We will be staying in Doolin for 2 days and have the Cliffs of Moher planned. Our original plan was a day trip to the Aran Islands. We will be traveling with our 8 month old son, so we are unsure about a bike rental since he will still be young for a trailer/seat.
As a backup plan I was thinking a day trip to Galway, Kylemore Abbey and traveling the Sky Road.
Is there another day trip you would recommend? We have a rental car so traveling is not an issue!
I stayed in Doolin once. I also visited Aran and the Cliffs of Moher each twice. (Sadly, the Cliffs of Moher now charges a fee; when I first visited the cliffs in 1993, it was free.)
The trip to Aran would be nice because of the beauty, wind and antiquities of the islands. I do not know if bicycle rental agencies offer special seats for an 8 month old, but you could email the company I used, Aran Bike Hire: https://aranislandsbikehire.com/. There are other companies, too, if Aran Bike doesn't have seats for kids.
Since you'll have a car, maybe you could go to a sheep petting zoo because kids love animals. There's one near Westport, Ireland, which is north of Doolin about 60-70 miles. The farm is Glen Keen Farm: https://glenkeenfarm.com/. The petting farm is actually in Louisburg, Mayo. I've been in Louisburg. You'll practically be in the shadow of Croagh Patrick (https://www.mayo.ie/attractions/croagh-patrick), which is sometimes called the holy mountain of Ireland.
You might hear Irish spoken as the day-to-day language in Doolin. You'll definitely hear it on Aran if you go.
Kylemore Abbey and the Sky Road are often a day trip from Galway. Coming from Doolin, you would spend about 5 hours round trip driving for a daytrip. My only day trip from Doolin was to Aran Islands and I did not have a car, but I know that there are famous caves near Doolin that people visit and a castle somewhere nearby. There are also Burren walks and tours from nearby towns.
Minor clarification regarding Craig's comment, there is a parking fee if you use the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Center parking lot, but if you come by bus or on foot (there is a scenic path from Doolin), there is no fee for the Cliff walk.
A couple of options that spring to mind:
The Burren National Park is close by, features some of the prettiest scenery in the area, and offers numerous opportunities for casual hikes with a toddler in tow. Wouldn't require the all- day commitment that a trip up to Galway and beyond would require either.
We love the coastal drive south from Doolin down to Kilkee. It's one of Ireland's most beautiful scenic drives on a sunny day with lots of possibilities for stops along the way, There's a nice cliff walk next to the beach in Kilkee that we frankly prefer much more than Moher, and you won't have to battle the crowds to enjoy it. The little town and its beach are quite nice - would be a relaxing place for lunch.
