Route Overview and Highlights
The A55, also known as the North Wales Expressway, runs approximately 140km (87 miles) from Chester to Holyhead, hugging the north coast and linking seaside towns, ancient castles, and sweeping sea views. This road trip showcases the best of North Wales, from windswept beaches and charming market towns to grand castles, with plenty of detours, good food, and unforgettable views along the way.
Begin in Chester and St Asaph
Start in historic Chester near the English border. Head toward the north Wales coast and stop at St Asaph, a small city on the River Elwy in Denbighshire. Here, you'll find a cathedral reputed to be the smallest ancient cathedral in the UK, as well as places to stop for food like Milo’s Farmers Market Cafe and the Plough Inn.
Abergele and Castor Cabin
Continue to Abergele, your first main coastal stop. Stroll along Pensarn Beach's charming promenade, lined with cafes, shops, and an arcade. One of my favourite off-grid stays is near here: Castor Cabin. It's been meticulously hand-built by a skilled team in a dedicated workshop using sustainable materials. While small in size, it has everything you need for a snug stay, including a king-size bed, a compact kitchenette with a hob and fridge, a hot shower and towels, a wood burner, and an eco-composting toilet. Solar panels provide sustainable power for light, and you can charge devices or switch them off and get stuck into board games and books.
Colwyn Bay and Bryn Williams at Porth Eirias
From Abergele, you're just a short drive from gorgeous Colwyn Bay, where you can stroll along the blustery shoreline and try watersports. Primarily known as a windsurfing destination, Colwyn Bay is also a beautiful spot for sea kayaking. For a fancy dinner with a view, bag a table at beach-front bistro Bryn Williams at Porth Eirias. This seafood-focused restaurant has previously won AA Restaurant of the Year for Wales and a Michelin Bib Gourmand for three consecutive years. Michelin describes the cooking as "pleasingly unfussy" and notes that the owner is "proud of his Welsh roots, and it shows on the menu."
Llandudno: Victorian Seaside Resort
Drive onwards to lovely Llandudno, dubbed 'The Queen of the Welsh Resorts'. This historic seaside haunt has retained its traditional coastal charm, featuring grand Victorian buildings, a long promenade, and a classic pier that's the longest in Wales. Llandudno Pier stretches 700m into the Irish Sea and won the prestigious Pier of the Year award voted by the members of the National Piers Society. The main draw here is the impressive pier, buzzing with attractions, arcade rides, stalls, and a big wheel. For epic sunsets and cocktails, call into the Ocean Bar at the end of the pier.
For dinner options, many of Llandudno’s hotels have excellent restaurants open to non-residents. You can have food in lovely surroundings at Dylan's Llandudno, one of five locations of the family-run restaurant chain known for using locally sourced produce and seafood. For lush ice cream, visit Parisella's, named by The Times as one of the UK's tastiest seaside ice creams. The best place to take in all the sights is the Great Orme tramway and cable car. The Great Orme Tramway first opened in 1902 and is Britain’s only cable-hauled public road tramway.
Conwy: Medieval Walled Town
From Llandudno, head to Conwy, one of the most beautiful towns in Wales. With its commanding medieval walls, ancient castle and lively harbour, Conwy is a historic coastal escape. It even made The Sunday Times list of the top 72 places to live in the UK. Conwy Quay is the perfect place to kick off your exploring with lobster pots, tangled fishing nets, and all the charming seaside clutter. The Smallest House in Great Britain, recognised by the Guinness Book of World Records, measures just 72 inches wide and 122 inches high. Its last known occupant was a 6ft 3in fisherman called Robert Jones.
Conwy's biggest draw is Castell Conwy (Conwy Castle) and its walls, part of one of Wales' UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The castle features a concentric design with eight towers and forms part of King Edward I's "Iron Ring". It took just four years, between 1283 and 1287, to build the castle and walls, for a cost of £15,000 at the time, which equals around £12 million today. Conwy Castle was named one of the 'most beautiful' in Europe by Condé Nast Traveller. For a fancy meal, swing into The Jackdaw, a fine-dining restaurant listed on SquareMeal’s Top 100 UK Restaurants for 2026, led by Chef Nick Rudge (formerly of the three-Michelin-starred The Fat Duck).
Penmaenmawr Beach and Anglesey
Venture off the A55 and visit Penmaenmawr beach. At low tide, the full splendour of the beach is revealed: a vast sandy shoreline, six miles long, stretching all the way to Penmaenbach. Continue onwards to Ynys Môn (Anglesey), Wales' largest island, accessed by the 19th-century Menai Suspension Bridge. Cross the bridge and stop in Menai Bridge town (Porthaethwy). The town is home to Michelin-starred dining, wildlife-spotting boat trips, and lovely pubs. For a fancy dinner, enjoy Michelin-star dining at Sosban and The Old Butchers, located in what used to be a butcher's shop. They serve surprise tasting menus only.
Activity-wise, book an all-day Rib Ride boat trip and explore the entire coastline of Anglesey. With its spectacular 100-mile coastline, you can skim past rugged headlands, remote beaches, and eerie sea caves while looking out for dolphins and seals. To complete the journey and reach Holyhead, follow the A55 as it carves diagonally through Ynys Môn. If you have time, veer off the route to visit South Stack Lighthouse, coastal villages like Rhosneigr and Benllech, Penmon Point, Newborough Forest, and Llanddwyn Island.
Practical Information
The route is approximately 140km (87 miles) from Chester to Holyhead. Driving time is around two hours nonstop, but best enjoyed over two to four days. There are no tolls on the A55. The Menai Suspension Bridge and Britannia Bridge both connect the mainland to Anglesey and are free to cross. Maps and apps like Google Maps or AllTrails are recommended. Pack layers and waterproofs due to changeable Welsh weather. Accommodation ranges from cosy coastal cabins (like Castor Cabin near Abergele) to spa hotels and seaside guesthouses. Petrol stations are easy to find along the route, but fill up before Anglesey if exploring the island’s remote corners.
