Ring of Kerry Ireland best travel tips

Dublin Travel l Connemara Peninsula l Aran Islands, Inisbofin and Clare Island l Kinsale- West Cork- Blarney

Ring of Kerry: one of Ireland’s most spectacular peninsula’s

The Ring of Kerry is the crown jewel of Ireland’s spectacular southwest coast. Along this legendary stretch of the Wild Atlantic Way, you’ll discover rugged peninsulas plunging into brilliant blue bays, surprisingly sandy beaches, towering mountains, emerald farmland loaded with cow and sheep, colorful villages anchored by lively pubs, and one breathtaking view after another. Everything that makes Ireland magical!

Too many visitors attempt to conquer the Ring of Kerry in a single day. Don’t!

Slow down and savor Ireland’s best! Stay several nights in Kenmare, Killarney, or along the southern coast near Derrynane or Caherdaniel – which we loved for an amazing week! Ireland isn’t meant to be rushed, and the roads don’t facilitate that. If you try to squeeze Dublin, Galway, Connemara, and Kerry into one week, you’ll spend more time driving than exploring – Ireland’s clever way of convincing you to return for another visit. Book waterfront B&Bs or 4 and 5-star hotels along Ring of Kerry well in advance, especially during peak summer.

Bike the Ring?
Many travelers dream of cycling Ireland’s Ring of Kerry. As much as we love biking, we don’t recommend riding the main Ring of Kerry motor route. The roads are narrow, winding, often potholed, and shared with large tour buses and two-way traffic with virtually no shoulder. Instead, choose one of the area’s incredible day rides, the Gap of Dunloe or the Ring of Skellig – among the finest cycling adventures we’ve ever experienced. Hikers, the Kerry Way is over 200-kilometers of hiking trails from rugged to roads, you can DIY or hire a service to support you with BnB reservations and luggage portage, and cross your fingers for good Irish weather.

Must Do: Drive the Ring of Kerry
The Ring of Kerry is a 179 km (111-mile) circular driving route around the Iveragh Peninsula, typically taking 4–5 hours without extended stops. Most visitors begin in either Killarney or Kenmare. We drove the entire route over the course of our week. We had one very special day biking through Killarney National Park, visiting Killarney House and Gardens, Muckross House and Gardens and the Abbey, and Ross Castle. Our biking day was on mostly shared pedestrian, bike and horsedrawn carriage paths. Renting bikes from O’Sullivans’ in Killarney was perfect, for ebikes or trad bikes, which were ideal for this flatter portion of the Ring!

Muckross House is one of Ireland’s grandest estates, a magnificent 65-room Victorian Tudor mansion built in 1843. Nestled between two lakes inside Killarney National Park, it’s considered one of Killarney Park’s true crown jewels.

Torc Waterfall, Ladies View, Moll’s Gap are better seen driving, not biking, as these are busy narrow vehicle roads. Ladies View is an iconic vista overlooking the Lakes of Killarney, named for Queen Victoria’s ladies-in-waiting, who fell in love with the panorama during the royal visit in 1861. Torc Falls is best, most dramatic, after rainfall!

Heather’s Tip: Drive the Ring of Kerry early to these sights before the big tour groups and buses arrive. Also, take time to stop at the scenic pullovers. Afternoons, take time to wander colorful villages like Kenmare and Killarney, where you’ll find cozy pubs, a few craft shops selling wool, sheepskin, fragrances, plus plenty of Irish pubs with welcoming locals.

Bike the Gap of Dunloe
If you only choose one cycling adventure in Ireland, make it the Gap of Dunloe.

Your “Gap Trip” day begins with a spectacular 1½-hour boat journey from Ross Castle aboard Gap of Dunloe Boat Tours. Your bikes are on board as the boat glides through three lakes and navigates three rivers deep within Killarney National Park, beneath the grand peaks of Purple Mountain and MacGillycuddy’s Reeks, Ireland’s highest mountain range

Landing in your skiff boat near Lord Brandon’s Cottage, the cycling begins. Your immediate challenge is a steep climb, nearly 15% grade up 1,000 feet of elevation. It’s hard work— easy with an e-bike – but the reward is unforgettable. From the panoramic summit, you’ll coast through one of Ireland’s most beautiful valleys, surrounded by towering rock walls, grazing sheep, and crystal-clear streams. It’s a fantasy land! However, watch for wandering sheep, walking tourists on their phones, as well as horse-drawn jaunting cars, and actual cars, traveling this tight, twisting mountain pass.

Heather’s Tip: Stop for a well-deserved lunch and pint at Kate Kearney’s Cottage Beer Garden – or enjoy quieter Heather’s Café just beyond the gates to the Gap. The ride concludes with an easy eight-mile spin back to Killarney to return your bikes. One of our favorite bike rides!

Ride the Ring of Skellig
The Ring of Skellig, on the western edge of the Ring of Kerry, makes another unforgettable cycling day. Depending on your route, expect anywhere from 30–50 miles, consider e-bikes, which we rented bikes from the wonderfully friendly Eamon Casey at Casey Cycles in Cahersiveen. From town, we boarded the inexpensive ferry to Valentia Island, where immediately traffic disappeared. Quiet country lanes wound through peaceful farmland where we encountered far more sheep than cars, just beautiful Irish scenery. Heather’s Tip: Be sure to ride the northern edge of Valentia Island to avoid car traffic and gain outstanding vistas!

Kerry Cliffs along your ride is a short walk out to dramatic views, like Cliffs of Moher south, over the Atlantic toward the striking Skellig Islands.

Then comes the challenge, Coomanaspig Pass rises 1-kilometer straight up with grades of up to 15%, making it a Category 1 for experienced cyclists. The views from the summit are worth it, stretching across dramatic cliffs, mountains, and the Atlantic Ocean before you are swiftly descending spectacular switchbacks (tap those brakes) down toward St. Finian’s Bay.

Looking across the water toward Skellig Michael made us even more excited for the next day’s adventure out to sea!

Returning to Cahersiveen, we celebrated with delicious sandwiches at Camo’s Café before riding a bit more to visit Ballycarbery Castle, Black and White Strand beaches, the ancient ring forts, and countless horses and sheep.

Skellig Michael: Ireland’s Most Extraordinary Island
This is an absolute must-do but must be reserved in the winter months. Eight miles off Ireland’s southwest coast lies Skellig Michael, a UNESCO World Heritage Site unlike anywhere else on Earth, its part Hollywood movie set (think Star Wars), part puffin playground, part god-forsaken rock and yet a spiritual sanctuary of centuries.

We boarded AquaTerra Boat Tours from Valentia Island, a modern 12-passenger boat with Captain Brandon and First Mate Elizabeth, whose local knowledge and enthusiasm made the day even more memorable. Landing on Skellig was an adventure in itself. From the rocky pier, we climbed over 600 ancient stone steps carved into the mountainside, dating from the 6^th century – made with hand tools on this remote weather-beaten isle. The climb is steep, exposed, scary (no guard rails) and absolutely unforgettable.

Heather’s Tip: Pack like you’re going hiking. Wear sturdy shoes, bring water, snacks, sunscreen, and extra layers.

At Skellig summit sits an astonishing Early Christian monastery. Twelve monks once lived atop this barren rock in remarkable stone beehive huts they built by hand, along with three monumental staircases, devoting themselves to work and prayer on this isolated sanctuary, perched between sea and sky.

1820 on Skellig, lighthouses were constructed, and two families called this harsh island home. Their lives were unimaginably difficult, surviving on fish, and rare supplies delivered by boat. The tiny cemetery tells the tale with the haunting graves of two young brothers, who died on this isolated rock at age 2 & 4.

Playfulness exists on this promontory, Skellig Michel is home to over 8,000 puffin, the cutest, tiniest busiest sea birds ever. Just don’t get too close to their burrowed nest with baby chicks inside. We made that mistake unknowingly. Being so close to so many pretty puffin was a highlight for Heather. The long boat ride back and forth was also unforgettable, seeing seals, dolphin, and majestic mountains draped in lush green or purple – the gorgeous color of Kerry’s native slate.

PLAN and LUCK: As mentioned, you must reserve this trip months in advance and then you need a little luck while you pray for good weather, visibility and calm seas. Our luck of the Irish delivered all 3, a rarity! Many days are too rough to disembark on the island, and of course others bring Irish mist: code for poor visibility.

Valentia Island & Portmagee
Back on Valentia Island, we noted the Transatlantic Cable Station Museum, where the first successful transatlantic telegraph cable from here forever changed global communication.

In Portmagee, seafood lunch with a Guinness overlooking the harbor is best followed by a visit to Spirit of the Sea Distillery, where brothers John and James Murphy produce exceptional rum-cask-finished whiskeys, enjoy a flight, most notably their 9-y-o. Check out their immersive experience geodesic dome.

What’s in Waterville
Don’t miss the charming seaside town of Waterville along the Ring of Kerry, and the statue of Charlie Chaplin, who vacationed here, and still entertains folks for photo opps. Golfers, Waterville Golf Links is “lovely,” or just go here for lunch in the Clubhouse with good food and a great view.

Don’t skip Derrynane
Derrynane looks like a summer beach town, on the Ring, but it hosts a few gems of history, including the Derrynane House – a wonderful estate and gardens of the great Irish Liberator Daniel O’Connell, a champion of Catholics. His mansion and story are fascinating; walk the gardens and beach after the house tour, then hike out to Abbey Island for views of Cow & Bull islands and the Skelligs in the distance.

The Ring in a Nutshell…Kerry is so very…
Around every bend on the Ring of Kerry is another postcard view. Pull over often. Admire fields of blooming heather, hydrangea, fuscia, while overlooking the Atlantic. Watch sheep and cattle graze beneath towering mountains. Explore medieval castles and ancient stone circles. Wander quiet beaches, jump in for a refreshing swim. Linger and meet locals in colorful villages.

Evenings, find a cozy pub. Order a pint of Guinness, beer-battered fish and chips, enjoy live traditional music, and settle into good “craic.”

The Irish are among the warmest, funniest, and most welcoming people we’ve ever met—and the Ring of Kerry is one of the most wonderful places we’ve ever explored.