Best Places to Visit Near Bangor
Written by UK Hidden Gems Editorial
Updated 5 August 2026
The best places to visit near Bangor are Plas Cadnant Hidden Gardens, Glan Faenol, Bryn Celli Ddu Burial Chamber, Castell Aberlleiniog, Traeth Llanddona, Rhaeadr-bach, Traeth Coch Pentraeth and Aber Falls.
Bangor sits on the mainland shore of Gwynedd, looking out across the narrow Menai Strait to the island of Anglesey, with the mountains of Snowdonia rising close behind. It makes a fine base for a scattering of days out that take in gardens, ancient stones, castles, beaches and waterfalls, most of them within a short drive.
Cross the strait onto Anglesey and you can wander the restored Regency gardens of Plas Cadnant, stoop into the Neolithic tomb of Bryn Celli Ddu, or seek out the woodland castle ruin of Castell Aberlleiniog. The island's east coast holds two broad tidal beaches, Traeth Llanddona and Traeth Coch, where the sand runs for miles at low tide.
Closer to home, the National Trust woodland of Glan Faenol lines the strait itself. Head the other way, into the foothills of the Carneddau, and you reach the twin cascades of Aber Falls and its little sister Rhaeadr-bach.
Together they cover mountain, coast and history in a small compass. Here are eight places to visit near Bangor.
Plas Cadnant Hidden Gardens
Photo: Richard Hoare via Geograph.org.uk
Plas Cadnant Hidden Gardens Just across the Menai Bridge on Anglesey, these restored Regency gardens were first laid out in the early nineteenth century and coaxed back to life over recent decades after years of neglect. You can wander a curving walled garden with its pool, then drop into a wooded valley where the little River Cadnant slips through a rocky gorge in a run of waterfalls.
Woodland holds the ruin of an old folly, and a large collection of hydrangeas thrives here. A tea room and plant sales round off the visit.
Storm flooding in 2015 wrecked the valley, but it has since been rebuilt.
Glan Faenol
Photo: Mat Fascione via Geograph.org.uk
Glan Faenol Close to Bangor on the shore of the Menai Strait, Glan Faenol is a stretch of woodland and old parkland that once belonged to the Vaynol estate and now sits in the care of the National Trust. A waymarked walk of about a mile and a half threads through the trees and along the water's edge, with a bird hide and views across to Plas Newydd and the hills of Snowdonia beyond.
Old estate buildings and a long boundary wall still stand among the trees. It is a quiet, free place for a stroll, open from dawn to dusk.
Bryn Celli Ddu Burial Chamber
Photo: David Bremner via Geograph.org.uk
Bryn Celli Ddu Burial Chamber A short drive onto Anglesey brings you to one of the finest ancient monuments in Wales, a Neolithic burial tomb raised more than four thousand years ago on the site of an older ritual circle. A grass-covered mound hides a low stone passage leading into a chamber at its heart, where a tall smooth pillar rises from the floor; you can stoop along and stand inside.
At dawn on the longest day, the rising sun shines straight down the passage to light the inner chamber. A carved stone patterned with flowing spirals was found here, now in the national museum with a copy on site.
Set among quiet fields, it is free to enter.
Castell Aberlleiniog
Photo: Mike Searle via Geograph.org.uk
Castell Aberlleiniog Also on Anglesey, near the village of Llangoed, Castell Aberlleiniog crowns a steep, ditched earth mound hidden deep in woodland. On top sits a square stone enclosure with a round tower at each of its four corners, the walls pierced by narrow slits.
The ruin has been repaired and made safe, and wooden steps climb the mound to reach it, with panels along the way explaining what you are looking at. There is no road to the door: the only way in is on foot, following footpaths through the trees from the village below.
It makes a quiet woodland find well off the usual trail.
Traeth Llanddona
Photo: Eirian Evans via Geograph.org.uk
Traeth Llanddona Over on the east coast of Anglesey, Traeth Llanddona spreads out at the eastern end of Red Wharf Bay, below the village of Llanddona and within the island's area of outstanding natural beauty. At low tide a huge expanse of firm sand is uncovered, backed by dunes, ideal for walking, kite-flying, windsurfing and kayaking.
The tide races in fast over the flat bay, though, so keep a close eye on the water. A steep, narrow road drops to a car park with toilets, a beach cafe and a shop.
Dogs face restrictions on part of the sand through the summer months.
Rhaeadr-bach
Photo: Kevin Williams via Geograph.org.uk
Rhaeadr-bach Back on the mainland, in the wooded foothills of the Carneddau near Abergwyngregyn, Rhaeadr-bach is the little waterfall that plays second fiddle to the well-known Aber Falls close by. On the circular walk to the main fall, you cross a footbridge below the great cascade and, on the return leg, pass this slender lesser fall as it drops down a rocky, wooded slope; that return route gives the finest views of it.
It all lies within a national nature reserve of oak woodland, reached on foot from a car park a couple of miles from the village.
Traeth Coch Pentraeth
Photo: Eric Jones via Geograph.org.uk
Traeth Coch Pentraeth Also known in English as Red Wharf Bay, Traeth Coch is a vast tidal bay on Anglesey's east coast near Pentraeth, where some ten square miles of sand appear at low tide. The wide flats pull in walkers and birdwatchers and come alive with oystercatchers, curlews and, in winter, geese, while cockles are still gathered here.
The tide sweeps in fast over the near-level sand, so it pays to watch the water. Two pubs sit on the shore, and the coast path curves around the bay toward Benllech and Penmon.
Aber Falls
Photo: Rexxit via Geograph.org.uk
Aber Falls Aber Falls, or Rhaeadr Fawr, is the grand finale: a single tall ribbon of water dropping down a wall of dark rock at the northern edge of the Carneddau. The Afon Goch pours some 37 metres over a hard igneous sill into a pool below, with scree and trees framing the cliff.
Getting there is a walk of a mile and a quarter up the Aber valley on a good, mostly gentle path that follows the river past open pasture and scattered Bronze Age remains. A stone bridge crosses the stream at the foot, close enough to feel the spray on a wet day.
The thinner Rhaeadr-bach lies a short way to the west.
FAQs
How far is Anglesey from Bangor?
Anglesey lies right across the Menai Strait from Bangor, reached in minutes over the Menai Bridge. Places like Plas Cadnant, Bryn Celli Ddu and Traeth Llanddona are all within about eight or nine kilometres of the city centre.
Which of these spots suit a rainy day?
Waterfalls such as Aber Falls and Rhaeadr-bach, in the Carneddau foothills near Abergwyngregyn, are at their best after rain, when the flow is fullest. Just wear sturdy footwear for the walk up the valley.
Are there good beaches near Bangor?
Yes. On Anglesey's east coast, Traeth Llanddona and Traeth Coch both uncover huge expanses of firm sand at low tide. Watch the fast incoming tide over the flat bays, which sweeps in quickly.
Conclusion
From the restored gardens of Plas Cadnant to the tumbling water of Aber Falls, the country around Bangor packs a lot of variety into a short reach. Anglesey, just across the strait, offers ancient stones at Bryn Celli Ddu, a hidden castle at Castell Aberlleiniog and the wide tidal sands of Traeth Llanddona and Traeth Coch.
Nearer at hand, Glan Faenol gives a gentle woodland walk along the water, while the Carneddau foothills hold the paired falls of Aber and Rhaeadr-bach. Whether you fancy a garden stroll, a beach day, a bit of history or the roar of a waterfall, there is something to suit an afternoon or a full day out.
Pack for changeable weather, keep an eye on the tides, and these are the places to visit near Bangor.
