Oh, wow. I love stumbling across old childhood memories and getting ridiculously excited about them all over again. Llanishen Leisure Centre is one of those places. As an excited child, I recall this place seeming like it took over an age to get to, so was surprised to drive past it the other day and discover that it wasn't 20,000 miles outside Cardiff like I'd always imagined. In actuality it's an easy 15 minute drive from the centre. Who knew? Llanishen Leisure Centre has the most spectacular of swimming pools. Oh, the fun and jollity I did have there. There is a fountain and hundreds of floats and giant balls the big kids always tried to stand on (I was resolute that I was not tall enough/I was a coward). There is also, majesty of majesty, a wave machine. A giant wave machine! The pool itself has a gradual incline from one end so you can walk in as you might walk into the sea. This means that the pool is great for all ages, and it's easy to keep an eye on the extra small ones with the help of the ever present lifeguard. When the siren for the waves (yay!) goes off, they actually break and roll up the side of the pool, making great sport for active imaginations. Llanishen Leisure Centre also has a whole heap of badminton and squash courts, a gym, yoga, swimming lessons and a pool-side cafe and pool tables. Did I mention the wave machine? read more

Llanishen Leisure Centre - http://www.cardiff.gov.uk/content.asp?nav=2868%2C2967%2C3001%2C3707%2C3712&parent_directory_id=2865 - Gyms Near Me - Cardiff, CRF

Tried to book a handful of slots on their shockingly slow, clunky and useless website. It only gave me the option to book one, impossible to book more than that. Thought I'd try phoning the helpline to speak to someone who could talk me through it. Spent ages going through all the options only to be hung up on after requesting to speak to an advisor. Appalling customer service the last time I went there, but thought I'd give it another try. never, ever again. Anyone wanting to go there should look at all the awful reviews online about this place and make their mind up. read more

This place is amazing. The sevice is fantasic their activities are stunning and their food is perfect

Llanishen Leisure Centre has a gym, swimming pool, squash courts, badminton/football courts, a café and some other bits and bobs here and there. There really is a lot going on here all the time. You can book up squash, badminton or five-a-side football courts for a reasonable price, and racquet and ball hire is available. The gym has lots of facilities such as running machines, weight machines, and free weights. The swimming pool is largely for family and leisure use, though the deep end is always cordoned off for those that want to be left to swim lengths undisturbed. As well as this there are also aerobics classes, circuit classes, children's crèche and soft play facilities, and children's swimming lessons. This is where I learnt to swim and started competing around Cardiff with the famous Llanishen Otters. One fateful day back in the 1990's I lost my favourite (and only) Donald Duck t-shirt in the changing rooms, so if you are going there and spot it then please let me know. read more

Llanishen Leisure Centre is the largest leisure centre in Cardiff and, after providing the people of Cardiff with a fun, sporting venue for more than two decades, is a regular hotspot for locals on the weekend. With a wide range of facilities such as a snooker room, badminton courts, squash courts and a fitness suite, there is something on offer for everyone and is the ideal place to take the kids to fend off school holiday boredom. But despite all of the activities on offer, the main attraction, as is with many council run leisure centres, has to be the swimming pool. The large pool boasts many features such as fountains and slides for kids, while it also has a designated swimming lane for those wishing to churn out a few lengths. The pool is also renowned for its infamous wave machine and is firm favourite among youngsters, particularly those with a taste for danger. If that doesn't provide quiet the adrenaline rush they need, there is a skate park just outside the centre, where kids can go to ride their skateboards and practice tricks. With all these activities on offer, it's hard not to enjoy yourself at Llanishen Leisure Centre. read more

It's where it all started. Innocently I took her to gym tots. It looked fun. She had fun. Then her sister had fun. Then they needed a leotard. Then they started to go twice a week. Then practically every day. Now she's captain of her university team. Be careful when you take your youngsters to a Cardiff Leisure Centre, it can lead to things... This is also really one of the best pools for little ones. It has a 'beach' area so they can toddle in without getting scared of being immersed in the water. When the waves come on they can get the hang of that without the whole intimidating ocean thing. Lots of classes, good gym...and best of all...chips. read more

Love to swim? This is a great swimming pool to attend. It is a very swimming pool and it's very popular. Great to go to with friends and I have been here quite a few times. To enter the place it cost £2.90 for adults and less for children. The centre was opened in 1987. They heat their water, in the swimming pool up to 20m and indoors it is: 30-31°C (86-88°F). The pool feels lovely on your skin and it is just the right temperature to help you feel refreshed and to keep you warm. They have a wave machine every so often and they become bigger in the deep end. This leisure centre also has a café, which they serve hot and cold food and drink in; vending machines, tennis courts, changing rooms with lockers, showers, baby change areas, toilets, and there is a newly refurbished fitness suite. The website says it's facilities are: Leisure pool with wave machine and features 6 x badminton courts, multi use sports hall 3 x squash courts Fitness suite with cardio theatre music system Mini gym with fitness assessment room Community suite Creche, junior activities, children's parties, holiday programmes Bar/Coffee area Pool side cafe / Snooker room read more

Llanishen Leisure Centre is a big old leisure centre and as such I can't comment on every facility available as I'm neither sporty nor fit enough to have used them all. I was going to write "yet" at the end of that sentence but let's not kid ourselves. What I can talk about though is the pool and the squash courts. The pool is very kiddy friendly with lots of floatables, a fountain and a wave machine. Not even the fancy pants pool down the bay has one of those. Lacks a killer slide though. The pool has some 25m swimming lanes if you're feeling grown up. To hire one of the three squash courts at Llanishen Leisure Centre will set you back around seven quid for a forty five minutes booking, which seems to be the flat-rate across all the council facilities. What you can get away with more at Llanishen that other centres is playing on well over your booking, especially if you go during the week. The staff don't seem to notice or maybe they don't mind. The café here is nothing special, so if you want something hearty (or boozy) after your session pop across the road to the Ty Glas pub. read more

Llanishen Leisure centre has been around for years now and although some parts of it are a little dated, they still have great facilities and its free to the over 60's. (Well done Welsh Assembly!) What a good way to keep fit. There is a large swimming pool with a slide and a café for a cup of tea afterwards! The gym facilities are pretty good although they can be a bit crowded at peak times (still cheaper than paying for private gym membership though). They run lots of different classes on every day of the week, eg circuit training, aerobics and lots of classes for kids during the school holidays. read more

Don't be fooled like I was by the rave reviews about Llanishen swimming pool, it really isn't worth the entry fee. I decided to take my children (6 & 7) there after reading the reviews but was very disappointed to find the changing rooms were run down, dirty & smell, the water was very cold, too cold, half the pool was roped off which only left the very shallow end (not even up to my son's chest) for the kids to play in, the "in pool" toys were rubbish. I could only watch the kids suffer & shiver for 5mins before getting them out and taking them to a proper pool down the Bay where they could actually have fun. I can only assume the good reviews about the pool were left by people with a vested interest in the Leisure centre! I can guarantee I will not be returning to their pool again. read more

Great facilities offering free swims to children during the school holidays, with a large swimming with slide, cafe serving hot & cold snack, hot & cold drinks, with vending machines & gym facilities as well as a private venue room. read more

We went swimming here last weekend and had a lovely time. It was very cheap to get in and you could stay in as long as you wanted. The changing rooms are separate and have lots of lockers in. I wish there were a few cubicles though. The swimming pool is quite big it has a rope separating the deep end from the shallow end. In the shallow end there is a really small slide that your children can go down. About every hour a loud alarm goes and flashes then the waves start. These are just like waves you would find at the beach they even go in to the shallow end. We had great fun jumping over them and there was plenty of warning before they started. There is a lifeguard sat in a high chair by the shallow end keeping an eye on everything. I also noticed that there is a café that is right by the side of the pool so you can have something to drink whilst watching your children. There looks like there are lots of other facilities at the leisure centre so we are going to look into them. read more