Our List Of Must Do Tourist Attractions When Staying In Porthmadog

There are many tourist attractions in and around Porthmadog. We have complied a list of some of our favourite attractions.

1. Mount Snowdon

No visit to the area is complete without a visit to mount Snowdon. For those of you who are keen walkers this is a great day out with various paths of differing levels of effort / experience.  Ascending and descending the mountain normally takes between 6-8hrs. Snowdon is best visited on a clear day so check out the weather forecast first here. More information on walking Snowdon can be obtained at the visit Snowdon website. If all this walking  sounds a bit to energetic for you dont worry, there is always the Snowdon mountain railway train which will take you from Llanbaeris to the summit in just 60 minutes. Visit the Snowdonia Mountain Railway website here for more information.

2. Portmerion Village

 

Perhaps one of the areas most famous tourist destinations is Portmerion. It’s a unique visitor attraction, built by Clough Williams Ellis the Italianate village is a mecca for tourists. During September Portmerion plays hoast to a music and arts festival called Festival No6 aply named after the character No6 from cult telivision series The Prisoner  which was filmed there in the 60’s. Portmerion has several picturesque walks around its grounds and our tip for a cut cost visit is to book lunch at the Castell Portmerion. Currently if you dine 2 courses you gain free entry into the village (normally £10 if bought in advance).

3. The Bear Grill’s Survival Academy

Learn how to survive in the wild by visiting Dragon Raiders Activity park in Llanystumdwy. Dragon Raiders offer various Bear Grill’s Survival Academy courses including half day courses, full days and even 2 day courses. If a survival course isn’t your thing they also offer Paintballing and Segway trails.

4. Visit a Welsh Castle

Well there is plenty of them on our door step! Harlech & Criccieth castles are located minutes away. However a little further afield is Caernarfon Castle (where the Prince of Wales was invested) and then our personal favourite Penrhyn Castle Nr Bangor. Penrhyn castle is our favourite because of its fascinating and incredible architecture not to mention the 1 tonne Slate bed Made for Queen Victoria thats still housed there. Penrhyn Castle  also houses a industrial railway museum and model railway museum.

5. The Ffestiniog & Welsh Mountain Railways

Properly known as the “Festiniog Railway Company” it is the oldest surviving railway company in the world! It also still has four of its original steam locomotives and it also has the oldest railway workshops in use anywhere in the world.  It was in these very work shops that its fleet of unique Double Fairlie locomotives were built. Catch a ride on one of their trains to get breathtaking views that are inaccessible by car! Travel to Caernarfon on the Welsh Highland Railway onboard one of the world’s most powerful narrow gauge steam locomotives.

6. Take the kids To GreenWood Forest Park

It has been Voted Best Family Attraction in North Wales for five years running! GreenWood Forest Park is set over 27 acres. Discover woodland adventure, the world’s only people powered roller coaster and the longest sledge run in Wales! If its a rainy day they also have the “Enchanted Wood Barn” full of the latest indoor play for youngsters.

7.Glasfryn Activity Park

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnnn-Emkmvg

Enjoy a day of varied activities for all the family: Archery, Ten Pin Bowling, Quad biking, Go Karting, Kayaking, Clay Pigeon shooting and much more. There open 7 days a week all year round. Check out the website here

8. The Lloyd George Museum

A somewhat unknown gem lies just down the road… Discover more about the  man who made the remarkable journey from Llanystumdwy as a boy to  Prime Minister at Number 10 Downing Street. Lloyd George is the only Prime Minister whom spoke Welsh as his first language. He was a key figure in the introduction of many reforms which laid the foundations of the modern welfare state. Check the museum website out here

9. Fly Through The Sky

Travel along the worlds fastest zip line at Zip world Bethesda. If the fear doesn’t take your breath away, then the spectacular views will. Descend down Europes longest zip line at speeds that often surpass 100MPH! This is definitely one to tic off the bucket list.

10. Bounce Below

A visit to the Llechwedd slate caverns with a difference. Bounce your way around 6 different levels of trampolines. Suspended high above huge slate caverns they are connected via a series of walkways and slides. Bounce Below is fun for all the family or maybe just your inner child!

Photography kindly provided by Sian Davies Photography visit her Facebook page here for more stunning photographs of North Wales,

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