Ring of Kerry
You can easily spend a week exploring the Inveragh Peninsula, called the Ring of Kerry. The scenery is spectacular, but don't spend your days in the car with the kids - while away an afternoon on a long sandy beach, take a boat ride to the craggy Skelligs Rocks, or hike through hillsides, past stone farmhouses, sheep and goats grazing, then spread out your picnic lunch.
Wilma's Killorglin Farmhouse Cheese (Ardmoniel, outside of Killorglin) - Kids can watch cheese made in a traditional process and milking cows (twice a day, morning and early evening). And you can taste and buy the cheese too. Open daily. (Ardmoniel is about 1 mile outside Killorglin, on the Caragh-Lake Road.)
Kerry Bog Village Museum (Glenbeigh) - Step into life in an 18th century village, with thatched roof stone cottages and harvesting the crops by hand. The "bog ponies" grazing in the fields are adorable.
Kells Beach - Feel like kicking back and relaxing on a "do-nothing" beach day? Kells beach is great for families, with swimming and sand beach, rocks to explore.
The Skellig Experience Centre (Valentia) - At this heritage museum, check out the excellent exhibits and re-creations of 600 years of monastic life, and later the lighthouse, on Skellig Michael, plus the amazing birds and underwater marine life of the Skellig islands. Stop into the museum before you go on a boat trip, or if the weather isn't great, this is the next best thing to actually going to the islands.
Boat trip to Skellig Rocks (Portmagee) - If the weather cooperates, a boat trip to the Skellig Rocks, Skellig Michael and Small Skellig, is a "must-see" experience. Despite the inhospitable appearance of these rocky islands, Skellig Michael was once a monastic center, and Small Skellig is a major bird colony, home to puffins, gannets and other sea birds. The boat ride takes about an hour, with several hours on Skellig Michael - exploring the monastic ruins of St. Michael's is incredible. Trips are April to Sept., and only if the weather and ocean conditions are good.
Derrynane National Park - Derrynane is a great destination, with a gorgeous sandy beach, shallow water that's warm enough for swimming in summer. Bring your inner tubes to play in the water, inspect the tide pools or fly kites on the beach. Derrynane is one of our favorite spots in the Ring of Kerry.
Take time to explore the sand dunes (lovely flowers in summer) and nature trail through the woods (pick up the trail booklet at Derrynane House, near the car park). At Derrynane Harbor, rent canoes or sailboats for a turn out on the water. Staigue Fort (Castlecove) - Who can resist a huge stone ring fort, "Fort of the Bleak Place," built 2500 years ago (approximately 500 BC). It's not known who built the fort, nor even what it was used for, but it's really impressive today. The corbelled roof is gone, but the circular stone walls still stand, almost 20 feet high, inlaid with stone stairways that lead to the wall ramparts.
Boat cruise in Kenmare Bay (Kenmare) - Take a comfy 10 mile cruise in Kenmare Bay to see the seals, hundreds of adorable grey and common seals, including pups. The boat is covered, so it's fun in all weather. Pick up the Seafari boat trip at the Kenmare pier.
