Towyn – A Complete Guide

On the spectacular coastline of North Wales lies a seaside town in the County Borough of Conwy, called Towyn, and it is yet to get the recognition it deserves as a holiday destination. Towyn, nestled between Kinmel Bay and Abergele, overlooking Colwyn Bay, with views of Great Orme, is an up and coming spot with great potential. When holidaying in Wales it’s well worth adding a trip to Towyn to your itinerary.

Whether you’re looking for an escape or to relocate, Towyn, or Tywyn, which is the Welsh spelling (and the spelling you’ll see on the local signposts) should at least be on your list of options and here’s why.

Is Towyn a nice place to live?

Towyn is a typical traditional seaside resort town that has remained largely unchanged over the years. Many people with fond memories of camping in Towyn as children, continue to return year on year with their own families now in tow.

Old school in style, the town has caravan parks adjacent to the seafront, plenty of cafés offering up a simple hearty fare, pubs, and, central to many kid’s holiday memories: two fantastic funfairs, Knightleys on Sand Bank Road and the Tir Prince Funfair, which features its own open-air market.

Although admittedly not to everyone’s taste, there’s no denying that living in Towyn does offer a more relaxed pace of life to big city living. Crime in Towyn, unfortunately, compares poorly to Clwyd’s overall crime rate, but the local community here are really friendly and work together to make Towyn a great place to live.

The area has some really good schools. Local Towyn infant school Ysgol y Foryd has even been rated in the top 1% of schools in Wales.

For a town with a population of not more than a few thousand, Towyn has over 50,000-bed spaces to accommodate visitors, mostly in the many caravan parks situated here. So you can well imagine the change here from the peak summer season through to the more quiet winter months.

Best Things to do in Towyn

Funfairs

There is nothing quite as magical as a carousel. Bright colours, bright lights, loud music, the smell of candy floss, and children squealing with delight and excitement, there are many good reasons why funfairs are the main attraction for families visiting Towyn.

Knightley’s Fun Park, located right by the beach, has all that any good amusement park should offer; a great big loud funfair, an amusement arcade to swallow your coins, a bingo hall to try your luck, characters in costume to charm the children, and a restaurant and pub for refreshments.

Tir Prince Leisure Park not only has a similarly great family funfair with all the bells and whistles, it also features the largest weekly outdoor market in North Wales and harness racing among other amusements, so there really is something for all the family.

Amusement Arcades

A surefire way to spend a chunk of holiday cash is to visit one or more of the many Towyn Seafront Amusement Arcades. But if hanging out, and having fun in an amusement arcade while introducing your kids to some nostalgia-inducing retro game machines is on your list you need go no further than the firm favourite, Black Cat 2 arcade.

Tir Prince Market

Famously the largest outdoor weekly market in North Wales, Tir Prince market is absolutely great fun to wander around. The bustling market has everything on offer and you are bound to find a little gem or two in the car boot stalls.

Harness Racing

Said to be one of the finest harness racing courses in Wales, the racecourse at Tir Prince Leisure Park is well worth checking out. Whether you just want to check out these trotting horses pulling their two-wheeled sulkies and drivers, or you have a few pounds for the bookies to place on a ‘sure thing’, harness racing is a unique way to spend an afternoon in Towyn.

Bingo

‘Man Alive Number 5’ if bingo gets your heart racing, there certainly is no shortage of options in Towyn for an evening’s entertainment. Play alongside Towyn locals at Palace Bingo.

Great Outdoors

Neighbouring Kinmel Bay has a host of watersports activities on offer, from kayaks to windsurfing and yachting to fishing and much more to suit all you adventurous types.

If you’re simply looking to reconnect with nature in a quieter, less adrenaline-fuelled manner, there are long stretches of coastal walks, taking in part of the Wales Coastal Path, to stroll at your leisure all along the bay and west to Llandudno. Or you can even take a bracing dip in the Irish Sea from Towyn beach.

Is There a Sandy Beach in Towyn?

Towyn does indeed have its own sandy beach with shingle banks to the rear. The beach runs all the way to Abergele and beyond. Popular with families and day-trippers it’s a perfect spot for sunbathing, swimming and building sandcastles and has all the usual seaside amusements.

Happily, for those of you with four-legged friends, you’ll be glad to hear your dog is welcome on this beach.

On a clear day, you can enjoy spectacular vistas of Colwyn Bay, all the way across to Great Orme and sometimes even beyond to the Isle of Man. Traeth Pensarn is a lovely pebble beach with free parking just west of Towyn beach.

Places to Eat in Towyn

You won’t be long hungry if you pop by CJ Tacos on Sandbank road, this great eatery serves up delicious Filipino/Mexican style meals to make the mouth water. Their battered prawn tacos are a holiday highlight.

If you’re after traditional fish and chips or tasty homemade lasagne, take yourself along to Darbey’s Chippy on Wellington road for great food at great prices.

Places to Stay in Towyn

If you’re specifically looking for a hotel stay there’s a small selection in Towyn itself but you may have more luck searching further afield to Llandudno or any of the other neighbouring resorts.

Holidaymakers in Towyn usually stay in one of the many award-winning caravan and camping sites all along the shore that offer premier facilities and services with the promise of safety and entertainment for all the family.