Welsh Wildlife Centre in Cilgerran, Pembrokeshire, is set within the stunning Teifi Marshes Nature Reserve and is one of the most rewarding family days out in West Wales. Entry to the reserve and visitor centre is completely free, making it brilliant value for a full day out in nature.
WWT Llanelli Wetlands Centre is a stunning 450 acre nature reserve in Carmarthenshire, and one of the most rewarding family days out in West Wales. It is far more than a nature walk, with Caribbean flamingos, rare geese, adventure play areas, canoe safaris and guided wildlife walks all included or available on site.
Sea Trust and Sea Môr Aquarium at Ocean Lab in Goodwick, Pembrokeshire, is a brilliant hands-on marine attraction run by Sea Trust, a non-profit organisation dedicated to raising awareness of Welsh marine wildlife. It is a genuinely educational and engaging day out for families, and one of the more unique animal attractions in West Wales.
The Sea Môr Aquarium is home to moon jellyfish, spider crabs, an octopus and a popular interactive rock pool tank where children can touch starfish, anemones and small crabs. Guided aquarium tours are led by Sea Trust marine biologists and packed with fascinating facts for all ages. The Discovery Room is a free educational exhibit with interactive rockpool displays, microscopes and an ocean themed children’s corner.
Seashore Safaris run at select dates and times along Goodwick beach, timed around low tides for the best rockpooling conditions. Led by marine biologists, participants get buckets, nets and spyglasses and the chance to discover Pembrokeshire’s amazing marine life up close. Places are limited to 15 per session so booking in advance is essential.
A VR experience is also available as part of the Discover Môr project, offering a 15 minute immersive ocean exploration using VR headsets. Booking ahead is recommended.
The Ocean Lab Café was awarded second place in the Best Coffee House in Wales 2025, serving hot drinks, traditional Welsh food and takeaway options with beautiful coastal views. You can check their food hygiene rating before you visit using the button on this page. The gift shop stocks eco-friendly and sustainable gifts with all profits supporting Sea Trust conservation work.
The aquarium is wheelchair accessible and quiet slots are available on request for visitors with sensory needs. A pay and display car park is a short walk away and a bus stop is within easy walking distance.
A heads up, the aquarium is closed on Wednesdays. During term time weekdays it may also close for school visits, so booking ahead is strongly advised.
If Sea Trust and Ocean Lab sounds like your kind of day out, take a look at our full guide to animal attractions in West Wales for more family friendly options across the region.
Folly Farm in Pembrokeshire is one of Wales’ best known family days out, combining a world class zoo, a vintage fairground, a farm park and multiple adventure play areas all in one place. It is the kind of attraction where you genuinely need a full day to do it justice, and with a free return visit within seven days included in the ticket price, many families come back twice.
Manor House Wildlife Park near Tenby is one of Pembrokeshire’s most impressive family days out, set across 52 acres of stunning Pembrokeshire parkland. It is not your average animal park. The focus here is on conservation and connection, with walkthrough experiences that put you right inside the animal habitats for a genuinely up close encounter with some remarkable creatures.
Wales Ape and Monkey Sanctuary is home to over 200 animals across 40 species, most of them primates rescued from unwanted or difficult situations. On your walk around you’ll meet chimpanzees, baboons, spider monkeys, meerkats and a serval cat, alongside non-primate residents like Highland cattle, wolf dogs, horses, donkeys and rescue pigs.
Swansea Community Farm is the only city farm in Wales, set on 3.5 acres and home to donkeys, sheep, pigs, goats, chickens, geese, ducks and bees. It makes a great family outing, with plenty to see and do, from meeting the animals to exploring the allotments and wildlife areas.
Your family will love a day out at Dr Beynon’s Bug Farm, a 100 acre working farm, research centre and visitor attraction all about invertebrates and sustainable agriculture, just one mile from St Davids in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park.
Tree Tops Trail in St Florence is part of Heatherton World of Activities near Tenby, and it’s one of the best high ropes courses in Pembrokeshire. There’s a course to suit every age, from Junior Tree Tops for younger climbers right through to Senior Tree Tops for older thrill-seekers, plus a standalone zip line and a Powerfan freefall challenge if you fancy something extra.
Breakout Swansea is a live escape room experience right in the heart of Swansea city centre, where your team is locked into a themed room and given sixty minutes to solve puzzles, crack codes and find a way out.
Families and friends after a fun challenge together will love The Escape Game Swansea, one of the biggest escape room venues in the area. Every room is designed in-house, so you won’t find these exact puzzles anywhere else, and there’s something for total beginners right through to seasoned escape room fans.
Tobogganing at Pembrey is one of the most popular family activities at Pembrey Country Park, home to Wales’ longest Cobra Toboggan ride. Riders climb aboard sledges at the top of the ski slope, taking in sweeping views across the park and coastline before racing back down through the trees.