Would you drive 3 hours for an overnight stay in Cardiff??

mildred1978

flutterbyuk25 wrote: »

Sorry I meant out of town, not outlet for there!

I wouldn't necessarily push it as a tourist destination! Much nicer things to see in Cardiff than a giant Tesco and M&S!

HappyMJ

I'd drive 3 hours for an overnight stay. Got to leave very early on the Saturday to make the most of it and leave as late possible on the Sunday. I've driven 3 hours for a day visit to places before without even staying overnight at all.

I would not visit Cardiff for the shopping. I can do that here.

mildred1978

By the way, OP, it's nowhere near 3 hours from Stoke to Cardiff. It's probably more like 2 hours 15 - 2 hours 30.

vicki+1

I haven't been to cardiff since i was a child so i can't really remember.
But here's my 2 penneth worth.
If you can afford the petrol without financial hardship, then go.
You could be dead next week. Enjoy yourself

osian

The museum is pretty good and only 5 mins walk from the City, it's free and has some dinosaur/ natural history exhibits.

The bay is pretty nice too, they sometimes do some boat trips.

Techniquest is down the bay area.

Castell Coch is very pretty (maybe about 15 mins drive).

St. Fagans (Museum of Welsh Life) is nice to wander around on a nice day (mostly outdoors) and is free (think about a £3 car park charge).

serious_saver

mildred1978 wrote: »

There's no outlet at Culverhouse Cross - it's just a regular large retail park (the closest thing to an outlet there is TKMaxx).

I will second this. Culverhouse Cross is a bit dull. Just an M&S, Tesco and a couple of other shops.

I wouldn't drive three hours to go to Cardiff but that's because I don't live three hours away!

The city centre will be incredibly busy. That being said, I'll be there this weekend shopping.

There should be some Christmas market stalls on St Mary's Street, near the Castle that are nice.

The museums are free and depending on the weather you could go to the National Museum in the civic centre (bad weather) or the open air museum in St Fagan's (good weather) although there is a charge for parking.

I absolutely love Cardiff and I'm sure you'll find plenty of things to do!

EDIT
Osian - you beat me to it!

Lovelyjoolz

Definitely. Come to Cardiff and have a fab weekend. It won't take 3 hrs, 2.5 at most. Don't go all the way down to the Severn Bridge either - it will cost you £5.70 to cross (unless you have a blue badge). Come off M5 at Jct 8 M50 instead and go down through Ross and Monmouth.

The museum is lovely (and free) and if you like castles there's Cardiff Castle in the town centre, Castell Coch just on the outskirts and Caerphilly Castle isn't far either.

Are you in the Travelodge by the bay? Then you can walk down to the harbour in 5 minutes from there. Wrap up warm though because the wind off the sea is bitter.

Really though, keep those restaurant vouchers for another time, because there are literally hundreds of better places to eat in Cardiff. If you want Italian, go to La Boheme. If you want a burger, go to Eddies Diner in the bay or Diner 57 in Cathedral Road. If you want good pub grub, go to the Cottage in St Mary's Street - avoid the chains and get some good grub in the little independant places.

There's a multiplex cinema near your hotel to round off the evening - with a bowling alley next door to it. But really, at this time of year, Winter Wonderland is lots of fun. Hot chestnuts, mulled wine or hot cider, fairground shows and a rink to skate on. Fab.

Have a great weekend!

ellay864

Do your boys watch Doctor Who? I believe the exhibitoin is now closed but they do (or did) bus tours that showed some places they've filmed scenes from that and Torchwood

GIRLPOWER_2

Many thanks for the replies.

The boys both play football on Sunday morning and one has an important match so we would have to be back home for 9am sunday making it really not worth it now.

If anyone wants a free room tomorrow night PM me and its yours!.