Welsh Mountain Zoo

The Welsh Mountain Zoo sits on a steep hillside above Conwy, and yes, you will feel your legs on the way up. It's a proper working zoo with big cats, primates, and a solid collection of animals from around the world - nothing as polished as Chester or Bristol, but that's rather the point. You get actual views across the Conwy Valley while you're trudging between enclosures, which beats staring at concrete walls.

The big draw here is the red pandas and the snow leopards, if they're out. The big cats enclosure is genuinely worth the climb. Allow three to four hours if you're taking it seriously; families with young kids often manage two and call it done. It's not a theme park experience - there are fewer crowds than the big zoos, which some will prefer and others will find a bit thin on the ground.

Entry costs money and there's often seasonal variation on pricing, so check ahead. The site can get muddy after rain, so proper shoes are non-negotiable. Go midweek if you can; weekends draw coachloads from Llandudno, which is only a few miles down the road.

If you're staying at one of the nearby parks - Dinarth Hall and Tan Y Bryn are closest - the zoo works as a half-day outing. It's not worth dragging yourself here purely for the zoo, but tacked onto a longer North Wales trip with Conwy Castle and the coast, it fills an afternoon without drama. Kids aged four to twelve will get the most from it.