The city of Dublin is situated in such a great location. There are miles of gorgeous countryside just past the city limits, making it easy to find ways to explore the country of Ireland and still make it home for Sunday roast dinner.

My family and I have had so much fun exploring, and I hope some of these itineraries inspire your next holiday break!

Northern Ireland

One of our most favorite trips to date has been to Northern Ireland. We drove about three hours straight to Giant’s Causeway which I was told was a must-see but I was not prepared for how gorgeous it really was. If you’re lucky enough to see it on a sunny day, it’s one of the most unique places I’ve ever visited. Giant’s Causeway is a UNESCO World Heritage Site comprised of 40,000 basalt columns formed 60 million years ago. And I know that sounds kind of boring but trust me, it’s much cooler in person!

After our afternoon at the Causeway, we stopped at The Fullerton Arms for a yummy dinner. And for you Game of Thrones fans, The Fullerton Arms has door 6 of 10 doors depicting one episode of Season 6 GOT.

As evening approached my family of four pulled into our glamping pod for the night at Thornfield Farm, which is across the street from Dark Hedges Estate. These pods were adorable and incredibly fun for our two boys, who were 6 and 8 when we visited. The pod had 1 queen bed and a bunk bed and included all the ingredients for s’mores by the fire and breakfast in the pod the next morning. One pod even has a private hot tub!

If you have time on your way back to Dublin, stop in Belfast and hit up the Titanic Museum. We did not spend nearly enough time in this very cool, modern museum. It’s worth the 2-3 hour detour on your way home.

Southern Ireland

About two hours southwest of Dublin is the little town of Cashel in County Tipperary, and that is where you can find the Rock of Cashel castle. We stumbled upon this place simply because we were looking for a place to stretch our legs, and it ended up being one of the coolest “ruins” castles we’ve ever seen! There are guided tours if you want them, but honestly just walking the grounds and enjoying the peaceful scenery is enough. It was the sleeper hit of our tour down south.

Drive one more hour south to Cork and you will come to Blarney Castle, arguably one of Ireland’s most famous landmarks. The grounds were much larger than I remember from 20+ years ago but the castle itself is still gorgeous. Get there early if you want to wait in line to kiss the stone, though! A 90+ minute wait in the middle of the day is quite common.

After the castles you’ll be ready to relax! Drive south to Kinsale for the night. Enjoy the brightly colored buildings and welcoming atmosphere. Eat at Fishy Fishy and watch the sunset on the harbor.

West of Ireland

If you’d rather head west, Bunratty Castle is a fun all-day castle and folk park. Located in County Clare, this two-and-a-half-hour drive ends at “the most complete and authentic castle in Ireland.” When you’re done exploring the grounds, head over to Doolin or Lisdoonvarna for the night. There are plenty of great small hotels in the area to choose from. Stop at Gus O’Connor’s Pub for a pint and some fish ‘n chips. In the morning, book a visit (8:00—11:00AM) to the Cliffs of Moher at the Visitor Experience. This is obviously one of the most common tourist spots in all of Ireland, but if you get there early, you’ll beat the crowds and have coffee looking at one of the most spectacular sights in Ireland. Currently you can also walk/hike the northern section of the Trail from Doolin down to Surfers Path.

Finally, if you want a day trip with kids, I highly recommend River Valley Holiday Park in County Wicklow. They have endless activities for kids of all ages: electric go karts, “crazy bugz” electric buggies for little kids, downhill tubing, rustic cabins for family camping, archery, mini golf, and more. We had a total blast here one day and the glamping areas looked well maintained and family friendly for those wishing to extend the good times all weekend.

Where will you be off to next?

Liz Anderson is an American wife and mother living abroad for the second time. She writes about her experiences as an expat in Europe and Asia at anoceanaway.blog.  She has called Dublin home since March 2024.