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Family Vacations to Ireland

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Family Vacations in Ireland

A vacation in Ireland always feels magical to children, whether it’s the leprechaun lore, gorgeous scenery, charming people or the fun of cities you can walk round.

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Why Go

  • Festivals

    Ireland loves to throw a party and has events all year including Dublin’s mammoth St. Patrick’s Day parade, the Galway Oyster Festival and spectacular New Year celebrations on St. Stephen’s Green.

  • A Long and Rich History

    World Heritage Brú na Bóinne in Newgrange is Europe’s largest concentration of megalithic art.

  • Beaches

    Ireland has over 870 miles of coastline and 79 Blue Flag beaches along its entire length from north to south.

  • National Parks

    The Wicklow Mountains and Connemara are just two of Ireland’s six national parks.

  • Good Weather in the Summer

    It rains less in Dublin than Paris and average summer temperatures in the Irish capital are between 65 and 68˚F. From late June to mid August it doesn’t get dark until around 10 pm.

Where to Go

Dublin

Ireland’s capital has a reputation for friendliness and it’s well deserved. This is one of the most relaxed cities in Europe and making visitors feel right at home, right away is its greatest charm. Incredibly lovely and packed with history, Dublin’s easy to get to know and even easier to get around. Great for shorter trips away but worth taking longer and visiting the stunning coast and countryside less than an hour from the city.

  • From Airbnb apartments in the heart of the Design District to Georgian houses, boutique B&Bs and 5-star hotels on the waterfront, Dublin has family accommodations of every description.
  • Don’t miss Saturday morning markets, the Leprechaun Museum, fun and free city tours, Imaginosity Children’s Museum and the Dublin Zoo.
  • Dun Laoghaire is Dublin by the sea, famous for the Christmas Morning swim and just 30 minutes drive from the city.
  • Wicklow Mountains National Park is an hour’s drive west of Dublin.

Take me to Dublin

County Cork

County Cork is the Ireland of everyone’s imagination: brightly painted fishing villages, rolling green fields, white beaches and jewel-like little islands off the long, ragged coast. It’s the county where they keep the Blarney Stone. Foodie capital Kinsale is here too. And the city of Cork itself is second only to Dublin for colorful history, fantastic festivals and activities to keep kids busy day and night.

  • Cork is the county for sailing and biking vacations, horseback riding and beautiful safe swimming beaches – with lifeguards in the summer.
  • Don’t miss Blarney Castle and the Blarney Stone, traditional villages like Kinsale and Skibbereen, the Titanic Trail, Doneraile National Park and Gougane Barra Forest.
  • It’s a wonderful county for country vacation cottages and beachy apartment hotels.
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County Clare

County Clare’s rugged Atlantic coast is where you’ll find the Cliffs of Moher, the mysterious Aran Islands and enough pounding waves to tempt surfers, even in the depths of winter. The bleakly magnificent Burren brings even more drama to this wild, western county. But, in quieter moments, Clare’s also the heartland of Irish folk music, quaint villages and grand castles.

  • Cottages with sea views are great for families in County Clare.
  • Don’t miss the Cliffs of Moher, Craggaunowen prehistoric park, Bunratty Castle, Ailwee Cave and Cratloe Woods.
  • The tiny village of Doolin has a great St. Patrick’s Day parade and hosts the Irish Folk Music Festival every year in February.
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County Galway

County Galway combines its world famous city with astonishing countryside and a breathtaking coast to make an almost perfect family vacation. Roam flawlessly beautiful Connemara National Park, go snorkeling off the pristine beach at Carraroe, discover castles like Oranmore and Kinvara, bike by the sea or deep in the heart of the country and spend more than a little time in Galway itself. The county capital is home to some of the world’s finest seafood and a great little city for kids to explore.

  • Galway is home to the one of the world’s best loved oyster festivals in September and it has exceptional hotels and guesthouses all year as a result. Connemara National Park is good for families and offers country guesthouses.

County Wexford

Ancient and fascinating County Wexford is under two hours drive from Dublin and where Ireland keeps its best beaches.

  • Wexford’s famous coastline is scattered with family park resorts and excellent campsites.
  • Famous beaches here include: Rosslyn Strand and enormously long, sandy Curracloe.
  • Don’t miss: the waterfront city of Wexford, Irish National Heritage Park, Hook Peninsula and Lighthouse, the Wexford Trails, Dunbrody Famine Ship and Loftus Hall – Ireland’s most haunted house.
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What to Do

  • National Leprechaun Museum, Dublin
    The little people are the most famous of Ireland’s many mythical beings and this is their story in full, fun and fantastic detail.
  • Dalkey Castle and Heritage Centre, Dalkey
    Ancient Ireland’s trials, tribulations and triumphs are made very real for kids in this all-action heritage experience.
  • Imaginosity Children’s Museum, Dublin
    Whatever inquisitive young kids are curious about, this experience is designed just for them and their imagination.
  • Dublin Zoo
    One of the world’s oldest city zoos, Dublin is famous for its endangered species breeding program – in 2016 it celebrated the arrival of a white rhino calf and a litter of Painted African dogs.
  • Cliffs of Moher
    2,300 ft high and stretching for five miles along County Clare’s Atlantic Coast, the Cliffs of Moher are Ireland’s most visited natural wonder.
  • Wicklow Mountains National Park
    Covering almost 50,000 acres, Wicklow is Ireland’s largest national park and ideal for an entire vacation or even just a day trip from Dublin.
  • Connemara National Park
    Reason in itself to base a family vacation in County Galway, Connemara National Park is a manageable 7,300 acres of mountain, moor and forest.
  • Titanic Trail, Cobh
    Cork was the ill-fated Titanic’s last port of call before facing the open Atlantic on her first and last voyage. This fun heritage trail is as entertaining as it is interesting.
  • Dublin Discovery Trails
    A range of self-guided city tours available as free downloadable apps.
  • Rush Beach, Dublin
    Dublin’s favorite beach is just half an hour from the city and one of the best spots in the country for kitesurfing.

Educational Value for Kids

  • Ireland’s amazing for biking and there are well-marked routes all over Dublin and West Cork through some of the country’s most historic and scenic areas.
  • From Dublin to Galway, free city tours are fun for kids, the guides are always well-informed and entertaining locals and you get a choice of themes – remember to tip.
  • Visit any one of Ireland’s six national parks and kids are immersed in natural history, myth, legend and more than a little ancient Celtic lore.
  • Catch the ferry at Doolin and sail to the Aran Islands for a unique look at a very traditional Irish way of life, still alive and well today.

Getting Around

Touring around Ireland by car is an unforgettable way for kids to see the country. But, if you don’t want to drive, the countrywide train service is excellent. Biking is very common in rural areas and every city has excellent public transportation and there are bus services to most towns and villages.

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