May half term activities

It’s great to get out of the house and do something different during the school holidays. There are many things going on in Wales during half term, but how do you choose from everything that’s on offer? We’ve put some ideas together to help you plan a fun and memorable half term to look forward to, whether your family is into theme parks, enjoys seeing nature or having beach time.

How about some high-energy excitement and adventure during half term, something that’s the opposite of school or work and helps you get that endorphin rush? With an array of adventure and theme parks, Wales has you covered.

GreenWood Forest Park in Y Felinheli, Gywnedd, is set in 27 magical acres and includes the UK’s only solar powered water ride. The Enchanted WoodBarn is ideal for rainy days as it’s full of the latest indoor play equipment with a separate area for the under threes. Over in Pwllheli, Glasfryn Park Activity Centre offers activities from paddle boarding to go-karting. 

Oakwood Theme Park in Narberth, Pembrokeshire, offers over 40 rides and attractions from the family-friendly to the adrenaline fuelled.

Nurture your love of nature with some days out that celebrate all creatures great and small. Cefn Mably Farm Park is in Newport, offering a mix of farm animals, soft play areas, electric go-carts and diggers. Manorafon Farm in Abergele has Farm Fest over the half term, with a pony show, derby, griff rocks sing and dance along, fun foam party, scarcrow trail and more.

Bird and Harry Potter lovers alike will be enchanted by The Welsh Owl Garden and Zoo, hidden in the woodland garden at Picton Castle, Haverfordwest.

Bird and Harry Potter lovers alike will be enchanted by Picton Castle's The Welsh Owl Garden and Zoo, hidden in the castle's woodland garden in Haverfordwest.

Overlooking Cardigan Island the Coastal Farm Park has plenty of small farm animals to meet, plus llamas, emus and wallabies. If you're lucky, you might get to see seals from the cliff top, or leaping dolphins in Cardigan Bay.

Amazing Alpacas in Monmouthshire offer private tours to meet and find out more about their herd of alpacas.

We all know that Wales has fantastic beaches, but how about visiting some of the country’s lesser-known sandy spots? Hop on a boat trip from Tenby, and you’ll get to visit some amazing beaches on Caldey Island, home to an order of monks who sell their handmade perfume, chocolate and shortbread.

Poppit Sands, Pembrokeshire, has clean shallow sand, extensive dunes, surf-friendly waves, porpoise spotting opportunities and marks the beginning of the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path. Fossil hunters will appreciate the black sands and tiny relics of Abereiddey Bay Beach, Pembrokeshire, while rockpool explorers will enjoy Traeth Mawr, Anglesey, for its plentiful crabbing.

Want a beach without summertime dog restrictions? Rhyl Splash Point Beach in Denbighshire allows your canine friends to run free all year round.

Take your family on a self led walk starting and finishing at railway station. Pick from walks in Burry Port, Llanelli, Pontarddulais and Fishguard & Goodwick and download a Ramble and Scramble map in either Welsh or English. There are suggested activities for each walk. 

Accompanied children can now travel free on all Transport for Wales trains, plus there's 2 for 1 entry at Cadw sites when you travel there by train.

The National Trust has a whole range of activities across Wales during May half term, from a goldmine tour and nature walks to getting creative with cross stitch. The WWT Llanelli Wetland Centre in Llanelli also offer nature-themed activities perfect for budding David Attenboroughs. Young children will enjoy meeting Bing and Flop this spring (23 March - 02 June). The characters from the multi-award winning animated series come to life and accompany visitors on a paper trail handout. There will also be Bing storytelling sessions. 

Everybody loves a steam train. There are miniature engines galore at Fairbourne Railway’s annual Steam Gala. 

Search for more nature reserves and heritage railways across Wales.
 

At the National Museum Cardiff, there’s plenty for the whole family to enjoy, such as getting hands on with the exhibits in the Clore Discovery Centre. The Hay Literary Festival has an extensive programme for of events for children and families – take a look at HayDays for more information.

Looking for something different this half term? Step into the future of broadcasting at BBC’s newest and most advanced studios at Central Square, Cardiff. Join friendly guides for an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the state-of-the-art television and radio studios.

BBC Cymru Wales has received a coveted Visit Wales gold award for the quality of its tours and a TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice award. These guided tours are available in Welsh, English and BSL. Book your tickets for a BBC Tour.

Wales has some amazing and unique places to stay during your half term adventures. You can use the accommodation search on our website to help you find your perfect Visit Wales graded property, from glamping or self-catering to beautiful country house hotels and sea-side B&Bs.

And although we’ve listed lots of attractions, there is so much more to do in Wales – if you fancy exploring what other beaches and activities are on offer, search or browse our website.