Northfield Holiday Park

Borth is your closest beach, and it's a fine one indeed with three miles of sand and pebbles, plus an ancient petrified forest that sometimes appears at low tide. There are plenty more great spots along the coast though, including the wildlife-filled dunes of Ynyslas National Nature Reserve (10 minutes' drive), the pretty harbour of Aberaeron (40 minutes) and New Quay (50 minutes), a hotspot for dolphin-spotting boat trips. Aberystwyth (15 minutes) is another nice seaside spot, with the cliff railway, National Library of Wales, a castle and a camera obscura as well as the beach. From here you can board the Vale of Rheidol Railway for a trip to Devil’s Bridge waterfalls (otherwise half an hour’s drive). For other outings, take a look at places like Bwlch Nant yr Arian Forest Visitor Centre (20 minutes), where you can see red kites being fed daily, and The Magic of Life Butterfly House (20 minutes), home to hundreds of colourful insects along with frogs and other beasts. The underground tours at Silver Mountain Experience (25 minutes) are often popular as well.