Pembrokeshire

[WeLoveGlitter]

We are holidaying for the first time in Pembrokeshire (Saundersfoot) this summer and although I've had a look online at things to do, I'm not really sure where to start!

I've been told it's best to pre-book most things, but I could really use the help of local/regular holidaymakers to give me ideas of day trips and activities to do (I.e short walks/bike rides/horse riding,) so I can build a rough itinerary for the week. My kids (9 & 13) get bored easily and I really want to give them a jam packed week of fun.

Although We'll be based on Saundersfoot, we're happy to travel (Tenby and surrounding areas etc.)

Thanks

[Fivemoreminutes1]

There are surf schools at Manorbier and Freshwater West. I think the one at Freshwater West is called Outer Reach and I know they do more than just surfing lessons.  We did coasteering with them at Stackpole Quay which was excellent.
There’s a crabbing area at Saundersfoot Harbour. 
Don’t bother with Oakwood. Go to Heatherton World of Activities instead.
There’s an interesting walk from Saundersfoot Beach to Wiseman’s Bridge Beach. My dc enjoyed it because you have to walk under a series of tunnels!
You can do seal Safari boat trips form Tenby. 

[WeLoveGlitter]

Thank you for the recommendations, just what I'm after x

[Simplelobsterhat]

Ah we love that area. Loads to do. I would book restaurants in advance. It's nearly 2 years since we were there but we enjoyed Harbwr Bar for a sit down meal, and had a lovely takeaway from the Chinese on the outskirts of Saundersfoot - I think Dragon palace? There were also a few nice fish and chip shops and cafes with waffles/ pancakes / cooked breakfast etc for smaller meals.

What sort of thing do you like to do?

We enjoyed Oakwood but you need to go with lowered expectations. It is not Alton Towers! We used Tesco clubcard vouchers and I may have enjoyed it less if I'd paid full price! Manor wildlife park or folly farm are both good if they like animals. Folly farm is more of a zoo than the name suggests and has really good play areas and some fairground rides, so it's a full on day out. And Manor had a Wallaby walk through where you could feed and touch them which was the highlight of my daughter's holiday!

For nice walks, yes worth a wonder through to Wisemans bridge, or that is a good kids cycle route too. Colby woodland gardens is a nice national trust place with woods etc and you can walk through to Amroth beach for an ice cream or fish and chips. Bosherton lily ponds are beautiful and you get to broadhaven south beach through them. So both places for a good walk with a nice picnic stop at the end for kids.

A bit further, but if they like Harry Potter freshwater west has Dobby's grave and is a very surfy beach.

We saw people having paddle board lessons off copper hall beach in Saundersfoot, not sure on ages.

Tenby is pretty and has a few beaches, loads of restaurants, gift shops and boat trips to Caldy island.

manobier beach is very pretty with streams and a castle.

I want to go back now!

[Time40]

Barafundle Bay has the most beautiful beach, and it's great for swimming. It's a long and very pretty walk from the car park along the cliffs.

[MissBattleaxe]

@Time40 I agree! Barafundle Bay is one off the most beautiful beaches EVER. It's not very accessible and you can't take a pushchair, but the walk is worth it. It's like a secret cove.

[WeLoveGlitter]

Thanks everyone, really great info! X

[AdaColeman]

Marloes Sands is an absolutely stunning beach, accessed by a clifftop walk. Well worth the effort!

[KnickerlessParsons]

Buy some crabbing lines and some
Bacon for bait and head down to
Solva.
St David's is pretty
There's a replica Iron Age village at
Castell Henlys that's very good and a great pub in Rosebush called Tafarn Sinc.
Swansea has a fab leisure centre and is only an hour away. Good theatre in Swansea too - might be worth checking what's on.
Dan yr Ogof caves are good, though may be a bit too far.
In Tenby you can go out in a boat to
Watch seals and dolphins and I think you can also go on fishing trips.
The Wickedly Welsh Chocolate
Factory in Haverfordwest West.

[Noshowlomo]

My favourite part of the world. I love the castles - Pembroke Castle is incredible and Carew castle is great. Billycan is also very popular and has amazing fish and chips. Tenby is heaven on Earth. Lovely food in the Bay Tree and the cove. Don’t leave Tenby without a bag of Rolys fudge.
Wiseman’s bridge as someone said.
Depends on how far you want to travel but Bosherton Lily ponds is a lovely walk with beautiful scenery. Have an amazing time 😊

[Noshowlomo]

Billycan restaurant in Tenby I meant

[mumonthehill]

Wild Lakes for water sports or climbing and amazing food. Saundersfoot harbour the fish and chip ship at the entrance to the car park is amazing. Beach at Saundersfoot is great. Barrafundle is amazing but go early as it can get very busy and difficult to park. Cafe by car park. Narberth is lovely for a wander, has a great deli and a selection of street type food in Hwb. If you have time go to Preseli hills, and try the Shire Horse Centre.

[PicpoulDeMeNay]

My favourite place in the world!

Totally agree with Barafundle, beautiful beach. Close by you also have Broadhaven South and Bosherton Lilly Ponds, plus St Govans chapel and the Green Bridge of Wales.

Solva, St David’s and Abereiddy/ Blue Lagoon in the north of the county also well worth a visit - about an hour from Saundersfoot (which by the way now has ‘proper’ crabbing stations!).

Also for an adventure day / trip you can get RIB boat excursions from St Justinians near St Davids, which takes you around the islands, and you’ll see dolphins, seals and puffins if you’re lucky. Plus Llys Y Fran country park for walks, picnics, cycle track and paddle boarding.

Narbeth is lovely for a small town with lots of independent shops and cafes.

And as PPs have said, Tenby is fab (awful to park in the summer though so recommend the train from Saundersfoot as much easier!), and all the castles like Pembroke, Manorbier, and Carew.

I’m off down there myself on Friday for some coast path walking and a trip to see the Puffins on Skomer Island. I love puffins!

[clary]

I love this area tho ds, who worked there last summer, said Tenby got vv busy in the school hols.

Lots of lovely hidden beaches on the coast path.

Things not mentioned already:
Angle - West Angle bay is very nice with a carpark! And great walks on the cliff.
Dale is good for SUP and kayaking
Newgale is a great beach for surfing and there are surf schools
Horse riding - a number of centres available, agree pre booking is a good ides

Yy Pembroke Castle well worth a visit, a good deal to see inc room where Henry VII was maybe born to the 12yo Margaret Beaufort.

Re Dobby grave at Freshie West - bear in mind that this is not an official memorial and I believe they are trying to remove it.

[clary]

Ah I take that back re Dobby grave - it can stay

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-63462109.amp

[Bitingspaniel]

Top Joe's pizza restaurant in Tenby is great! They don't take bookings so head there early

[oldwhyno]

+1 for the coastal path walk to Tenby and the isolated beaches along the way. Take a bucket and spade and you get cockles at low tide.

And Narbeth, the tapas restaurant was great.

Marloes sands is lovely as is the walk around the headlands with views over to Skomer. Book boat trips if that’s your thing.

[Madcats]

Whereabouts are you driving from?

We used to book DD a riding lesson at a school just up from Pendine Sands
marros-farm.co.uk

Caerleon (Roman Ampitheatre) new Newport and then Castell Coch (cute castle near Cardiff) are also quite useful stops.

[FKATondelayo]

I'm so jealous. I've been going to Pembrokeshire for 40+ years and taken my kids loads of times and I still haven't done some of the things on this thread.

Folly Farm and Heatherton are great for kids of that age.

As a PP said, parking is HELL around Tenby / Saundersfoot / Wiseman's bridge. Be prepared. Go early. And book restaurants in advance. Salty's in Tenby is ace.

[topcat2014]

Oakwood is fine! Yes not Alton Towers but doesn't have the queue either

[topcat2014]

You can do a boat trip in a decommissioned RNLI lifeboat at Tenby

[Simplelobsterhat]

Lots of lovely suggestions. I would check travel times to some from Saundersfoot though... With so many things to see closer you may not want to spend an hour or more in the car to get to some of them. If you are up for travelling further, I agree boat trips round skomer (if you are early enough in summer for the puffins) are great.
St David's is nice but maybe not that interesting for kids considering how far it is.

[dicdicnurse]

If the weather isn't great book The Tenby Escape Rooms at Heatherton. We've been twice and loved it!

[WeLoveGlitter]

Thanks everyone! im making a list of all these suggestions, I think it'll be a busy week! X

[GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing]

Ooooh we love Pembrokeshire!

Right near Saundersfoot is Wiseman’s Bridge beach which I found really interesting for the rock formations and similar.

Boat trip to Skomer - landing on Skomer - is one of the top things I’ve ever done and would very much recommend it. You only get puffins in a certain time window - I think it’s April ish to June/July - but there’s loads of other amazing wildlife if you go at other times.

Weve been to Dobby’s grave which was nice - there’s a lovely cafe at the other Freshwater beach too (I think it’s Freshwater West) which I’d also recommend.

Also been to Barafundle Bay which is fabulous.

Pembroke Castle also worth a visit.

Much of this stuff eps beaches I’ve done it the winter I should say!

[GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing]

Driving from one place to another in Pembrokeshire tends to take much longer than any sat nav says, esp getting down to different beaches, because of windy roads