What to do in Kerry

Kerry has to be one of the best places to visit in all of Ireland. It’s easy to reach, has a whole host of accommodation options and a combination of mountains, lakes and coast that are hard to beat. Once you’ve checked out my guide to getting there, you’re ready to plan what to do in Kerry.

From National Park to peninsula, and even the location for a Star Wars scene, you’ll find it all in my round-up of what to do in Kerry. Use this guide to plan a holiday you won’t forget.

Killarney

Killarney is a picturesque town with many colorful houses, shops and pubs, which make it one of the most popular cities in Ireland. It’s here that most of people start their journey around the ‘Ring of Kerry’.

Killarney National Park

This National Park is one of the prettiest parks I’ve ever seen. It’s an area defined by beautiful mountains, picturesque lakes and rivers. You can start your adventure by visiting Ross Castle and the wonderful Torc Waterfall, where some of the trees are covered in moss, creating a magical atmosphere.

Muckross House is also well worth a visit. This Victorian mansion boasts fabulous gardens and a greenhouse full of plants – perfect for keen gardeners.

Continuing your journey through Killarney National Park, don’t miss the Gap of Dunloe, a mountain pass, and the famous Ladies View. It’s a viewpoint framed by hills, valleys and lakes that are so incredibly beautiful!

The park is also a home to three wonderful lakes, known as the Lakes of Killarney. These three water reservoirs in the park are one of the most popular attractions in the entire region, and the richness of wildlife and scenery is just unbelievable.

Killarney National Park is only accessible by foot (hiking or trekking), by bike or on horseback in the main season. We were able to drive there by car because we visited in winter, so the roads were not blocked by horses. The fantastic tour guide Kevin from O’Callaghan Coach Holidays ensured we didn’t miss a thing.

Do you love visiting National Parks? Check out my guide to 5 of the best National Parks in the USA to inspire another trip.

Ring of Kerry

The most popular tourist trail in Ireland, the Ring of Kerry must be seen by car because it stretches to 180km long, starting and ending in Killarney. It’s a scenic road around the county full of mountains, cliffs, plains, rivers, lakes and beaches.

There are also many stunning monuments, from romantic castles to colourful towns, to look out for on the way. Make a list to tick off places as you spot them, like Daniel O’Connell’s home, Ballycarbery Castle, Old Kenmare Cemetery, Moll Pass, St Finians Bay and Portmagee Village, which are just a few of the many great attractions. For more information check out the official website for the route.

Peninsula of Dingle

The end of the Dingle Peninsula is the westernmost place in Ireland. Steep rocky coasts, defensive forts and vast empty beaches are part of the wonderful landscape here, together with the Slieve Mish mountains. You’ll see some of the prettiest Irish sunsets from the coast here, so plan your visit for dusk and keep a camera ready.

The biggest town, Dingle, is a typical Irish fishing village. Besides being a beautiful and charming place, Dingle’s biggest attraction is Fungie – the most famous dolphin in all of Ireland, which for many years has regularly come to the same place and entertained tourists with his displays.

Skellig Island (Great Skellig)

Access to this island is expensive and very difficult. Skellig Michael is a place of world cultural heritage and the annual number of people who visit the island cannot exceed 15,000 in order to protect the valuable monuments and habitats of birds nesting in rockeries. This wonderful place gained popularity because the last shot in Star Wars was filmed here.

Kerry has so much to offer when it comes to what to see, whether you’re looking for calm, luxury or outdoor adventure. With magnificent mountains, glassy lakes and a lush landscape, everyone will find something to admire.

Want more? Check out these ultra romantic getaways, including gorgeous Ireland, right here.

Now you’ve checked out this round-up of what to do in Kerry, what are you most looking forward to?

12 COMMENTS

  1. Aw, I loved your stories that came with the photos. I was confused by the resident dolphin comment, thinking it was a mascot that dressed up and visited bars. Obviously, my brain is still waking up as I realized it was an actual animal. Lovely post, and it looks like Kerry is beautiful!

  2. I really need to go and do a proper road trip around Ireland sometime soon, this looks like a great itinerary. Killarney National Park looks awesome. I would love to visit in the summer to be able to explore some of the park on foot. The waterfalls looks spectacular.

  3. Nature is at its best here in Ireland. Killarney is added in my list now knowing that it has such picturesque landscapes with colorful houses and shops. I can live here for a month exploring the natural landscape and interacting with locals. Summer will be my season to do the same.

  4. Fantastic list of things and I am super excited to read about it all because I will be visiting EXACTLY these places when I am in IReland in 2 months! I plan to do a 10-day road trip from Dublin and will be driving the ring of kerry, staying on the Killarney National Park, visiting Skellig Island and also Dingle. Lovely pictures, the weather looks really gloomy though.

  5. Kerry looks like a natural lover’s haven and paradise! May I know whether the weather is very erratic and may dampen the mood when exploring Ireland, as it seems to rain a lot?

    • Ireland is an island so the weather can be very unexpected. I am sure summer has some nice sunny days. I was there in February so during the winter but besides the little rain and wind it wasn’t too bad

  6. You have got some gorgeous landscapes there. I can see why you loved Kerry. The slight fog along with clouds and sunlight make the picturesque mountains roads and sea even more lovelier.

  7. It was just unfortunate that I missed Ireland when I was in the UK! Somehow it never happened. I was actually planning to visit Kerry coz Ryanair had a deadcheap ticket. But the dates just didn’t suit me. Looks like I missed a lot… The castle is typical UK, haha! The Torc waterfall would top my list. Hope I’ll get to go in future.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here