6 Best North Wales Beaches for Your Road Trip 🏖️

North Wales has some of the best beaches in the UK, and in this post we're sharing 6 of our favourites, the ones we keep going back to, from secret coves on the Llyn Peninsula to the wide open sands of Anglesey.

Traeth Porthor, Llyn Peninsula

Traeth Porthor, known as 'Whistling Sands', is a beach on the Llyn Peninsula that's worth the detour. It's famous for the whistling noise underfoot and the clear waters.

So, the whistling sound you ask, apparently the unusual shape of the sand grains here causes a unique squeaking sound when you walk on the dry sand. This beach is only one of two beaches in Europe where this unique effect can be heard in the sand!

Sadly, dogs are only allowed on a very small section of this beach during the main tourist season from April to September. However, you can still walk the coastal path towards Porth Iago, which is what we did with our dog and we had some beautiful views overlooking both beaches

🚐 There is parking very close to the beach, you only need to walk down the hill to access the beach. 

Traeth Mawr, Isle of Anglesey

Behind Aberffraw dunes lies one of our favourite beaches in Anglesey, a long stretch of sand backing onto dunes, with views across towards Snowdonia. We can't imagine it ever feeling busy here, even in summer, as there's so much beach to go around. Dogs are allowed all year round and there's plenty of space for them to run.

This beach is also close to Aberffraw, a picturesque coastal village with a lovely stone bridge, and coloured seaside houses next to the river Fraw estuary.

🚐 You can park your vehicle either in Aberffraw or in a lay-by behind the sand dunes. 

Ceiriad beach, Llyn Peninsula

Located less than 3 miles from the popular seaside village resort of Abersoch, Ceiriad beach feels worlds away from the crowds that Abersoch Beach attracts. This was one of the highlights of our North Wales road trip and the perfect place to relax, with towering cliffs, crystal clear water and miles of sandy beach.

And if that doesn't already sound nice, imagine sunbathing on the beach and seeing a dolphin swim past, because that happened to us! Now, we're not guaranteeing you'll see dolphins here, but there is a pod that swims around this part of the coast and has been spotted in several locations so if you do visit, keep your eyes peeled for them!

Accessed by a narrow country road, you will only want to come here if you are confident manoeuvring your vehicle as there's a high chance you will have to reverse if you meet another vehicle on this single track lane. 

🚐 Parking for Ceiriad beach costs £3 for the day, which is very reasonable as we'd pay much more to visit this beach.

Traeth Lligwy and Traeth Y Ora, Isle of Anglesey

Lligwy is another big sandy beach on Anglesey. You can walk in the dunes behind the beach which gives you an amazing view of the beach. Lligwy Beach is dog friendly all year round and there's plenty of space for them to run around.

From Lligwy Beach you can walk around 50 minutes to Traeth y Ora, a stunning secluded beach just far enough off the beaten track that you might get to enjoy it all to yourself. Along the way you will pass some other small bays and beaches that are perfect to stop at for a swim. 

It’s a perfect beach for the dog to run around, go for a swim or enjoy the beach to yourself. The walk there is easy and doable for all abilities, you can follow this walk on AllTrails to get here.

🚐 There are several car parks you can use close to Lligwy beach, it's £2 for an hour, £4 for 2 hours etc. There is also a cafe and some free public toilets. Make sure to pay for a couple of hours at the parking lot so you can enjoy both beaches.

Porth Ysgo, Llyn Peninsula

Porth Ysgo is gorgeous and it’s out of the way so it was quiet when we were there. It's best visited at low tide because the sea reveals a lovely sandy beach, otherwise, it is just a lot of pebbles! It’s a short walk to the beach from the car park and the beach is then accessed by 150 wooden stairs which run down the cliff. As you can imagine, it is quite uphill on the way back!

There is also a waterfall behind the beach, which would look awesome after some rainfall but it wasn't flowing much when we were there in mid-September. Since it is pretty off the beaten track, dogs are allowed on this beach all year and again it’s a great place for them to run around. 

🚐 The car park is a small farmers' field with space for around 15-20 cars, you can pay into an honesty box £1 for up to 2 hours or £2 for anything over 2 hours. There are no facilities, apart from a picnic bench so be prepared before you go. 

Porth Iago, Llyn Peninsula

A small sandy cove tucked away on the Llyn Peninsula. It used to be a quieter spot but it's become more popular in recent years. On a sunny day, it's one of the best on the Llyn, with clear water and a sandy beach. It's a fairly steep walk down the dunes to reach it, so it won't suit everyone.

You can also stay on the cliffs above this beach at a campsite. This campsite has gained traction recently due to its clifftop location overlooking Porth Iago. If the campsite is quiet or you arrive early you can position yourself with a sea view!

🚐 It costs £20 a night and £2.50 with a dog. The facilities are basic but you are paying for the location with this one. If you don't want to camp here, you can pay £5 for parking the day here. Or, you can do what we did, park at Porthor Beach, and walk here (though it's still a paid car park).