I’ll never forget the drive up to Llandudno last autumn – the leaves were turning that gorgeous coppery gold, carpeting the A55 like nature’s own welcome mat. Me and the family piled into the car from Manchester, kids buzzing in the back with crisps and iPads, while I blasted a playlist of Welsh folk tunes to get us in the mood. But typical me, about halfway there, I took a wrong turn onto some narrow B-road near Colwyn Bay, ending up behind a dawdling tractor hauling hay bales. We were late, tempers fraying a tad, but as the sea came into view, all that melted away. The anticipation built – Llandudno’s pier twinkling in the distance, the promise of that bracing Irish Sea air after months of soggy summer showers.

Pulling into the caravan park just as the sun dipped low, we were gobsmacked by our first impressions. This beautiful luxury two-bedroom caravan was a proper gem, kitted out to sleep up to six with a cosy, modern vibe that screamed weekend indulgence. It sat right on the edge of the site, with the beach just a stone’s throw away – perfect for those post-sunset strolls the listing promised. Autumn’s magic was everywhere: the air crisp and salty, carrying the faint tang of woodsmoke from beach barbecues winding down. We dumped the bags and cracked open a bottle of mulled cider I’d packed, toasting the season’s shift from lazy heatwaves to this invigorating chill.

The time of year shaped everything, really. Mornings started with mist rolling off the sea, turning the promenade into a hazy wonderland. We’d wander down to the pier – not heaving with summer crowds, thank goodness, but just busy enough for a bag of hot chips from the arcade end, wrapped in paper that steamed up in the October breeze. The kids loved feeding the seagulls, who swooped like feisty pirates after every scrap. One afternoon, we hit the Great Orme – that massive headland looming over Llandudno – riding the tramway up through bracken turning fiery red. Up top, the views were epic: the bay stretching out, Conway Castle a shadowy silhouette in the gloaming, and the wind whipping our scarves like we were in a proper Enid Blyton adventure. Laugh out loud moment? I tried posing for a windswept selfie, only to get blasted by a rogue gust that sent my hat flying into the gorse. Cue family hysterics – me chasing it like a daft penguin.

Evenings were the highlight, all thanks to autumn’s early dusk. We splashed out on the brand-new hot tub (small extra charge, but worth every penny), bubbling away under a blanket of stars you’d never see back home with all the light pollution. Slipping in after a beach walk – sand still gritty between toes, sunsets painting the sky in bruised purples – was pure bliss. The kids splashed about making memories, while I reflected on how these quieter months sneak up and remind you what family time’s really about. No scorching sun to bake you, just that golden glow and a cosy glow-in-the-dark vibe.

Days blurred into bracing walks along West Shore beach, where the tide pools shimmered with autumn sunlight, and the odd seal bobbed offshore. We even nipped to the high street for fudge from that famous shop – sticky, comforting stuff that hit the spot after kicking through crunchy leaves. Sure, the odd shower sent us scurrying back for board games and hot chocolate, but that’s autumn for you – unpredictable, but all the richer for it. Leaving felt bittersweet, but those seasonal snapshots? They’re etched in my mind forever. If you’re after a Welsh getaway that lets the time of year steal the show, this is it.