Nova Prestatyn

The massive metallic structure looming over Prestatyn seafront is impossible to miss - a 66-metre-high observation tower that's become the area's most recognisable landmark. Nova Prestatyn is essentially a viewing platform wrapped in a sleek, modern design, offering 360-degree views across the coast and inland towards the Clwydian Range when visibility is decent.

You pay to go up - it's not free, and it takes roughly 20 minutes to do the thing properly: lift to the top, walk around the galleries, read the interpretive panels about the coastline. On a clear day you can see as far as the Lake District and Liverpool. On a grey one (which is most days in North Wales) you get what you pay for.

Families with kids find it worthwhile, particularly if weather's poor and you need an indoor activity. Walkers heading to nearby Golden Sands Holiday Park might use it as a quick stop before heading out along the promenade. History buffs won't find much - it's modern, functional, and deliberately forward-looking rather than backward-gazing.

Rhyl, just down the coast, has plenty of additional attractions if Nova doesn't fill your afternoon. The tower works best as part of a broader seaside day rather than a destination in itself. Budget 30-45 minutes total, including queuing. Not essential, but solid enough if you're already in the area with time to kill.