A walled town of pastel houses above a harbour, ringed by golden beaches and the finest coast path in Wales. Here is how we would spend a day in Tenby with your dog.
Tenby is about as pretty as a British seaside town gets: a ring of medieval walls, a huddle of pastel houses above a working harbour, and three great beaches spilling out below. It sits at the eastern end of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, so the walking is superb, and while the town beaches restrict dogs in high summer, South Beach welcomes them all year and the coast path is always open. Nearby Barafundle regularly gets called the best beach in Britain.
A beach and a clifftop in the morning, a boat to a monastery island, a good lunch and a pint above the harbour is the shape of a Tenby day. This is how we would spend it, with the real, well-reviewed places we would actually take our own dog.
1
Morning: beaches and the coast path
Head for the vast South Beach, which welcomes dogs all year, with leads only near the town end from May to September, a huge stretch of golden sand for a proper run. For a walk with a view, the Pembrokeshire Coast Path runs straight from town along the cliffs. And if you can drive a little way, Barafundle Bay, reached only on foot across a headland, is a stunning dog-friendly beach that is worth the walk in any season.
Between the sand and the clifftops, this is coastal walking of the very highest order, and a dog's idea of paradise.
Tenby Harbour is a joy to potter round, dogs welcome around the quay and the steps. From the beach below, boats run the short crossing to Caldey Island, home to a working monastery, where well-behaved dogs on leads are welcome to explore the beaches and lanes. It is a lovely, gentle island adventure to break up a beach day.
Tenby is used to dogs fresh off the beach. The Stowaway Coffee Co welcomes them even wet and sandy, Caffe Vista above the harbour is a friendly dog-friendly spot with a view, and Fuchsia takes dogs inside and out with their own menu. The Baytree welcomes them inside and al fresco too. Grab a table and let the salt air do the rest.
The Crown Inn is a snug dog-friendly local welcoming dogs inside and out, and down by the harbour Harbwr Tap and Kitchen, Tenby's own brewery tap, welcomes dogs throughout including its sunny beer terrace. The Hope and Anchor takes dogs in the bar, garden and upstairs, right by the harbour where the boats come in.
Just outside town, Penally Abbey is the pick, a lovely country-house hotel in its own grounds that welcomes up to two dogs per room, a peaceful base a short hop from the beaches and the coast path.
A walled town above a harbour, a beach that welcomes dogs all year and Barafundle up the coast. Tenby is Pembrokeshire at its most dog-friendly.
What to pack for a day out
The short list that turns a good day into an easy one. Throw it in the boot before you set off.
Water bottle and collapsible bowl
Towel for the boot
Poo bags, always
Spare lead and a long line
Treats for the pub
ID tag and vaccinations up to date
Questions dog owners ask
Are Tenby beaches dog friendly?
South Beach welcomes dogs all year, with leads only near the town end from May to September. North Beach and Castle Beach ban dogs from 1 May to 30 September, so head for South Beach in summer or drive to Barafundle Bay.
Can I take my dog to Barafundle Bay?
Yes, Barafundle Bay, often called one of the best beaches in Britain, welcomes dogs all year. It is reached only on foot across a headland from Stackpole Quay, so it stays wonderfully unspoilt. Keep dogs on leads on the clifftop path.
Can dogs go to Caldey Island?
Yes, well-behaved dogs on leads are welcome on the boat to Caldey Island and to explore its beaches and lanes. The short crossing runs from Tenby's beach, and the working monastery makes it a lovely, gentle island day out.
Which Tenby pubs take dogs?
Harbwr Tap and Kitchen, Tenby's brewery tap by the harbour, welcomes dogs throughout including the terrace, the Crown Inn is a snug dog-friendly local, and the Hope and Anchor takes dogs in the bar, garden and upstairs.
Where can I stay in Tenby with a dog?
Penally Abbey just outside town is a lovely country-house hotel in its own grounds that welcomes up to two dogs per room, a peaceful base a short hop from the beaches and the Pembrokeshire Coast Path.
Tenby through the seasons
Spring
The coast path is thick with wildflowers and the beaches are quiet before the season. South Beach is open to dogs all year, so start there and walk the clifftops in the fresh spring air.
Summer
North Beach and the town beaches restrict dogs from May to September, so head for South Beach or drive to Barafundle, go early, and carry water. A boat to Caldey is a lovely cooler-day plan.
Autumn
The restrictions lift, the sea stays warm and the crowds go home. Empty golden beaches and glorious coast-path walks make autumn arguably the best season for a dog in Tenby.
Winter
Wild Welsh weather and the beaches to yourselves. Wrap up for a blustery coast-path walk, then thaw out at Harbwr with a salty dog at your feet and the harbour lights on the water.