Filled with history, culture, nature, and yes lots of beer and whiskey, southern Ireland is the perfect place to plan a road trip vacation.
A road trip through Ireland is the best way to take in all the things that make Ireland so great and will make it easy to fall in love with a country that cherishes its history and holds on tightly to its traditions.
Visiting Ireland feels like you went back in time a few hundred years. There are castles just about everywhere, each town is filled with historical marvels and the locals seem to be living a laid-back, friendly lifestyle. Ireland has so much to offer from fun city life to gorgeous nature and cute fishing towns.
If you are planning a trip to Ireland, our road trip guide is here to help you plan your travel itinerary with the top 20 suggestions for things to see and do on your vacation.
Map of the top destinations in Ireland:
Typically a trip will start in either Cork or Dublin, depending on your arriving flight. I started my 7-day road trip from Cork so that’s the route I will follow in the Ireland vacation guide below.
20 best things to see and do in Southern Ireland:
- Visit The Rock Of Cashel
- Grab a Guinness at the famous Temple Bar
- Explore downtown Dublin
- Spend a few hours at the Ashford castle gardens
- Explore the Friary of Ross ruins
- Stop at the Saint John The Baptist Church
- Spend a few hours hiking at the Cliffs of Moher
- Visit the cute city of Ennis for some local Irish traditions
- Stop by the Bunratty castle for a beer
- Make your way down to Conor Pass and Dingle Peninsula
- Continue on to Slea Head drive
- Take a hike up to Devil Horns and see the Coumeenole beach
- Stop by the photographic Dunquin Harbor
- Visit Ross Castle for a lesson in history
- Relax at the Muckross house gardens
- Go for a scenic drive through the Killarney National Park
- Gain eloquence by kissing the 500-year-old Blarney stone
- Have lunch at the Blackrock Castle restaurant
- Enjoy the grandness of Saint Fin Barre’s Cathedral
- Walk around Cork and have your last Guinness before heading out
1. Visit The Rock Of Cashel
Kick off your road trip by visiting the grand Rock of Cashel historical site.
The Rock Of Cashel is located on top of rolling hills in a small town. Visitors can tour through the castle or take a walk around its green hills with sheep roaming around just about everywhere.
2. Grab a Guinness at the famous Temple Bar
Temple Bar is a historic district in downtown Dublin filled with pubs, cobblestone streets, and narrow alleys.
One of the most popular tourist destinations in this district is the red Temple Bar. It’s a fun place to stop by for a drink, take in the traditional Irish pub scene, and hang out with tourists and locals alike.
3. Explore downtown Dublin
Downtown Dublin is an exciting area filled with many amazing historical landmarks, great food, and amazing nightlife.
Most of the attractions in Dublin are located within a few minutes walk from each other and it’s easy to get around on foot.
Some of the most popular things to see in Dublin are the Jameson Distillery, Guinness Storehouse, Trinity College, Christ Church Cathedral, Molly Malone Statue, and the National Museum of Ireland.
Compared to many other European destinations, Dublin is relatively cheap when it comes to food and lodging.
On top of that, many historical attractions in downtown Dublin are free.
If you are in no rush, you could spend a few days walking through the streets of downtown Dublin, visiting its landmarks, and grabbing a Guinness at one of the friendly local pubs.
4. Spend a few hours at the Ashford castle gardens
After spending some time in downtown Dublin, start heading west. The drive from Dublin to western Ireland is a few hours long but there isn’t much to see along the way.
The first significant stop on the west coast is Ashford castle. The Ashford castle is very well kept and has been turned into a luxurious upscale hotel but visitors are allowed to roam around its pristine perfectly trimmed gardens for free.
5. Explore the Friary of Ross ruins
As you drive away from the Ashford castle, you will be able to spot the Friary of Ross ruins in the distance. One of the advantages of road-tripping in a car is that you can always change your course and visit places that you spot from the road.
The Friary of Ross has no entrance fees, no attendants, and usually also no people visiting it. While most castles and ruins are operated as a business, the Friary of Ross can be explored without any restrictions and completely for free.
6. Stop at the Saint John The Baptist Church
Ireland is filled with many churches, some of which are still actively used for worship.
One of these churches along the southern part of Ireland is the Saint John Baptist Church in Ballyvaughan. This church is a reminder that the lines between the past and present are not so well defined and that the history in Ireland is still in making.
7. Spend a few hours hiking at the Cliffs of Moher
The Cliffs of Moher is one of the top things to see on the western coast of Ireland. Make sure to set aside at least a few hours to explore and hike around the cliffs.
While most tourists tend to hang around the entrance and its main walkways, the best views are located further down the path. Visitors can hike north or south along the cliffs and the views are amazing in either direction. The further you go, the better the views and the thinner the crowds will get.
8. Visit the cute city of Ennis for some local Irish traditions
Some of the best local experiences are the ones that are the least expected.
An unplanned stop in one of the small towns could lead you to an arts festival, dancing on the street, and exploring new things that you might not find at the main tourist spots.
9. Stop by the Bunratty castle for a beer
If you like food, beer, and history, the Bunratty castle is the perfect place for you to visit.
One of the main attractions at the Bunratty castle is the daily medieval dining banquet along with the outdoor pub. The banquet serves food and live entertainment and takes place every day but reservations are required.
After the show, visitors can grab a drink next door while enjoying the amazing unobstructed views of the castle at Bunratty Bar.
10. Make your way down to Conor Pass and Dingle Peninsula
Conor Pass is a narrow, windy stretch of road leading into the Dingle Peninsula where drivers going both directions must share the one-lane road.
It is known to intimidate tourists driving into the Peninsula with narrow passing areas and steep drop-offs but it offers many amazing views along the way (if you dare to look away from your steering wheel).
11. Continue on to Slea Head drive
The Slea Head drive is one of the most scenic coastal drives in Ireland.
You don’t really need a detailed plan to road trip around this peninsula but the recommended route is from south to north. The views are breathtaking all around and the crowded parking lots will indicate which places are the most popular stops.
12. Take a hike up to Devil Horns and see the Coumeenole beach
A popular destination in the Dingle Peninsula is the Devil Horns hike. This hike follows a narrow path along a cliff and ends overlooking a row of rocks lined up in the ocean.
From the parking lot, visitors can also walk down to Coumeenole beach and watch the waves crash against the shore.
13. Stop by the photographic Dunquin Harbor
With its windy narrow road and tall, pointy rocks, Dunquin Harbor is one of the most photographic spots in the Dingle Peninsula.
Visitors can park and walk down closer to the water but the most popular location to capture photos of this harbor is located from the top of a green hill right behind it.
14. Visit Ross Castle for a lesson in history
Ross Castle has one of the most complicated histories in Ireland. It’s so ancient and complex that a whole room is devoted to it at the castle with historical timelines, drawings, and family trees.
Take a tour of the castle, learn its history, then immediately get confused by the complexity of it all and forget anything you learned.
15. Relax at the Muckross house gardens
The Muckross House is a mix between a castle and a mansion. It’s very well kept, has beautiful gardens surrounding it, and even a small zoo on the premises.
It’s the perfect place to have a relaxing day, bring a book and enjoy some fresh air.
16. Go for a scenic drive through Killarney National Park
Ireland is green, there is no secret in that. Driving through Ireland feels like it’s all just one never-ending green forest. But although Ireland is filled with luscious green trees just about on every road, it does have its own designated Killarney National Forest in the southern part of it.
Make sure to set aside some time to explore this park, visit the waterfalls and the beauty of Ireland’s nature.
17. Gain eloquence by kissing the 500-year-old Blarney stone
Have you ever dangled high above the ground, upside down, and kissed a 500-year-old stone?
I didn’t think so. But you sure can do that at the historical Blarney Castle in Cork. In fact, thousands of tourists line up every day and wait for hours to get a chance to plant a wet one on this stone.
The legend says it will bring eloquence to those who do but to tourists it’s just a fun and weird thing to add to their trip.
18. Have lunch at the Blackrock Castle restaurant
If you are looking for a place to dine like a king, at the Blackrock castle guests can enjoy lunch or dinner right in the castle’s courtyard.
The menu includes a variety of items from Fish and Chips to Lamb Tagine and Steaks.
19. Enjoy the grandness of Saint Fin Barre’s Cathedral
Just a few minute’s walk outside of the busy downtown Cork lies one of the grandest churches in Ireland.
Saint Fin Barre’s Cathedral is a beautiful gothic castle with soaring towers and intricate details and should be on top of your list of the best things to see in Cork.
20. Walk around Cork and have your last Guinness before heading out
Similar to Dublin, downtown Cork is filled with energy, liveliness and caters to tourists. The cute historical streets are filled with pubs, amazing restaurants, and shopping opportunities.
After road-tripping through southern Ireland, it’s the perfect place to grab some food, a beer and relax for the night before heading back home.
While most tourists hang around Dublin and take a few tours out to the main attractions, the best way to submerge yourself into Ireland’s culture is by experiencing it firsthand through a good old-fashioned road trip.
By being on your own schedule and leaving room for unplanned detours, you may come across some unexpected surprises along the way.
If you’ve got a week, a rental car, and lots of excitement for history, follow our guide to experience the best that Ireland has to offer.
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We are going in October 2018 I can’t wait!!!!!!!
How exciting! Hope you have a great trip!
We are also going in Oct 2018! I am taking my aunt, mom and counting for a bit of a family trip. Should be interesting and fun!
Hey Chad! Sounds like an amazing trip! Ireland is a great place to visit with family because it offers a variety of activities for everyone to enjoy. Hope you have a great time!
We are going with our 5 year old twins in May 2019! Wish me luck 🙂 Staying for a week and trying to figure out the best itinerary 🙂 Thanks for the tips!
How wonderful! I am sure they will love it : ) Ireland is so magical and there is so much to see and do! Hope our post made it easier to choose what to see on your vacation.
Cheers,
Laura
Hi Laura. Did you guys have any trouble with the driving. Someone was telling me that there are parts of driving through Ireland that can be quite dangerous.
We didn’t have any issues whatsoever. The most dangerous part of driving in Ireland was getting used to driving on the left side of the road AND getting used to shifting with the left hand at the same time, but you can easily avoid this by renting an automatic car. There were many narrow roads throughout but nothing too crazy. Overall, one of the easiest countries to get around in.
As a child I always wanted to visit Ireland. I was not disappointed when I went at age 26. It was above my expectations. I loved every day of it immensely. Truly the emerald isle – gorgeously beautiful. Praise the Lord for fulfilling my dream.
Glad you Guys had fun!
Next time Check out the hidden gem of lismore Town County Waterford, I wont say much, ppl can do their own research ??