Things to do while you’re here - here are some of our best.
Feeling energetic? you might like to-
go hillwalking up Snowdon: the nearest footpath start-point up Snowdon is Rhyd Ddu, 14miles. There are, of course, lots of other really beautiful (and much quieter) mountains, too. If you want our favourites, just let me know and I’ll send you our walking info.
go go-karting, quad biking, 10 pin bowling, archery, fishing and indoor soft play area at Glasfryn Parc (5 miles) http://www.glasfryn.co.uk
have a swim on one of the Llŷn peninsula's lovely beaches, inc Blackrock sands at Porthmadog, (sandy, huge, busy) Cricieth (sandy / pebbly), Morfa Nefyn on North side, and many others all along the peninsula, both N and S.
go surfing at Hell's Mouth (massive beach at far end of the peninsula, 18 miles)
try Europe's longest zip-wire at Blaenau Ffestiniog http://www.zipworld.co.uk/ Book well ahead, it’s popular.
try Bounce below -trampoline in a cave http://www.zipworld.co.uk/adventure/detail/bounce-below
Play golf underground in the mines https://www.zipworld.co.uk/adventure/underground-golf
Trampoline in tree tops and more at Fforest https://www.zipworld.co.uk/location/fforest
go pony trekking- Friends recommend Gadlys (0788 0732880 just 3m or so before Caernarfon, and Snowdonia Riding Stables ("excellent" Snowdonia Riding Stables 01286 650342 ).
hire bikes from Beddgelert bikes, in Beddgelert (01766 890 434) or Beics Menai Cycles in Caernarfon (01286 676 804, 13 miles) and ride Lon Eifion cycle path very nearby.
go white water rafting: National Whitewater rafting centre nr. Bala (35miles) http://www.canoewales.com/white-water-rafting
or http://balawatersports.com/index.php/adventure-activities/whitewater-rafting
Go golfing- excellent courses at Nefyn, Porthmadog, Pwllheli and Caernarfon- all are superbly scenic and welcome visitors. nefyn-golf-club.co.uk. www.porthmadog-golf-club.co.uk clwbgolffpwllheli.com www.caernarfongolfclub.co.uk
go fishing http://www.llynangling.net/php/venues.php Lots of sea fishing all along the peninsula, from beaches and in the rivers. Also at Glasfryn (see above) or Bron Eifion, 6 acre coarse fishing lake nr Criccieth (7 miles) The angling shops in Criccieth (Criccieth Bait Box) and Pwllheli (Llŷn Angling) sell tackle and permits.
go crabbing all along the peninsula.
Stand-up paddle boarding available in Criccieth, we hear from a guest. www.cricciethmultigolf.com /paddleboarding.html
Play a round of golf underground if you’d like a really surreal experience. https://www.zipworld.co.uk/adventure/underground-golf . Who dreamed that one up?
Walk up a local hill - Tre’r Ceiri- to visit an impressive Iron Age hillfort/ settlement.
www.britainexpress.com/attractions.htm?attraction=4670 The photos don’t do it justice, it’s truly extraordinary.
Looking for a more relaxed time?
See a castle (or 4) Cricieth castle (7 miles), Caernarfon Castle (13 miles), Harlech Castle (19 miles) and Conwy castle (37 miles).
Go to Portmeirion Italianate village ( 13 miles) world-famous, extraordinary . http://www.portmeirion-village.com/
Visit Bardsey Island (Ynys Enlli- Island of 20,000 saints)- at the far end of the peninsula- this is a lovely day trip- boats go from Porth Meudwy, nr Aberdaron, leaving at c 10.00, but not every day, it’s very weather-dependent. Details of ferries on website: http://www.bardsey.org/english/bardsey/welcome.htm
Go up Snowdon the easy way: take a train! Snowdon mountain railway : http://www.snowdonrailway.co.uk/
Visit a garden: Plas Brondanw (13 miles) up the Croesor valley, was the home of Clough Williams-Ellis, the man behind Portmeirion. Beautiful Hidcote-style garden with amazing views http://www.brondanw.org/. .
Plas Newydd , NT, (25miles) just across the water on Anglesey: extraordinary trompe l’oeil mural by Whistler. You may see red squirrels in the garden- we did http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/plas-newydd-country-house-and-gardens
Plas yn Rhiw is towards the end of the peninsula, also NT, perched on a hillside overlooking the sea- a lovely house and garden. http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/plas-yn-rhiw
Bodnant (40miles) – world-famous National Trust garden http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/bodnant-garden
Ride a narrow-gauge train: Ffestiniog railway runs from Porthmadog to Blaenau Ffestiniog (http://www.festrail.co.uk/). The Welsh Highland railway runs from Porthmadog to Caernarfon. (http://www.whr.co.uk/) Jump off at Snowdon Ranger stop and zip up the path to Snowdon!
Try an escape room in Porthmadog paniqroomswales.co.uk
Watch the ospreys at the RSPB centre at Glaslyn , just N of Porthmadog: free RSPB centre there with CCTV camera- magic. They arrive late March, and migrate August/September. https://www.glaslynwildlife.co.uk/
Go down Llechewedd slate mine (20miles) https://llechwedd.co.uk/the-deep-mine-tour
Visit the National Slate Museum at Llanberis- free and absolutely fascinating (20 miles) https://museum.wales/slate/
Go down Sygun copper mine (16 miles) http://www.syguncoppermine.co.uk/
Visit Ty Coch: pub on a beach (Porthdinllaen) nr Nefyn- grand day out!
Visit the Llŷn Maritime Museum while you’re at Nefyn https://www.llyn-maritime-museum.co.uk
Sample our local wine: – yes, really! Pant Glas vineyard is nearby at Penygroes. They do great cider, too. Lovely cafe, guided tours etc https://www.pantdu.co.uk/en/home
Visit our local brewery, Mws Piws (Purple Moose) in Porthmadog. Tours & sampling https://purplemoose.co.uk
Enjoy birdwatching anywhere on the peninsula. You can often see buzzards and red kite from the yard itself also swallows, cuckoos, ravens, wagtails, etc.
See a really starry sky on a clear night at Bryn Engan- Anglesey and the Llŷn Peninsula are designated ‘dark sky areas’. We’ve actually seen the Milky Way from Bryn Engan, truly magical.
Rainy days
There’s still plenty to do when it’s raining.
Go down a mine , see above.
Take the brewery tour in Porthmadog
Visit Caernarfon or Harlech castle
Go for a swim (you’re going to get wet anyway…)
Bounce below – trampolining underground, see above
Golf underground (see above)
Visit National Slate museum in Llanberis (see above)
Go 10 pin bowling in Glasfryn (see above)
Try an escape room in Porthmadog paniqroomswales.co.uk
For the younger children
You can go a long way along the sea at Criccieth with a buggy. Go to the sea and turn right. And you can walk about half-way along the Miner’s footpath up Snowdon with a buggy, too. There’s a nice walk you can do with buggies along the valley at Gelert’s grave (Beddgelert)
Beaches are great . http://www.bestofwales.co.uk/Beaches-on-the-Lleyn-Peninsula-Top-10 Blackrock sands at Porthmadog are huge and will be busy, but there's space for all there.
There are lots of lovely smaller beaches on the North and South coast, too: make a day of it with a nice pub lunch by going to Ty Coch pub on the beach near Morfa Nefyn, up on the N coast?
The castles are good: Harlech / Caernarfon especially.
There's a rabbit farm near Llanystumdwy. http://www.rabbitfarm.co.uk/
Lots of lovely narrow gauge railways, too, see above.
There’s a Sealife centre just over in Anglesey we hear good things about.
Swimming pool in Porthmadog leisure centre
Or simply
Have a drink in Ty Coch overlooking the beach at Porthdinllaen (nr Nefyn): "the third best pub on the beach in the world!"
Eat ice cream on the seafront at Criccieth
Eat out at one of the many great local pubs and restaurants in Criccieth, Porthamadog, Pwllheli
Watch the stars- the Dark Sky areas of the Llŷn peninsula and Snowdonia National Park are legendary. We’ve even seen the Milky Way from Bryn Engan.