Here I have many more memories than any other swimming pool in Cardiff and I had my swimming…read morelessons here. We also had school swimming lesson sessions, which were in extremely large groups and we had the lessons for long hours of the day, but they were fun and were different. They have children parties with cold and hot drinks and food. This pool was opened in 1989 and it has a refurbished fitness suit. It also has a cafe; tennis courts/badminton courts, squash courts, community suit, a bar, a crèche, junior activities, parties, changing rooms, toilets, showers, lockers, and vending machines. I always loved going here as a kid and loved to spend our jumping in the pool and swimming many lengths and splashing about in the waves. I keep having this place appear in my dreams, but I'm never in the pool I'm often walking around the place, or in a queue, or a room training/fitness, aerobics, and yoga. It is a fantastic local pool and it's great for all tourists and anybody really, children will just simply love it. People over the age of sixty years old go free; all ages can go in for between the prices of £1.50p - £3 during the hours of 10am - 7pm.

Another great leisure centre from Cardiff City Council. It has one of those pools that are really…read moregood for toddlers with a sloping shoreline so they can toddle in without going out of their depth. This is where I took mine when they were tiny. There's also a deep bit for proper swimming with lanes a dedicated times for different swimmers. The whole centre has a friendly feel. There are also lots of other good things for kids like gymnastics, trampolining and soft play. For adults there's aerobics, fit-ball, circuits and the very latest craze - Zumba (a dance class based on a combination of rumba and salsa).

Barry leisure is my local and as a lifestyle member I get to use all the facilities of the three…read moreparticipating leisure centers. The best thing about Barry is the fact that there are at least three pilates classes a week and as someone who only deals with really low impact exercise you can see how this would appeal. For the less lazy, there is cardio, circuits and aerobics. Like the other two centers you'll find a decent sized pool and a health suite with sauna, steam room and jacuzzi as well as sunbeds and of course the obligatory water slide. A local leisure center is great for just dropping in without paying a hefty annual fee, a much underrated service in my opinion.

I used to work very close to this leisure centre, so tried it out a few times for pilates and other…read moreexercise classes. It's a friendly place, with good facilities, and my only gripe would be that the changing rooms and showers offer no privacy! I don't know about you, but I don't really fancy bumping into one of my colleagues naked in the changing rooms... If that doesn't bother you, however, the centre has a good range of activities on offer. Classes include aqua aerobics, circuit training, Tone & Stretch, Pilates, Cardio Tone, Body Blast, Boxfit, and Young at Heart (for older people) - amongst many others. In addition to the regular classes in the main sports hall area, there are swimming pools (a main pool and a small pool, with reasonable prices), plus there's a gym, squash courts, and a health suite (which includes a steam room and a sauna).

Quite a pleasant, warm, pool but (like so many these days, alas) roped off into lanes down one…read moreside. This makes the remaining pool very narrow and basically half size, so there's very little room to move when it gets crowded. The last time I swam there I got out after ten minutes because of people getting in the way. Having said that, if you're lucky enough to pick a quiet time it would be a nice relaxing place to swim. The changing facilities and showers are clean and the people who work there are helpful. There's a small car park attached.

Bowling clubs seem to have a great knack for hiding themselves away in places that you don't expect…read morethem to be. This club is just such a place, literally hidden between Marlborough and Sandringham Road - you don't even notice that it's there, which is remarkable given the size of it. There are both men and women's bowling teams that play both competitive and friendly games. Penylan Bowling Club now also supports the Cardiff Bridge club which meets on Tuesday and Wednesday evening. They have over 150 members, and it's a great social club. Both of these games are usually associated with more mature people, but I there are a lot of younger members here. The two clubs often hold social events like barbeques which often feature live music and dancing, and occasionally include a game of bingo.

Signposted from the M4, this is well worth a visit. There are seven miles of forest to explore,…read morewith several parking bays along the way where you can get out to walk along one of the marked paths, or have a picnic. There is also a fishing lake and a mountain bike trail. The views from the top are incredible! There's a fairly new visitor centre and cafe at the foot of the drive.

We've just spent a lovely couple of days podding at the campsite here absolutely breathtaking…read morescenery, spotless loos and showers, and really well thought out pod arrangements, all for £35 a night (minimum 2 nights). Loved the picnic table and bbq areas too if we come back to South Wales we'll definitely stay again. Gorgeous.

This place should be better than 2 stars as it is and could be even more so such a good facility…read more The building is good and the facilities are great. The staff are in the main very helpful. However .... The signs asking people remove their shoes before going in to the changing rooms are ignored by many people so the cubicle floors of the changing rooms end up filthy. The staff walk back and forth ignoring the point and I have never seen them ask a shoe wearer to remove their shoes. So expect to come out of there with dirty feet. The pool is rarely at 50m and when it is it is often very busy. Monday and Thursday nights can be quieter if you aren't too tired to train at 10pm ... In the mornings and now at weekends many of the lanes are taken by the swimming club. Not an issue but expect the other lanes to be crowded and have people of varying ability in each lane. If you are a quick swimmer expect to be frustrated as you dawdle behind a breast stroker waiting for a safe moment to overtake them. The pool is regularly booked out for galas and swim events at weekends and the information/warnings about these events is very discrete or difficult to find so be prepared for Saturday / Sunday morning disappointment and wasted trips. The pleasure pool is mayhem. The lifeguards do a good job but expect to be kicked by other swimmers, by bumped into, swam over/into and come out feeling the most unrelaxed you ever will. As a venue for promoting healthy lifestyle this place surpasses itself. Not!!! For those who bother to use the benches to remove or put on shoes, there is a glittering array of chocolates and sugary drinks in four vending machines, ideally located opposite you. If you or your children manage to get passed them, there are more sugary calorie dispensers by the exit turnstiles and just in case you haven't managed to give in to the sugar, there are 4 more vending machines on the way out. Only the British would fill a "healthy" sports venue with obesity causing, tooth rotting filled vending machines. So, while you are trudging home in the dirty foot rot of other people from the changing rooms, you can comfort yourself with chocolate and fizzy pop to remind yourself what a healthy life you live!

I love this pool and the centre itself. It looks fantastic and its great inside too. Whether your…read morethere to relax and have fun with the kids or to do a serious bit of swimming there is a place for you. Its easy to access and has lots of parking too. There is a gym, sauna, jacuzzi and do all sorts of fitness classes too for quite a reasonable monthly fee. Swimming for adults is £3.70 and no time limit. Family tickets also available. The only downsides are that the changing rooms can be a bit chaotic and its always worth checking out whats going on before you head down because they often have events on at the weekend so you might not get in.

Maesteg sports centre offer a wide variety of activities for you to particpate in. There is…read moreeverything from a gym with a lot of equiptment, to a big sports hall where you can join in a few sports/activities such as badminton and judo. They also have their own squash courts. The prices are typical sports centre prices for the area, although you can use your Bridge Card here. There are a few vending machines around, with the prices being quite expensive. The staff are friendly and all instructors are well qualified.

This place is seriously fun, if you havn't got a kid then borrow one!…read more Coconuts is a softplay centre in Sully, a 10/15 minute drive from Cardiff. It's a large space with netted multi-story play structures which include slides, ball pits, tunnels, bridges, swings and imaginative play objects that I can't even begin to describe. The centre is aimed at 1-14's and it's designed so adults of the over 3's can sit and sup coffee from the cafe Carla's Kitchen with friends. Prices are £3.95 off peak (week days) and £5.50 peak (holidays and weekends). Adults are £1. Coconuts is free before 1pm for CFFIW registered childminders (bring proof). Coconuts also host parties for around £8 a child and include extras such as party bags, balloons and t-shirt designing at a small additional cost. Tip: In the Summer don't forget your son or daughters socks or even your socks like I did! All children have to take their shoes off and be in socks rather than bare feet on the play structures and if you have a small child then you will need to follow them around in your socks too. Coconuts will add an extra 50p per pair onto the entry cost if you forget, though you do get to keep the socks afterwards. Top tip: Sign up to Coconut's email list to get reductions on entry

Excellent value for money, especially if you take your children on a Monday when the price goes…read moredown to £2.00 a child, which I did this week. We arrived at approx 12.00, the three children 2 boys of 7 & 5 and a girl of 3 ran straight to the climbing centre while I had coffee, they were given plastercine to play with all morning and painting was made available all afternoon, they loved both and took their masters home to put on fridge. They had a plate of chips each I had another coffee and we left at about 3.00. The staff were on the ball when a child climbed outside of the frame and was whistled at for his safety, all I saw was a lot of smiling faces from customers and staff alike, Coconuts definatly deserve the 5 stars that I've given them. Thank you Coconuts