Kerry. Ireland's Magical Kingdom
Kerry: Ireland’s Most Beautiful County
Kerry is the kind of place that makes you pull over every ten minutes just to say “wow”. It’s remote, rugged, and relentlessly beautiful. That’s why it’s called The Kingdom.
But.....I've been going to Kerry for 40+ years and I disagree with many of the rushed itineraries that I see visitors do. I'm going to share my tips for a better way to visit Kerry. Some are controversial.
I break Kerry down into 5 areas
- Ring of Kerry – the famous 180 km coastal loop
- Dingle Peninsula – Sea views and narrow mountain pass
- Ring of Beara – the wilder & quieter ring
- Killarney National Park – lakes, waterfalls, and mountains
- North Kerry – golf links and villages tourists miss
When to visit Kerry
In the Summer those scenic drives are on narrow roads more suited for sheep than cars and with all the crowds, it's just not as enjoyable.
Go to Kerry between September & May. In the Summer go to Donegal or Mayo.
How Long To Spend In Kerry?
A week, yes, an entire week. You can rush around each area in a day, but you won't have time to take a boat to the Blasket Islands, walk along the lakes or stop for a chat with a local. There is so much to see in Kerry. Give it the time it deserves.
A Better Way to See Ireland
Most visitors make the same mistake: they try to see too much in too little time. I have a much different approach, I call it The Better Way To See Ireland
👉 Here’s how it works — and why it’s better.
What To See in Kerry
Honestly, what not to see in Kerry might be the shorter list.
1.The Ring Of Kerry
The most famous of them all. The Ring of Kerry is a 180km drive around the Iveragh Peninsula.
On the Ring, you'll find small country towns like Kenmare, Sneem, Cahersiveen & Glenbeigh. You'll get a much better local Irish experience if you stay overnight in one of these than in the very touristy Killarney.
It's hard to keep your eye on the road as each bend shows you another fabulous sea vista. The Kerry Cliffs are vertigo inducing but the violent waves beneath them are strangely calming.
From here, you’ll spot the Skellig Islands. Home to monks in the 6th century and Luke Skywalker in the 21st.
Do a tour of the Skellig Chocolate Factory, no golden ticket needed.
Rossbeigh and Waterville beaches would be world famous if Ireland ever got any sun. You'll pass historic sites like the 2000 year old Staigue Stone Fort, you'll think you're in GOT.
While the sea is the main feature here, just don't forget to look behind you to see Ireland's highest mountain in the delightfully named Macgillycuddy's Reeks mountains range.
What To Do On the Ring of Kerry
- Take A Bus Tour. You'll see much more when someone else is driving the winding roads and their stories are hilarious
- Take a boat tour to the Skellig Islands. THE must-do on the Ring of Kerry
- Do a distillery tour near the Kerry Cliffs
Where To Stay On The Ring Of Kerry
Kenmare is a great base between the Ring of Beara and the Ring of Kerry.
- 5* Sheen Falls Lodge in Kenmare An elegant estate
- 4* Landsdowne in Kenmare Understated & refined
Sneem is a lovely village of pubs & cafes & walks.
- 4* Parknasilla Resort in Sneem With a private beach
Cahersiveen is a real Irish market town on the Ring, but without the crowds
- 4* Quinlan & Cook Townhome Cahersiveen. Very local & rave reviews
2.The Dingle Peninsula
This is the most beautiful drive I think.
The Dingle Peninsula is home to Dingle, one of the most famous tourist towns in Ireland. The peninsula has two scenic drives.
- The high Connor Pass Drive
- The coastal Slea Head Drive
On the south side of the Dingle Peninsula are some lovely villages and the glorious Inch Beach. This is the kind of beach AI would generate if you asked for “wild Irish paradise.” Long, curving, perfect for surfers, ringed by mountains. I might retire here.
On the north side of the peninsula are the wonderful Maharees, a spit of land that juts out into the bay to form Brandon Bay.
To get to Dingle, you drive over the daunting Connor Pass to Dingle.
Slea Head Drive
The Slea Head Drive is more soothing. It's starts in Dingle, is just 50km and packs more sights per km than any other loop in Ireland. It passes Ventry Beach, where you might spot basking sharks, the ancient Beehive huts, and Dunquin with its zig zag path down to the pier where you take a boat out to the Blasket Islands.
What To Do On The Dingle Peninsula
- See Dingle's scenery from the sea on a fast boat. The most popular experience in Dingle!
- Dingle Dolphin Boat. Hugely popular too.
- Driving Tour of Dingle. Let someone else drive while you focus on the views
Where to Stay in the Dingle Peninsula
I stay in Annascaul instead. A village with six pubs, filled with locals, not tourists.
- Brackloon Lodge has beautiful hill views
- The breakfast at the Old Anchor B&B is superb & Brian is a very friendly host.
3.Killarney National Park
Lakes, waterfalls, mountains, mansions, gardens, the 26,000 acre Killarney NP has it all.
The lakes are the real soul of the park. Lough Leane, Muckross Lake, and Upper Lake shape everything around them. Take a boat tour, or just sit by the shore with a sandwich and let time slow down. Early morning or late evening, the light on the water is unreal.
Muckross House and Gardens attracts coachloads, but wander just 400 meters away and you'll have acres to yourself. The nearby Torc Waterfall is signposted everywhere, but if you continue up those 100+ steps past where the Instagram crowd turns back, you'll find even better views that don't make it to social media.
At the Gap of Dunloe, take a jaunting car—a horse drawn cart—for an 11km trip between mountains.
The Killarney Way walking trails let you really appreciate the beauty. So many just rush through here in one day. That's the wrong way!
You'll see highest mountain in Ireland Carrauntoohil stands at 1,039 meters. I have it on my bucket list.
What To Do in Killarney National Park
- A guided horse ride through the park
- Take the famous Gap of Dunloe pony, trap & boat tour
- Lakes of Killarney boat cruise
Where to Stay For Killarney National Park
Killarney the good news is that they know how to do hotels there. Both of these places have 9.7 rating on Booking.com.
- 5* Killarney Park if you want ultra high end comfort.
- 4* Loch Lein Country House for lakeside charm
4.The Ring Of Beara
So a part of Ring of Beara is in Kerry, but most of it is in Cork, so I wrote about it in my Cork section. Here is my Ring Of Beara Guide from my Cork page. Be sure to read it though because the Beara Peninsula is not only stunning, but it's surprising. I'm talking cow carrying cable cars, unholy views from a Buddhist hilltop temple and small islands that you have to spend a night on.
What To Do In the Ring Of Beara?
- Hire a private driver who knows the way and the secret spots.
5.North Kerry
North Kerry is like the sibling of a supermodel. Often ignored, but quietly more interesting.
North Kerry presents a genuine Irish experience filled with dramatic Atlantic coastlines, rich farmland, and charming market towns like Listowel and Ballybunion.
Banna Strand is another of these huge sweeping beaches that the west coast of Ireland is filled with. Do a surf lesson here.
Golfers rush to this part of Kerry for its course. Golf legend Tom Watson said "Ballybunion is the best course I've ever played." While Arnold Palmer said about Tralee Golf Course, "I designed the front nine, but God designed the back nine,"
Ardfert Cathedral has three medieval church ruins, the earliest from the 12th century.
What North Kerry might lack in mountains and tour buses, it makes up for with authentic Irish hospitality, golf, and landscapes where you can often find yourself wonderfully alone along the wild Atlantic coastline.
Where to Stay in North Kerry
Ballybunion
- Teach De Broc - A favorite with the golfers
- The Marine - Sea front hotel with an in house bakery 😋
- McMunns - 9.4 Rating on Booking.com. Enough said!
Tralee
- Barrow Lodge - One of the highest rated lodges in all of Ireland
Kerry Football
You'll see the green and gold Gaelic football jerseys of the Kerry team everywhere in this county. The Kerry team has won the All-Ireland Football championship a record 38 times. Names like Spillane, Ó Sé, Clifford are just as revered as Messi or Brady.
If there is a game on, go to it! You can't much more of an Irish cultural experience than watching Gaelic football being played in Kerry.
The Kerry Accent
If you hear two Kerry locals chatting, don’t interrupt, just enjoy the musical chaos.
If you don’t understand a word, they’re either speaking Irish. Many parts of Kerry are Gaeltacht regions, where it is still the day to day language.
Our Irish Ten Things To Do Checklist
Let's see if Kerry covers everything that people come to Ireland to see
The Real Irish Travel Checklist:
- ✅ See dramatic cliffs - The Kerry Cliffs
- ✅ Walk along wild beaches - Rossbeigh
- ✅ Explore castles & old ruins - Ross Castle
- ✅ Visit genuine local Irish villages - Cahersiveen
- ✅ Tour a distillery or brewery - Killarney Distillery
- ✅ Listen to traditional Irish music - Everywhere!
- ✅ Have the perfect pint in a local pub - The Roughty Kenmare
- ✅ Take a boat to a tiny Irish island - Blasket Islands
- ✅ Meet Irish people - Annascaul's Pubs
- ✅ Eat proper Irish food - Everywhere!
10/10. Why drive the rest of the country when you have it all here?
Final Words on Kerry
It is Ireland, everything you think Ireland is, all wrapped into one magical corner of the island.
Come visit, but plan smartly to avoid the crowds. Travel slow. Savour this special place. Follow me and I'll tell you how.
