My husband and I will be traveling with two children age 8. We will be going to Connemara and Doolin the first few days. Then we plan to spend one night around Killarney at Friar's Glen. My original plan had us spending the 2nd night (after biking the Gap of Dunloe) in Kenmare. This is where I start to have doubts about my itinerary. We planned to leave Kenmare in the morning and drive the Ring of Kerry and then drive to Dingle once we get to the North side of the ROK. We will spend two nights in Dingle before leaving for the airport to come home. I'm wondering if maybe the drive from Kenmare around the ROK is too much for one day. I hate to miss it but if we cancelled our reservation in Kenmare and stayed around Killarney for two nights instead of one we could drive from Killarney to Dingle and still have the whole day to explore Dingle Penninsula. Please weigh in. I hate to miss the ROK but I don't want to make the trip miserable by tiring everyone. Thank you.
Posted by
3122 posts
The RS guide recommends doing either ROK or the Dingle peninsula, not both. And prefers Dingle because, among other things, ROK tends to be clogged with tour buses. The implication is that both have pretty much equally lovely scenery, but ROK happens to be more famous so lots of people want to be able to say they've done it.
Personally I don't think it would be much fun to be stuck in bus traffic with two 8-year-olds in the car, or much fun for the kids themselves. You might take this into consideration.
Posted by
Seattle
191 posts
Having done both (in 2 days), it is a lot of driving.
Dingle is my favorite place and I don't feel when I take people there and skip ROK that we are missing anything. If you skip the ROK, consider adding Bunratty Castle and Folk Park with your extra time. It would be really fun with kids.
Posted by
1413 posts
Another vote for the folk park. I have done the medieval banquet there .... yr kids might enjoy it. There are orher restaurants and a hotel on the grounds, you could unload at hotel, one adult return rental car and bring the airport shuttle back to hotel to save hassle on departure day
Posted by
381 posts
We have been to Ireland twice and have spent a total of four weeks on the Dingle Peninsula and never done the Ring of Kerry....