Things to do in Tenby

For a true Tenby experience, you have to visit Tenby Harbour - a small and friendly harbour where you can enjoy a spot of fishing, take a boat trip out to the nearby Caldey Island, relax and unwind on the fantastic beach or simply sit and people watch. 

In the summer months, there's nothing better than sitting on the soft golden sand of Tenby Harbour Beach. Snuggled within the safety of the harbour walls and just a short walk from the main multi-storey car park in Tenby, this beach is ideal for young families. 

Set in the middle of Tenby's coastline, there's no shortage of restaurants, cafes and pubs nearby to refuel at after a long day of sandcastle building. Or if you fancy a snack while sitting back on the beach, pop to the Tenby Harbour Snack Bar where the bacon sandwiches are particularly popular!

During the colder months, the beach is opened up for dog walkers - and with the pastel coloured buildings as your backdrop and the sea ahead, this picturesque spot is the perfect place for those crisp winter walks.

Tenby’s Welsh name, Dinbych-y-Pysgod (Little Fortress of the Fish), will make perfect sense when you explore the dainty harbour beside Castle Hill. To head out to sea from Tenby Harbour on a mackerel fishing trip, just chat to one of the boat operators.

Just 20 minutes away by boat, the holy island of Caldey Island is an oasis of calm where you can watch seabirds or relax on a tiny beach. Owned and run by a community of Cistercian monks, it’s open to the public on summer weekdays and Saturdays. Regular boat trips set off from Tenby Harbour (pick up your tickets from the kiosk), taking visitors straight Priory Beach, a beautiful place for a dip in the sea and the starting point for exploring the island. 

Whether you're looking for the perfect beach for small children, or somewhere for adventure, one of Tenby's fantastic beaches will fit the bill. Aside from the harbour, Tenby is blessed with no less than three sandy beaches, lovely for sailing, snoozing and scoffing ice cream. They’re also the perfect place to build a sandcastle with a moat, ready to be filled by the incoming tide.

A Sunday Times Beach of the Year, Castle Beach is the small but perfectly formed.  Use the easy access slipway to get down to this Blue Flag beach, feel the soft sand beneath your toes and cool off with a paddle at the shallow shore. Especially popular with families, this lively little beach is an ideal place for playing with the kids - plus, there's great ice cream within easy reach! 

For those who prefer their beaches wide and with fantastic views out to the open sea, North Beach is well worth a visit.  In addition to the beautiful sandy beach, there are stunning views from the cliff tops and the magnificent Goscar Rock sits in the sand (or the sea depending on the tide). 

If you want to get out in the water, other activities at this beach include body boarding, canoeing, sailing and waterskiing. Always check the weather and tidal conditions before heading out and follow safety information from the RNLI.

If you're looking somewhere to run around on check out South Beach, the most spacious of Tenby's beaches. 

Tenby has wonderful coastal walks right on the doorstep. One of the most enjoyable routes, the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, takes you north to Saundersfoot, an up and down 4.5 mile stretch with fabulous views of Saundersfoot Bay from the headland at Monkstone Point.

Head for Castle Hill where, if you can tear yourself away from the wonderful sea views, you can enjoy paintings of the same scene, along with other notable Pembrokeshire landscapes and portraits. Established in 1878, the Tenby Museum and Art Gallery is the oldest independent museum in Wales.

St Mary’s Church on Upper Frog Street, in the centre of town, is a fine church with a tall, slender spire. It mostly dates back to the 15th century, a heyday for the town. Inside, it’s light and airy, with carved ceiling bosses and 500 year old memorials to former mayors.

There have been several lifeboat stations at Tenby. The current RNLI Lifeboat Station is open to the public in summer – you can see the lifeboat when it’s not in action, and buy RNLI souvenirs in the shop. The last station, nearby, is now a private house that featured on Channel 4’s Grand Designs.

Spook yourself on the Tenby Ghost Walk: a short tour of some of Tenby’s more mysterious corners, hearing tales of the past from storyteller Marion Davies. She’s a mine of information on all things paranormal, from ghostly pirates to witches and UFOs.

Tucked away on Quay Hill, above the harbour, the Tudor Merchant's House is a museum of the life of a wealthy merchant and his family at the turn of the 16th century. The merchant’s shop, kitchen and living room are furnished in the style of Tudor times.

Aimed at kids aged 12+, Top Secret in Tenby provides a spy mission around Tenby to discover the clues and identify the secret agent you need to meet. Purchase your downloadable trail booklet online then follow the clues around the town from start to finish at The Five Arches.