Enjoy a day on the beach with all the family! The UK boasts some incredible coastlines, from the well-loved Cornwall coast to the secret sandy spots in Scotland. There is something for everyone!  Perfect for long walks, sandcastle making or laying back for some well deserved relaxation. 

Beaches

Kayaking and canoeing is a great way to get close to nature and experience lochs, lakes, rivers and canals in the UK. An easy way to start experiencing boat sports and go on an adventure. Kayaking and Canoeing are slightly different! When Kayaking you will be seated with your legs extended and you will use a double ended paddle. When you canoe, you can be seated or kneeling and often use a single paddle.

Canoeing and Kayaking

Think you can only surf in exotic locations? Think again!  There is some amazing surfing to be had throughout the UK from Newquay to North Wales. While surfing might seem super cool from the outside (and it is!) is it surprisingly family friendly and something you and the kids can all enjoy. So why not hit the beach and give surfing a go? Getting a lesson is the best way to start to learn to surf. Group lessons are usually the most popular. The instructor will take you through a warm up then basic safety, and then explain how to paddle and stand up. After this you take to the water and try and catch your first waves!  Expect to stand on the first or second lesson. Surfing is quick to get the hang of, highly addictive, and takes a lifetime to master meaning you will never stop learning! Before starting to surf you will need to know how to swim as this is a water based sport! 

Surfing

If you decide to take a holiday in the UK to an area you don't know (or maybe you do but want to know more), an excellent way of seeing around and actually getting to see the "best bits" is by taking a tour with a local guide or someone in the know. Walking tours, cycling tours, boat tours, pogo-stick tours (ok maybe not the last one) - whatever suits your family best, can be booked online or at local visitor information centres and make a real difference to your stay.  You can find out the history of a place, local facts or even go on something weird and wonderful like a ghost walk or follow in the footsteps of Sherlock Holmes or Jack the Ripper.  Eek.  An open top bus journey can take away the hours pounding the pavement to look around a large city. Boat trips and river cruises are also a great way of seeing a lot of things in a small amount of time, giving you a completely different aspect of the town you are visiting.  Join a large boat or charter something smaller yourself and follow the river along to get a better look at all the surround countryside.  

Tours and River Cruises

Dolphin and Whale Watching is a truly magical experience for anyone Watching dolphins and whales is on a lot of nature lovers and wildlife enthusiasts’ bucket list. This is not surprising given how impressive these marine mammals are. The sight of these enormous creatures breaching or bow-riding is simply breath-taking. Fortunately, you do not need to go out of the country to cross off this entry on your bucket list. Dolphins and whales, as well as other marine mammals like porpoises and seals, ply British waters. In fact, there are three known resident pods of dolphins in the UK!  

Dolphin and Whale Watching

Whatever your child's age there is always something to enjoy. Get cracking in  a multi-level play area where kids can climb, clamber and slide over all sorts of adventurous obstacles. What’s next? What about a ball pond where your children can dip and dive in a pool full of colourful balls? All of the above would make for serious family fun. Of course parents are not forgotten either as a cafe is never far away. You can relax with a tasty coffee and a slice of cake. What more could you want?

Indoor and Soft Play Areas

Weather is too nice to stay indoors? Want to stretch your legs? Children need to run wild?  Then head to one of the UK's fantastic parks and playgrounds on offer and breath in that fresh air!

Parks and Playgrounds

There are a huge number of zoos, wildlife and safari parks all over the UK and most are well worth a visit and provide a really exciting and unique day out.  The broad difference between them is that Zoos tend to keep animals with their own species in smaller enclosures for a real up-close encounter, whereas a visit to a Safari Park usually involves driving around much larger enclosures to see groups of animals - maybe rhino, giraffe and gazelle all in one setting.  Some are self-drive (for a monkey snapping off your wing mirror type affair) or in others you are guided round in a truck, spotting lions and elephants from afar - similar to an African safari, just without the plus-size sunset, hot weather and flamboyant tribespeople (although lets not get too picky about this; most UK safari parks are just a couple of hours from home and do not involve remortgaging the house to go). Many zoos and parks now are great conservation pioneers and animal rescue centres, so by visiting, you are often contributing to real global issues, supporting endangered species or deforestation or other genuine threats to wildlife.  The parks usually have lots of information about these causes and it can be a great way to get the kids to learn about the world we live in, the animals from different continents and the dangers they face.

Zoos, Wildlife Parks and Safari Parks

Thinking of delving into the world of karting? We're sure you're raring to go! Well don't think twice and book yourself and friends or all the family on an ultimate go karting experience! Once you're kitted out with the appropriate gear, you'll have your safety talk that tells you everything you need to know about racing, so listen up! When that's over and you're out on the track,  go karts pack a mean punch...  On your mark, get set, GO!  

Go Karting

The county of Pembrokeshire sits on the south-westerly tip of Wales, surrounded by the coast on three sides.  And if you thought Wales was all sheep-filled fields and mountains, think again.  You'll visit here and wonder why on earth you haven't been before.  It is stunning, wild and bracing, with 186 miles of coastal path, where huge cliffs drop down into glorious sandy beaches, caves and rock pillars. Americas 'National Geographic Traveller' rated the Pembrokeshire coast as one of the top two coastal destinations in the world.  In the world!   There are over 50 beaches along the coastline in Pembrokeshire and wherever you go you won't be disappointed.  There is Broad Haven - a large sheltered beach, which is very safe for swimming and popular with families or Tenby, a superb sandy beach with the pinnacle of Goskar rock sticking out of the sand.  Or try Barafundle Bay, a delightfully pretty cove with crystal clear waters, back by dunes and pine trees.   Watersports enthusiasts will love Freshwater West for surfing, Dale for sailing and Newgale for kitesurfing.   There are also many heritage sites to explore, such as Pentre Ifan, the Stone Age remains of a burial chamber.  It is extraordinary to look at - a 5 metre capstone balanced precariously on three upright stones, and the outline frames the Preseli Hills above.  Or visit Castell Henllys Iron Age Village; an open air museum where you can get a flavour of life in the Iron age by grinding flour and making bread in the replica roundhouse.    Take a trip to Skomer Island, a beautiful nature reserve where you can see puffins that nest in their thousands from May to July.  You will also see loads of other amazing wildlife here - owls, seals and dolphins - and the wardens on the island will help out with any animal or bird spotting.  During spring time Skomer is completely covered in bluebells so vast in number that the entire island appears blue! I haven't even got to talking about the castles.  There are lots.  From the romantic ruins of Cilgerran castle to the huge fortress-like Pembroke Castle, to the stunning waterside Carew Castle, make sure you find where these gems are and pay them a visit. Pembrokeshire is an incredible place for a family holiday and somewhere you will visit again and again.

Pembrokeshire, Wales, UK

Dyfed is a lovely county in Wales with stunning landscapes and scenery as well as some beautiful coastline with many pretty sandy beaches.  There are also numerous visitor attractions - castles, stately homes, gardens and lots more. 

Dyfed

Wales is a country made for incredible holidays, whether it be along the stunning coastline, up a mountain or exploring a castle ruins.  Holidays in Wales can be about adrenaline fuelled adventure, culture, exploration or relaxation - anything from abseiling down a waterfall to swimming in the crystal clear waters.  If your family enjoy rock pooling and paddling then look no further than Wales' safe, sandy and family friendly beaches.  With miles of golden sand and dunes, many of the best beaches are relatively quiet, so you won't find huge crowds.  Away form the coastline, discover the extraordinary Snowdonia National Park where you can visit an island, take a boat trip, a ride on the railway or climb Snowden itself.  Whatever type of holiday you enjoy, you will find it in Wales. 

Wales

England, UK

Northern Ireland

Scotland

England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland make up the extraordinary United Kingdom; home to mountains, caves, rivers, dramatic coastlines, medieval villages and vibrant cities.

Things to do in pembrokeshire