Looking for things to do in Tenby, Wales? Tenby gets called one of the prettiest towns in Britain, and for once the postcards aren’t lying. Pastel houses stacked above a working harbour, a medieval town wall you can still walk, four beaches within a mile of each other, and a castle headland with views out to two islands. It photographs well because it genuinely is that good in person.
We’re ten minutes up the road at Apple Camping, so this is the guide we’d actually give a friend staying with us — not a list scraped together by someone who’s never been.
Start at the harbour
Top of any list of things to do in Tenby — Tenby Harbour is the heart of the town and the best place to get your bearings. Fishing boats bob in the bay, fishermen sell the day’s catch, and the pastel-coloured houses climb the hill behind it in a way that genuinely does look faintly Mediterranean on a good day. Grab a coffee, watch the boats, and don’t rush it — this is the view everyone comes for.
From the harbour you can book a boat trip out to Caldey Island in summer months — a small, still-inhabited monastic island with Cistercian monks, a white-walled monastery and a shop selling their own chocolate and lavender products. It’s a proper half-day out and unlike anything else nearby.
Walk up to the castle
Follow the path up through the old arched gateway to Castle Hill, where the ruins of Tenby Castle sit above the town. There’s not a huge amount left standing, but the views make the climb worth it regardless — on a clear day you can see across the Bristol Channel.
It’s one of the best spots in town to watch the sunset. Tenby Museum & Art Gallery is right up here too, and the RNLI Lifeboat Station is worth a look on the way down.
Cross to St Catherine’s Island
Below the castle, Castle Beach appears at low tide with a walkable sand causeway across to St Catherine’s Island — a small tidal island with a 19th-century fort that’s had more lives than you’d expect: built during the Napoleonic Wars, used in WWII, and even home to a zoo for a stretch in the 1970s.
It’s open for guided visits at certain times, tide-dependent, so check before you plan around it. Even just walking to the base of it is a proper “we did that” moment for kids.
Do the beaches properly
Tenby has four beaches within easy walking distance of each other, and they’re genuinely different from one another:
Castle Beach — small, sheltered, Blue Flag, gentle sloping access. Good for toddlers, and the view across to St Catherine’s Island is the postcard shot.
Harbour Beach — tucked inside the harbour walls, calm water, close to the car parks. A reliable easy-access family spot.
North Beach — bigger, walk north up The Croft for a clifftop view back over the whole sweep of sand and pastel houses.
South Beach — the biggest of the four, and where most of the space is if the town beaches feel busy.
Planning around the weather? Here’s our guide to Tenby in the rain for when the forecast doesn’t cooperate.
We’ll do a proper beach-by-beach guide to the wider Pembrokeshire coast — including Barafundle — separately.
Get lost in the old town
The streets between the harbour and the high street are genuinely worth wandering without a destination: bookshops, independent galleries, the covered indoor market for fresh crab sandwiches, and the Tudor Merchant’s House — a National Trust property and the oldest house in town, giving a proper sense of what Tenby looked like 500 years ago. Guided tours, book ahead.
Where to eat in Tenby
Tenby punches well above its size for food — a proper mix of harbourside seafood, family pub grub and a few genuinely special-occasion spots.
For a special dinner: Plantagenet House, in the oldest building in town (parts date back to the 10th century), with exposed beams, a medieval Flemish chimney and a menu built around fresh local seafood — book ahead, especially in summer.
For seafood with a view: several harbourside spots do this well, with fresh catch straight off the boats you’ll have watched come in that morning.
If you are looking for a proper pub: somewhere doing local ales alongside pub classics with a Pembrokeshire twist — sea bass, Welsh rarebit, that kind of thing — and genuinely welcoming to kids and dogs.
For something different: a couple of well-loved Italian spots tucked into the old town streets, small and often full, so worth booking.
Want fresh crab on the go? the indoor market stalls sell it straight up, made into a sandwich while you wait — one of the best-value lunches in town.
More Things to Do Near Tenby, Wales
A short drive from Apple Camping opens up a proper cluster of family attractions — Manor Wildlife Park, Great Wedlock Farm & Deer Park, and the Dinosaur Park are all within about ten minutes of each other, and we’ve written the full guide to all of them separately.
Read the full guide: Days Out With Kids Near Tenby
Getting here from Apple Camping
Everything on this list of things to do in Tenby is roughly 10 minutes’ drive from us at Redberth, off the A477 between Broadmoor and Carew — close enough to do Tenby properly in a morning and still be back for the afternoon, whichever unit you’re staying in.
For more on what’s around us beyond Tenby itself, see our guide to the area near Apple Camping.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best things to do in Tenby, Wales?
The harbour, Tenby Castle, St Catherine’s Island and the town’s four beaches are the essentials — all walkable from the old town, with family attractions like Manor Wildlife Park and the Dinosaur Park just a short drive away.
What is Tenby famous for?
Its pastel-coloured harbourfront houses, medieval town walls, castle headland and four beaches — regularly ranked among the prettiest seaside towns in Britain.
Is Tenby good for a family day out?
Yes — the harbour, beaches and St Catherine’s Island are all naturally suited to families, and the town centre is compact and walkable. For a full day of animals and dinosaurs, the attractions just outside town are worth the short drive too.
Can you walk to St Catherine’s Island?
Yes, at low tide, across a sand causeway from Castle Beach. Check tide times before you plan around it, and the fort itself has separate guided visiting times.
How far is Tenby from Apple Camping?
About 10 minutes by car. We’re at Redberth, just off the A477 between Broadmoor and Carew.
Is there boat access to Caldey Island?
Yes, from Tenby Harbour, typically in summer months. Caldey is a small monastic island still home to Cistercian monks.
Stay ten minutes away
We’re at Apple Camping — an Airbus, a UFO, a private jet and a 600-year-old farmhouse, ten minutes from all the things to do in Tenby above.
See all units and current prices → /all-units/
