Hi -
I am new to Cardiff from the US, and my 14 year old nephew is coming to stay with me, before we meet up with the rest of his family in Paris. He'll be here the 2nd week of July, and after hunting around the Cardiff sites, I am still at a loss for things for him to do. Any ideas (mucky!!!)

Thanks in advance

Hi f,

Stuff him with Pasties.

Ira -

Cardiff is in Wales.

Among traditional Welsh foods are laver bread, leeks, Welsh cakes, Welsh rarebit.

Pasties are a traditional food from Cornwall, although I am sure you can buy a pre-packed pasty in any supermarket in Wales.

Fairfax - have a look to see what is on at the Millenium Stadium (REM on 10 July), or the other Arena in Cardiff, and try to get tickets if there's anything interesting on. Cardiff Castle is always worth a visit, and there are lots of other castles and ruins in South Wales. Canoeing from Symonds Yat on the River Wye may appeal to a 14 year old. The Brecon Beacons boast some amazing scenery and walks. I'm told Barry Island is quite fun for the young. A trip across the Severn Bridge to Bristol where you would find plenty to see and do. Cardiff is great for shopping, with lots of (fairly expensive IMO) skate/surf shops, but there's also TK Maxx for the same sort of gear at bargain prices.

2005 is a centenary celebration year for Cardiff, and if you look at www.visitcardiff.info/ or just do a google search for Cardiff, you should find some more information on what's on. There is a baseball festival on in July, with a Wales/England match. It looks to be an exciting summer in Cardiff, so here's hoping you have fun!

Thanks Julia - great ideas... especially going to the brecons. maybe we can swing a trip to Hay-on-Wye. This is a child who's very picky eater, so i don't think laver bread would work (i am not even sure i could eat it). I think Cardiff Castle is on the agenda and we're going to spend time at St. Donats where I work. Also, the Bay might have some fun things to do. I will take him to a pub (as long as he doesn't tell his mother.) I will check into the baseball, since that's something I miss!

Fairfax,
I don't know how much of a reader your nephew is but whilst we really enjoyed our trip to Hay-on-Wye we certainly didn't take our son with us, he would have been so bored.

We ate sunday breakfast at a hotel in town (sorry, but this was 6 years ago and I can't remember the name - The Castle???) the food was very good and a gave us a nice break between visiting all the bookstores.
Do they still have the bookshelves in the grounds of the castle where the books are open to the elements and free (no charge)?

Hi fairfax,
This is not a new problem to me having a 15 year old daughter, but she always says "that's boring I don't want to do that" So I will do my best and perhaps even ask her what she suggests lol.

You have been here long enough to know the tourist stuff, so we shall have to dig deeper.

julia_t has some great ideas.

Please tell us about what interests him, does he have hobbies, does he like history cinemas rock music, rock climbing etc.
My daughters boyfriend is 14 and he likes rock music and she is always trying to get me to let her see some teenage gigs specially set up for this agegroup.
Maybe he could go along with them?

Another suggestion would be West Wales, saundersfoot is a water sports area and I'm pretty sure water skiing is available for a fee. It will be reasonably quiet as the schools don't close until end July.
There is ice skating, cricket, baseball, swimming and all the normal stuff.

Laverbread by the way is gorgeous fried with bacon and mushrooms. mmmm

So I will return shortly hopefully with some specific stuff through the eyes of a 14 and 15 year old.
If he wants to just hang out with his own age group let me know I'm sure something can be arranged.

BRB
Muck

Hi Julia,

On High St, almost directly across from the entrance to Cardiff Castle is a Pasty Shop that has been there for at least 100 years.

He may enjoy the really good tour that is laid on at the Millenium Stadium (Cardiff Arms Park to an oldie like me).
You get to see all the inner sanctum of the rugby players, the Boardroom, and of course sit in the Royal Box and be presented with a silver cup! I was lucky enough to choose the third seat from the aisle, 1st row, and was told it is the favourite seat of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth. I did notice to my dismay however that there was a big tear in the arm of her seat! We found the whole experience great fun.
Also liked going down to the waterfront.
Loads of outdoor cafe's and music.
What about a visit to Caerphilly Castle?

I just talked to him and he's interested in seeing castles, so we've got St. Donats on the list (I work there) and also Cardiff Castle. I will check into Millenium Tours. Muck - it would be great if he could meet up with your daughter and her friends. He'll be with me, and then with my brother for 10 days straight before he meets up with the rest of the family, so i am sure he'll be pining for teenage company! E-mail me...

I was thinking of taking the tour boat out to the barrage, too.

Charlotte Church?

Ok after a brief chat with my daughter, she suggested the usual, bowling,cinema,castles, there are many here. museum (which is strange cos she always moans when I take her there...lol) Caerphly castle, Castle Coch, chepstow castle and the Roman remains and museum at caerleon.
Ice skating, even rowing on Roath park lake.
Forest of dean is great for picnics walking bbq's there are some interesting places there too.

So I thought that was pretty good as I got more suggestions from her in 5 mins than I usually get when asking her what she wants to do.
;-)
I will e mail you later.

Muck

Ira...

I stand corrected on the pasty front. Have never actually noticed the shop, but then again I'm not really thinking about eating pasties when in Cardiff, I do that in Cornwall.

Hi jt,

>...I'm not really thinking about eating pasties when in Cardiff, I do that in Cornwall.<

We Americans are so deprived, that we have to take our pasties wherever we can get them.

Oh Ira...

I don't want to hijack this thread, but it's tragic to hear of the lack of pasties in the US.

I suppose we are reasonable lucky here in the UK -because even if you don't live in Cornwall (or Cardiff) you can ALWAYS get a pre-packed pasty from a supermarket or service station (usually pretty disgusting unless warmed in a microwave, and not much better then). I tend to go for the cheese and onion when desperate, as with those you don't get the lumps of gristle/unidentifiable bits of meat, which are totally unpalatable when the pasty is eaten straight out of the plastic wrapper.

Definitely best to go for the proper pasty shops in Cornwall (or Cardiff)!!

I wouldn't often recommend a museum for a 14-year-old, but I thought the Museum Of Welsh Life was pretty cool. So if he is of the temperament to put up with something a bit educational, he might enjoy it. if you haven't been, its a large, open air musuem that contains all sorts of dwellings, from bronze age huts to the industrial age townhouses where coal miners might have lived. its really interesting.

Actually China, he's been there before when he was about 9... I like the idea of rowing on the lake at Roath park.

You all have had some great ideas. Since i am so new to the area, it's been a hard task for me to find things, since i am still finding my way!