Staycations 2022: An up close and personal guide to Ireland
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You don’t need to travel to Iceland or Canada for epic whale-watching, you know! West Cork is a prime location to view marine life and you can expect to spot everything from seals and porpoises to fin whales or even a breaching humpback. Check out Whale Watch West Cork in Baltimore or Cork Whale Watch near Union Hall for epic excursions.
Few counties can boast a baking delicacy like the Déise with its beloved blaa. The floury bread rolls have been endemic to the county since the 1600’s and are enjoying a revival with the current artisan food movement. Head to Barron’s in Cappoquin or Walsh’s in Waterford City for a fresh one!
An island escape should be on everyone’s summer bucket list and few are more dramatic than the Blaskets off the Dingle peninsula. Historically one of Ireland’s most far-flung communities, today the largely abandoned rugged archipelago still has the power to stir your soul. Get there by ferry from Dún Chaoin pier.
Tipperary Rocks. The county has been tipped as one the top places to visit in the world in 2022 with the Rock of Cashel basking in recognition as a world class attraction. The ancient site makes an epic pit-stop off the M8 — head to Hore Abbey for great views too.
Limerick, the new official gateway city to the Wild Atlantic Way, is on the cup of a tourism wave. The city’s much-awaited New Rugby Experience museum will open its doors this year, bringing a world-class attraction for sports lovers to the city. It’s set to open this autumn.
It doesn't get more bucket-list than capturing a summer sunset off the West coast and where better to experience one than from atop the Cliffs of Moher. Ireland's most visited natural attraction may hum with visitors during the day, but come those late summer evenings, a more abandoned magic touches the landscape: the perfect point to watch the sun sinking over the Aran Islands and the Atlantic.
North Mayo may be one of Europe’s most underpopulated areas but it's not low on tourist treasure. The new Céide Fields visitor centre brings a whole new insight into what are the oldest field systems in the world. Pair a visit with a trip to Downpatrick Head just down the road.
What better way to relax on a Wild Atlantic Way road-trip than sinking into the ultimate Irish spa treatment — a native seaweed bath. Nowadays. you’ll find options peppered around the coast but the Seaweed Centre in Connemara is a super spot to sate your wellness wanderlust.
Ireland’s micro-distillery movement has made a spirited impact on Ireland’s drinking culture with artisan producers maturing right across the island. Love gin? Pay a visit to PJ Rigney’s The Shed in scenic Drumshanbo for a tour and a taster of this eclectic distilling Mecca.
Surf’s up in Sligo! The Connacht county has branded itself as one of Europe’s top destinations with rip-roaring waves drawing all-level surfers. Enjoy a lesson at one of Standhill’s several surf schools and hang ten under the backdrop of Benbulben.
A visit to a farmers market or farm shop is now a mainstay activity in many a getaway itinerary and Roscommon’s Drumanilra offers some of Ireland’s best produce. Check out their locations in Strandhill & Carrick-on-Shannon while there are plans to build their flagship boutique hotel in Boyle this year.
Tory Island could honestly be Tobago on a spectacular summer day and its coves and cliffs are some of the most unspoiled in Ireland. Nature lovers can also still enjoy the rare call of the corncrake while if you anchor down here before July, there’s a good chance to spot some resident puffins too.
Home to one of Europe’s few International Dark Sky Parks, Co. Tyrone makes an epic destination for star gazers. The new OM Observatory, set in the Davagh Forest near Omagh takes visitors extra up close with astronomy, not least thanks to its epic Meade telescope. Think of it as Northern Lights, Tyrone style.
Armagh’s sheltered drumlin hills are the prime territory for fruitful orchards and its fruitful orchards are prime territory for punchy cider tastings. Head to farms like the Armagh Cider Company who offer fun, informative blossom to bottle tours.
Up north, you can expect an even better stretch in the evening come our long summer nights…and there’s few better places to enjoy them than with a sundowner on the Derry coast. For the most spectacular, head to Harry’s Shack on stunning Portstewart Strand.
Billed as Europe’s most dramatic cliff walk, The Gobbins is a historic, thrill-filled coastal trail which dramatically clings to the fringes of Islandmagee in Antrim. You’ll traverse tubular bridges, caves and tunnels above the spray of the Irish Sea. Book ahead for this in demand attraction!
The Mournes are one of Ireland’s most poetic mountain ranges and you enjoy breath-taking scenery by enjoying one of the range’s dramatic trails like the Slieve Binnian loop. For some added expertise, hire a local tour guide trekking from specialists like Walk the Mournes.
The stony grain soil of Monaghan might be imprinting on many an Irish mind but for a state-of-the art insight on the poet, visit the county’s new Patrick Kavanagh Centre in Inniskeen. If that sounds a little too “old school”, take an e-bike tour through the county!
Think of it as Ireland’s very own Lake Bled…but in Cavan! Cloughoughter Castle is a ruined circular castle set on a small island in Lough Oughter and one of the most stunning scenes of Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands. It’s only reachable by boat so either BYOB or check out the rental outfitters based around Killykeen Forest Park.
Fermanagh’s inland waterways are some of the country’s most serene scapes. You can take a number of boat tours on Lough Erne from the hub of Enniskillen but Devenish Island, home to a 12th century round tower, makes for an ethereal excursion.
What better way to explore the Garden of Ireland than aboard your own horse-drawn traditional caravan. Clissmann Caravans offer rentals out of their base near Rathdrum allowing guests to enjoy a retro Wanderly Wagon style tour in a stunning natural setting.
For an alternative activity in the city, join the locals by taking a dive off the famous 40ft pier in Sandymount. After taking the plunge, enjoy a well-deserved feast in one of the burb’s stellar eating options; Sandycove Store and Yard is a perfect 10.
How about a trip on the Longford Riviera! The small village of Lanesborough is a great springboard to explore the county’s waterways. Access For All offer scenic boat tours of Lough Ree which shares its borders with Longford, Roscommon and Westmeath. They’re also wheelchair accessible.
Renting a Shannon cruiser is one of the ultimate Irish bucket list holidays and Offaly is a great gateway to start your adventure. From the marina in Banagher you can navigate your cruiser at your own pace, either north upriver or south to dreamy Lough Derg.
The Irish summer is synonymous with roadside strawberry huts, but if you’re in Wexford this season, why not pick your own! There are several spots (like Wheelocks farm) across the Sunny Southeast which offer the fun activity.
Kilkenny has long been a pioneer in the Irish craft and design scene and a visit to the city makes a great excuse to choose the ultimate Irish souvenir. Head to the Kilkenny Design Centre, a great hub for art, fashion and homewares.
Ever heard of the Carlow Camino? The Columban way is 142km which follows the trail of 5th century monk who once traversed the country up to County Down. Add in some paddle-boarding on the River Barrow if you’d like to swap the trails for waterways.
The Wee County may have one of Ireland’s shortest coastlines but its shores are also a smorgasbord of outstanding seafood. The new Sea Louth trail is a network of attractions across the county where you can visit restaurants, producers and viewpoints for the perfectly balanced foodie experience.
Ireland’s greenways are transforming communities across the country and the new Royal Canal Greenway is about to take tourism in the Midlands up a gear. Start in buzzing Mullingar; one of the most central towns along the route to venture on east or west.
Looking for an alternative road-trip? The scenic Boyne Drive takes in some of Ireland Ancient East’s most blockbuster sites from the Hill of Tara to Newgrange. Fuel up along the route with your pick of the dozens of excellent food producers in the region too.
Perhaps one of Ireland’s most unheralded historic treasures, the Rock of Dunamase, is an epic historic site tucked a mere mile off the Cork-Dublin motorway. Sitting upon an impressive 50m outcrop, the ruins of the thousand-year-old castle are quick to wow together with those Slieve Bloom views in clear weather.
Kildare is unbridled horse country and the new Irish Racehorse Experience at the Irish National Stud & Gardens is a world first immersive experience which tracks the life of a racehorse from the stud stables to the winner enclosure. A world-class attraction for all the family.