4 Official Wales Road Trips [With Itineraries + Maps]

If you’re looking for an affordable and adventure-filled road trip, look no further than Wales.

Home to some of the most breathtaking landscapes in the country, dotted with charming towns, quaint villages, and iconic landmarks, Wales is an accessible and exhilarating road trip destination.

In this guide, I’ll share the four most popular road trip routes in Wales along with some of my favourite highlights of each.

Best Road Trips in Wales

There are four official road trips in Wales, three designed by the Welsh Tourism Board which are collectively known as the Wales Way. And a fourth called the Snowdonia360 which has been created by a not-for-profit consortium.

When planning a Welsh road trip, I recommend that you use these routes as a rough guide rather than a strict route.

My dedicated road trip guides list all of the top attractions and places to stay on each route so you can personalise the itinerary and create an unforgettable road trip tailored to you.

The four main road trips in Wales are:

• The North Wales Way – This 75-mile (120km) route follows the north coast of Wales from the border near England to Anglesey, Wales’ largest Island.
  
  
• The Cambrian Way -  This 185-mile (300km) route goes through the heart of Wales, from Llandudno in the very North to Cardiff in the South. You'll pass through two national parks (Snowdonia and the Brecon Beacon), as well as charming towns and villages like Betws-y-Coed and Hay-on-Wye.
  
  
• The Coastal Way – Similar to the Cambrian Way, this route runs from north to south, however, it clings to the coastline rather than cutting through the middle. The route is 180 miles (290km) long, from Aberdaron in the north to St David’s in the south.
  
  
• Snowdonia360 – This is a 360-mile (580km) route around North Wales. It includes a combination of coastal and inland destinations. It’s the only one of the three routes that’s circular.

Below, I’ll share some more information about each road trip and the highlights you can see along the way. I also have dedicated road trip guides to each of these routes.

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1. The North Wales Way

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How Long Does it Take?

At just 75 miles (official route), this is the shortest of the four road trips and has the fewest potential stops so it can be completed the quickest. I would recommend 5-7 days to complete this road trip (add 2 extra days if you make the ammends I suggest).

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Top 10 Highlights

1. I recommend beginning in Wrexham where you can see the enormous St Giles Cathedral, visit the Xplore Science Discovery Centre, and see an excellent museum which showcases Wrexham's history and its newfound fame in the footballing world.

2. Take a detour to Llangollen where you can take a trip on the historic canal, walk up to the ruins of Castell Dinas Bran, and walk along the famous Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.

3. Explore the seaside resort of Llandudno where you can walk along the longest pier in Wales and head up the Great Orme headland in a cable car or on the funicular.

4. Visit Conwy where you can walk along the medieval town walls and visit the huge Conwy Castle. I also loved visiting Plas Mawr and the Smallest House in Great Britain here.

5. Visit the National Trust’s Bodnant Gardens, famous for its Italianate gardens and year-round plant collections.

6. Walk to Aber Falls, one of the best waterfalls in North Wales. It took me about 1hr15 round trip to the waterfall and back.

7. Zipline through the former slate mine on the world's fastest zipline at Zipworld Penrhyn.

8. Visit Beaumaris where you can see a historic castle that overlooks the Menai Strait and explore two museums in the old goal and the old courthouse.

9. Explore Llanddwyn Island, a famous tidal island off Anglesey that was once the home of St Dwynwen. As well as picturesque views, you can see the ruins of an old church and Twr Mawr lighthouse here.

10. Visit South Stack Lighthouse, the only working lighthouse in Wales that you can go inside for a tour.

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2. The Cambrian Way

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How Long Does it Take?

Although this isn’t the longest route by distance at 185 miles (300km), it is the most diverse and has the most things to see and do along the way.

I would recommend a full 2 weeks for this route which includes a few days to explore Cardiff at the end. You could easily extend this to 3 weeks if you have the time.

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Top 10 Highlights

1. Begin in the seaside town of Llandudno, boasting a Victorian pier that’s the longest in Wales. From here, you can also head up to the Great Orme headland on the cable car or funicular.

2. Visit the medieval walled town of Conwy where you can walk along the town walls and visit the iconic Conwy Castle. I also loved visiting Plas Mawr and the Smallest House in Great Britain here.

3. Stop by the charming village of Betws-y-Coed in the heart of Eryri (Snowdonia). Check out the quaint shops, visit the nearby Fairy Glen, and the Conwy Valley Railway Museum.

4. Visit Coed y Brenin Forest Park. It’s full of walking trails for all abilities including one with a waterfall. It's well known as a good spot for cycling and you can hire bicycles from the visitor centre. Keep an eye out for red kites soaring overhead.

5. Take a scenic drive through Rhayadr and the Elan Valley, a picturesque valley with 6 dams and many beautiful lakes. It’s great for walking or cycling.

6. As you reach the second national park on the route, stop off in Brecon, the largest town in the Brecon Beacons. The town has several great museums and the opportunity to take a short trip along the Brecon & Monmouthshire Canal.

7. Take a detour to Hay-on-Wye, a charming town known as ‘the town of books’ due to having countless second-hand bookshops. I also enjoyed the guided tour of Hay Castle.

8. Hunt out some waterfalls in Waterfall Country – an area of the Brecon Beacons with a high concentration of waterfalls. For a quick visit, head to Henrhyd Falls, or to see several waterfalls in one go, try the Eldir Trail or the Four Falls Trail.

9. Visit Caerphilly where you can see Caerphilly Castle, the largest castle in Wales and one of the biggest in Britain.

10. Finish off in Cardiff, the Welsh capital. You should allow at least a few days to fully explore the city and its surroundings. Cardiff Castle, Cardiff Bay, the National Museum Cardiff, and St Fagans National History Museum are among the must-visit attractions.

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3. The Coastal Way

How Long Does it Take?

I would recommend 7-10 days to complete this route while moving at a moderately fast pace.

If you want to move at a slower pace and do more activities along the way, allocate a full 2 weeks.

Top 10 Highlights

1. Stop off in Criccieth, a small town that’s overlooked by Criccieth Castle. The town has two beaches which are lined with colourful houses. Eat at Dylan’s Criccieth – one of my favourite restaurants on this route.

2. Visit Portmeirion, a quirky Italianate village in North Wales. Here, you’ll find colourful houses, landscaped gardens, and charming cafes.

3. Visit the Harlech Castle, a grand fortress perched on a clifftop overlooking Harlech Beach. The castle has UNESCO World Heritage Site status.

4. Park the car up in Tywyn and take a nostalgic train journey on the Talyllyn Railway. Puff through valleys and forests, stopping in the charming village of Abergynolwyn for a coffee on the way back.

5. Spend a day in Aberystwyth, a coastal town buzzing with student life and Victorian charm. My favourite thing to do here is simply enjoy the promenade that runs along the coast. But you can also visit the National Library of Wales, the Ceredigion Museum and go up Constitution Hill.

6. Take a detour to Devil’s Bridge Falls, one of the best waterfalls in Mid-Wales. You can hike down into the gorge and back up alongside the waterfall.

7. Step back in time at Castell Henllys, a reconstructed iron-age village complete with villagers who will teach you about daily life in pre-historic Wales.

8. Explore the coastal town of Fishguard where you can go kayaking in Fishguard Bay, enjoy panoramic views from Fishguard Fort, and see the tapestry which depicts the last invasion of Great Britain.

9. Visit Cardigan and join a dolphin spotting boat trip with A Bay To Remember where you’ll spot some of the bottlenose dolphins that live offshore. While in Cardigan, check out the beautiful beach at Poppit Sands, the ruins of Cilgerran Castle, and the trails at the Welsh Wildlife Centre.

10. Finish (or begin) in St Davids. It might be Britain's smallest city, but it boasts the magnificent St Davids Cathedral which is the largest cathedral in Wales.

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4. Snowdonia360

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How Long Does it Take?

This is the longest of all the routes so you would need a good 3 weeks to do it properly without rushing.

If you don’t have 3 weeks, you can amend the route by removing some sections such as the Llyn Peninsular, southern Snowdonia, and northeast Anglesey. This would allow you to do it in 2 weeks and still hit the best spots.

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Top 10 Highlights

1. Visit South Stack Lighthouse, a working lighthouse where you can take a guided tour inside. Nearby is Breakwater Country Park that's another great spot.

2. Explore Ynys Llanddwyn (Llanddwyn Island), a famous tidal island off Anglesey that was once the home of St Dwynwen. As well as picturesque views, you can see the ruins of an old church and a lighthouse here.

3. Visit Beaumaris where you can see a historic castle that overlooks the Menai Strait and explore two museums in the old goal and the old courthouse.

4. Explore the royal town of Caernarfon in North Wales, most famous for Caernarfon Castle, another UNESCO castle built by Edward I. You can take a boat trip along the Menau Strait and visit the nearby Airworld Aviation Museum in a former RAF base.

5. Get your adrenaline pumping at Glasfryn Activity Park with zip lines, paintballing, mountain bike trails, and the giant inflatable assault course.

6. Visit Bala, a town in Snowdonia known for water sports. You can go kayaking and canoeing on Llyn Tegid (Bala Lake), hire a boat, go canyoning, or try White Water Rafting Rafting at the National White Water Rafting Centre.

7. Choose between any of the Zip World sites in North Wales. I recommend Zipworld Penrhyn for the fastest zipline or Zip World Fforest for the self-controlled roller coaster through a forest.

8. Take a detour to Llanberis for a glimpse at Eryri National Park. Go paddleboarding on the lake, visit the castle, and take a trip on the Llanberis Lake Railway. You can also climb Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) from here.

9. Walk to Aber Falls, one of the best waterfalls in North Wales. It took me about 1hr15 round trip to the waterfall and back. Take a tour at Aber Falls Distillery while you're there.

10. Visit Conwy where you can walk along the medieval town walls and visit the huge Conwy Castle. I also loved visiting Plas Mawr and the Smallest House in Great Britain here.

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Planning a Wales Road Trip

Here are some general tips for road-tripping in Wales from my years of experience travelling around the country:

• Remember, driving is on the left in the UK which is different from the rest of Europe.
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• Wales is a big country, so pick one part of it (North, South, or West) and attempt that first. See road trip itineraries and stops below for inspiration.
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• The easiest way to hire a car in Wales is by using Auto Europe. The main places you can pick-up and drop-off are Cardiff, Swansea, Aberystwyth, Holyhead, and over the border in Liverpool.
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• You could also consider hiring a camper van instead, check out Paul Camper where you can hire people's unused camper vans in the UK.
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• Technically, it's illegal to camp overnight anywhere in Wales without the landowner's permission. In some areas, you may encounter unhappy locals when parking in laybys or car parks.
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  You can attempt to find free overnight camping spots using the Park4Night UK app (Android | iPhone) where other users share their experiences. However, it's usually easier to book a spot at a campsite if staying longer than one night.

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Related Questions

What is The Wales Way?

The Wales Way is the collective name for the three road trip routes created by the Welsh Tourism Board (known as Visit Wales). These three routes are the North Wales Way, the Cambrian Way, and the Coastal Way.