With Easter just around the corner, we’ve packed this article with the many wonderful and fun activities you can do in North Wales over the long four day weekend.
The Bank Holiday weekend heralds the start of the summer season and with it the re-opening of many attractions including Llandudno’s Great Orme Tramway and Cable Car. The Tramway is Britain’s only cable-hauled street tram comprising of four of the original Victorian cars, while the Cable Car lift is the longest in the country rising 651ft above sea level. Both offer a fun and unique way to travel up to the summit of the Great Orme Country Park and Nature Reserve and are only a five minute walk from The Imperial Hotel.
Once you’re at the summit you’ll be rewarded with spectacular and far reaching views across to Anglesey, the Isle of Man and the Lake District as well as the majestic rising of Snowdon, the highest mountain in Wales at 3,560ft. Pop into the Visitor Centre where you’ll find 3-D maps and interactive exhibits that tell you everything about the headland’s nature, wildlife and history which is unique and one of the reasons why it’s a favourite location for TV programmes including CountryFile. There are also a number of excellent trails around the summit as well as a free walking audio trail about the wildlife and shipwrecks, geology and wartime memories, a café, gift shop, children’s playground and mini golf.
You’ll also find Llandudno Ski & Snowboard Centre on the Great Orme where you can ski or snowboard down the two perma-snow slopes or spin around in the crazy Sno tubes, ride the Cresta Toboggan Run or test your skill on the UK’s only Alpine Adventure golf course.
Llandudno’s famous Punch and Judy Show also starts its season at Easter weekend. The traditional and popular show featuring Pulcinella and his wife Judy is performed every day on the Prom near the Pier, while at the other end of the Prom towards Little Orme you’ll find the family friendly Bodafon Farm Park. See the new born lambs and calves as well as pigs, geese, ducks, goats, horses, a donkey and farm dogs and more unusual animals including llamas, red and fallow deer and rare breed cows as well as native and foreign species of owls and birds of prey. Special animal feed can be purchased so children can have fun hand feeding the goats, deer and llamas. There’s also a trailer ride around the farm, pony rides, ride-on tractors for kids and an adventure play area.
For an attraction on a green theme, we recommend visiting GreenWood Forest Park, the only family adventure park in the UK to provide true eco-friendly rides. Two of their popular attractions come out of hibernation at Easter – the GreenDragon Rollercoaster which is the only people-powered rollercoaster in the world and SolarSplash, the first solar powered ride in the UK. There is also a Jungle Boat Adventure, BareFootTrail, TreeTop Towers and the Great Green Run which make this a fun and full day out so if you’d like to take a picnic guests at The Imperial Hotel can order packed lunches from reception.
If you’d love more of a thrill, Zip World Fforest has a range of activities for families with children over the age of 3. Its Treetop Nets is a series of giant trampolines, walkways, slides and tunnels all made from netting and suspended between trees up to 9m off the ground or the Fforest Coaster is an all-weather toboggan experience that takes you on a ride through the woodland. Treehoppers, for children aged from 5 to 12, is all about fun between the trees with a tree hoppers bridge, a zip bridge, walking the plank, balancing beam, hanging logs, a multi vine and a moving vine to name just a few! The SkyRide, Europe’s highest and first 5 seater Giant Swing, hoists you over 80ft high into the air and then releases you to swing out over the magnificent Conwy Valley and is suitable for children aged over 7. And lastly there’s Zip World Safari which takes you on a journey 60ft high through the trees on 23 zip lines and six other rope course challenges and is for anyone over the age of 9.
For underground fun, Bounce Below is the world’s first subterranean playground located in an historic disused slate cavern with giant trampolines, walkways, slides and tunnels mostly made from netting for you to jump around in and has a minimum age of 7. Or head over to Zip World Caverns if your children are aged 10 or over. This is the world’s largest fully underground zip line course also located in a disused slate cavern which will bring out the Indiana Jones in everybody with not just zip lines but also rope bridges, obstacles and tunnels.
And if all that isn’t enough to keep you busy over the four days The Imperial Hotel will be holding an Easter Egg Hunt for all the children of hotel guests on Easter Sunday or you can enjoy a Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt at Penrhyn Castle from 24 March to 8 April or at Bodnant Garden on 1 and 2 April.
Make your Easter a memorable one this year by spending it in North Wales and at The Imperial Hotel with its Easter by the Sea Break. This two night break is the perfect combination of relaxation and indulgence with an Easter Cream Tea on arrival, a three course dinner both nights in the hotel’s award winning Two AA Rosette Chantrey’s Restaurant, the Easter Egg Hunt and complimentary use of the health and fitness facilities including indoor swimming pool and gym. Llandudno is the place to be this Easter but make sure you book today to avoid disappointment.