Cardiff trip planning help, please!

[CloudyMorning]

Hi all, I’m going to Cardiff for the first time with my DDs aged 18 and 20 and would love some help planning our three day trip, booked at the last minute.

I am looking for inspiration about how to spend our time there without breaking the bank.

My interests:
Social history
Interesting architecture
Window shopping in interesting/ quirky areas (not malls)
Eating out (vegetarian/ vegan)
Independent cinema maybe
People watching, preferably whilst drinking a glass of something nice without feeling the need to dress up.

DDs:
Interested in much of the above plus vintage / second hand clothes shopping plus areas for LGBTQ friendly bars.

I would prefer to avoid expensive entrance fees and enjoy just absorbing the atmosphere of a new city.

Which areas are best for exploring for people like my DDs who are lazy walkers?! I might even do a walking tour but would like to be a bit focused with ideas for an itinerary so that they don’t wander aimlessly and need to sit down for a coffee before we’ve even started…

BTW we’re staying overlooking the river- quite near Ferndale street, in case that’s relevant.

I’d be so grateful of some tips about what to do, what not to miss (and even what to avoid, I suppose).
TIA x

You do need to do St Fagabs. It’s worth it even if you do it before your air B and B check in.

I ride my bike (commute) on taff embankment every day for 8y plus (except covid now less often!). It’s fine! I don’t suggest walking round slowly at midnight with your top of the range iPhone open in maps screaming ‘I’m totally flipping lost’ but otherwise you’ll be fine 😂

The Live Lounge is a good bar with live music every night. Good for the DC, but you get all ages in there (and drinks are ridiculously cheap)

Oh and st fagans is great, but do check the weather as I see it as a nice outdoorsy day out (the inside bits are great but lots of it is waking outdoors). It’s v easy link to m4 so tie in with way home or arrival not a bad idea at all.

Thank you to those who have reassured me. I won’t be exploring Grangetown but will walk along Taff Embankment in daylight. There are nearly 40 reviews for the Airbnb and all mention excellent location Stygian has been a bit of a wake up call!

*stygain= this thread. Damn autocorrect

There’s a place near your accommodation, Neighbourhood Kitchen, that I keep meaning to go to. Looks great every time I drive past.

Chapter is a great arts centre with 2 little cinemas, near there is the Corp, a former pub that now has lots of little Indy businesses, a bar, cafe etc.

The arcades in the city centre are nice, pretty little shops. Our vintage clothes shops aren’t great, if your girls are Brighton shoppers they will be fairly unimpressed. My DD goes to Bristol for her vintage shopping.

St Fagans great for social history, the National Museum has an incredible collection of impressionist art-look it up online, it’s surprising!

The nightlife is a bit hen/stag do, binge drinking culture is very much our thing, but there are a couple of fun gay bar/clubs on Churchill Way, The Kings and Pulse. Both serve a young/student crowd.

I’ll try and think of other things.

There's plenty to do and see here but I'll be interested in what you make of the people watching OP.
Wales has a lot of deprivation and Cardiff has steadily become more dirty and rundown.
Just as well we have very high rainfall because at least that cleans the streets a bit. Check the forecast and you'll probably want to pack a Mac and umbrella.
It's a small city. If you want to people watch what counts as posher types, head over to Pontcanna. There are some good bars and restaurants there and Bute Park is lovely for a walk/bike ride although hard to avoid the stench of weed in the park nearer the city centre.
You can hire bikes at Pedal Power either in Pontcanna or the Bay.
Chapter is in nearby Canton and is an independent arts centre with cinema.
For more, err, interesting, people watching, the early hours of St Mary Street and its copious bars is the place to be. Just watch where you tread.
On a more serious note, it's relatively safe but don't walk around Grangetown in the dark on your own.
The Bay is mainly chain restaurants but that's not a criticism. You can walk or cycle across the barrage to Penarth which also has posher/more moneyed streets and decent cafes/restaurants.
Cardiff's Victorian arcades are good for browsing. Queen Street is very rundown now and best avoided.
Cardiff indoor market is good, make sure you try Welsh cakes hot from the griddle.
The National Museum of Wales is free and you can spend a good few hours there.
Eating out on the whole is not such good value in Wales compared with places like London in my experience because of badly trained staff, lack of competition and because people generally don't have so much money to spend.
But you will find people are generally helpful and friendly.
Do report back and let me know if I've been too cynical!

Also, Llandaff area is where Roald Dahl lived as a child and went to school, lots of building with plaques about that if you fancy exploring that on foot. The cathedral in Llandaff is nice to walk around, and you also have Insole Court in Llandaff, a small Victorian Manor House, with cafe etc. Could walk to Llandaff along the Taff, then either walk back through the park or get a bus.

Bute Park is a nice place to walk/picnic.

Pontcanna, fairly near you, is v cafe society. Nice places to eat, good estate agents windows, Pipes Brewery good for a beer and a people watch on a Saturday afternoon, there’s a farmers market there on some/all Saturdays.

We stayed at the Premier Inn in Cardiff Bay , lots of places to eat there ( mostly chains though ) we walked all they way to Penarth , it was a good walk

There are lots of lovely old arcades , individual shops and cafes in Cardiff
The museum is good , lovely parks to walk round , cute old fashioned tea shops ( Pettigrews , my personal favourite )
I don’t know much about the nightlife ( as I’m 60+ and retire to my room with a glass of wine )

I know some up thread have said some less than positive things , but I love a weekend break in Cardiff , it’s not all doom and gloom

Okay thank you everyone. Now for a really wankerish question that wouldn’t have occurred to me to ask until I read some the comments above…
My DDs dress in an ‘alternative’ (sorry) way and have piercings… do you think they’re likely to attract negative attention or is this par for the course in a university city?? ( Assumed it would be)

They’ll fit right it. And would get on well with my DD and her gang.

Thank god for that, NancyJoan. Wouldn’t want them to be even more of a target for the crime on our doorstep!!

I have to walk through Grangetown from the city centre to get home and do that alone at various stages of evening/night - obviously as with any city, if you don’t know it that can be obvious (looking lost / going down unlit streets / phone or maps) and less safe, but I have never had a problem walking through in the dark 5pm to 4am!
Also yes to st fagan’s, Cardiff story museum, the arcades and penarth!

You’ll have a great time! Cardiff is compact with something for everyone. I’d tell anyone to be careful after dark in any place that’s not familiar.

Cardiff Market - Welsh cakes and Ffwrnes pizza.
Pettigrews - tea and cake after a walk around Bute Park
National Museum - free entry, even if you just go to see the Renior’s.

Cardiff Castle - free entry into the grounds; tickets for the building (worth it!).

Loads of places to eat and drink - you’ll find something you love I’m sure.
Don’t forget the umbrellas on Church Street (also great places to eat and drink).

Depending on the weather maybe take the Water bus from Bute Park to Cardiff Bay? It’s a lovely way to see the city - and you’ll sail down the embankment and get a totally different perspective.

Enjoy!

Vegetarian food studio does amazing food

analoka is nice

Alex gooch does amazing pastries and coffee etc

Second @Lovemylittlebear ’s suggestion of Vegetarian Food Studio, great Indian food, close to where you are yet not in the centre so never too busy

@Welshrarebitontoast thank you so much for your reassurance. To be honest this thread has wobbled me a bit… would anyone care to upload me a nice little map with personalised highlighted or annotated sections of where to explore/ stroll / avoid. 😂

I’d love to go to the vegetarian food studio for dinner but would have to walk home in the dark as it’s too close for an Uber 😂🙄

Got No Beef in the city centre is really good for vegan food- I've been there a few times!

We spent the day in Cardiff last month when DD went for the uni open day. I found it a really nice city with very friendly people and a great atmosphere. No tips on things to do but wanted to say it felt like a great city and we were happy to walk around at night as 2 women alone with no issues. Similar to London in that respect.

Hmmmm. Ok location wise not great but it's have lived and breathed Cardiff since birth and have experience of Brighton and can safely say you'll be ok. Google tramshed for any live gigs. Thoroughly recommend bar 44. But it is pricey. The bay is lovely as is Penarth. Take the water taxi there. From Bute Park.

We went to Cardiff last year for a couple of days. We wandered into a bar near our hotel called The Golden Cross (near the ?Motorpoint Arena-an arena anyway!) We didn't realise until we were in that it was a gay bar, but we were OK with that. It was a lovely pub, really friendly! We had our dog with us and my god she had such a fuss made of her! She lapped it up, I can tell you. So that's a good pub for your daughters (and your dog if you have one😀). But if as a pp mentioned if its Pride it maybe packed, though if your daughters are teens they may like it packed!

We also noted it was only a 25 min train ride from the city centre to Barry if you want some good old fashioned seaside fun

Roath park - boating on the lake?
St Fagans is good
St David's Hall (depending on what shows are on)