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Picture this: A Dickensian tavern in the shadow of a soccer stadium. Inside, on every inch of wall space, Welsh flags, club scarves, signed shirts and old black-and-white photographs pay homage to both players and memories. This is The Turf, a match-day haven where fans of Wrexham AFC have gathered to drink, celebrate and commiserate for over 150 years.\u202f <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now look more closely, because there\u2019s something you wouldn\u2019t expect. Nestled among the tributes to the team\u2019s past heroes are photos bearing the gleaming Hollywood smiles of its new owners, actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. The pair purchased the club in 2020, and brought with them the world\u2019s attention. The latest proof of this is\u202fWelcome To Wrexham<\/em>, a docuseries (on FX on Hulu in the U.S. and Disney+ in the UK), which follows the club through its attempts to win promotion from the National League, the fifth tier of the English football pyramid.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n “It’s great to see kids wearing Wrexham shirts in town. That’s special, and shows the future is sustainable.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Max Cleworth<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n So what did<\/em> draw Reynolds and McElhenney to North Wales? It might have been the glacier-carved mountains of Snowdonia, once known as \u201cthe Welsh Rockies.\u201d Or perhaps it was the area\u2019s unspoilt, half-moon beaches and its many ancient castles, the sort of\u202fwildly epic locations where you\u2019d expect a fantasy drama to be filmed. (Which one? Let\u2019s just say WAFC\u2019s nickname is The Red Dragons, and leave it at that…)\u202fBut Reynolds credits the decision on something quite different: a genuine addiction to the game of soccer, about which he has been outspoken to his 20 million Twitter<\/a> followers. \u201cI just lost 9 years off my life,\u201d he tweeted after a last-gasp win against Dover Athletic. \u201cAnd I\u2019m okay with that. Apologies to my family.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n Wales, just like soccer, can really get under your skin. It\u2019s a place of majesty and beauty, but also tragedy and hardship. A poignant detail: Above the Expedia logo on the club shirts is the date 1934, the year of the tragic Gresford colliery collapse disaster in which 266 coal miners lost their lives. Many of these were working an early shift so they could watch the WAFC match that day, and the memory of that tragic day is something the people who run the club now are determined to preserve. History like this has created inextricable bonds between the club and the area surrounding it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In buying the club, Reynolds and McElhenney are looking to transform not just the future of WAFC, but the whole community. \u201cIt\u2019s been a massive change,\u201d says team captain Luke Young. \u201cWrexham has for too long been overlooked, but the takeover has done absolute wonders for the town. The local industries and businesses have been buoyed by Rob and Ryan buying the club, and you can feel a real spring in the step, not just at the club, but all over the town.\u201d Manager\u202fPhil Parkinson agrees: “There is now a glamour around the place, but we can\u2019t let that affect us.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u202fEasier said than done. While the squad will try to keep their feet on the ground, WAFC\u2019s well-traveled supporters (many going as far as Torquay<\/a>, 200 miles away in Devon, to watch them play) are lapping up the attention. \u201cWe\u2019ve enjoyed a good past,\u201d says longtime fan Andy Jones. \u201cFor 14 years, we\u2019ve been a non-league club but we now see a light at the end of the tunnel. We\u2019ve got a plan. We\u2019ve got Hollywood stars! Basically, everybody wants to be Wrexham.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n The Turf Pub<\/kbd> Pontcysyllte Aqueduct<\/kbd> Snowdonia National Park<\/kbd> The Racecourse Ground<\/kbd> The Fat Boar<\/kbd> Conwy Castle<\/kbd> Llandudno<\/kbd>
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Castles, Coastlines And Canoes: A Guide To Wrexham<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
So, with fame and success (hopefully!) looming, what does Wrexham and its surrounding area offer visitors? Expedia asked WAFC club manager Phil Parkinson and his players, Luke Young, Jordan Davies and Max Cleworth, to pick their highlights\u2026 <\/pre>\n\n\n\n
This Wrexham institution remains the <\/em>focal point for new and old fans alike. Two of the newest, Reynolds and McElhenney, have already sampled its unique atmosphere. \u201cI look forward to ordering a martini,\u201d said McElhenney to Expedia\u2019s Out Travel The System<\/a> podcast, before being put right about the right thing to drink in a Welsh pub. \u201cIf it\u2019s a pint you want, the Turf is the place to be,\u201d says Luke Young. \u201cEspecially on match day. Win, lose or draw, it\u2019s right on the doorstep, and such a big part of the football club.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Completed in 1805, this aqueduct<\/a> offers the best in historical engineering, with views just as impressive. \u201cThe aqueduct in Llangollen is beautiful,\u201d says manager Phil Parkinson. \u201cIt\u2019s a UNESCO World Heritage site, and so unique. A walk up there never disappoints.\u201d There are also canal boat trips and you can hire canoes for a more active adventure. <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/GettyImages-171577114_crop-1024x1024.jpg\")
Less than an hour\u2019s drive from Wrexham, Wales\u2019s largest national park<\/a> is a must-see for anyone who adores the outdoors. \u201cI love it there,\u201d says 19-year-old defender Max Cleland. \u201cThe views at the top of Snowdon, Wales\u2019s highest peak, are unbelievable. I recommend the night-time trek \u2013 you leave at midnight with headlamps and hit the summit when the sun is coming up.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The place where McElhenney and Reynolds now call home. Well, one of their homes. It\u2019s the oldest international football stadium still in use, and the owners have planning permission for a new Kop stand that will increase the capacity by 5,000. \u201cThe Racecourse Ground has a really unique historical feel,\u201d says Parkinson. \u201cYou can sense it. This place has a real soul to it, an aura. It\u2019s intense and well worth a visit. If you can get a ticket!\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the heart of town, the Fat Boar is Wrexham\u2019s favorite bar and restaurant. \u201cAnother great venue,\u201d says midfielder Jordan Davies. \u201cLovely food, friendly service, and a great vibe that sums up Wrexham. It\u2019s always buzzing, which is rare for a small town.\u201d Young agrees. \u201cIf we were to win promotion, we could drink anywhere in Wrexham, but we\u2019d definitely end up at the Fat Boar and if Rob and Ryan asked for a lads\u2019 night out, this is where we\u2019d take them.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
A series of thirteenth century castles including Chirk in Wrexham and Caernarfon further in the north-west are both worth a visit, but it is Conwy Castle<\/a>, another UNESCO World Heritage Site, that most grabs the attention. \u201cWhat makes North Wales so special, says Parkinson, \u201cis the history.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/2ET2FTY-copy-edited-scaled.jpg\")
North Wales is home to some of Britain\u2019s finest beaches. Two of them (both award-winning) can be found around the coastal town of Llandudno<\/a>, as well as a 19th<\/sup> century pier and a tramway dating back to 1902. \u201cI\u2019m from North Wales and spent a lot of summers there,\u201d says Cleworth. \u201cThe coastline is the best.\u201d Parkinson goes to Llandudno for relaxation, a prized resource in the pressured world of a soccer manager. \u201cOn a Friday afternoon, when the game preparation is done, I\u2019ll drive there and just sit and appreciate the surroundings,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s there that I can switch off and ready myself for the match the following day.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/AdobeStock_474977111_1-1_resized-edited.png\")