cafe
Ponderosa Cafe
A legendary biker stop high on the Horseshoe Pass above Llangollen with panoramic views across the Welsh valleys.
14 km · about 25 min drive
EuropeUnited KingdomWales
Wrexham
Wales, United Kingdom · Europe
About Wrexham
Wrexham works well as a base: 10 minutes from Gresford, 15km from Horseshoe Pass.
Wrexham is in Wales, United Kingdom, with about 66,000 people. You drive on the left here. The nearest town is Gresford, about 5 km away.
Wrexham ( REK-səm; Welsh: Wrecsam [ˈrɛksam]) is a city in the north-east of Wales. It lies between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley, near the border with Cheshire in England. Historically in the county of Denbighshire, it became part of the new county of Clwyd in 1974. It has been the principal settlementRead more
and administrative centre of Wrexham County Borough since 1996. At the 2021 census, the built up area had a population of 44,785, the seventh largest in Wales and the largest in North Wales. The wider county borough, which also includes surrounding villages and rural areas, had a population of 135,117. It was awarded city status in 2022.
Wrexham was probably founded before the 11th century and developed in the Middle Ages as a regional centre for trade and administration. Wrexham has historically been one of the primary settlements of Wales, and was the largest settlement in Wales for a time in the 17th century. In the Industrial Revolution from the 18th century onwards, Wrexham and surrounding area was a major centre of coal and lead mining. Other significant industries included the production of iron, steel and leather, and brewing.
Wrexham serves north Wales and the Welsh borderlands as a centre for manufacturing, retail, education and administration. The city is noted for Wrexham A.F.C. (one of the oldest professional football teams in the world); the nationally significant industrial heritage of the Clywedog Valley; the National Trust Property of Erddig; and the fine Tudor church of St Giles, which towers over the historic Wrexham city centre.
Where to Stay in Wrexham
Compare prices across Booking.com, Airbnb, Expedia, and more. Select your dates to see availability.
Filter presets
Pick your must-haves once: provider links open pre-filtered. Each filter lists which sites it applies to.
Compare before you book!
Prices can vary significantly between platforms. We recommend checking at least 2-3 sites to find the best deal for your stay in Wrexham.
Explore the Area
Discover famous landmarks, scenic roads, and more near Wrexham.
Loading map...
Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Wrexham?
Within an hour or so of Wrexham: Ponderosa Cafe (14 km), Horseshoe Pass (15 km), Horseshoe Pass (Bwlch yr Oernant) (15 km), Chester Zoo (21 km).
Are there any good drives near Wrexham?
The nearest famous roads are Horseshoe Pass, B4391 Milltir Gerrig and Evo Triangle.
Where is Wrexham?
Wrexham is in Wales, United Kingdom, about 5 km from Gresford.
Road trip
Drive to Wrexham
Add it as a stop and the planner works out the driving, the nights and what's worth seeing on the way.
Start planningWhat's nearby?
Swipe through places to go
Places within a drive of Wrexham. Keep the ones you like and add them to your trip.
Explore now
Quick Information
- Population
- 65,692
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Region
- Wales
- Timezone
- Europe/London
- Coordinates
- 53.0466, -2.9913
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in United Kingdom
112 also works. NHS non-emergency medical advice: 111. National Highways breakdown assistance on motorways: 0300 123 5000.
Full driving guide for United KingdomTags
Worth the detour from Wrexham
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
mountain pass
Horseshoe Pass
Sweeping A542 mountain pass curling above Llangollen in a giant horseshoe, climbing to 417m past the Ponderosa Cafe with wide views over the Dee Valley. A classic North Wales driving and biking road.
15 km · about 30 min drive
mountain pass
Horseshoe Pass (Bwlch yr Oernant)
A sweeping 417m moorland pass on the A542 above Llangollen, with the Ponderosa cafe at the top and views to the Berwyns.
15 km · about 30 min drive
landmark
Chester Zoo
The UK's most-visited zoo housing over 35,000 animals across 128 acres with award-winning conservation programs.
21 km · about 25 min drive
racetrack
Oulton Park
A picturesque Cheshire circuit winding through parkland with dramatic elevation changes, a favourite of British club and national racing.
29 km · about 35 min drive
waterfall
Pistyll Rhaeadr
Wales's tallest single-drop waterfall at 73 metres, cascading through a natural rock arch in a remote Berwyn Mountains valley.
33 km · about 40 min drive
landmark
Bentley Factory Tour
Exclusive guided tours of Bentley's Crewe factory where master craftspeople build the world's finest luxury cars.
35 km · about 40 min drive
racetrack
Loton Park
A 1,475-yard hillclimb running through the deer park of a Shropshire country estate, twisting between mature trees with the hill's Museum Corner and Fallow bends. One of Britain's most scenic speed venues.
36 km · about 40 min drive
Driving roads near Wrexham
- Right hereHorseshoe PassSweeping A542 mountain pass curling above Llangollen in a giant horseshoe, climbing to 417m past the Ponderosa Cafe with wide views over the Dee Valley. A classic North Wales driving and biking road.
- Right hereHorseshoe Pass (Bwlch yr Oernant)A sweeping 417m moorland pass on the A542 above Llangollen, with the Ponderosa cafe at the top and views to the Berwyns.
- 37 kmEvo TriangleLegendary 20-mile loop of the A5, A543 and B4501 across the empty Denbigh Moors, made famous as evo magazine's road-test circuit. Fast, open sightlines past Llyn Brenig make it a pilgrimage for keen drivers.
- 37 kmB4391 Milltir GerrigA high, empty moorland crossing of the Berwyn range between Bala and Llangynog, all long sightlines and sheep.
- 50 kmBwlch y Groes (Pass of the Cross)Wales's highest public road at 545m, a 1-in-4 climb from Llanuwchllyn used for pre-war motoring hill-climb tests.
- 52 kmBwlch y Groes (Hellfire Pass)Wales's highest public road at 545m, a 1-in-4 single-track climb from Llanuwchllyn used for decades as a motoring hill-climb test.
Driving in United Kingdom
- Drives on
- the left
- Petrol
- ~€1.73/litre
- Motorway tolls
- None
When to drive here
April to October
Nearby Destinations
Other places to explore near Wrexham.
Plan a trip around Wrexham
Your trip starts here
Plan a road trip from Wrexham.
Pick the days, drop in the stops, and share it with whoever's coming.