7 trip tips for your perfect Pembrokeshire holiday

It’s easy to feel that, at the moment, the pandemic and lockdown restrictions are never ending.  But one day, sooner rather than later, life will begin to look a little like we’re used to again, and the first thing we’re going to do is get out on the road to see some of the fantastic spots that the UK has to offer.

So, whether it’s your first visit to us or your hundredth, Pembrokeshire should be high up on that road trip bucket list.  In the meantime, though, there’s plenty that you can do to make sure that you are holiday-ready…and we don’t mean start on the fake tan now!  We’ve put together a list of 7 essential trip tips to make sure that when you do get to come and stay, you make the most of every minute here in Pembrokeshire.

1. Choose the perfect time of year.

OK, so at the moment, this is a little out of our hands due to the pandemic, but it’s really important to know what kind of UK staycationer you are.  Don’t like lots of rain?  Probably best to avoid November – it’s drizzly but it’s also quietly amazing if you want the rust-coloured hills to yourselves for a ramble.  Want wild waves for the perfect surfing holiday?  December’s our windiest month and also the one best known for its incredible winter fairs.  Hate being cold?  We had coastal snow here in early March 2018, a perfect chilly time for a warm bowl of cawl and Welsh cakes straight off the griddle!  Want to sunbathe on every beach and cove possible?  July’s your best bikini month, but it’s also popular with families so it gets busy.  And in September, you get seal pups dotting the shoreline! There is so much going on here at all times of the year that one of our top trip tips is to work out which time of year best suits you

2. Plan the perfect amount of time away.

A long weekend is lovely if all you want to do is lie on the beach for 3 days, but with 186-miles of coastline packed with historic monuments, walks, restaurants, festivals, bustling seaside towns, mystic mountains, cathedrals, and did we mention those beaches – over 50 to be precise – then you might want to stay a little longer

3. Prepare all the practical things first.

We think this is one of the most underrated trip tips out there.  There’s nothing more annoying than a phone call whilst you’re on your Pembrokeshire break to say that next week’s important meeting has been pushed back to the exact time you’d booked your surf lesson, or that Aunt Mabel can’t actually dog-sit for another week after all, or the plumber booked the wrong date to install the dishwasher.  Make sure that your everyday doesn’t spill into your getaway by making sure that everything back home can well and truly wait before you even start to plan your holiday adventures.

4. Do your research!

Now that you’ve paid the neighbour to feed the goldfish, you can start to really get excited about your stay with us.  One of our best trip tips when visiting an area as diverse as Pembrokeshire is to do your research.  We’ll do our best to advise you of the most fascinating things to see and do, but a little background always makes things that much more magical.  We’d hope that you follow our Facebook page where we share our blog posts about interesting facts and activities in the area, but we also advise sites such as Visit Pembrokeshire for those extra details.  And with the smallest city in Britain, a plethora of Iron age forts and reconstructions, hills stooped in Celtic folklore, our own land barrier, and some of the most fascinating and rare wildlife anywhere in Britain under our belts, it’s certainly worth knowing what you’re looking at!

5. Plan out activities.

It might be that you’re trying to fill the fortnight so that the kids will be entertained, or that you’re looking for something totally different to do on your annual holiday.  Either way, it’s worth planning your activities – try a photography workshop with Pembrokeshire Moments, visit the cathedral that transformed a village into a patron Saint’s city, or take a boat trip to Ramsey Island for a weekend with a difference.  Or (when everything’s back up and running again) why not take the kids to the wonderful Bug Farm to see, well, bugs as well as some of our agricultural inhabitants.  Or better yet, go visit penguins, lions and giraffes at the ever-popular Folly Farm.  One of the best trip tips we can give you is to book ahead.  No matter how quiet you think it will be, this is a popular part of the UK so it’s best to ensure you definitely get to see what you came here to see.

6. Save the best till last.

After telling you how cautious to be, this might seem frivolous, but there’s nothing like going out on a high!  You’ll understand why this is one of our top trip tips when you’re 5 hours into your drive home the next day…at least you’ll still be beaming about your last day with us!  Whether it’s watching pufflings peeping from their nests on Skomer island or a sunset meal in one of our fabulous coastal restaurants, horse riding on the beach or catching a big wave at your bucket list surf spot, make your last day here the one that makes you want to come back next year.

7. Book your perfect accommodation with us now!

Whether you’d like to book a romantic stay for you and your loved one (and your furry friend) in one of our luxurious cottages, fancy a stay in a Woodland Retreat or are eagerly waiting for our eco campsite with gorgeous sea views to open, we’ve got the perfect place to lay your head during your perfect Pembrokeshire holiday, so why not book ahead and give you and your bubble something to look forward to?  We can’t wait to see you soon!