Porthmadog

Steam whistles and the crash of waves set the soundtrack here. This Victorian harbour town sits where the Glaslyn estuary meets Cardigan Bay, with the Ffestiniog Railway chugging right through its heart. The narrow-gauge line brings proper character - tourists pile off the carriages clutching cameras, while locals barely glance up from their morning papers.

Black Rock Sands stretches for miles south of town, one of the few beaches in Wales where you can drive your car right onto the sand. It's brilliant fun, though watch the tides or you'll be explaining to your insurance company why your Ford Focus is floating. The beach gets properly busy in summer, but there's enough space that it never feels cramped.

Porthmadog itself keeps things real. High Street has the usual mix of charity shops and cafes, plus a few outdoor gear places for the Snowdonia crowd. The harbour's worth a wander - fishing boats bob alongside pleasure craft, and you can usually spot seals popping their heads up near the quay.

Getting here's straightforward enough. The A487 runs right through town, connecting to the A55 if you're coming from the north. Bangor's about 45 minutes away, Caernarfon closer to half an hour.

Staying at one of the nearby parks makes perfect sense. You're ideally placed for both the coast and the mountains - Snowdon's practically on your doorstep, while Portmeirion's just down the road. Plus, after a day tramping around the hills, there's nothing quite like falling asleep to the sound of the sea.