Beddgelert Snowdonia Cabins - Fun Days Out

Caernarfon Castle is a medieval fortress in Gwynedd, north-west Wales. Edward I began replacing an earlier motte-and-bailey castle with the current stone structure in 1283, and it was built on a grand scale as the administrative centre of north Wales. Its walls are reminiscent of the Walls of Constantinople, and it is part of the World Heritage Site "Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd". Cadw, the Welsh Government's historic environment service, manages it.

From the outside the castle looks mostly complete, though the interior buildings no longer survive and many parts were never finished. Its story takes in the sack of 1294, the Glyndŵr Rising, and three Civil War sieges. It also hosted the investiture of the Prince of Wales in 1911 and 1969. The Roman fort of Segontium is nearby, so you can look into the town's much older past too.

Dolbadarn Castle (Castell Dolbadarn) was built by the Welsh prince Llywelyn the Great in the early 13th century. It stands at the foot of the Llanberis Pass, overlooking the lake of Llyn Padarn, and once controlled an important mountain pass. Today it is a grade I listed building, owned by Cadw and run as a tourist attraction.

The big draw is the large stone keep, which historian Richard Avent considers "the finest surviving example of a Welsh round tower". It is also tied to a famous story: a poem describes a prince, Owain ap Gruffudd, imprisoned in a round tower, and historians believe it refers to this keep.

In 1284 Edward I took the castle and removed some of its timbers for his new castle at Caernarfon. From the 1760s it became a favourite subject for painters, including J. M. W. Turner, who painted it looming over the landscape.

It will appeal to anyone interested in Welsh history and medieval castles.

Harlech Castle is a medieval fortification in Gwynedd, built onto a rocky knoll close to the Irish Sea. Edward I had it built during his invasion of Wales, and it is one of the castles UNESCO includes in its World Heritage listing for the finest late 13th and early 14th century military architecture in Europe.

The castle is concentric in design and built of local stone, with a massive gatehouse that probably once housed the constable and visiting dignitaries. A water-gate and a long flight of steps lead down towards the former shore, where the sea once came much closer. The castle has seen plenty of action, from Owain Glyndŵr's occupation to the siege remembered in the song "Men of Harlech" and the Civil War, when it was the last fortification to surrender to Parliament. It's a good pick if you enjoy castle history.

Anglesey Sea Zoo is an independent aquarium and marine conservation centre on the south coast of Anglesey, near Brynsiencyn. Over 40 tanks show native British sea life, including octopus, lobsters, seahorses, conger eels and jellyfish. Highlights include the No Bone Zone for invertebrates, a wolf fish lair, a real crashing wave, a shipwreck and a kelp forest full of big fish. You can chat with the marine biologists too.

Much of the profit goes into conservation work, such as the seahorse breeding programme and the Lobster Hatchery of Wales. Outside there's a free adventure playground, crazy golf, picnic spots and a walk along the Menai Strait with Snowdonia in the distance. It works in any weather, suits all ages, and the site is fully accessible to wheelchairs and pushchairs. Parking is free, and dog pens with fresh water are provided outside.

Tip: No need to book ahead, as tickets are bought on the door. Standard and family tickets stay valid for 6 days after the day of purchase, so you can return for free in that time.

Plas Newydd is a country house on the north bank of the Menai Strait, with views across the water to Snowdonia. The house has origins in 1470 and was long the seat of the Marquesses of Anglesey. Inside, the story mixes military history, theatre and art, including the colourful life of the 5th Marquess, known as the Dancing Marquess, who turned the family chapel into a theatre.

Outside, the Grade I listed landscape takes in 40 acres of garden and 129 acres of woodland and parkland. Follow the path to the Rhododendron Garden, look out for red squirrels in the woods, or let children loose in the Dairy Wood play area and on the frisbee golf course. The Old Dairy Café has indoor and outdoor seating, and there is a picnic area. Gardens, history fans and families all suit it well.

Tip: Dogs on short leads are welcome in the gardens, but not on the Terraces. Autumn is a busy season for the red squirrels, so stay quiet in the woods.

Beaumaris Castle on Anglesey was the last of Edward I's royal strongholds in Wales, designed by James of St George beside the Menai Strait. Four concentric rings of defences, a water-filled moat with its own dock and a near-perfect symmetrical plan make it a striking sight. Money ran out and building petered out in the 1320s, so the gatehouse and inner towers never reached their intended height.

Walk past the wet moat and over a short wooden bridge to explore the grounds, the wall walks and the inner ward. There is an on-site exhibition, a gift shop and a guidebook, plus picnic tables if you want to eat there. It is part of the Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd World Heritage Site, so it will appeal to castle and history lovers. Dogs on short leads are welcome on the ground floor levels.

Tip: Use the main town car park opposite for the most direct route in, and watch for two-way traffic there.

The Welsh Mountain Zoo is a zoological garden near Colwyn Bay in Conwy County Borough. It covers 37 acres and has been open since 1963, so it has built up a good range of animal areas over the years.

Features named in the sources include Chimpanzee World, a Lemur Walkthrough, Red Pandas and Otters on the Prytherch Himalayan Terraces, Gibbon Heights, Condor Haven and a Children's Farm. There is also a Jungle Adventureland and a wallaby enclosure. The zoo has also bred the first Bactrian camel born in Wales. With a farm and walkthrough areas alongside the bigger enclosures, it suits families and anyone who likes seeing animals up close.

Tip: Check the zoo's website before you go, as the sources note that animal exhibits such as the sea lions have changed over time.

Penrhyn Castle is a country house at Llandygai, near Bangor in Gwynedd, built in the style of a Norman castle. Thomas Hopper rebuilt it in this Romanesque Revival form between 1822 and 1837, and it is Grade I listed. It is regarded as Hopper's finest work and as one of the most important country houses in Wales.

Inside, the art collection is of international importance and includes works by Palma Vecchio and Canaletto. The castle was a summer holiday home for the Douglas-Pennant family, and guests included Queen Victoria.

The story behind the castle also covers the slate industry of North Wales and the slave-plantation wealth that helped pay for it. The National Trust has explored these links to colonialism and historic slavery, so there is plenty of history to take in alongside the architecture and paintings.