Here are some great places within Ireland that are perfect for a family holiday. Having a holiday in Ireland could be a great option for you and your family. It’s a cheaper option than travelling abroad and it will give you chance to see all those great sites that every Irish person should see.
Killarney, Co. Kerry
Killarney is one of Ireland’s most popular tourist destinations and with great reason. The town is surrounded by a stunning landscape of mountains, forests and lakes. Killarney is particularly popular during the summer as there are so many outdoor activities suitable for younger or older children. Muckross house, gardens and farm is the perfect place to visit on a sunny afternoon. There are several walks that will bring you around the gardens, into the national park, along the lakes and even to the beautiful Torc Waterfalls. You can take a tour around the stunning Victorian house or bring the kids to the traditional farm where they can visit old farm houses, see the animals and try some homemade bread. Other popular destinations within Killarney include the Gap of Dunloe, Ross Castle, and Carrauntoohil. Killarney Summer Fest is also a huge attraction with street entertainers, concerts and family activities like workshops and teddy bear picnics in the National Park. Horse riding, bike hire, golfing and boat trips on the lakes are all available in the area, and Rossbeigh beach is only a 20minute drive from the town. Killarney is full of hotels and B&B’s so you will have no problem finding accommodation that will suit your family’s needs.
Lahinch, Co. Clare.
Lahinch is a lovely town on the West coast of the country. The beautiful beach sweeps past the town and is a great spot for water activities. It also creates a wonderful backdrop for one of Europe’s golf courses, in cases dad wants a relaxing afternoon break. Lahinch Seaworld is also a big attraction. Most of the fish and marine animals you will see are locally caught and are native Irish specimens including the Irish Octopus. They offer daily tours all year round and their expert staff will educate you about habitats, breeding and how we can preserve the natural marine life off the coast. When staying in Lahinch you can also take day trips to other attractions in Clare including the Burren, Ailwee Caves and the Cliffs of Moher.
West Cork
There are so many great towns and villages in West Cork that it’s impossible to narrow it down to one in particular. The coast of Cork is littered with pretty sites and places to visit. Bantry town is flanked by the Beara peninsula and has a number of tourist attractions including Bantry House and Gardens. En route from Bandon to Bantry are the twin villages of Ballineen and Enniskeane. The villages have a range of sporting facilities open to visitors and just north of the villages you can see Kinneigh Round Tower built in 1014. Schull is another nice spot. Like many of the other coastal villages Schull is a great sailing centre and its proximity to the beaches at the end of the peninsula make it a popular family destination. The local Planetarium features regular showing of galactic activity and is a popular attraction for both locals and visitors. Other towns worth visiting include Skibbereen, Clonakilty, Bandon and Kinsale.
Dingle, Co. Kerry
This fishing town has so much for the family to do and is a beautiful spot of the country to visit. As Dingle (Or An Daingean as it may be called on your map) is located by the sea and so there are plenty of marine-related activities available. One activity that you absolutely must do when in Dingle is visit Fungie. This famous Dolphin is one of Dingles main attractions. You can take a boat out onto the sea and Fungie will pop up for a visit. Also in Dingle is Oceanworld, an amazing aquarium that hosts over 1,000 species of Marine life including Ireland’s largest collection of Sharks. There are lots of great beaches in the area too, including Inch beach which is 10 miles away from the town. With vast stretches of smooth yellow sand and sheltering sand dunes behind, this is indeed a beautiful beach. As Dingle is a fishing town there are of course plenty of great places to eat for families.
