Drive the Southern Loop of Ireland in 7 Days

We went in January and it was 50 degrees Fahrenheit and sunny, which we were told is standard weather for an Ireland winter. We packed umbrellas but otherwise, were comfortable walking around without hats and scarves. Try to land in Dublin earlier in the day and pick up a rental car while still at the airport.

Note: Renting a car in Ireland is cheap, but they require car insurance, which can cost up to $100 per day. This isn't advertised until you arrive in Ireland.

Additionally, you should be prepared to drive on the opposite side of the car than in the United States. With the car, you'll start your 3-hour drive south to Cork, the second largest city in Ireland. On the way to Cork, you'll drive by the Rock of Cashel, a famous medieval tower, chapel and castle.

Once in Cork, we checked in at the Moxy Cork, a riverfront property that just opened in October 2024. The staff was incredibly friendly and the lobby consisted of a co-working space and a restaurant, both of which were always full with visitors. Across the street from the hotel is a parking garage where they can validate your parking up to 18 Euro per night.

On day one, we were exhausted from overnight travel and didn't feel prepared to explore the entire city. We visited our first Irish pub around the corner, Sin É, which translates in Irish to "that's it," in reference to the funeral parlor located next door. After listening to traditional Irish music and drinking a Guinness, we proceeded two blocks away to Gallaghers, a gastropub serving traditional Irish pub fare.

On day two, we woke up and got coffee from Cork Coffee Roasters. We walked to Saint Anne's Church, an 18th century church where we climbed the clock tower to an overlook of Cork City. On your way up the tower, you also have the chance to ring the Shandon church bells from 1750.

Note: You will be given a pair of safety ear muffs so the bells ringing doesn't impair your hearing. Additionally, the stairwell up is narrow and involves a small amount of climbing.

From Saint Anne's Church, we picked up our rental car and drove 20 minutes to Blarney Castle & Gardens to kiss the Blarney Stone. Next to the Blarney Castle is the poison garden and caves. The grounds are beautifully landscaped and worth walking to explore.

After driving north to Blarney, we drove south to Kinsale for a late lunch. Kinsale is a historic port and fishing town known for it's galleries and seafood-forward restaurants. Lunch was had at Fishy Fishy.

Once back in Cork, I walked the city center on St. Patrick Street and surrounding exploring shops. For dinner, we ate at Elbow Lane Brew & Smokehouse, and explored the pubs after dinner.

On day three, we woke up and walked to the English Market, a trading space since 1788. We picked up fresh coffee, pastries for the road and a toastie from the Sandwich Stall. We hit the road early to drive The Ring of Kerry.

Ireland knows the stunning nature it provides on The Ring of Kerry. They have designated dozens of pull-off points for photo opportunities (and deep breaths if you get car sick). The roads are winding and do not have shoulders. The views make up for it, though. On this drive, you'll drive through Killarney National Park. If you have the time and energy, bring hiking shoes for paths you'll pass, including to Torc Waterfall. A few other places to pull off for photos include Owengarriff River, The Ladies Viewpoint, Lough Barfinnihy Viewpoint and Farraniaragh Viewpoint. Just know, you'll want to pull it off at every turn, and the views do not disappoint.

We arrived at dusk at Quinlan & Cooke Boutique Hotel and parked in their free parking lot. We wanted to eat dinner at The Oratory Pizza and Wine Bar, but it was sadly closed. We continued to The Ring of Kerry Hotel and had a delicious dinner featuring Ireland's fresh root vegetables. After dinner, we finished with a pint at Mike Murt's.

In the morning, fresh breakfast was delivered to our room. After a walk down along the water and grabbing a coffee at Petit Delice, we hit the road to head on our 2.5 hour drive to The Cliffs of Moher.

The night before, I grabbed tickets for the Cliffs of Moher. You have to choose from a three to four hour time slot that you plan to arrive and you'll save a few euros per person doing it this way. The parking lot is well-paved and the best part about this was the entire cliff experience was handicap-accessible. They provide golf cart shuttles to the various viewpoints and the entire walk is well-paved.

There are several angles to view the Cliffs of Moher, and I walked back and forth twice to compare. We were incredibly lucky for a sunny, clear day, to be able to see the Aran Islands across the water. I would allow approximately 1.5 hours to explore the Cliffs of Moher before continuing on to Galway.

Galway is approximately another 1.5 hour drive from the Cliffs of Moher. In Galway, we stayed at the Heron's Rest Townhouse Bed & Breakfast on the iconic Longway to the Docks. The townhouse includes free parking and is the perfect destination for walking and sightseeing.

We walked under The Spanish Arch to dinner at The Dough Bros. After sharing two pizzas, we went to Murphy's Ice Cream, which is handmade in Dingle. After a scoop, we listened to trad music at Tig Cóilí across the street for a pint of Guinness.

I was warned the night before that Galway is a city that enjoys a laid-back morning. I started my day at Magpie Bakery, known for their cruffins and morning buns. It did not disappoint. The bakery is next to Charlie Byrne's bookshop, which I explored with my coffee.

After, I walked up Shop Street to Eyre Square. I walked back through the Latin Quarter and stopped in Thomas Dillon, the original maker of the Claddagh Ring, and viewed their free, small museum.

For lunch, I ate at Ard Bia at Nimmos, overlooking Claddagh Bay. Once finished, I walked to explore the Claddagh area and then along to the Salthill Prom. If warmer, I would have loved to have jumped off the Blackrock Diving Board. I decided to walk back through the neighborhoods until I got to Nuns Island and Galway Cathedral.

For dinner, we cozied up at Brasserie on the Corner and finished the evening at two pubs: The Kings Head and The Crane Bar.

A late-morning coffee was retrieved from Plámás before heading to Dublin. In Dublin, we arrived at The Mont and checked in to our room. Parking was nearby and again, the hotel was able to offer a reduced nightly rate. The hotel is across from Merrion Square Park and Trinity College. It's a great walking location in the city. We walked to the Temple Bar neighborhood, where we popped in and out of pubs and had dinner.

We ended the night across the river at PantiBar, a gay bar with a fantastic DJ.

Before bed the night before, we bought tickets to The Guinness Storehouse for 2:45pm. With that in mind, I began my day at Bread 41, where I had the most epic almond croissant and coffee from Cloud Picker Cafe.

I walked around the city and explored Grafton Street and the surrounding neighborhood, filled with shops and restaurants. The last stop I explored was George's Street Arcade and had a toastie from Loose Canon Cheese and Wine.

The Guinness Storehouse Tour is impressive and a well-crafted experience. It is finished off with a 360-degree view bar at the top of the factory and a free pint.

After, we headed back towards Grafton to Powerscourt Townhouse Centre. There are fantastic antique stores, especially for jewelry, and perfumes that were purchased from Cloon Keen. After more exploring, we went to SOLE Seafood and Grill. This option was great for pricing purposes. They offered almost everything from the menu on a prix-fixe dinner menu, and the entire table did not need to order from it in order to receive it.