In the past few years the amount of people enjoying staycations around the world has soared, and I’m right there with them. The UK has so much to offer, from city to coast, forest to mountains and everything in between, and my favourite destination has to be Wales. Having lived in Wales for all my life you think I’d have seen it all – but there’s so much to see and do in Wales that every trip brings something new. I love multi destination road trips and one of the best ways to see lots of different locations is to go via campervan. Campervan hire in Wales is very easy and I have no doubt you’ll find a good vehicle to suit your family’s size and the trip you want to go on, whether it’s a VW Campervan converted for a couple for sleeping under the stars, or a big family van suitable for the kids and the dog, with a full kitchen and bathroom too.
I want to share with you my five must visit campervan destinations in Wales, picked from my own personal experience with my country, where I’ve travelled and camped extensively.
Snowdonia
Snowdonia National Park has mountains, rivers and inland lakes to explore. It’s home to some of the best campervan spots in Wales because of it’s untouched beauty and is ideal for anyone wanting to be surrounded by nature. Snowdon mountain is unique in that it’s suitable for all hiking abilities and all ages, because there’s a train that goes to the top of the mountain! So whether you’re ready for a full day’s hike in amazing scenery, or you just want to lean back and enjoy the view, then climbing Snowdon is for you. There’s also an array of watersports and even Zip world for adrenaline filled fun. Snowdonia is an absolute must-visit destination for anyone hiring a campervan in Wales and looking for a campervan holiday.
My top things to do on a Campervan Holiday to Snowdonia would be:
- Hike to the top of Mount Snowdon
- Take a tour around Portmeirion Village
- Get the adrenaline flowing at Zip World Fforest
- Relax in the beauty of Dolgoch Falls
- Do some watersports on Llyn Tegid (Bala Lake)
There are multiple campsites that accept campervans in Snowdonia, with inexpensive prices but all the facilities you’d expect like electricity hookups, toilets and fresh water supply.
Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire is home to the only fully coastal national park (186 mile Coast Path!) in the whole of the UK. It has miles and miles of golden beaches, but also has bustling little towns and villages full of things to do and see. You can take a boat trip to explore the islands, see puffins, seals and even dolphins, or relax on warm sands and let the world go by. If you’re on a campervan holiday with the whole family, then Pembrokeshire has an array of family friendly activities, with Folly Farm, the Dinosaur Park and Oakwood Theme Park all within a very short drive of each other. I also highly recommend the Blue Lagoon Swimming Pool, with its lazy river, hot tubs and fun slides.
If you’re looking for history and culture you have to head to St. David’s, to see the cathedral and Bishops Palace. It’s the resting place of Wales’ patron Saint, as the name would suggest, and it’s the UK’s smallest city with a population under 2000! Did you know that population size isn’t the only thing that qualifies a location as a city? St David’s was named a city in the 12th century because of its cathedral. For something a bit more lively, Tenby is a coastal tourist town with boat trips straight from the harbour and loads of really highly rated eateries, so well worth a visit.
Isle of Anglesey
Ynys Môn – that’s the Isle of Anglesey – is set just off the northwest coast of Wales. The island is an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and it’s connected by the Minai Bridge, so you can drive on and off freely. There are many boat trips around the area showcasing the amazing wildlife, searching for dolphins and rare seabirds, and you can even head over to Ireland for a day trip if you want to. Beaumaris Castle is a must visit and I personally recommend a visit to Anglesey Marine Zoo which is a unique aquarium as it offers the best of British marine life. This is incredibly educational and interesting, whatever your age! I love learning about the wildlife of Wales and the UK.
Cardiff
You might be wondering why I’m recommending Cardiff, a city I’ve lived in for 39 years at this point, alongside all these beautiful national parks and relaxing destinations. It can be nice to pair a relaxing and wild nature holiday with a small amount of urban entertainment, culture and history. If you’ve not spent time in Cardiff before, I highly recommend you stopping off at least for one day. You can pack a lot into one day in Cardiff!
What to do on a campervan holiday to Cardiff
- Visit Cardiff Castle
- Walk through Bute Park and have coffee at The Secret Garden
- Take the boat trip from Bute Park to Cardiff Bay
- Check out the watersports center and go white water rafting
- Do an escape room, get cocktails and eat out
I’ve personally camped at the campsite in Bute Park even though I live here, as it’s sometimes fun to spend time outside with friends! It has all the facilities you could want, including free wifi (so you can send a few pictures to friends and family), and even has bike hire from Pedal Power, a charity that aims to make cycling accessible to all, so you can cycle around the park or city and is just a few minutes walk to Bute Park. Definitely worth staying for a night.
The Gower Peninsula
The Gower Peninsula is close to both Cardiff and Swansea, yet somehow manages to be a pristine beautiful coastline, quiet and relaxing. It’s in an ideal location to stop at after visiting Cardiff, and before moving on to Swansea or West Wales. 64 years ago it became the UK’s first Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, yet has never really fallen prey to busy tourism, it still remains very peaceful. That doesn’t mean boring though, as there’s lots to do, aside from fantastic beaches, there are opportunities for exploring limescale cliffs, climbing and even diving. The perfect spot to camp for a night or two.
The best part of hiring a Campervan to holiday in Wales is that you don’t need to pick just one of these destinations. You can drive to a new spot every day and plan a trip that makes the most of the time you have and allows you to do everything you want to do, whether that’s an action packed outing every day, or just relaxing on the beach or next to the forest. Campervan holidays let you tailor everything to the trip you want, which helps guarantee an absolutely amazing holiday. I hope to see you visiting Wales soon!
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