Kenmare vs Killarney Base for ROK and KNP

I took that advice and regretted it. Kenmare is overrun with American tourists and felt like Disney. Another Forum member mentioned that Killarney was worse. If you have a car, stay somewhere else. People like Sneem on the ROK.

Both Kenmare and Killarney are likely to be over run with American tourists - for good reason as they are convenient spots to stay and have a good choice of accommodation.

To add on to that last comment, this entire area would be akin to the Grand Canyon of the United States. You will probably see more people from the States and other countries than local Irish no matter what.

We've stayed in Kenmare and in Killarney. If you want the easiest access to the Ring of Kerry et all, then stay in Killarney. If you want to explore the Beara Peninsula with the option of accessing the Ring of Kerry, then stay in Kenmare.

Thank you. I understand the trade offs more now for this stay. We will have 13 nights including stays in Kilkenny, Kinsale, Dingle and Doolin. Perhaps staying just outside of town will let us breathe a bit. Really we will be out all of both days and back to eat, drink and sleep :)
Cheers and Thank you.

I'm one of those people who have suggested Sneem as an alternative to Kenmare and Killarney, especially if you plan on being out and about and aren't looking for multiple restaurant and pub choices every night. Killarney in particular is difficult to drive into and out of during the summer. Traffic is simply a nightmare. Kenmare is only slightly better. Since you are also considering the Dingle Peninsula you could alternatively stay in Glenbeigh, on the north side of the RoK. It's been a while since I was there but it looked attractive in 2018. Here's a travel article on Glenbeigh. https://www.theirishroadtrip.com/glenbeigh-in-kerry/

Thank you. I'll have to do the mapping. Sneem looks like a longer hike to get to Killarney National park on the day trips. We will check it out.

You might look at the Lake House hotel, or Muckross park Hotel, which are both at the edge of KNP, outside the town of Killarney, and walking distance to Muckross House, etc. Especially if you plan to be out all day exploring the park. You can avoid town traffic completely. There may be other lodging in that area as well. Good luck and have a wonderful trip.

You don't mention dates. The hoards are much smaller and the weather is best in May. July/August are the ugly months. Another thing to consider might be the state of the US economy and the drop in travel.

After a much regretted stay in Killarney town on our first trip we've since opted to stay somewhere along the corridor between Glenbeigh and Castlemaine for subsequent visits to the area. The location is central for easy day trips down into Killarney for the NP, for the northern part of the ROK including the exquisite Gap of Dunloe and the Skellig Ring Road, as well as a short drive up to Dingle and Slea Head Drive.
As was mentioned, traffic getting out of Killarney town in the morning when the tour buses start to roll is a real pain - better to stay well outside the town center if you plan to do any touring by car during high season.
Sneem would be a good choice to the south, and would have the advantage of allowing easy access to the Beara peninsula - one of Ireland's little hidden gems.

Thank you. Yes, dates are September 3-16. Exploring Ring of Kerry on Sept 7, 8 and AM 9th then in to Dingle for 3 days. So many popular places are already booked up.

Thank you Stacy. I will check them out. Sounds like a great option. We have a few other stops with in town accommodations.