Last Updated on 6 April 2024 by Colette
This post features a gifted experience & affiliate links
We spent three nights of our October half term in Swansea as guests of Visit Swansea Bay and Swansea Council. I wanted to share what we got up to during our trip to south west Wales and hopefully give you some ideas of what you can do to with kids in and around Swansea Bay even on colder, autumn days!
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Spend an afternoon in the rainforest at Plantasia
Plantasia Swansea is the perfect rainy day activity with parking right outside, lots to see and a cafe too. Being the massive plant geek that I am, this indoor rainforest is absolute heaven. This massive hothouse / rainforest environment is packed with with all sorts of plants as well as around 40 different species of animal including snakes, spiders, meerkats and even crocodiles.
Read more about visiting Plantasia here:
Visit National Trust site of Rhosilli Bay
Rhossili Bay has been voted into the top four of Britain’s Best Beaches by Tripadvisor users for four years in a row and it’s easy to see why. With incredible views and so much to explore, Rhossili Bay well and truly stole our hearts and I only wished we had longer to be able to visit. Rhossili Bay is a must visit if you are in the area – we all agreed it was a highlight of our day. (Make sure you pop into @thelookoutrhossili while you’re there too – be it for lunch or just a quick coffee to warm up after your adventures!)
You can read more about visiting Rhossili Bay here:
Visiting Rhossili Bay with kids
Explore Gower Heritage Centre
The first time we visited the Gower Heritage Centre, the kids were so much younger – in fact it was getting on for seven years ago now and I was worried that they might be a bit too old for it this time. The soft play and sandpit hold little appeal to them now and the play area is too small to entertain them for long, however they are now much more able to take on board the “heritage” side of the things and to really understand the history of the 12th century water-mill and the people who lived or worked there.
During October half term, there was a special Halloween event with a storyteller and a visit to see Trixie the very friendly witch who did some Halloween craft with us. The kids loved this so its definitely worth keeping an eye out for special events.
You can read more about visiting Gower Heritage Centre here:
Halloween at Gower Heritage Centre
Gower Heritage Centre (Our visit back in 2015)
Experience the thrill of LC Swansea waterpark
LC Swansea is a huge leisure centre encompassing a soft play, climbing wall, gym and Wales’ biggest indoor waterpark – which was the focus of our most recent adventure and, understandably, one of the most popular things to do in Swansea with kids!
The LC Swansea waterpark features three big slides, a wave pool and a lazy river amongst other things. Essentially you’re not going to the LC for a proper swim, this is all about playing in the water and having fun as a family!
You can read more about visiting LC Swansea here:
Explore the seaside village of Mumbles
Why not visit the picturesque seaside village of Mumbles with its ice cream coloured houses, Victorian Pier and views across Swansea Bay. Mumbles is about a 15 minute drive from the middle of Swansea and is a lovely place for a potter. I imagine it’s considerably more vibrant in the summer months than on a grey week day morning at the end of October, however I quite enjoy a grey day at the coast!
You can read more about visiting Mumbles here:
A visit to Mumbles (Our visit in 2015)
Swansea Museum
I think Swansea Museum might actually be the most bonkers museum we’ve ever visited. Swansea Museum is in fact the oldest museum in Wales and houses everything from an enormous taxidermied giraffe (just his head and neck . . . ) to vintage policemen’s’ uniform and an actual Egyptian mummy . . . Told you it was random! I think what we loved about it most was that we didn’t really know what we were going to find next! It’s a very strange place but definitely worth a visit and a great place to start interesting conversations!
National Waterfront Museum Swansea
In direct contrast to Swansea Museum, just over the road you’ll find a far more interactive and high tech approach to Wale’s history at the National Waterfront Museum. This free to visit museum has regular exhibitions in addition to their standard collections teaching you about the industrial, social and geographical history of Wales – it’s a fascinating place with so much to see, do and interact with. I’m quite sure you’d notice something new on every visit!
Although National Waterfront Museum Swansea is free to visit, you must still book your tickets online in advance.
You can read more about visiting National Waterfront Museum here:
National Waterfront Museum with young children
What is there to do in Swansea with kids?
Hopefully we’ve answered your question of what is there to do in Swansea with kids – and given you a few ideas of things you can do when the weather isn’t so great as well as some ideas of adventures on nice days in the Swansea Bay area!
Why not watch our instagram stories from our trip to Swansea Bay next?
Check out this list of things to do in Cardiff.
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