Ireland (with kids) Day 6: Drive from Killarney to Galway (stops at Cliffs of Moher and Limmerick)

Day 6 was the day we left beautiful Killarney behind and headed to our second home base of the trip. We had spent four nights in Killarney and used that as our home base to explore Killarney National Park, the Gap of Dunloe, Blarney Castle, and Kinsale.

The last and final leg of our trip would be spent exploring the City of Galway and Connemara National Park on the Connemara Peninsula. We loved the trip until now, having Killarney National Park in our backyard and the resort at our fingertips really made the trip special. We were trading in our resort for an AirBnb just outside the city of Galway, specifically picked for its proximity next to a big park and a short drive into Ireland's fourth largest city on the western coast. Planning the trip in this counter clockwise direction also put us a 2 hour drive from Dublin when we had to catch a mid-day flight back home. 

Day six was our longest drive yet and we made an out-of-the-way detour to explore Ireland's famous cliffs. Spoiler alert, the Cliffs were quite skippable, at least the way we saw them from the visitor's center, but more on that later. 

Mungret Park, County Limerick

DAY 5: Southern section of the Dingle Peninsula

Day 5 in Ireland had us change up the routine a little bit. Instead of heading out in the morning for an adventure, we had a slow day around the town. We rented bikes from the resort, headed out to the playground in town, and spent some time in Killarney with the plan to head out on an adventure in the afternoon. There was something special about the change in pace, the slow start to the day followed by a bit of adventure in the evening. No one had to be ready by a certain time and the kids had a chance to play before getting into the car.

I read that Dingle Peninsula (and the smaller part of the peninsula Slea Head drive) is a beautiful part of Ireland and one of the best scenic drives. Scenic drives can be tough with kids with longer times in the car. While a lot of options to get out of the car and stretch your legs help, it's a lot of in and out of car seats which comes with its own set of headaches and tears. Traveling with kids means a lot of "less is more" so we decided to shorten the drive and do a few spots on the southern part of the peninsula instead of the entire 58 mile loop. 

We stopped at Inch Beach, Minard Castle, and a sheep farm before turning back and having dinner in Dingle. If you are interested in the full peninsula loop, check out this map from The Irish Road Trip and head to their page for the full loop details. 

DAY 4: A Day Trip to the Blarney Castle and Kinsale (with kids)

I spent some time going back and forth, trying to decide if a visit to Blarney Castle would be worth it. By now dear reader, you probably have noticed that I don't love crowds and I tend to chose the path less traveled (and in the shoulder season). It's always a fine line when it comes to some of the more popular tourists attractions. Popular places are usually popular for a reason but sometimes, they are just tourist traps famous for a silly gimmick or a few instagram worthy photos. I did some research and decided that the consensus was this: the Blarney Stone (a very small part of the castle) is very skippable, the castle itself is beautiful, but its the garden and grounds that really make a trip to the Barney Castle worth it. I decided it was the perfect place to lets the kids explore, experience an Irish castle, and my mother in law was looking forward to kissing the Blarney Stone.

We spent a few hours at the Blarney Castle and grounds and I whole heartedly agree with the reviews I read. The castle is lovely and worth visiting but the grounds and castle collectively make the fee and drive over worth it. The grounds are stunning and kid-friendly with a little playground, awesome walking trails, various gardens, a cafe and courtyard, caves to explore, and more. Because we visited during the week in the shoulder season, we were able to get through the castle rather quickly and my in-laws were able to kiss the Blarney stone with just a five minute wait. The day felt like it was out of a fairy tale, spending the morning with my kids wandering the iconic grounds. If you are wondering if it's worth visiting with kids my answer is yes. Head out early, avoid the weekends, try to travel in the shoulder season, and enjoy. 

DAY 3: Gap of Dunloe and Boat Ride through the Lakes of Killarney

This day is Ireland may have been one of the highlights of our entire trip. While many people visit the major attractions like Killarney, after talking to friends who had visited Ireland, no one had heard of or visited the Gap of Dunloe. I spent some time reading through travel forums on ideas of what to do while abroad and this mysterious Gap of Dunloe kept coming up. One of the comments stood out when he commented that the day he spent in the Gap, hiking through and taking the pony trap with his new bride was still one of his favorite memories 20 years later. I immediately planned the trip, booked the necessary guides and tours, and Adam and I gifted this beautiful day to my in-laws for Christmas. We had the most perfect 65 degree sunny blue bird day for this adventure and we all loved every aspect of the trip. 

Ross Castle

The day went like this

1. Meet at the Old Weir Lodge in downtown Killarney
2. A bus takes you to Ross Castle
3. From Ross Castle, you hop on a 1.5 hour boat ride through the lakes and rivers of Killarney National Park
4. From there, you have lunch at an old hunting lodge, Lord Brandon's Cottage
5. From the cottage, you have the option to hike the 7 miles through the gap (a now paved tiny single lane road), or hire one of the ponymen for a pony trap (horse and carriage ride) down through the gap.
6. The hike or ponytrap ride takes you to Kate Kearney's Cottage. From here, you can grab a coffee or a bite and wait for the bus to take you back to your car at Old Wier Lodge. 
   You can book the tour here

Day 2: Killarney, Ireland (Castlerosse Park Resort and Killarney National Park)

We spent days 2 through 6 in Killarney (Sunday through Thursday, 4 nights) and it was magical. Ireland's beauty is quiet here in the states in the sense that you don't hear much about it, but it is so apparent when you spend time in this country, especially outside its major city. The greenery, the restaurants, the outdoors, the friendly people, the amazing food, we fell in love with Ireland and it started right here in Killarney.

Between the resort we stayed at, the access to the trails and National Park, the city/downtown area itself, and the launching point to Gap of Dunloe, Blarney Castle, Kinsale, and Dingle Peninsula, this corner of Ireland was our favorite. The town itself is dreamy with busy cobblestone streets, live music, quaint shops, a ton of restaurants with outdoor spaces, and everyone out on the sidewalks enjoying a pint.