Things to do in Cardiff
This by all means is not going to be an exhaustive list. Cardiff, although a small city, still has a huge number of things to do. If you find yourself with a friend or parents to entertain for the weekend, these are just a few things which might help out.
You can of course eat and shop on the high street in any city, and although Cardiff is a fairly young capital, it does have a collection of quirky Victorian shopping arcades to explore. Having a car may help to reach some of the other attractions.
Things to do and places to go in Cardiff
If you're visiting Cardiff buy your guide books and maps in the cardifflife.net shop!
Shopping
OK, so shopping seems rather obvious but how many visitors have a factory outlet like Bridgend Factory Outlet McArthur Glen near their home town? You can find it at junction 36 on the M4, about 20 minutes outside Cardiff.
There is Ikea in Grangetown, the efficient Swedish furniture store which casts a mysterious spell over anyone who enters, forcing them to come back again and again for £9.99 bookshelves and £1.99 packets of smoked salmon.
Also the five Victorian shopping arcades in the city centre filled with quirky shops.
Recently the new shopping centre, St. Davids 2, has been completed in the city centre. This alone would take an entire weekend to work your way around.
Tourist sights and attractions
We won't mention too many of these here because there are a hundred other websites suggesting what you can do in Cardiff and Wales.
I'll mention a few like fairy tale Castell Coch just up the A470 out of Cardiff
The redeveloped Cardiff Bay area.
In the Bay is also the Senedd, home of the National Assembly for Wales, the Millennium Centre and the Norwegian Church Arts Centre.
There is the National Museum and Gallery
The architecture of Cathays Park (in spring there are usually peregrine falcons nesting on the City Hall and ravens on the University main building).
Chapter Arts Centre in Canton (below left).
Roath Park with its lake, boats and visiting birds (below centre).
Bute Park next to Cardiff Castle (below right). The arboretum looks good in spring and autumn if you fancy a walk through it.
The National Museum of Welsh Life at St Fagan's.
Cadw website - responsible for looking after many of Wales' historic buildings, ancient monuments, historic parks and gardens, landscapes and underwater archaeology. Lots of castles!
National Museum Wales website - you can find details of venues such as St. Fagans, one of the most popular attractions in Wales, and the National Museum and Gallery.
Cinemas
Odeon - UCI Cardiff, Red Dragon Centre, Hemingway Road, Cardiff, CF10 4JY, 0871 22 44 007
Cineworld - Mary Ann Street, Cardiff, CF10, 0871 200 2000
Vue - Millennium Plaza, Wood Street, Cardiff, CF10 1LA, 08712 240 240
Away days
Many, many places to visit within easy distance of Cardiff. Again, there are a great many websites to show these.
The Gower Penninsula
The Roman ruins at Caerleon
The show caves at Dan-yr-Ogof
Oxwich Bay in the Vale of Glamorgan (voted the best beach in the UK. Below right.)
Market towns Abergavenny and Crickhowell (both reachable by public transport)
National Botanic Garden of Wales
The pier at Penarth
Raglan Castle on the A449 (below centre)
Ogmore by Sea and the nearby Merthyr Mawr dunes, including the tallest sand dune in Europe (part of these dunes shown below left on Newton Beach).
The enormous car showrooms at junction 24 by Newport. The list is endless...
Visit Wales might give you a few more ideas of things to do.
