1890 to help loc...
13.2 mi from Gwynedd
Sailors' Institute
Barmouth Sailors' Institute is a rare surviving nineteenth-century seamen's institute, telling the story of local sailors who once joined deep-sea crews from ports such as Liverpoo...
13.4 mi from Gwynedd
Lloyd George Museum
This museum in Llanystumdwy tells the story of former Prime Minister David Lloyd George, using objects such as decorated caskets and scrolls given as freedom of the city honours, a...
14.7 mi from Gwynedd
Conwy Valley Railway Museum
The Conwy Valley Railway Museum is located at Betws-y-Coed railway station, Betws-y-Coed, North Wales, on the site of the old railway goods yard. — Wikipedia
16.7 mi from Gwynedd
Welsh Slate Museum
The National Slate Museum tells the story of the Welsh slate industry, a trade once central to the local economy and community. Normally you could explore exhibits on this heritage...
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18.1 mi from Gwynedd
Trefriw Woollen Mill
Trefriw Woollen Mill is a family-run working mill in Trefriw, Conwy, where traditional Welsh tapestry bedspreads, travel rugs and tweeds are woven on site using machines over 50 ye...
21.3 mi from Gwynedd
Caernarfon Airworld Museum
Caernarfon Airworld Museum sits on the site of the former RAF Llandwrog in Llandwrog, Gwynedd, on an active airfield. Inside the hangar you can get close to a collection of histori...
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21.4 mi from Gwynedd
Royal Welch Fusiliers Museum
The Royal Welch Fusiliers Museum sits within two towers of Caernarfon Castle in Gwynedd, Wales, and tells the story of over 300 years of service by Wales' oldest infantry regiment....
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22.6 mi from Gwynedd
Narrow Gauge Railway Museum
The Narrow Gauge Railway Museum in Tywyn tells the story of narrow-gauge railways and their contribution to society, past and present. Inside you'll find locomotives including Huns...
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22.8 mi from Gwynedd
Amgueddfa Syr Henry Jones Museum
Amgueddfa Syr Henry Jones Museum is a small museum located at Y Cwm, Llangernyw, near Abergele in Conwy, Wales. It is a registered charity in Wales and England. Rather than keeping...
23.3 mi from Gwynedd
Penrhyn Castle
Penrhyn Castle is a country house in Llandygai, Bangor, Gwynedd, North Wales, constructed in the style of a Norman castle. The Penrhyn Estate was founded by Ednyfed Fychan. In the... — Wikipedia
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Zoos & Wildlife
Where to stay near Gwynedd
Places to stay within easy reach of these days out.
More around Gwynedd
Itineraries
- A weekend in Wales: an accessible itinerary · 2 days
- A weekend in Wales with the kids · 2 days
- A weekend in Wales · 2 days
Haunted Britain
Gwynedd gives you mountains, estuaries and a working harbour or two within the same handful of valleys, which makes it unusually easy to plan. Most visitors end up basing themselves around Porthmadog or Barmouth and fanning out from there, and that works well: one is a harbour town with a cluster of small attractions, the other a seaside town built for walking off a big lunch.
Family days out
If you are travelling with children, Porthmadog earns its keep. Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn Wildlife is the kind of place that rewards patience and a decent pair of binoculars, while Dwyfor Ranch Rabbit farm and Animal Park suits younger children who want to be close to the animals rather than looking at them from a distance. For a hot afternoon, or a day when energy levels need burning off, Glaslyn Parc Aquapark is the obvious answer.
A sensible family day is one animal attraction in the morning, lunch in town, then either the water or a beach. Trying to stack all three into a single day usually ends in tears, and not always the children's.
Rainy-day plans
Gwynedd weather does what it likes, so it pays to have an indoor list ready before you need it.
- Porthmadog Maritime Museum — small, indoors, and a good way to understand why the harbour looks the way it does.
- Lasynys Fawr — a quieter, more reflective option if you want something with a bit of depth to it.
- Caernarfon Airworld Museum — worth the drive on a washout day, especially with anyone keen on aircraft.
If you are prepared to travel further on a genuinely grim day, the wider North Wales coast adds SC2 Rhyl for swimming and slides, the Llandudno Chocolate Experience and the Home Front Museum in Llandudno, and the Anglesey Transport Museum - Tacla Taid or Holyhead Maritime Museum on Anglesey. Over towards Conwy you will also find Wireless in Wales and the Dolgarrog Railway Society. These are proper day trips rather than quick detours, so pick one and make a day of it.
Outdoors
Snowdon dominates everything, and not just the skyline — it shapes how long your journeys take and how much daylight you need. If you intend to go up, treat it as the whole day and nothing else. Check the forecast on the mountain rather than in the town below, carry more layers than feels necessary, and have a lower-level alternative in your back pocket for when the cloud sits down and refuses to move.
On gentler days, the coast around Barmouth and the estuary walks nearby give you big views without the commitment. Plas yn Rhiw, a National Trust property, pairs a garden-and-grounds stroll with shelter if the weather turns, which makes it a reliable choice when you cannot quite tell what the sky is planning.
Heritage
Castell Harlech is the standout: a castle in a position that explains itself the moment you look out from it. Portmeirion is the region's oddity and all the better for it — an Italianate village that takes a couple of unhurried hours and suits a mixed-age group, because everyone finds something different to look at. Pair either with a museum in Porthmadog and you have a full, varied day without much driving.
Where to eat
All of these hold a 5-star hygiene rating, which is a good baseline when you are somewhere unfamiliar:
- DD's Bakery and Sandwich Bar — build your walking or beach lunch here before you set off.
- Bae Borth Deli — local produce, and useful if you are self-catering and want something better than the supermarket.
- Wilderness — a tea room stop, best used as the reward at the end of a walk.
- Cadwaladers and Hufenfa'r Castell — two ice cream stops, and a decent incentive for tired legs on the way back to the car.
Turning it into a short break
Three nights is the sweet spot. Give day one to the coast and a town — Barmouth, a deli lunch, ice cream, an early night. Day two to heritage: Castell Harlech or Portmeirion, with Porthmadog Maritime Museum as your wet-weather swap. Day three to the mountain if the forecast allows, or Plas yn Rhiw and a tea room if it does not. Add a fourth day and you can justify the longer run out to Llandudno, Anglesey or Conwy.
There are 225 places to stay in Gwynedd on BritStays, so staying put and driving out beats moving base mid-break.
Practical notes before you go
Check opening days and times directly with each attraction, particularly the smaller museums, as these vary by season and some do not open daily. Book anything popular ahead in school holidays. Carry cash for small sites and car parks. Expect single-track roads and slow going between valleys, so add time to every journey rather than planning back-to-back. And set your indoor list before you arrive, not on the morning it rains.
Frequently asked questions
Which towns in Gwynedd make the best base for days out?
Porthmadog and Barmouth are the two obvious bases. Porthmadog has the biggest cluster of attractions, including Porthmadog Maritime Museum, Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn Wildlife, Dwyfor Ranch Rabbit farm and Animal Park, Lasynys Fawr and Glaslyn Parc Aquapark. Barmouth suits a coast-and-walking day. There are 225 places to stay in Gwynedd on BritStays, so it is usually better to stay in one spot and drive out each day.
What can we do in Gwynedd with children?
Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn Wildlife suits children who are happy to watch and wait, Dwyfor Ranch Rabbit farm and Animal Park works better for younger ones who want to be closer to the animals, and Glaslyn Parc Aquapark is the one for burning off energy. One animal attraction plus either water or a beach makes a full day without overloading it.
Where should we go in Gwynedd if it rains all day?
Porthmadog Maritime Museum and Lasynys Fawr are both indoor options close to base, and Caernarfon Airworld Museum is worth a longer drive. If you are willing to travel across North Wales, SC2 Rhyl, the Llandudno Chocolate Experience and the Home Front Museum in Llandudno, the Anglesey Transport Museum - Tacla Taid and Holyhead Maritime Museum on Anglesey, and Wireless in Wales or the Dolgarrog Railway Society near Conwy all give you an indoor day out.
Is there a National Trust property in the area?
Yes. Plas yn Rhiw is the National Trust property on the list, and it is a good choice when the weather is uncertain because you get a garden and grounds walk with somewhere to shelter if it turns.
What are the main heritage attractions in Gwynedd?
Castell Harlech is the standout castle, and Portmeirion is the region's famous Italianate village, which takes a couple of unhurried hours. Either pairs well with a small museum in Porthmadog to make a varied day with little driving.
Where can we eat with a 5-star hygiene rating?
DD's Bakery and Sandwich Bar is good for picnic and walking lunches, Bae Borth Deli is useful if you are self-catering, Wilderness is a tea room stop for after a walk, and Cadwaladers and Hufenfa'r Castell both do ice cream. All five hold 5-star hygiene ratings.
More ways to explore
Not booked yet? See the best places to stay in Gwynedd.