How to Explore the Ring of Kerry in One Day
The Ring of Kerry is truly one of the most scenic drives in Ireland, making it popular for visitors and locals alike. While it would be ideal to explore the Ring more slowly, many of us just don’t have room in our itineraries to spend more than one day. I’m here to say – it is completely possible to have an enjoyable day driving the Ring of Kerry without feeling rushed! You just need to make sure you do a bit of planning. (My favorite! And I’m here to give you all the details you need!)
Before we get to the nitty-gritty, you’ll definitely want to consider the time of year you’re driving. Summertime will mean better weather but higher crowds, while spring and fall might have more wind/rain but the crowds will be greatly diminished. For this itinerary, you’ll also want to wear something comfortable (you will be spending a lot of time in the car!) that also allows for a bit of outdoor exploring and the possibility of rain. Need more specific packing ideas? Check out my blog post – How to Pack for Ireland in the Fall.
Route Overview & Driving Tips
When building this itenerary, I pulled from blogs, YouTube videos, guidebooks, and even searches in Google Maps to help me decide where we wanted to stop. This itinerary focuses on variety – ancient ruins, coffee shops, scenic overlooks, local shopping, beautiful beaches. Even if it’s only one day, you’ll see a bit of everything Co. Kerry has to offer! I also included a few stops along the less-traveled Skelling Ring (it’s too narrow for the tour buses!).
Driving Tips for the Ring of Kerry
- Start early in the morning! This separates you a bit from the crowds while also giving you plenty of time to explore. We began our day around 7:45AM.
- Drive the ring clockwise (toward Kenmare from Killarney). All of the big tour buses drive the other direction on the Ring, so this makes sure you don’t get stuck driving behind a giant bus.
- Be ready for a fairly challenging drive. The roads can be a bit narrow at times or have limited visibility. As long as you stick to the left and look for places to pull over or pass, you’ll be okay!
- Download offline maps on Google Maps. Just in case you ever lose your wireless signal!
- Prep yourself for a road trip! We brought along snacks and had our Irish music ready on Spotify. (If you need any suggestions, check out my blog post with my favorite Irish Spotify playlists!)
One other thing to note about the itinerary below – it skips a few well-known stops in Killarney (Muckross Abbey and Torc Waterfall), as I recommend spending more time exploring Killarney National Park. Want additional Killarney recommendations? Head to my post that details a road trip from Dublin to Killarney!
Exploring the Ring of Kerry: A Stop-by-Stop Guide with Time Estimates
Stop 1: Ross Castle
Time to Spend: 25 minutes
Why Visit? A remnant of medieval times, take in Ross Castle’s pictuesque location beside Lough Lane. As you’ll probably arrive before it opens, you can wander through the gates and enjoy the view. If you fit this into your itinerary on another day, they have well-reviewd tours that share what life was like in Ireland when chieftans lived and ruled here.
Stop 2: Ladies View
Time to Spend: 10-15 minutes
Why Visit? When visiting Ireland, Queen Victoria and her ladies-in-waiting explored a bit of the Ring of Kerry themselves! It is said that the ladies were so enamoroued with the view, that it is named after them. The drive here from Killarney is twisty and through gorgeous woodlands.
Extra Tips: With all of the curving of the road, you’ll want to be careful as you enter and exit the scenic view parking area.
Stop 3: Moll’s Gap & Avoca
Time to Spend: 30 minutes (less if you’re not stopping at Avoca!)
Why Visit? Pull off here, and enjoy the views of the rugged valley and all the wandering sheep. If you arrive after opening, you can also visit Avoca, do a little shopping, or grab a coffee from its famous cafe! This is a great stop for the restroom, too.
Extra Tips: Avoca’s upstairs sit-down cafe sells its coffee and desserts with an upcharge, but you’ll also be able to slow down and enjoy the views of the Gap while you enjoy your treats.
Stop 4: Kenmare
Time to Spend: 45 minutes – 1 hour
Why Visit? The town of Kenmare is a true gem on the drive through the Ring of Kerry. Grab a coffee from Bean & Batch (the locals were suprised by our accents – I think most of the tourists frequent other stops!), and wander through town. Stop by the Visitor’s Centre, have a chat (seriously, the woman at the desk was so fun to chat with!), and learn a bit about Kenmare’s history in the free exhibit. There are also some great shopping spots in Kenmare. Nest, Kenmare Bookshop, Cleo Gallery, and Weavers of Ireland are all worth popping into. (Want more details? Head over to my list of 20 Unique Shops in Ireland You’ll Love.)
Extra Tips: A free parking lot is across the street from a large Catholic church. This lot had plenty of parking when we were there in September, but may fill quickly during summer. There are free restrooms right next to the parking lot. (More like an outdoor / park restroom, but they’re serviceable!)
Stop 5: Staigue Stone Fort
Time to Spend: 30 minutes
Why Visit? Staigue Stone Fort is incredible to see – evidence of thousands of years of history in every moss-covered stone. It is believed to have been built during the late Iron Age (around 300-400 AD). Climb the steps inside the ring, and the view from the top is absolutely incredible – even on a misty morning!
Extra Tips: The winding road that leads to the fort was the narrowest and most difficult to navigate of any road we took during our time driving in Ireland. It was hard to see any vehicle approaching until they were right in front of you, with limited spaces to pull over. When you finally reach the parking area, there is a free public restroom and, depending on the season, a coffee roaster! (They were closed by the time we visited in mid-September.) As you walk up to the gate, there is a small box with a suggested donation of €1.
Why Stop at Staigue? There are two more ring forts near Cahersiveen – Leacanabuaile and Cahergal. I can’t tell you how many different ways I googled something along the lines of – “which ring fort on the Ring of Kerry should you visit?” I ultimately chose Staigue for two reasons – the views from the top and the timing of our trip while driving the ring clockwise.
Stop 6: Lunch
Time to Spend: 45 minutes
Blind Piper Pub in Caherdaniel was our choice for our Ring of Kerry lunch! Blind Piper is as traditional as they come, with great food and a cozy atmosphere. It was cold and misty as we drove, so we ended up with a cup of soup and a cup of seafood chowder with brown bread! Warm and satisfying.
Stop 7: Derrynane House & Beach
Time to Spend: 45 minutes – 1 hour
Why Visit? The historic home of Daniel O’Connell, Derrynane is unique in that YOU get to decide what you’d like to see. While we personally skipped the house tour, those interested in Irish history may decide it’s a must-see! You can also decide to take a shorter hike to find fairy houses in the woods (great for the littles!) or stroll along the beach (or both!). If it’s not high tide, you can make your way across the beach to Derrynane Abbey, and enjoy the views from this ancient church and burial site.
Extra Tips: I recommend moving your car from main parking lot (next to the house) to the parking lot by the beach in order to more easily explore Derrynane Abbey. The lot by the beach was much smaller and may fill up during the summer! Even if you’re not touring the house, it’s worth a visit to grab a map of the grounds (or a fairy house map for the littles!) from the cafe.
Stop 8: Coomakista Scenic View
Time to Spend: 10 minutes
Why Visit? Probably my favorite scenic viewpoint along the Ring of Kerry! You can see much of the Kerry coastline, Deenish Island, and Scariff Island. There is plenty of parking at this Wild Atlantic Way “Discovery Point.”
Stop 9: Ballinskelligs Beach & Castle
Time to Spend: 25 minutes
Why Visit? Another beach, another ancient ruin with stunning views along the Skellig Ring. (Full disclosure: it had fully started raining and misting in the cold on our visit, so we only walked on the beach for a bit and didn’t make it all the way toward the castle ruins.)
Extra Tips: It was actually easiest to navigate to the “Beach Bottle Bank” in Google Maps to find the parking lot.
Stop 10: An Bothan – Coffee with a View
Time to Spend: 20 minutes
Why Visit? I found An Bothan by accident while searching for an afternoon treat stop. You guys, the coffee and cinnamon roll were both incredible, and the view of the rugged beach is beyond amazing! The barista during our visit was so friendly as she made our coffees. 12/10 would recommend. They also have a restaurant up the hill if you’re staying along the Ring instead of heading back toward Killarney!
Extra Tips: Parking is right across the street by the beach (on the left as you approach). Just please don’t skip this stop! Even enjoying our coffee and treats in the car, it was worth it! (Sidenote: I found this to replace a visit to Skellig Chocolates, as they have had a lot of lower reviews recently from people that had been frequenting it for years. We stopped at a chocolate shop in Co. Clare instead!)
Stop 11: Coomanaspig Scenic View
Time to Spend: 10 minutes
Why Visit? Another famous viewpoint that we didn’t fully enjoy due to the lashing rain. But definitely pull over for a stop as you’re driving by!
Stop 12: Kerry Cliffs
Time to Spend: 1 hour
Why Visit? Less frequented with views rivaling the Cliffs of Moher, the Kerry Cliffs are a great stop for beautiful views and a bit of a hike (about 15-20 minutes to the top). There are also alpacas, donkeys, and horses in the fields nearby as you hike toward the top of the cliff (which the littles would love!). A variety of cliff-dwelling birds can also be seen – so maybe bring some binoculars!
Extra Tips: As you arrive, there is a large parking lot with restrooms. You’ll get your tickets (which cost around €5) from the booth before choosing which side of the path you should walk. Most things I saw online mentioned choosing the left side (as it is a bit steeper so the views are farther), but I can’t confirm, as the wind was so strong I literally almost fell in the parking lot and we had to forgo the hike. The Kerry Cliffs do close for poor weather, so I recommend checking their website for more information!
Stop 13: Portmagee & Valentia Island Car Ferry (Optional)
Time to Spend: 40 minutes – 1 hour
Why Visit? The colorful seaside town of Portmagee would be a beautiful stop during sunny weather. Then head across the bridge to Valentia Island. Depending on your schedule, you could spend a bit of time on Valentia – visiting Geokaun Mountain, hiking Bray Head, grabbing some ice cream at the Valentia Ice Cream Parlour, or journeying to the Valentia Lighthouse. Even if time is short, head to Knight’s Town and take the Valentia Island Car Ferry across the water to continue your drive on the Ring of Kerry. The ferry runs every five minutes, from April to October.
Extra Tips: These stops are optional, depending on your itinerary, weather, and the time of year! For us, a stop here would have put us back toward Killarney closer to sunset, and we didn’t want to drive the Ring of Kerry once it got dark. I did play with adding it into the itinerary, but it just didn’t work!
Stop 14: Rossbeigh Overlook & Beach
Time to Spend: 15-30 minutes
Why Visit? Pulling into this overlook gives you views of the beach and beyond! The overlook is off of a gravel road near a cliff, and it isn’t an official parking area, so pulling in and out was a bit difficult. If you’d like, head down to the main parking area (which is free and includes restrooms!) and take a walk on the beach.
Stop 15: Dinner Options / Back to Killarney
At this point, it’s up to you to decide where you’re headed for the evening! I’ll list my three dinner recommendations based on location (and these were my top three contenders as I was planning this one day Ring of Kerry drive!).
O’Neills The Point Seafood Bar (Reenard): If you spent a bit of time on Valentia and took the ferry across, you’ll land near this gem of a seafood restaurant! The views are fantastic and the locally sourced seafood has great reviews. I would only recommend this stop during the summer when you have longer daylight hours if you need to get back to Killarney (and if that’s the case, aim to be here right around the time it opens for dinner – it is very popular!).
Quinlan’s Fish (Killorglin): If you’re wanting a simpler stop for dinner, head to Quinlan’s in Killorglin. They specialize in local seafood and are known for having some of the very best fish and chips around!
The Mad Monk (Killarney): Run by the Quinlan’s group, this restaurant features local seafood in a more upscale environment. Because of the rain, we were a bit ahead of schedule, and I was able to make a last minute reservation here (which I recommend). The food was incredible – we shared the sizzling deep water Atlantic prawns (excellent and not too spicy!) and the Fish and Chips (with the most amazing mushy peas!). Afterwards, take a stroll down the street to grab an ice cream from the famous Murphy’s. The ice cream originates in Dingle, and I recommend at least trying the Dingle sea salt flavor!
Sidenote: If you’re not staying in Killarney and need a place to park, there were plenty of open spots in the lot on the corner of the N71 and R876 (just called “Parking” in Google Maps). There was a small fee to park here.
Rainy Day Alternatives on the Ring of Kerry
As you probably know by now, the weather in Co. Kerry can shift dramatically over the course of a day, and you’ll want to have a few back-up stops planned. The natural beauty of the Ring of Kerry can’t really compete with these indoor stops, so if you have more time, I’d honestly just try to shift your plans to a different day (if it’s full out storming – if it’s misting, just go for it!). If you only have the one day, here are my top picks for indoor exploration (in order by location on the Ring):
- Derrynane House
- Skellig Chocolates
- Skellig Visitor Center
- Skellig Six18 Distillery*
- Old Barracks in Caherciveen
- Killarney Brewery*
Final Tips
With only a few days in Co. Kerry, it is truly possible to have a one-day Ring of Kerry itinerary that allows you to see the beauty of the area without feeling rushed! I would 100% do this drive again. If possible, I would even split the drive into two days and add a few more unique stops (like learning all about Irish seaweed!). With a little planning, the Ring of Kerry can go from tourist-rushed overload to scenic drives and truely Irish experiences.
