Starida Puffin Island Cruises and Sea Fishing Trips

The boats leave from Beaumaris heading straight out to Puffin Island, and if you time it right between April and August, you'll actually see the birds. They're proper comedians - watching them waddle about on the rocks and dive into the water keeps kids entertained far longer than you'd expect. The island itself is small and craggy, nothing fancy, but the journey across the Menai Strait alone is worth doing. Water can get choppy, so take travel sickness tablets if you're prone to it.

The sea fishing trips are the real draw for anyone with a rod and patience. Cod, pollack, and wrasse are the usual catch around these waters. You don't need experience - the crew sorts you out - though it helps if you've done it before. Expect to be out there for three to four hours minimum, and bring layers because the wind off the water cuts right through you even in summer.

This works brilliantly as a break from caravan life if you're staying at Plas Yn Llangoed or St. David's Park nearby. Get out on the water, stretch your legs, do something the kids will actually remember. The town of Beaumaris itself is worth a wander round afterwards - decent pubs, decent fish and chips, and the castle's worth an hour if you fancy it. Book ahead during school holidays; these trips fill up fast.