How to navigate this must-do drive in Ireland with a family
Confession: I had been to Ireland many, many times before I really knew what Ireland’s Ring of Kerry was. I mean, I knew it was one of the country’s top tourist attractions, but I didn’t understand what all the fuss was about. However, now that my family and I have experienced it for ourselves, I get it.
The Ring of Kerry (ROK) is a 111-mile-long circular route around the Iveragh Peninsula, the middle and largest of the three fingers of land that reach out into the Atlantic from the southwestern part of the island. Traversing the rugged coastline of County Kerry, the circuit is home to some of Ireland’s most stunning landscapes, dramatic panoramas, and welcoming towns and villages.
The ROK is one of the most scenic drives in the world – right up there with the Pacific Coast Highway, the Amalfi Coast Drive, and the Road to Hana. And much like driving along the Amalfi Coast or on the Road to Hana, driving the narrow, winding roads of this long, Irish loop can be a thrilling, albeit nerve-racking, experience – maybe more so since you also have to drive on the left!
But if you’re brave enough to get behind the wheel in Ireland, you must, must, must take a day or two to do the ROK. Within minutes, you’ll see why this unspoiled region of Ireland has attracted so many visitors.
What to do?
The Ring of Kerry is undoubtedly Ireland’s greatest tour. It’s one of those places where the only “to-do” on your list should be driving the entire loop and stopping at the many sites and viewpoints along the way. Sorry kids, we’re not going all the way to “The Kingdom” (as they call Kerry) to go ziplining or play paintball; we’re here to experience it in all its natural glory. And even then, you’ll have to pick and choose what you want to see, because there’s just too much to pack into one or two days.
There are many ways to tackle the circuit. Most travel guides will recommend that you start in Killarney and drive clockwise toward Kenmare, so as to avoid getting stuck behind all the tour buses that start in Killarney and drive counter-clockwise toward Killorglin. It’s not a bad way to do it, unless you’re not so comfortable driving on the left. If you go the opposite direction of the tour groups that means at some point, one of those big buses will be driving at you head-on, and you’ll end up having to pass by them on a very narrow road with a very steep cliff that drops off into the cold Atlantic to your left. It can be a more than just a little unnerving.
So, if you are even the slightest bit afraid of heights and/or driving on the left, drive it counter-clockwise and just be patient. Leave very early, getting out in front of the buses; most buses leave Killarney around 10 or 11 a.m. And take detours that the bus tours can’t because of their size.
Continue to read KidTripster’s recommended two-day itinerary.
