Ireland
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Anonymous
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Planning a trip this summer to Ireland with 14DS and 11DD. Dh and I have been to Ireland before, but kids have not. We have to go to Cork for 2 days for a family wedding (which is how this trip came about).
We will likely hit Dublin, Cork, Killarney, and then maybe work our way up to Northern Ireland. Planning to spend a couple of weeks. We will get a rental car. Our kids are pretty open to everything and we typically shoot for a balanced itinerary. We like parks and museums, theater and hiking, guided tours and diy tours, history and art, touristy things and more out of the box things, etc. Kids love trying new foods. DH loves whiskey. Would love recommendations of things your kids absolutely loved or hated. |
Anonymous
| I have not been there but I really want to go next time: https://www.newgrange.com/ |
Anonymous
| Belfast would be great if you could swing it--black taxi tour and Titanic museum. And you could potentially hit Bushmills and Giant's Causeway while you're up that way. |
Anonymous
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I'd recommend the Cliffs of Kerry.
I like climbing Diamond Hill and Connemara: https://www.nationalparks.ie/connemara/ If you're near Cork the Rock of Cashel is pretty great: https://heritageireland.ie/places-to-visit/the-rock-of-cashel/ It's going to rain, that's just how Ireland is, particularly in the West. |
Anonymous
I took the Newgrange tour with Mary Gibbons (linked on that website) and had a very nice time. |
Anonymous
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Bunratty by Limerick, up to Galways, sky road in Clifden, stay on the Wild Atlantic Way up the West Coast. There are great tombs and cliff dwellings in Sligo, Slieve Leage and Ceide Fields. You could hit Bushmills and the causeway Coast. Cut over at any time to Belfast. My kids loved it and the titanic Museum is really good. We also did Connemara and Ballycroy National parks for hikes.
My kids like just rambling around. |
Anonymous
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We went to Northern Ireland this past summer as well as Donegal which we really enjoyed. We had a great Airbnb in Donegal that I can link below. The host was lovely to chat with (lives in another part of the house) and we could walk into town. We spent a day going out towards the Slieve League and all the things around that area (LOVED the low tides at Muckros Head--we were the only ones there)
We also really enjoyed a day in Derry/Londonderry and I could have spent a night or two there as well. We had less than favorable weather for this so changed course, but I wanted to walk with alpacas at Malin Head and then take the ferry across to Magilligan Point. Over in that area we stayed at a really unique hotel (link below). Only 3 rooms, rooms were basic but lovely grounds, wonderful owners who let us drive an ATV around and feed their horses, etc. After leaving that place we had a great day at Giant's Causeway, Dunluce Castle, and Kinbane Castle--Kinbane was awesome with hardly anyone there, however it is a tough hike back up! That was my favorite thing of the whole trip. We ate a brunch at the Causeway Hotel in order to get "free" parking. That place was still quite a zoo, so early is your best bet. Donegal:https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/33069863?source_impression_id=p3_1736899619_P3t9i0TCyOX4XI7- Waterfall Caves (kids had one room and we had a separate room right next to them):https://waterfallcaves.com/ |
Anonymous
| Southwest Ireland is stunning. |
Anonymous
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Stay on the West Coast and do the Wild Atlantic Way, but skip the Ring of Kerry and do the Causeay Coast in Northern Ireland...just as gorgeous but 90% less crowded.
My 11 year old LOVED surfing in Sligo and Donegal. That was a surprise. We also loved biking the Great Western Greenway in Mayo over two days. You can also bike on the Aran Islands off the Galway coast; huge fun for kids. The hike up to Keshcorrigan Caves (Caves of Keash) in Sligo is really fun for kids with huge, Instagram-worthy payoff in photos. Lots of cool ring forts and ancient dwellings in the area, too. |
Anonymous
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Newgrange was amazing. Cliffs of Moher - walked down from Doolin about 3 miles until the trail is closed, then back again. Ate at a amazing restaurant right at the edge of town wear the trail ends. Best fish and chips ever.
Wanted to take more time in Killarney, but flight was delayed. Killarney Falconry was wonderful....Geoffrey did an amazing job!! Spent some time down in Kinsale and hiked down by Old Head. Breathtaking. |
Anonymous
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We really enjoyed the sheepdog demonstration here. The Burren area is absolutely beautiful.
https://caherconnell.com/ Another highlight for us was Ashford castle. We did a falconry demonstration that was very cool, and rode horses and the kids did the tree climb. The castle itself is super-expensive to stay at, but we stayed at the “Lodge at Ashford castle” which was manageable. There’s a large FB group called “Ireland - Tips for Travellers” that’s a very good resource. Do a search and see what others have recommended or reviewed. |
Anonymous
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Blarney Castle is cheesy, but also fun ... my kids liked it!
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Anonymous
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Was in Cork for the holidays - stayed at the Montenotte and loved it. Fantastic view from the bar/restaurant at night. Kinsale was adorable. Old Head in the summer if you're golfers.
The kids may like Cork's Marina Market for food - a big, busy, open warehouse space with a bunch of interesting food trucks. Everyone can separate, find the food they want, then reconvene and eat together. |
Anonymous
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My kids didn't travel with me but I went to SW Ireland for a wedding last year & I do have teens myself, so I have some sense of what my kids at least would have liked. I loved trying to sample all of the Irish junk food I could; your kids might like it as well. Delicious: the chips (crisps) and fish & chips (fries); lots of Irish/UK candy bars; all of the various honeycomb items (ice cream, fudge, candy etc) which are different from flavors I've found here. Sausage rolls were sometimes delicious, sometimes not. More highbrow food I loved: Guinness walnut bread, Irish lamb stew, whiskey fudge, a dinner in Galway at Kai. (side note: Galway is walkable and very cute)
Inisheer was pretty cool; you could rent bikes & spend a couple hours touring around the island & then get seaweed baths like we did. Great Skellig Island boat ride & hike up amongst puffins was amazing +1 on the Facebook group mentioned above; it's how I developed my obsessive list of Irish junk food I wanted to try while I was over there! |
Anonymous
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Just got back from a Dublin/Galway/Derry/Belfast tour.
All that is said about them is great, and do not miss the Giant's Causeway. |