Top 10 awesome things to do in Swansea Bay (all year round!)

Swansea Bay in Wales is an absolutely fabulous weekend break! Not only does it have some of the best coastal views in the country, it’s jam-packed with things to do! There’s the beach, coastal walks, indoor and outdoor watersports, a 12th century castle, several museums and lots of great shopping! Want to find out more? Here are the top 10 awesome things to do in Swansea Bay – all year round!

1) Go Stand-up Paddle Boarding

Stand-up paddle boarding is one of the best things to do in Swansea Bay and for good reason – it’s SO much fun!

Not only that, but it’s also a full-body workout and especially great for working out your core and upper body.

Swansea Bay offers stand-up paddle boarding sessions for first-timers as well those with more experience. Which makes it a perfect adventure activity for everyone!

Three people stand up paddle boarding in Swansea Bay — Photo credit: Visit Swansea Bay

2) Spend some time relaxing at the beach

Speaking of watersports, it would be a crime to try your hand at paddle boarding in Swansea Bay and not spend some time at the beach!

Swansea Bay is on a beautiful stretch of coastline with sandy beaches, scenic promenades and stunning views.

Take a leisurely stroll, go for a swim or simply relax on the beach and top up your tan!

If the weather is a bit questionable or you’re visiting Swansea Bay in colder months, I’d still recommend going for a walk by the coastline.

It’s beautiful there no matter what the weather and it’s great to take in that fresh sea air on a weekend by the seaside!

Mumbles Pier from the beach with rolling waves

3) Get a bird’s eye view from Oystermouth Castle

If you love history AND a fantastic view I highly recommend Oystermouth Castle.

Oystermouth Castle has been watching over Mumbles since the 12th century and still boasts one of the best views of Swansea Bay!

It has a labyrinth of medieval vaults, chambers and rooms for you to explore as well as a few ghost stories!

View of the bay and rows of candy-coloured houses in Swansea Bay from Oystermouth Castle

4) Ride the waves at Wales’ largest indoor waterpark

LC Swansea is one of the most fun things to do in Swansea Bay!

Not only does it have an awesome indoor surf simulator, it has waterslides, a wave pool and a 30 foot climbing wall!

The wave simulator in particular is a real treat because it gives beginners (like me!) a chance to learn how to surf safely with a one on one lesson.

After only 10 minutes of practise with my fantastic (and very patient) instructor, I managed to take my hands off the board and balance using just my lower body.

I imagine after a couple more lessons I would have been able to stand-up on the board without wiping out.

Which goes to show how quickly you can make progress and then apply those skills for when you ride the real waves in Swansea Bay!

Mel indoor surfing at LC Swansea in an orange swim shirt and a black helmet with an instructor crouched down next to the wave pool

5) Take a hike around Bracelet Bay

Swansea Bay has some of the most scenic coastline in the UK!

Bracelet Bay is only a half hour walk from the centre of Mumbles and features beautiful limestone cliffs and cool pebble beaches to explore.

It’s a great walking trail too because you just follow the path round the bay and walk for as long as you like. You’re able to see the bay from different view points at every turn.

Make sure you wear some decent walking shoes though as although the paths are easy to follow, the inclines can be a killer!

A rocky Bracelet Bay in Swansea Bay with rock formations going out to sea from the beach

6) Check out Swansea Museum’s Great War exhibition

Swansea Museum is the oldest museum in Swansea and is based in one of the most beautiful and historic buildings there.

The museum houses artefacts from ancient Egypt and historical nautical and transportation. But it’s their exhibition on Swansea’s contribution to the war effort which is the most poignant.

In the exhibition, you’ll find key items from the war as well as a replica of a real trench.

Every town and city have their own war stories and Swansea is no exception. They were a key part of running the gauntlet of U-boats bringing essential supplies to Britain, using their position on the coast to aid in the war effort.

Poppy display in the Swansea Museum's Great War Exhibition

7) Browse around the quirky shops in Mumbles

One thing you’ll love about Swansea Bay is all the little quirky shops you’ll find down by the seafront.

There are art and craft shops as well as trendy surf shops to get all your gear for a weekend of watersports.

The Lovespoon Gallery is one of my favourites though! They’re the original lovespoon specialists, offering the largest collection of lovespoon designs from Wales’ best woodcrafters.

What is a lovespoon you may ask? Lovespoons are traditionally hand-carved wooden spoons that were originally a symbol of romantic love and exchanged between couples.

In modern times they’re designed with beautiful intricate symbols. You can buy knots for everlasting love, horseshoes for good luck and dragons for protection (and Wales of course!).

Rows of hand-carved Welsh love spoons on a wall in a shop in Swansea Bay

8) Visit the National WaterFront Museum

The National Waterfront Museum is a fun, interactive museum that tells the story of Wales’ industry and innovation over the last 300 years. Including its coal production and maritime trade history.

The atmosphere in the museum is really lively and it’s a great place if you’re visiting with family or as a group. There’s lots of activities for everyone to join in on!

Whilst I was visiting Swansea Bay, the museum was having a pirate themed weekend. It included a demonstration by a pirate surgeon, live music and a visit from Captain Jack Sparrow himself!

I must say, the actor playing Captain Jack Sparrow resembled Johnny Depp so much I did do a double take! However, he was sadly not Johnny Depp in disguise, but fun all the same! 😉

The museum has a wide variety of fun events going on all year-round and best of all – they’re free!

Inside the National Waterfront Museum with industrial turn of the century machinery in the foyer — Photo credit

9) Visit the Dylan Thomas Centre

The Dylan Thomas Centre is a lovely little museum based at Swansea’s Marina.

It’s home to a permanent exhibition called, “love the words”, which celebrates the life and works of the great Welsh poet and writer, Dylan Thomas.

Even if you haven’t heard his name before, you may have heard some of Dylan’s greatest works. Many of which were later adapted into films such as, “Rebecca’s Daughters” starring Peter O’Toole and Joely Richardson and “Under Milk Wood”, which starred Elizabeth Taylor.

Although I didn’t know a lot about Dylan Thomas before my visit, I found it a really interesting experience to get to know Swansea through his life and works.

There are many famous voices such as Prince Charles reading out some of his most memorable words as a thoughtful backdrop to the experience.

I would also recommend a self-guided audio tour to find out more about Dylan Thomas’s time in Swansea.

The tour takes you to many of the sites connected to the poet Dylan. From his favourite hangouts to the places he featured in his stories.

Inside the Dylan Moran Museum with his personal belongings in glass cases and a cast of his head as a mini statue

10) Eat local food delicacies at Swansea Market

Swansea Market is the largest indoor market in Wales and has been at the centre of Swansea life for over 50 years.

The market sells everything from clothes and jewellery to fresh local produce and sweets.

You can find some really good bargains here and the local traders are so friendly and welcoming.

Don’t forget to try out some traditional Welsh cakes, they are delicious and make the perfect shopping snack!

Rows of traditional Welsh cakes stacked in

For more on Swansea Bay, check out my YouTube video:

Have you ever visited Swansea Bay or wanted to go? What would be at the top of your list of things to do in Swansea Bay? 😊

Quick FYI guys – I was invited by Visit Swansea Bay to review fun activities and restaurants for the weekend but as always my opinions are all my own and would only recommend activities and places I think you’ll love! This post also contains affiliate links to tours I recommend. I will receive a small commission for purchases made through these links at no extra cost to you. Thanks so much for your support!

Top 10 awesome things to do in Swansea Bay (all year round!)