IF you want a cheap-as-chips Welsh trip with waterfalls, mountains and beaches on your doorstep, I’ve found the perfect budget-friendly base that’s getting a new look this year.
Rhyl in Denbighshire has been named the most affordable place on the coast to live using figures from Rightmove, with its average house price at £181k.
Rhyl is one of the cheapest places to move to – and makes a great seaside break[/caption]
SC2 waterpark is set to reopen this summer[/caption]
And 2025 is the perfect time to check out this Welsh wonder as its beachside renovations are being unveiled after months of work to protect properties from coastal erosion.
When my family of five visited last summer, we loved the long stretch of sandy beach, but there was a lot of work going on inland to update its facilities.
So we’re due a trip back to see it in all its splendour once everything is open.
The popular Sun Centre, now known as SC2, was forced to close back in 2023 after its roof was damaged in storms.
However it has announced its waterpark will be back up and running for the summer season.
There’s also a soft play and ninja tag at the centre, so it’s sure to be top of the tourist list this year.
And the design of a replacement promenade playground, inspired by its seaside location, will wow younger visitors when it opens in the autumn.
It takes the place of the paddling pool and water fountains of Drift Park, which offered the chance for families to splash about in the sun overlooking the sand.
We strolled past the Pavilion Theatre on East Parade, which has been renovated following flooding in 2021, and it looked like a great place to catch a show or eat a meal enjoying sunset views along the shoreline.
It’s all a far cry from Rhyl’s rating as the worst seaside town in 2023.
To my eyes, this could be the year when all the investments in the town pay off and it moves from zero to hero as a holiday hotspot.
If you’re looking for somewhere to stay, popular Welsh holiday chain Lyons celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2024 by opening a new flagship spa resort with hot tub lodges just inland from Rhyl.
It also invested in its well-established caravan parks like Robin Hood, which unveiled a £1.5m renovation of its indoor splash pad, and a new crazy golf course at Winkups in Towyn.
The recently opened Marian Resort, with its resident peacock promenading along the pathways, makes the most of its lovely location, with a dramatic rocky backdrop and panoramic pool windows looking out over the fields towards the coast.
It was an easy stroll down to Dyserth Waterfall, which is quiet compared to better known sites like Swallow Falls in Snowdonia.
I recommend a stay at the recently opened Marian Resort[/caption]
We used the holiday park as a base to explore[/caption]
We didn’t have to fight our way through coachloads of visitors to explore the 70ft waterfall and its hillside walk with hidden caves.
After popping 50p per person in an honesty box at the entrance by a little tearoom, we went for a wander through the woodland, with my boys loving darting in and out of the tunnels and caves along the route.
We barely encountered anyone else and it felt like we were all alone, miles away from anywhere.
Rhyl can be a great spot to explore the rest of the area, as you can head west along the coast to Llandudno and Conwy, down towards the mountains of Eryri National Park or back over the border for the historic city of Chester. Even Anglesey is easily accessible from here.
So whether you think beach is best or prefer more mountains from your money, Rhyl could be the perfect budget-friendly staycay in 2025.
Here are some of the other cheap seaside destinations to move to.
The beach is even being renovated too[/caption]
