I’m planning a last-minute driving trip around Northern Wales to visit stately homes and gardens during the last two weeks of April and would very much appreciate input on my draft itinerary. I’ll rent a car (am comfortable driving in UK – have done Kent and the Borders); I’ve researched and am looking forward to the homes/gardens I’ve selected. I’m the kind of person who reads every label and info sheet and likes a slower paced trip so I feel good about the schedule of what I’m seeing/doing each day (in other words, I don’t think I’ve crammed in too much within a day, nor will I run out of things to do – I can always sit in a café or pub!)

BUT I feel unsure about the itin below when it comes to the lodging and route (a circular route to/from Manchester airport). I think that’s because I’m staying in a number of locations (ergo a lot of moving around); I guess I did that because on Google, distances look very far (although they might only be 12 miles apart). I don’t have a problem driving 30 minutes to a house/castle/garden because it gives me a chance to spot a nifty church to visit or a scenic area to enjoy, so I’d prefer to stay in fewer places for more nights.... I couldn’t figure out how to do this so any help would be great.

Some info - My budget is about £150 or less per night; no camping or glamping; no cottage rentals since the stays are brief; don’t need anything fancy, just clean and quiet (I noticed that a lot of pubs have rooms – I would think they would be noisy?). I like staying at National Trust locations or historic homes but they’ve become very expensive!
4/16 Thu: Arrive @ Manchester airport; pick up rental car. Drive to Ruthin and stay overnight; putter around town
4/17 Fri: Drive to Bodysgallen Hall (National Trust); stay @ Bodysgallen Hall one night; visit HomeFront Museum & Bodnant Gardens4/18-20 Sat-Mon: Drive to Anglesey: visit Beaumaris Castle (& village); Plas Newydd House & Garden; Plas Cadnant Hidden Gardens & Penrhyn Castle; Lodging ideas: Plas Cadnant Brewhouse Cottage for 3 nights (Sat, Sun & Mon); or Angelesy Arms or Premier Inn Bangor (Gwynedd, North Wales) hotel (other side of Bridge) – any thoughts on those?

4/21 Tues: Drive to Caenarfon (maybe stop at Treborth Botanic Garden) and do the castle; Lodging idea: Premier Inn Caenarfon, 1 night. Should I eliminate this hotel stay and add another night in the Angelsey area stay? It seemed logical to stay in Caenarfon since I’d be heading south.

4/22 Wed: Drive South (toward Portmeirion Village & Garden), stop at Inigo Jones Slate Works on the way; see Portmeirion. Lodging idea: Oakeley Arms Hotel for 3 nights - Wed, Thu, Fri

4/23 Thu: Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways (6 hr trip) on The Harbourmaster, dep Porthmadog

4/24 Fri: Plas Brondanw House & Gardens

4/25 Sat: Drive to Powis Castle & Gardens; then drive to Owestry for lodging: idea, Premier Inn, 2 nights (Sat & Sun)

4/26 Sun: Chirk Castle & Gardens

4/27 Mon: Erdigg Hall & Garden; Lodging: Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Wrexham, 1 night

4/28 Tue: drive to Manchester airport for mid-afternoon flight

I welcome any thoughts or suggestions - Fodorites have been incredibly helpful when I've planned prior trips

Penrhyn Castle is on the mainland side of the bridge.
I think you are moving around too much - North Wales isn't huge and it won't be that busy in April.
Don't have time now to comment further other than to say please don't drive straight after a long haul flight for your sake and that of fellow drivers.

I’d agree re driving, it’s really not a good idea no matter how much experience you have. Fortunately there are direct trains from Manchester Airport to Chester and North Wales which can get you on your way. You should be able to hire a car in either Chester or Llandudno.

Hetismij2 and JohnEW2912 - thank you for that good advice! I'm happy to take a train to Chester, explore the city, have an overnight stay, & then begin my driving tour the next day so I'll investigate trains from MAN airport. I agree the current itin has me moving around too much but I couldn't figure out where/how to change my route or lodging. Any ideas gratefully accepted!

Unless you have a particular reason to visit Ruthin you could stay on the train and hire a car at Llandudno Junction and stay for the first night at Bodysgallen. That would also put you on the front foot for the following morning.

All of your sites are great. However (way) too may stop overs IMO (much too too much packing/unpacking checking in/out for my liking) -- just for one example Ruthin > Bodysgallen takse less then 60 minutes -- absolutely no reason to stay over in one to see the other. Then Bodysgallen to Caenarfon is probably about a 40 minute drive or even less. Again, easy to visit either one from the other,

This entire itinerary could be easily manage w/ 2 bases . . . something like Conwy (or Bodysgallen) and Oswestry. And no, I would not get a car at MAN and drive the first day (I might stay the night in Manchester and rent the car the next day) But if it was my trip I'd probably take the from MAN to Chester and pick up a car the next day and meander about visiting sites before checking in at Conwy

Somewhere like Conwy or Llandudno makes sense as a base, or even Betwys-y-Coed inland.
We used to visit the Wrexham area from the Bangor area, as a day or half day trip, to see relatives, and went over to Anglesey and down to Portmerion from there also.
Maybe even Bangor would be a reasonable base though the city itself is nothing to write home about.
There are slate mines and quarries all over, most are no longer working, but they are impressive monuments to the past. Some have museums now, most don't.
Should you have time over (unlikely with your schedule) you could include the other Plas Newydd in Llangollen, and have a look at the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and maybe Valle Crucis Abbey while in the area.

Anyway it is your trip, but if it were me I would choose fewer places to stay, even if it involved a bit more driving to get to places. Finding your hotel, parking, checking in and out all takes up valuable time when you could be off visiting want you really want to see.

April driving should not be too bad, but the 20 mph signs are everywhere so take it steady

All - thank you! I knew I had too many stops and was over-estimating drive times but couldn't figure out where to stay as bases...so I will look at Conwy or Llandudno as my base for the Anglesey & coastal section (Bodysgallen Hall appealed to me for 1 night so I'll look at it for the longer stay) and then another spot to cover the Welshpool to Chester section. As you pointed out, having bases will give me more time to do spontaneous, pottering around stuff, like quarries, cemeteries, etc. And it's awfully nice to go "home" to the same place after a full day. Once I've re-worked this, I'll come back with the new plan and any questions

FYI...The only reason I had picked Ruthin for an overnight stay was to break my drive from the airport but now I'll take the train to/from MAN - Chester. Chester looks interesting so I can stay overnight and explore, then pick up the car on Day 2 refreshed and head off to LLandudno area.

bilboburgler - I'm glad to know that roads shouldn't be too crowded in April; slow speeds are no problem. (When I drove all over Kent in June several years ago, the roads were busy and it wasn't pleasant driving!)

Fodorites rule!!! You saved the day and relieved my mind.