6 nights between Liverpool and Southampton in Sept **updated with details 2/2/2 or 3/3 nights?

Given you're starting in Liverpool it would make sense to head west to Eryri | Snowdonia National Park and spend a few nights there - you will be there in less than two hours and could spend your full day(s) exploring towns and villages like Betws-y-Coed, Trefriw, Conwy, Beddgelert which all have churches, hikes, pubs and tea rooms (so will tick your boxes!). Stay central somewhere like the Conwy Valley which is the first section of the Cambrian Way.

Then you could head south on the A470 - maybe towards Brecon and spend a few nights there for that section. You could easily divert west to do some of the Coastal Way but time might restrict this - there is enough to see and do in 4-5 days between North and South Wales down the middle (Cambrian Way).

2 / 3 nights or 3 / 2 nights divided between North and South Wales would really give you time to appreciate both areas.

You could drive straight from South Wales to Southampton (2-3 hours) and drop the LHR person off at a convenient station such as Newbury which is literally on the way before heading south to Southampton.

I've worked on some details and would love to get a bit more feedback. We have a car. I'm torn between doing 2/2/2 or doing a 3/3 stay. Again, we aren't looking for castles, ruins and such. We love just exploring villages, antique/thift shops, and nature.
My other main thing to figure out is best train station (easiest for a US driver) to drop Mom for her train to Southampton. We are making our way back to LHR a day later so will likely stay somewhere in Cotswolds area that night and drive to LHR morning of our flight (flight doesnt leave until 4 pm)

Option 1: 3 nights Llandudno/3 nights Tenby
Day 1: Leave Liverpool, with stops in Chester am and then Wrexham. Arrive & stay in Llandudno (have a place reserved)
Day 2: Explore Anglesey (South Stack Lighthouse, Holyhead, Beaumaris) most of the day & return to Llandudno
Day 3: Stay another night In Llandudno & visit Bodnant Gardens, Aber Falls, Dinorwig Quarry?
Day 4: Drive Tenby stopping at Portmeirion on the way (other stops?)
Day 5: Explore Tenby, Gower Peninsula area
Day 6: St Davids?
Day 7: Drop Mom at Swansea train station for train to Southampton to arrive by 1:00 pm. Stay in Cotswolds?
Day 8: Drop car at LHR by Noon

Option 2: 2 nights Llandudno/2 nights Barmouth or Dolgellau/2 nights Tenby
Day 1: Leave Liverpool, with stops in Chester am and then Wrexham. Arrive & stay in Llandudno (have a place reserved)
Day 2: Explore Anglesey most of the day & return to Llandudno
Day 3: Depart Llandudno possible visits on drive: Bodnant Gardens, Aber Falls, Dinorwig Quarry, Portmeirion. Stay in Barmouth or Dolgellau
Day 4: Stay another night in Barmouth/Dolgellau and visit Aberaeron & New Quay or enjoy more of Barmouth/Dolgellau
Day 5: Drive to Tenby to stay. stopping in Laugharne or Solva on way for lunch
Day 6: Visit Rhossili Baay or Three Cliffs Bay, Stop in Mumbles
Day 7: Drop Mom at Swansea train station for train to Southampton to arrive by 1:00 pm. Stay in Cotswolds?
Day 8: Drop car at LHR by Noon

Direct trains to Southampton run hourly from Cardiff Central.
The 0928 arrives at Southampton at 1205. That is the train to be on.
A connection leaves Swansea at 0820, with a cross platform change at Cardiff.
That 0820 has originated at Carmarthen at 0723, and is headed for London Paddington.

EDIT- Personally I favour the 2/2/2 option as it breaks up the long drive nicely. In Chester it is best to use the Park and Ride services into the city. In the Cathedral there is the only surviving consistory court room in an English Cathedral (the legal courts of the Church) also two rather interesting memorials relating to the early days of the modern USA (and I am ashamed to admit to not knowing of those until I was in the Cathedral yesterday, very unusually being a total tourist).
It was odd being a tourist in a City I've known for 60 years, it overwhelmed me emotionally.
On Anglesey you may also enjoy the Plas Cadnant gardens between Menai Bridge and Beaumaris- a good place to see Red Squirrels. In fact for you that may be a better fit than Beaumaris Castle.

Your North Wales plans sound feasible - I would definitely stay in Llandudno and day-trip from there. Personally I would stay 3 nights in North Wales - you can call in to somewhere like Aberaeron on the way to Tenby - it would be a good pit-stop. Dinorwig Quarry is 'trendy' at the moment, parking is a problem if you don't want to hike up to it. If you are interested in the slate industry I would consider the deep mine tour in Blaenau Ffestiniog, but if you are more interested in nature then time might be better spent seeking out the more scenic spots in Eryri | Snowdonia?

Re. trains to London I would consider dropping your Mum off at Bristol Parkway station - it is en-route, much more accessible than any town / city centre stations, trains are direct to London and shorter and you can easily hop from there to the Cotswolds

Direct trains do not go from Bristol Parkway to Southampton. As has been said, they do go hourly from Cardiff Central so taking a train from somewhere like Swansea requires a change of train at Cardiff. It might be worth you having a night somewhere near Cardiff?

Driving from Llandudno to Tenby and seeing Portmeirion on the way is really pushing it and not recommended. Parking could be a problem hotels in Llandudno.

When driving S down the west side, Harlech Castle is worth a quick look from the outside and Barmouth is worth a pit stop, The road from Barmouth to Dolgellau is VERY scenic. Aberaeron is definitely worth seeing - New Quay also if time. Laugharne is OK but not worth going out of your way.

If on the Gower, make Rhosilli the number 1 priority. Three Cliffs Bay is lovely and from the headland to the west, you can also get good views of Oxwich Bay > however, to get to this viewpoint, there is hardly any parking near the main south Gower road.

Sorry I'd misread the Mum was going to London - so ignore that!!!

Thanks for all the comments. I am getting so excited about visiting Wales. I think we are going to fall in love with it!

I've decided to do the 3/3 nights b/c it forces us to slow down a little bit and we never regret that.
I think I have a pretty good handle on North Wales. Except I do want to search for seaglass while in N Wales..any particular beach?
Day 1: Wed: Drive from Liverpool, stopping in Chester & Wrexham. Stay in Llandudno for 3 nights
Day 2: Thurs: Anglesey: Beaumaris, South Stack Cliffs, seaglass searching. Maybe stop at Aber Falls on way back to Llandudno
Day 3: Fri: Conwy, Bodnant Gardens, Betws-y-Coed.

My next decisions:
1. Stay in Tenby or elsewhere? for 3 nights.
2. Day 4: Saturday: The long drive from Llandudno to Tenby (looks about 4 hrs?) We would like to make a stop or two. I think I've eliminated Portmeirion (seems a little touristy?) We are seeing lots of coastal towns already. so perhaps Dolgellau? Some other places that have been suggested are Aberaeron and New Quay?
3. Day 5: Sunday: We want to go to a beautiful old church for Sunday service, We are Anglican. I was thinking about visiting St David on Sunday so "kill two birds with one stone"? Also visit Solva?
4. Day 6: Monday: Gower Peninsula: Rhossili & Three Cliffs Bay. Mumbles?
5. Day 7: Tues: Decided just to drive Mom to Southampton and stay there for the night before 4:00 LHR flight next day. Return car to LHR

Also welcome any recommendations for favorite tea rooms (we love great scones & hot chocolate too!) and antique shops!
If anyone has been to Tara Antiques in Stow-on-the-Wold. That is my favorite antique store I've ever visited! We also love the church there!
Also will there be any flea markets (car boot sales) in the area?

Thanks again everyone!!

Sea Glass- Cemaes Bay- both the Traeth Bach and the Traeth Mawr beaches (translated as small and big beaches).
This is the North side of Anglesey.

I think 4 hours is distinctly optimistic for the Llandudno to Tenby drive.

To me Dolgellau or Machynnleth would be great towns to stop in (the former e specially), but neither is really coastal. I would suggest deviating and routeing through Tywyn. Even if you don't travel on it go and see the Talyllyn steam railway.

And yes St David's Cathedral would be a great option for Sunday, just as a reference point it is the Church in Wales. That relates to the dis-establishment of the Church in Wales in 1920.

The Old Auction Rooms in Llandudno is a good antique shop for a rummage. There is a small one on the high street in Conwy too. Otherwise the areas you are going to in North Wales are a bit light on good antique shops!

For a tea room Tu Hint Ir Bont in Llanrwst is a gorgeous, famous old building in a lovely location and worth a stop on your Betws-y-Coed day. Otherwise Caffi Doti is a excellent cafe in nearby Trefriw that does great hot chocolate and divine scones - the woollen mill there (they are almost next door to each other) is well worth a visit too and the Fairy Falls in Trefriw is another waterfall you can visit (NB Aber Falls is a 1-2 hour hike from the car park so factor that in to your 1st day in North Wales).

I would drive down the A470 from Llandudno to Bodnant Garden (morning), carry on to Llanrwst / Betws-y-Coed (lunch!), then go back up the B5106 through Trefriw (tea and scones!) to Conwy - you could finish in the latter in the afternoon / evening (dinner?!) That would be a perfect day out!

Not sure as to why you would want to visit Wrexham - not exactly brimming with attractions although Pontcysullte aqueduct not far to the S is well worth seeing.

Although fake, I think that Portmeirion is worth seeing. Dolgellau is interesting in the fact that virtually the whole town is made of giant blocks of stone.

Tywyn has been mentioned because of the narrow gauge steam railway. Not sure if it is worth the detour but if you do go this way - to get back on route S you will go via the lovely estuary town of Aberdovey (Aberdyfi in Welsh). You will really need to examine your time v distance as to planning how far S you intend to reach.

Click this link for a Google map of south Pembrokeshire. Tenby has a church right in the centre of town which you could use if not in St.David’s on the Sunday. On the map - find Stackpole Quay - where the NT have a car park from which you could walk W for about 15 minutes to beautiful Barafundle Bay. Also find Manorbier & zoom down to fund Church Doors Cove - which is at Shrinkle Haven by the Youth Hostel. Here you can find free cliff top parking with lovely views. Whilst in Tenby (or staying nearby) - go down to the harbour and you will find booths selling tickets for crossing over to Caldy Island (closed Sundays & maybe Sats) - well worth it.

As a guide, driving the length of the Gower peninsula non stop takes about 40 minutes. Driving from Swansea to Cardiff takes 1 hour.
Driving from Cardiff to Winchester non stop via M4 & A34 takes about 1 hour 50 minutes - assuming no delays. I say Winchester because that would be a more interesting place to stay the night than Southampton.

If driving along the M4 and passing Cardiff, you may like to take a break from the driving & visit Castell Coch - which is about 8 minutes away > leave M4 at J32 & follow signs for Tongwynlais. https://www.visitwales.com/attraction/castle/castell-coch-cadw-516101

Stow-on-the-Wold is WAY out of your way. If you want to see a stunning Cotswold village that is not far off the M4 route from S Wales to Winchester/ Southampton, consider Castle Combe. For this, you would leave M4 at J18 & go N and immediately turn R for Acton Turville. You can re-join M4 at J17. See this Google Map.

BTW I picked up a leaflet on Monday about 45 minute daily boat cruises over Pontcysyllte, hourly daily for £10. They are run by Anglo-Welsh, who are better known for their hire boats.
The boat is called Little Star.

Hi James!
Thanks for all the great details and links
1. Wrexham: son is with us and big fans of the football team and TV show.
2. stow on the wold: no not wanting to visit was just a point of reference to type of antique stores we enjoy.
3. Mom needs to be in Southampton by 1:00 for her cruise. So we thought we would just drive her there from Tenby. Stay in Southampton or perhaps smaller town back towards London? Then drop car at LHR the next day around noon.

I would definitely not drive all the way from Tenby to Southampton for a cruise going at 1pm. Things can go wrong on the highways and railways - that is why I suggested making for Winchester for an overnight as it is just a short distance from Southampton and has plenty of historic stuff - such as the cathedral. https://www.visitwinchester.co.uk

If you have to cut anything, possibly delete the Gower. You certainly would not have time for Castell Coch or Castle Combe if driving from Tenby to Southampton in one go. Castell Combe does not have shops as it is a small village.https://www.visitwiltshire.co.uk/towns-and-villages/castle-combe-p462723

(If you do have time for Castle Combe - drive down the hill into the village and you might find the odd parking space. The car park for tourists is at the top of a HILL).

James, thanks for that feedback. It always seems there isn't enough time to do all the things! Cruise doesn't leave at 1:00 just goal was to drop off by 1:00
So I'll look into your advice and make our way to Winchester for the last night instead of 3 nights in Tenby.
Thanks so much!

If you are spending all day driving from Tenby to Winchester, that will give you time to take breaks and call at places such as Castell Coch on the way.

Another place that you may wish to consider calling at is St. Fagans Castle & Museum of Welsh History (free but £7 to park). This is located only 7 minutes driving time S of M4 J33 on the NW side of Cardiff > take A4232 expressway going S and after just over 1 mile - turn L into slip road for this place but slow down to 10 mph as the final turn off is very sharp. When leaving - return to expressway where you will have to travel S to next interchange which you loop around on a giant roundabout to return to M4 at J33.https://www.visitwales.com/attraction/museum/st-fagans-national-museum-history-527739