The Rainy Day Survival Guide: 6 Indoor Adventures in North Wales That Aren’t Boring

Let’s be honest: you don’t get landscapes as lush, green, and dramatically carved as Wales without a bit of liquid sunshine. While we love a rainy walk to a roaring waterfall, sometimes you just want to stay completely dry without wasting a day of your holiday.

Luckily, North Wales specializes in epic indoor adventures. If the clouds roll in over the mountains, here are six brilliant indoor days out that are packed with history, adrenaline, and culture.

1. Go Below, Betws-y-Coed

Who cares if it’s raining above ground when you’re hundreds of feet below it? Go Below turns abandoned Victorian slate mines into an underground adventure playground. You can zip-line through cavernous spaces, boat across subterranean lakes, and climb vertical rock faces. It is the ultimate wet-weather adrenaline rush.

2. Gladstone’s Library, Hawarden

For a completely different pace, head to Britain’s only residential library. Founded by former Prime Minister William Gladstone, this striking Victorian Gothic building looks like something straight out of Hogwarts. It is a stunning, silent sanctuary where you can curl up in a comfy armchair with a book, surrounded by thousands of historic volumes and beautiful oak galleries.

3. Bounce Below at Zip World, Blaenau Ffestiniog

Imagine a subterranean network of giant trampolines and nets suspended inside a cavern twice the size of St Paul’s Cathedral, all lit up with technicolor neon lights. Bounce Below lets you jump, slide, and climb your way through a historic mine chamber. It’s completely undercover and brilliant fun for both adults and kids.

4. The National Slate Museum, Llanberis

Housed in the Victorian workshops directly beneath the towering slate quarries of Dinorwig, this free museum offers a fascinating, immersive look at the industry that “roofed the 19th-century world.” Watch live blacksmith demonstrations, explore preserved quarrymen’s cottages, and see the largest working waterwheel on mainland Britain.

5. Indy Climbing Wall, Llanfairpwll

If the weather has ruined your plans to climb the real cliffs of Eryri, head to Indy Climbing Wall. This fantastic indoor climbing center caters to everyone from absolute beginners to seasoned pros. It’s a brilliant way to burn off some energy, learn a new skill, and challenge yourself on a rainy afternoon.

6. Plas Glyn-y-Weddw Arts Centre, Llanbedrog

Located inside a magnificent Gothic mansion on the Llÿn Peninsula, this is one of Wales’ oldest and most prestigious independent art galleries. Spend a rainy morning browsing contemporary Welsh art, exploring the changing exhibitions, and enjoying a brilliant lunch or coffee in their striking, modern glass-roofed cafe.