Anglesey this Autumn with our toddler gave us all the perfect getaway. He thrived with the adventure and meeting our friends and their kids. We thrived on a break from work that we hadn’t realised we needed quite so much, and the normalcy of solid time with other people!
Little Parker also managed to tick off a new country without stepping on a plane! After cancelling 4 holidays in 2020, you might think we’d have given up, but no, thankfully not. We lucked out with Anglesey, and finally slept in a holiday bed this year!
A while back our friends moved house and whilst I accepted we wouldn’t be staying with them in the covid-era, I got on and planned a visit. Thankfully, my scheduling was ridiculously lucky in that we travelled the week before Wales went into lockdown…
Where to stay
I was looking for something quite specific – a sea view, because it’s the one thing I miss living away from the sea. I also needed a home away from home having just finished our extension which we are rather fond of!
Being flexible on dates meant we were able to grab the only free dates in a cottage on the Menai Straits in Moel y Don, just outside of Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch (yes, that is the longest place name in the UK at 58 letters and yes we did take a photo). When a place doesn’t have much availability, you’re onto a good thing! In fact I’ve booked the only spare dates in June to go back!
The cottage is really rather lovely. Magnificent views from the picture windows in the lounge and master bedroom (which has enough space to put a toddler lilo alongside the bed). A new kitchen, a massive bathroom with bath and a twin bedroom too. They have another cottage with a hot tub but it is all about the views for us! I haven’t taken many photos (hurricane toddler) of the house, but the link above or AirBnB have great shots.
What to do
There’s far more than I would have expected to keep a toddler amused. Attraction wise the Sea Zoo was a superb diversion on a rainy day, our little one loved all the tanks and we were pretty fascinated too. We didn’t make it to these other places, but for next time there’s: a model village, Foel Farm, Tacla Taid transport museum and Pili Palas for birds and butterflies.
Taking a rib ride is a great excursion. We went with our friends, but there are lots of companies that will take you for a ride. It was the first time on a boat for our toddler and he had wide eyes and eventually raised a smile, before falling asleep to the sound of the engine and wind. We were fascinated by the tide ripping down the Straits and explored quarries, bridges and even drove into the bowels of Plas Newydd. Another time we will visit the National Trust place itself!
Anglesey has a few beaches, as you might expect! Our long term favourite is Newborough, specifically Llandwyn Island which can be accessed at low tide. At 8am in the morning we had the beach, and the whole island in fact, to ourselves. And free parking too as we arrived so early. It’s also great for cycling and walking in the forest.
At Treaddur Bay we had great fun on the beach digging sandcastles and building dams for boats. Just where we were staying there’s a public slipway (taking a dinghy with us next time) and a pebble beach with plenty of eels, star fish and crabs to find. And at sunrise, well, it’s spectacular. Rhosneiger, we didn’t make it to this time, nor Red Wharf bay, or Aberffraw – but they are also favourites we’ve been to before. And on a windy stormy day there’s a big choice of lighthouses to pick from!
The RNLI shop in Moelfre is well worth a visit, as there’s a little museum and a lifeboat on display too. I’ve always liked it and it proved popular with our toddler too. There’s a few cute tearooms in that village as well. Just up the way from Moelfre is a little walk to the top of Mynydd Bodafon that commands excellent views and is good for little legs as it’s not too far! Beaumaris is good for a mooch, whether the pier, castle or the shop of unusual plants – there’s plenty to see. And some lovely shops as well.
Where to eat
We’ve been to Anglesey many many times, but never with a toddler. So the long lazy pub lunches we had to replace with early and fast dining! The Sea Shanty in Treaddur Bay gets our vote, great food and fascinating decor with dinghies hanging overhead. And excellent ice cream – I don’t think I’ll forget in a hurry watching my lizard toddler slowly lick his way through his!
Dylan’s in Menai we’ve been too many times before, but never twice in one day – that’s a first. Great for coffee and a quick snack at lunch time and excellent for an early delicious supper as well. In Beaumaris we found Pier House Bistro was great for brunch. On another visit I have on my list the tipi at Halen Mon (next to the Sea Zoo) as well as Hootons Farm Shop, a return to The Marram Grass, as well as investigating the cakes in the vegan deli in Menai! On our first night we actually got a curry take away which was the perfect holiday treat, it’s lovely to stay remotely but be able to access the fast food from Menai.
Other bits for next time
This was a short visit to switch off from work and see our friends and we stayed on the island of Anglesey as the rates of covid are so low. But when we return I want to take our little one into Snowdowia, we’ve had so many happy times up here in the last 15 years there’s so much to show him (I just can’t remember the names of most places we’ve walked).
We could get the train up the mountain, go to Portmerion, get the train from Beddgelert, mooch around Portmadog, brunch at Pete’s Eats. visit the Great Orme, Aber Falls, Hootons PYO… There’s so much choice when there isn’t a lockdown! Abersoch needs a visit, no doubt for dinghy week in the Mirror dinghy soon enough. And we really need to take our little monster to two lovely pubs – Ty Coch on the beach and Pen Y Gwyrd in the mountains!
An excellent little getaway. A pleasure to fit in some normalcy in a difficult year and in a beautiful place. Dreamy to be in such a remote and quiet part of the country with such a choice of fun outdoor things to do. And just perfect to spend time with our friends and see the children all play together while we relaxed!
Here’s to plenty more staycations, I hope our little adventures give you some ideas for a trip to Anglesey with a toddler – lovely accommodation, beautiful places, great food and drink and good quality family time.
I’ve decided to write about our little trips with ‘a toddler in tow’ a bit like what I’ve already done for Hampshire. I hope you enjoyed it – not reviewing places but sharing our long lists of things we did or will do next time.
