Traeth Pwllheli

The beach at Pwllheli curves along the Cardigan Bay coastline like a proper Welsh seaside town should - long, sandy, and backed by the sort of Victorian promenade that's seen better decades but retains a certain honest charm. It's the kind of place where families have been coming for generations, and you can still feel it: the amusement arcade, the ice cream van, the stretch of sand that actually gives you room to breathe unlike some of the more crowded North Wales beaches.

Walk the length of it and you get decent views across the bay, particularly toward the south where the coastline curves away. The beach itself is fine for swimming when the tide's right, though like most Welsh beaches it's very much a "check the tides beforehand" situation. Kids will find enough to keep them occupied for a good few hours - rockpools at low tide, space to run about, the usual seaside entertainments.

It's free, naturally, and you can spend as little or as long as you like here. An hour is reasonable if you're just stretching your legs; half a day if you're serious about the beach experience. The town of Pwllheli itself is walkable from the shore, so you can grab lunch or a coffee without heading far.

If you're staying at one of the nearby parks like Gimblet Rock or Haven Hafan y Môr, Traeth Pwllheli makes an easy addition to your holiday rather than a special trip. It's not dramatic or showy, but it does what a Welsh beach should do - offers a proper seaside afternoon without pretence.