Things to do in 

Ireland

Follow locals to alternative things to do across Ireland, from lively pub corners and seaweed shores to quiet craft towns where stories and songs carry you along.

Cultural experiences: In Dublin, try a bookbinding workshop at the National Print Museum and slip into a small trad session in Stoneybatter after dark. In Kilkenny, practice hurling basics before browsing studio craft in Castle Yard; families get a kick out of the stick work. Along the Sligo coast near Strandhill, forage seaweed with a local and learn simple seaside recipes. In Dingle, bake brown bread with a home cook, and in Connemara near Clifden, visit a basket maker for a quiet chat that seniors appreciate; luxury travelers can add a private tasting at the Midleton distillery near Cork.

Day trip ideas: From Dublin, ride the DART to Howth for the cliff path and harbor cafés, or head north to Skerries Mills for windmill tours and warm loaves. From Galway, ferry to Inis Meáin from Rossaveal for stone-walled lanes and a slow lunch. From Cork, pair the harbor town of Cobh with a ferry to Spike Island’s former prison. From Killarney, sweep over the Healy Pass onto the Beara Peninsula for quiet bays and colorful villages couples linger in.

Explore Ireland’s regions: The Wild Atlantic Way links Donegal, Sligo, Clare, and Kerry with small harbors and headlands reachable from Galway or Killarney. Ireland’s Ancient East around Kilkenny, Waterford, and Wexford mixes abbey ruins, lighthouses, and farm cafés. Dublin and its coastal villages stretch from Dalkey to Howth for sea views alongside city culture. In the Hidden Heartlands along the Shannon from Athlone to Carrick-on-Shannon, canal paths and forest parks set an easy rhythm.

Travel tip: Give Ireland 8–12 days for a west-and-south loop, or 12–14 if you’re circling back through the East; pair neatly with Scotland or England for a two-country trip.

More places to see in Ireland

Beyond Dublin, small harbors, stone lanes, and big skies make room for easy days. Leave time for slow drives, warm pubs, and walks that end right where the sea begins.

Galway & Connemara: Grab a coffee at Coffeewerk + Press and wander to the Spanish Arch, then follow locals to the Salthill Prom and kick the wall before turning back. Later, take the Sky Road from Clifden for wide Atlantic views and sheep drifting across the verge.

Dingle Peninsula: Cruise the Slea Head Drive around midday and stop at Dunquin Pier and Coumeenoole Beach to watch the surf roll in. When evening settles, squeeze into O’Sullivan’s Courthouse Pub for tunes that spill into the street.

Belfast & the Causeway Coast: Start at Titanic Belfast in the morning and trace the shipyard stories through the galleries, then eat your way around St George’s Market at lunchtime. Aim for the Giant’s Causeway late afternoon, when the light slides across the basalt columns.

Kilkenny: Walk the park and halls of Kilkenny Castle mid-morning, then browse the craft studios in the Castle Yard and Kilkenny Design Centre after lunch. As night gathers, find a snug at Kyteler’s Inn for a pint and a bit of local lore.

Seasonal activities

Spring: Expect fresh, blustery days as hedgerows burst with gorse and bluebells and lambs dot fields from Kerry to Connemara. Follow quiet coastal paths or wander estate gardens as towns warm up for St. Patrick's festivities in March, a lively time for families and culture lovers to dip into trad music without summer crowds.

Summer: Set out under long daylight for cliff walks, island viewpoints, and sea swims at storied spots like the Forty Foot, with festivals and street sessions running late into the evening. Couples linger over harbour seafood, multi-generational groups spread out on Atlantic beaches, and photographers chase golden light across the Burren and the Skellig coast.

Fall: Watch hills and hedges shift to copper as harvest time fills markets and village pubs pour new-season cider. Walk Killarney's trails, explore monastic sites in soft light, and taste native oysters on the west coast, a relaxed pace that suits seniors and slow travellers.

Winter: Settle into quiet towns and cozy pubs as early twilights light up medieval streets and Christmas markets in places like Galway and Waterford. Tour coastal viewpoints for dramatic seas, then warm up by a fire with hearty fare, a season that suits couples seeking calm and luxury-minded travellers planning unhurried days.

Time a visit to catch St. Patrick's Festival in March, Bloomsday in Dublin each June, and the Galway International Arts Festival in July, when streets fill with performance and public art. Late summer brings the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann and Kerry's Puck Fair, while September celebrates the Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival and the Galway International Oyster and Seafood Festival. In winter, Waterford's Winterval and Dublin's New Year's Festival add lights, markets, and outdoor shows to round out the year.