Road Trip Ideas: UK- Pembrokeshire

Explore Pembrokeshire

Welcome to Pembrokeshire

Explore one of the most scenic parts of the UK with a trip to the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, where you’ll find a breathtaking 186-mile coastline with soft sandy beaches, pretty harbour villages and bustling seaside towns. This western region is known to inspire artists and writers such as Dylan Thomas, with a landscape featured in Blockbuster films and formed by a rich history involving King Arthur, Henry VII and mythical saints.

Adventures await all along the coastline with watersports, boat trips and an extraordinary Coast Path. Nature teems in every direction with nature reserves and attractions that offer family days out at the zoos and wildlife parks, while a thriving food scene provides a mouthwatering exploration of seafood, fresh produce, hand-crafted spirits and locally brewed beers.

With LeShuttle getting you to the UK in just 35 minutes, your road trip to the stunning shores of Pembrokeshire is effortless from the very start.

A colourful Pembrokeshire harbour dotted with sailing boats

Getting to Pembrokeshire by car

Pembrokeshire is 500 km from our Folkestone terminal. The journey takes approximately five and a half hours via the M20, the M25 and the M4 motorways. To break up your journey, consider visiting Abergavenny for their annual food festival, Bannau Brycheiniog National Park for walks or Cardiff for a quick city tour taking in a rugby match, live theatre or shopping and dining in the bustling city centre.

Discover Pembrokeshire in a weekend

This seaside region is a favourite during the warmer months when the coastline is buzzing, and the weather is perfect for beach days - there are some fifty or more beaches to explore! But don’t overlook those chillier autumn/winter days, when peace and serenity are guaranteed.

Choose the high season for adrenaline-inducing adventures and the off-season for restful, rejuvenating breaks at a slower pace.

The Green Bridge of Wales arch on the Pembrokeshire coast

With so much to see and do in Pembrokeshire, there’s plenty to keep you occupied for a weekend - even longer if you have the time! We’ve handpicked some must-see things to do in Pembrokeshire for your next trip to Wales.

Visit Tenby

Picture an iconic harbour view, pastel-painted houses, cobblestoned streets and four fantastic sandy beaches. That’s what you’ll find in Tenby. Traditional country pubs, lively bars and family-friendly restaurants round out the town with a calendar full of sporting, arts and music festivals.

Remnants of the old castle walls are still visible throughout the town, as is its Tudor history. Legend says that Henry VII once escaped to a boat through underground tunnels, writer Roald Dahl spent childhood summers in a cottage on the harbour, and poet Dylan Thomas once left a manuscript for Under Milk Wood in a pub.

Tenby’s iconic pastel houses overlooking the old town’s historic walls and hidden courtyard

Explore St Davids, the UK’s smallest city

With around 1600 residents, St Davids is the smallest city in the UK and is famous for its architecturally beautiful Cathedral, which is built on the site of a 6th-century monastery established by the Patron Saint of Wales, Saint David. Take a self-guided tour of the Cathedral to see vivid stained glass scenes and the shrine of St David before heading to St Non’s Chapel to see the place where he was born.

Catch outdoor theatre in the Bishop’s Palace in summer for your Shakespeare fi x, visit the art galleries and gift shops for souvenirs and walk St Davids Head for spectacular coastal views that reach all the way to Ireland on a clear day.

Enjoy UK beach days in Pembrokeshire

Experience the golden sands of Whitesands Beach, surrounded by sweeping Pembrokeshire headlands

With over fifty beaches, Pembrokeshire has a vast choice of long sandy bays, quaint shingle coves, hidden inlets and dog-friendly beaches. Enjoy rockpooling, sunbathing and watersports like surfing, sailing and kayaking.

Popular beaches include Whitesands, Newgale and Freshwater West for watersports while Broadhaven South, Newport Sands and Marloes are top dog-friendly choices. Barafundle Bay is often regarded as one of the best beaches in the world, topping lists alongside global bays such as Australia’s Bondi Beach and Brazil’s Copacabana.

Skomer Island, a puffin paradise

Skomer Island is home to the largest breeding colony of puffins in Britain and the largest colony of Manx Shearwater. It’s such an important habitat for these seabirds that even David Attenborough has paid a visit to the coastal nature reserve. Take a sea safari boat trip to see the puffins as they swoop into the water during feeding or land on the island to enjoy a scenic coastal walk with views of the mainland.

Other significant nature reserves in Pembrokeshire include Grassholm Island, Ramsey Island and Caldey Island.

Puffins perched above the wild cliffs of Skomer Island

Book your trip to Pembrokeshire with LeShuttle

Start your coastal adventure in just 35 minutes with LeShuttle and explore the wild beauty of Pembrokeshire.