Ireland itinerary with kids: our 10-day family road trip

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Ireland is made for a family road trip: relatively short distances between many of the main stops, huge national parks, beaches and coastal walks, plus cities such as Galway and Dublin when you want a change of pace.

We drove this 10-day route ourselves, starting in Cork and travelling through Killarney, Dingle, Doolin, Galway and Connemara before finishing in Dublin. We did the trip before having R, so I’ve revisited the itinerary through the slightly different lens we now have after travelling extensively with a toddler.

Would I follow the same route with a toddler? Yes, but I’d give ourselves longer. If I only had 7-10 days, I’d shorten the route rather than rush it, most likely by finishing around Galway and dropping Connemara and Dublin. Connemara was one of the loveliest parts of our trip, so I’d keep it if time allows, but it adds distance and another change of base.

Below is the route we actually drove, plus how I’d adapt the pace now for a family trip.

What is the best Ireland itinerary for families?

For a first family road trip in Ireland, I’d focus on the south and west rather than trying to cover the whole country. Killarney gives you one of the easiest national parks to build a few days around, Dingle and Doolin deliver the Wild Atlantic Way, Galway gives you a compact city stop, and Connemara is where the trip really slows down.

Our original 10-day route continued all the way to Dublin. With children, I’d either give the full route closer to two weeks or shorten the geography. If I only had a week to 10 days, I’d be more inclined to finish around Galway than cut one of the west-coast stops simply to squeeze Dublin in.

Our original 10-day Ireland road trip

This is the route we actually drove, before having R. It’s the first-hand backbone of everything below, and the route the adapted options further down are built from.

Days	Base	Core plan	Where we stayed
1-2	Killarney	Fly into Cork, Killarney National Park, Muckross and Torc Waterfall	The Victoria
3	Dingle	Dingle Peninsula and coastal scenery	Waterfront B&B
4	Doolin	Wild Atlantic Way and Cliffs of Moher area	Daly’s House
5	Galway	Compact city stop and food	Harbour Hotel
6-7	Connemara	Clifden, Kylemore Abbey and slower countryside days	Lough Inagh Lodge
8-10	Dublin	Cross-country drive, Dublin sightseeing and fly home	The Wilder

Two ways to make the route more family-friendly

I wouldn’t drop Dingle by default just to save a day. My preference is to either keep the same route and allow longer, or reduce the overall distance by cutting the far end of the route if time is limited.

Option A: keep the whole route and slow it down

If we wanted to repeat our full route with R, this is the option I’d choose. Rather than removing places we loved, I’d stretch the trip to around 12-14 days so we weren’t packing up every morning or relying on a toddler being happy with several longer driving days. I’d add extra nights around Killarney, Doolin/Galway and Connemara, then keep Dublin at the end if we still wanted a city finish.

Days	Base	Why the extra time helps
1-3	Killarney	Three nights gives you proper time for the National Park without rushing after the flight.
4-5	Dingle	A slower peninsula stop rather than treating Dingle as a one-night hop.
6-7	Doolin	Cliffs of Moher plus a quieter coastal day.
8-9	Galway	City time without arriving and leaving again immediately.
10-11	Connemara	Worth keeping if time allows; one of the loveliest parts of our original trip.
12-14	Dublin	Drive across, then finish with a couple of city days before flying home.

Option B: keep it to 7-10 days and reduce the distance

If I only had 7-10 days with a baby or toddler, I’d shorten the geography rather than race through the full route. My first cut would be the Dublin finish, particularly if flights allowed us to fly home from the west. If we needed to reduce the driving further, I’d also consider leaving Connemara for another trip, although that would be a reluctant cut because it was one of our favourite parts of the route.

That leaves a very manageable south-and-west trip through Killarney, Dingle, Doolin and Galway, with more time in each place and fewer long transfer days.

Days	Base	Family pace
1-3	Killarney	National Park, Muckross, Torc Waterfall and a slower arrival day.
4-5	Dingle	Peninsula scenery and a full day without moving accommodation.
6-7	Doolin	Cliffs of Moher and coast.
8-10	Galway	City, day trips and fly home from the west if flights work.

Planning your Ireland family trip: the essentials

• Best time to visit Ireland with kids: May-September offers the best weather, though July-August is peak season and more expensive. We visited in June (for a wedding) and found it ideal: mild temperatures, long days and fewer crowds than high summer.
• How long do you need in Ireland with kids? Our original 10-day route covers the west coast highlights, but as above, I’d now give it longer with young children, or shorten the geography rather than the days. Northern Ireland (Giant’s Causeway, Belfast) works better as a separate trip than a bolt-on to this route.
• Getting around Ireland with children: We’d hire a car for this route. Distances can look short on a map, but parts of the Wild Atlantic Way are on slower rural roads, so don’t plan around mileage alone. With young children, I’d avoid changing base every night, allow extra time for stops and treat Google Maps journey times as the minimum rather than the whole travel day.
• Accommodation strategy: A mix of hotels and B&Bs worked well for us. Irish B&Bs are generally family-welcoming; many have cots and high chairs and will adjust breakfast times, but it’s still worth checking before you book.

Our Ireland road trip route, stop by stop

Days 1-2: Killarney

Fly into Cork, collect your hire car and drive around 90 minutes to Killarney. Unless you specifically want to add Cork to the trip, I’d head straight to Killarney National Park rather than using one of your limited days as another city stop. We’d recommend searching for the best car hire rates with Auto Europe, which compares all the major rental companies.

Where we’d stay with kids: we stayed at The Victoria, a boutique hotel right next to the park entrance. We’d choose it again with R: trails on your doorstep and peaceful surroundings make it easy to let little legs stretch out straight after a flight. If I were booking this stop specifically for a family trip now, I’d also check family room availability and whether a cot can be added, since this was a couple’s stay for us at the time.

Killarney is a great base for exploring Lough Leane and Muckross Lake, but there are several other towns to stay in along the lakefront. It’s part of the famous 111-mile-long Ring of Kerry drive, which The Irish Roadtrip covers in detail.

We explored the park on bikes, with infant seats and child bikes available to hire. If you’d rather stay on foot, Killarney House and Gardens has some lovely walks that are pram accessible, with wide paths.

While in the local area we also visited Torc Waterfall (a carrier is useful here), kayaked on the lake, and went on a guided boat trip on the lakes, a lovely way to see the National Park from the water. This is one we’d absolutely keep in a family version of the itinerary. If you’re travelling with a baby or toddler, check the operator’s current age restrictions and safety requirements before booking.

Day 3: Dingle

The next day we joined the Wild Atlantic Way (it’s 1,600 miles long) and drove the hour to Dingle. The closer we got, the more the scenery shifted from green woodlands to the blue sea. There are plenty of family-friendly activities centred around kids, such as the aquarium or a boat tour to spot bottlenose dolphins out in the Atlantic. There are several options, so it’s worth checking which suits your children’s ages before booking (the famed dolphin Fungie is suspected to have passed away since we visited, after 40 years of sightings, but has a statue in the town).

Where we’d stay with kids: we stayed at The Waterfront B&B, largely because it was on the harbour and within walking distance of everything we needed for a one-night stop. Dingle itself was pleasant enough (the rain didn’t help) but felt a little more like a British seaside town than somewhere I’m drawn back to. If I were booking this stop for a family trip now, I’d prioritise the same walkability over a quieter but further-out option, given how little you want to be driving with a tired toddler at the end of the day. Their Murphy’s ice cream, found all around Ireland, is a must either way.

Day 3 & 4: Doolin and the Cliffs of Moher

Doolin was one of my favourite places on the whole trip. It’s at the end of one of the longer drives on our itinerary, at three and a half hours, but this small and sleepy village near the famous Cliffs of Moher is well worth the drive. Our accommodation was memorable in itself: Daly’s House, run by Susan Daly, was a delightful B&B known for its breakfasts, with Susan even demonstrating that Irish hospitality when our car got a flat battery. Doolin has some brilliant pubs with Irish food (think hearty stews) and music to pair, and we spent most of our evening at Gus O’Connor’s Pub.

Where we’d stay with kids: we’d choose Daly’s House again with R. B&Bs like this one tend to be flexible with breakfast times, which matters more than it sounds once you’re travelling around a toddler’s schedule. If I were booking specifically for a family trip now, I’d ask in advance about cot availability, since it’s a small property and rooms vary.

The Cliffs of Moher are a must-see, and there are some lovely coastal walks too. We visited the cliffs early to avoid the crowds, and if you’re bringing a young child, a carrier is the safer option given the drops.

Day 5: Galway

With another just-under-90-minute drive ahead of us, we drove through The Burren National Park towards Galway. It’s one of those routes where you want to stop every 10 minutes for another photo, so allow plenty of time.

On the way we stopped for coffee at Skylarks on Fanore Beach, and then popped into Hazel Mountain Chocolate, a boutique chocolate maker in the Burren hills.

👉 Find some of the most popular accommodation options in Galway.

Once in Galway we checked into the central Harbour Hotel, which made a great base for exploring the walkable city. Galway’s energy is infectious, with street performers, music and people spilling out of cafes. You can meander through the Latin Quarter with a pram easily, and the river has some lovely walks along it.

Where we’d stay with kids: we’d stay at the Harbour Hotel again. It’s central and walkable, which matters more with a toddler than a quieter location further out. For us this stop was mainly a rest before Connemara, but there are several ways to spend a few extra days in Galway with children if you have the time.

Days 6-7: into Connemara

Heading west out of Galway into Connemara, we drove to the Lough Inagh Lodge Hotel (about an hour’s drive), and this was by far the highlight of the trip for both of us. The hotel was peaceful, with great food and traditional rooms, and looked like something out of a period film. We only stayed here two nights but wished we’d had another couple to spare.

Where we’d stay with kids: we’d stay here again without hesitation. Lough Inagh Lodge is exactly the kind of place where slowing down with a toddler works in your favour rather than against it. If I were booking specifically for a family trip, I’d check family room configurations directly with the hotel given its size and traditional layout.

While here we visited Kylemore Abbey, a neo-Gothic castle by a lake with a Victorian walled garden. Even though this stop felt more grown-up, there’s enough room for kids to roam. We also went to Clifden for a walk around (there’s a 4.5km self-guided walking tour) and to sample some seafood.

Days 8-10: Dublin

After Connemara, we drove just over three hours across the country to the east coast for a couple of days in Dublin before flying home. Dublin is a strong family city: compact, English-speaking, and with plenty to do that works well with young children.

Dublin Zoo in Phoenix Park is the obvious crowd-pleaser: one of Europe’s oldest zoos, with over 400 animals and lots of open space to roam between enclosures. It’s easy to spend a full morning here. Phoenix Park itself is enormous (one of the largest urban parks in Europe), so factor in time for a wander and a picnic too.

The Guinness Storehouse is primarily an adults’ experience, but it’s interactive enough that kids find plenty to look at, and the rooftop Gravity Bar has views that everyone can enjoy. Worth booking tickets in advance to skip the queue.

EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum in the Docklands is one of Dublin’s most engaging attractions, with 20 interactive galleries telling the story of the Irish diaspora. It works surprisingly well with toddlers who just want to press buttons and explore, and it holds adults’ interest too.

World of Illusions is a newer addition to the Dublin scene and a solid option for a couple of hours of entertainment: interactive optical illusions, mirror mazes and photo opportunities that older toddlers and kids love.

St Stephen’s Green is also worth a visit. It has a shaded playground right in the middle of the park, which is handy if you’re based in the city centre and need to let off some steam between sightseeing.

Where we’d stay in Dublin with kids

We stayed at The Wilder, a chic townhouse hotel in a quiet neighbourhood, beautifully decorated but more of a treat for grown-ups than a practical family base. If I were booking this stop for a family trip now, here are three better-suited options:

• The Ashling Hotel: the one I’d shortlist first for a baby or toddler. The hotel lists Phoenix Park as a five-minute walk, which puts Dublin Zoo within easy reach, along with the park’s playgrounds and open space. It has family rooms and a 4-star, family-friendly feel.
• The Mespil Hotel: a reliable mid-range option overlooking the Grand Canal, walkable to the main sights. It has family rooms, and the hotel’s family page says children under 12 stay free on a bed and breakfast basis, with a complimentary kids’ mocktail or hot chocolate. Offers change, so check the current terms when you book.
• The Merrion: the splurge option. A Georgian 5-star right in the city centre, with suites in the Garden Wing, a pool children can use and a 24-hour babysitting service, all listed on the hotel’s own site. It’s within walking distance of the National Museum and Merrion Square park.

Would we do this route again with a toddler?

Yes, without much hesitation, though not exactly as we did it the first time. We drove this route before having R, so this isn’t a claim that the trip itself was toddler-tested. What it does have is a natural rhythm that suits family travel: big outdoor spaces to run around in, short hops between most stops, and cities with room to slow down when you need to. Give it more time than we did, or trim the far end of the route, and the itinerary holds up well.

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Enjoy it!
Allie, Jack & R x