Pembrokeshire family holiday ideas

Pembrokeshire will provide you with a brilliant family holiday. That’s not just our opinion - that’s according to experts like National Geographic, Lonely Planet and Trip Advisor.

Britain’s only coastal National Park covers about a third of the county, and its 187-mile seafront manages to be both wildly beautiful and crammed with things to do. Tenby, for instance, a perfect harbour town with medieval castle walls, is an idyllic holiday base. There’s always plenty of space on its big beaches, and if you really want to get away, you can take a mackerel-fishing trip from the harbour, or nip across to meet the monks on Caldey Island.

Nearby Saundersfoot is another delightful family base, with a proper fishing harbour, the best views of which are from the infinity pool of the luxury St Brides Spa Hotel.

Head along the south coast and brilliant beaches come thick and fast. Barafundle regularly wins ‘best beach in Britain’ gongs. Freshwater West is great for surfers and film-makers (it’s where they did those Harry Potter beach scenes, so you can visit the spot where Dobby was buried). Not to be outdone, Marloes Sands co-starred with Kristen Stewart in the epic Snow White and the Huntsman.

Then it’s on to Skomer Island, a bird sanctuary of world importance, where you can take a boat out to picnic among the puffins. Or how about  bodyboarding at Newgale or a shockingly fast rib-ride around Ramsey Island? A pilgrimage to the wonderful cathedral at St Davids?

The further north you go in Pembrokeshire, the wilder it gets. Here’s where coasteering was invented, the fabulous sport of clambering, climbing and lobbing yourself into the waters of Blue Lagoon at Abereiddy where, in 2012, the Red Bull Cliff Diving championships were held.

From here, head up past hidden beaches like Abermawr (there's a lovely circular walk exploring the nearby woodland), up through Fishguard to Dinas Head, the highest point on the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, which has another fabulous circular walk. From here you can see the pretty village of Newport, Pembrokeshire which is a popular summer holiday destination.

Pembrokeshire hosts a variety of annual events that cater to diverse interests. Ironman Wales is a standout, drawing athletes from around the globe to Tenby for a challenging triathlon that includes a swim, a hilly bike ride, and a run through the town.The Unearthed Festival near St Davids celebrates consciousness expansion with music, workshops, and vegetarian food. Meanwhile, The Big Retreat Festival in Lawrenny offers a wellness getaway with live music and activities like yoga, wild swimming, and cookery demos.

Food enthusiasts can enjoy the Narberth Food Festival, featuring local food stalls, live music, and chef demonstrations. The Fishguard Food Festival​​​​​,in October showcases local culinary delights and street theatre. Music lovers will appreciate the Fishguard International Music Festival, which presents a range of performances from classical to contemporary, and the AberJazz Festival in August, which brings a party atmosphere to the town with live music in the pubs and busking in the streets.

We’ve talked about the coast so much, we haven’t even mentioned the amazing inland attractions – places like Bluestone, Folly Farm, Heatherton World of Activities, Castell Henllys Iron Age Village and Carew Castle and Tidal Mill. 

We haven’t touched on the brilliant restaurants, notably in Newport, St Davids, Solva and Narberth. Then there's also the hidden culinary gemto be found in Fishguard and Goodwick.