North Wales road trip: Snowdonia & beyond guide

If you’re visiting Wales, be sure to make time for a north Wales road trip. This lovely part of the country edges the Irish Sea on its north and west, covering coastal spots and seaside resorts like Rhyl, Bangor and the Llŷn Peninsula, as well as inland highlights like Wrexham and Denbigh. It also has stunning Snowdonia National Park, home to mighty Mount Snowdon, many other peaks and mountains, meandering rivers and the biggest natural lake in Wales – the region is definitely a must-do!

Our north Welsh road trip is designed for holidaymakers to have an easy and unhurried time around the area, as we’ve allowed five days for the full 221-mile route, with no driving day longer than 63 miles. (And if you want to travel on from here, we have more road trip itineraries to add on to this: here’s our west coast Wales road trip and our overallWales road trip itinerary.)

Best road trip around North Wales: 5 places you can't miss

Total distance: 215 miles | Recommended duration: 5 days | Best time to travel this route: Spring or summer | View the road trip on Google Maps

1. Denbigh & Rhyl (44 miles from Chester)

You might be keen to get to the coast on your first day, but take it slowly on the drive inland from Chester, as the market town of Denbigh is well worth a visit. At only 44 miles, Day 1’s route gives plenty of time for a morning in Denbighshire’s county town then an afternoon at the lively seaside resort of Rhyl.

At Denbigh, stroll around Denbigh Castle and the castle walls and visit the Cae Dai 1950s museum; Denbigh market day is every Wednesday. At Rhyl, take the kids to the SeaQuarium or indoor surfing at the Sunshine Centre, or stroll the two-mile stretch of Rhyl Beach from Clwyd Estuary to Splash Point.

Optional : start your North Wales seaside day at Prestatyn four miles east of Rhyl, to access hiking hours on Offa's Dyke Path, the North Wales Path or the Clwydian Way.

Rhyl campsites

• Sunnyvale Caravan Park, The Foryd, Kinmel Bay LL18 5AS

• Ty Mawr Holiday Park, Towyn Rd, Towyn, Abergele LL22 9HG

2. Colwyn Bay, Llandudno and Conwy (21.5 miles from Rhyl)

Another easy driving day for the second day of your trip, but again packed with heaps to see. Set off from Rhyl for the 11-mile journey to Colwyn Bay, a Victorian seaside resort and Fair Trade town close to the Welsh Mountain Zoo. You could have a couple of hours here and a couple in Llandudno (16.5 miles from Colwyn Bay), probably the best known North Wales seaside town – or opt to spend the morning in either.

This leaves the afternoon free to explore the ancient market town of Conwy, a walled settlement best known for 13th-century Conwy Castle.

Conwy campsites

• Conwy Holiday Park, Conway Rd, Conwy LL32 8UX

• Plas Farm Caravan Park, Plas Yn Betws, Betws-yn-Rhos, Abergele LL22 8AU

Discover some of the best Llandudno camping sites!

3. Anglesey (37 miles from Colwyn Bay)

It’s a short and easy drive from Conwy across the Menai Strait to the wild and beautiful Isle of Anglesey, the biggest island in Wales (only five square kilometres smaller than Singapore!). Find your campsite then spend the rest of the day on this gorgeous island to take in the sights and activities like the Anglesey Coast Path, the yachting centre of Beaumaris, Beaumaris Castle, Anglesey Sea Zoo and the Site of Special Scientific Interest Llyn Llywenan.

And did you know that Anglesey’s also home to the village with the longest name in Europe? See if you can pronounce Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch.

Optional : drive to Anglesey via Bangor for a stroll along Garth Pier, the second-longest pier in Wales.

Anglesey campsites

• Pengraig Campsite (Camping and Caravanning Club Certificated Site [CS])

• Mount View Caravan and Camping, Mount View, Llaneilian Rd, Amlwch LL68 9HU (adults only)

Check out some more of the best campsites on Anglesey .

4. Caernarfon, Portmeirion and Betws y Coed (63 miles from Anglesey)

Drive 19 miles off Anglesey to Caernarfon, the royal town and port on the eastern shore of the Menai Strait. A popular tourist destination in North Wales, the town’s castle and walls are part of the same World Heritage Site as those of Conwy.

From Caernarfon, it’s 23 miles south to the colourfully quirky town of Portmeirion, a North Wales must-see. This Italianate village designed and built from the 1920s to the 1970s has been used as the shooting location for several TV shows and films, including the cult 1960s show The Prisoner.

After sightseeing in Portmeirion, head east into Snowdonia National Park. Our route from Portmeirion allows for a scenic and leisurely drive through the park to the Betws y Coed Information Centre in Snowdonia’s north-east, but of course, you can take an even more leisurely route to stop off wherever you fancy.

Snowdonia National Park campsites

• Rynys Farm Camping Site, Capel Garmon, Betws-y-Coed LL26 0RU

• Beddgelert Campsite, Beddgelert Campsite A4085, Gwynedd, Beddgelert LL55 4UU

• Bryn Gloch Caravan & Camping Park, Betws Garmon, Caernarfon LL54 7YY

• Llechrwd Campsite, Llechrwd Farm, Maentwrog, Blaenau Ffestiniog LL41 4HF

5. Snowdonia National Park (58 miles to Chester)

![Harlech Castle. Image credit: Cadw. source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Harlech

The final day of the trip allows for a full day exploring Snowdonia National Park, before driving back to Chester in the evening. There’s heaps to get stuck into around Snowdonia: here are just a few of our recommendations:

• Mount Snowdon, the highest mountain in Wales – dare you attempt the trek to the top? (No? Take the Snowdon Mountain Railway instead.)

• Blaenau Ffestiniog: former mining centre now the site of Ffestiniog Railway and the Llechwedd Slate Caverns

• Bala: for white water kayaking along the Afon Tryweryn, or to see beautiful Lake Bala/Llyn Tegid, the largest natural lake in Wales

• Harlech Castle and its stunning beach

Optional : Leave a couple of hours free on the way back to Chester for a stop-off at Wrexham, where market days are Mondays and Fridays.

North Wales 7-day trip

Make it a week of it with this extended itinerary:

• Day 1: Chester to Denbigh; Denbigh to Rhyl

• Day 2: Rhyl to Colwyn Bay (morning) and Llandudno (afternoon); stay at Llandudno campsite

• Day 3: Llandudno to Conwy

• Day 4: Conwy to Anglesey; day on Anglesey

• Day 5: Anglesey to Caernarfon and Portmeirion

• Day 6: Snowdonia National Park – Mount Snowdon and Blaenau Ffestiniog

• Day 7: Snowdonia National Park – Bala; Wrexham; back to Chester

Other North Wales highlights

• Barmouth: spectacularly scenic seaside town on the estuary of the Afon Mawddach and Cardigan Bay

• Llŷn Peninsula Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: a 30-mile stretch famous for its beaches and scenery

• Cadair Idris: mountain at the southern end of the Snowdonia National Park; hike to its peak via the Pony Path, Fox's Path or Minffordd Path

• Llechwedd slate caverns: descend 500 metres underground, go ziplining on Zip World Titan – the longest zip course in Europe, or take on the giant underground trampolines of Bounce Below

Organise your North Wales road trip with Camplify

To make your north Wales road trip as enjoyable as possible, make sure to do it in the right van. Browse all Welshcampervans and caravans for hire, adding in your starting point to see vans nearby. You don’t have to hire in Wales either! Here for example arevans to hire in Chester and surroundings.

Need more inspiration? Check out our take on the bestcampervan spots in Wales.

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