Killarney, Ireland
Killarney, Ireland – where to stay, what to see, and what to do for a quick trip through the Gate to the Ring of Kerry and Killarney National Park.
For our first stop in Ireland, we headed south west – to Killarney, in County Kerry.
Killarney is gorgeous, wild, and wonderful – luscious green everywhere, dramatic mountains, lochs, curvy roads, and lots of wild animals.
We picked Killarney's Holiday Villages to stay in – for our group of 7 it was the most comfortable and economical choice – and the solid base for touring Killarney and Killarney National Park.
The Holiday Villages are south of town, making them a quieter option which we appreciated. No loud partiers or post-pub antics.
The Holiday Villages are a solid touring base for groups – our four bedroom house could have slept 10, and gave us a nice spacious start to the trip.
There is a full kitchen, a washer/dryer, a backyard with patio chairs and room for kids to run – and it's within walking distance to a few hotels and bars (though Killarney's main town is a bit of a hike, which is honestly quite nice since there is much less noise, and we liked a more rural feel.)
The house was Suited to us – comfy, big, and the best setup for a family touring together!
And right across the street was the Lake Hotel, who hosts a lovely walkway to a largely destroyed castle nestled right upon the Loch.
It is a simple walk to the castle from Killarney Holiday Village – and gives a solid view of the mountains and the loch. The view constantly changes as the clouds move across the lake.
We loved all the wildflowers spotting the sides of the Loch – there is nothing prettier than Irish wildflowers!
The hotel had these good reed diffusers in every room and we were inspired to make some when we got home check out to make one yourself here!
The castle walk is easy to do – it is gentle, paved, and has lots of handrails for safety – making it suited to young kids.
This was the solid way to ease into our trip and get over jetlag with the kids – our only regret is we stayed in Killarney such a short amount of time! Next time in Ireland, we will try for more time in Killarney, for sure!
