Rhyl Library

Rhyl Library sits on the seafront of this north Wales coastal town, and it's far more interesting than you might expect from a municipal building. The architecture is striking - all clean lines and purpose-built for the job, right next to the promenade where the amusement arcades and chip shops do their thing.

Inside, it's a proper working library with a local history section that actually rewards a rummage. You'll find stuff about Rhyl's Victorian heyday when it was a proper resort destination, before the beach holidays to Spain put it on the back foot. The children's section is decent if you're dealing with restless kids on a rainy afternoon - which, let's be honest, comes round regularly on the north Wales coast.

It's free to get in and have a look around, though facilities vary depending on what the council's budget allows that month. Expect to spend 30 minutes to an hour here, depending on how deep you want to go into the local history rabbit hole. Don't come expecting a destination attraction - it's genuinely useful if you're staying at The Beach Caravan Park down the road and need shelter from the inevitable drizzle.

The real value is as a rainy day pit stop during a wider Rhyl visit. The seafront's still got charm if you know where to look, and this library gives you a sense of what the town was before it became an afterthought.