Killarney/surrounds holiday activity suggestions for 12 & 10 yr olds?

[IvyLynn]

Hi All,

Taking my English reared kids (they are convinced they are Irish) home to Killarney for a couple of weeks in the summer. Well home was actually Dublin and I don't know Killarney that well.

We'll be staying at the edge of Killarney town for 2 weeks in July.

We plan to do inch beach, Kenmare, Gap of Dunloe (trying to figure out if we can tie in Jaunty cars/boat trip), the funfair. Maybe the races and a bit of the Ring. Depending on weather, energy levels - we may even head to Dingle but I might be getting overly enthusiastic there unless we can find a B&B for a night.

They love everything to do with the water. Was wondering if there was somewhere I could book them into a surf course/beach based summer camp or something for a couple of days. Don't mind a 45 mins ish drive?

Any other ideas for activities within around an hours drive would much appreciated. Any particular area for a cycle if we hire bikes?

Also any suggestions for restaurants either in Killarney town or 'around' that your children enjoy would be brilliant.

If you're going to Inch beach (arguably Ireland's most beautiful beach) then do DIngle the same day as it's only 20/25 minutes from Inch.
You could do one of the boat trips in Dingle to see Fungi (the Dingle dolphin) although personally I suspect that at this stage it's probably Fungi's grandson we're looking at by now ;)

Dingle is a lovely town just to wander around even, and as it's in the Gaeltacht area, you'll probably hear the odd 'cupla focail'.
My English friend was over here on holidays last year and we went to Dingle. I waited outside while she went in to get an ice cream. Next thing I knew she rushed out the door to me in panic as she needed me to come back in and translate

Muckross house is only about 10/15 minute drive from Killarney. The grounds are lovely and the walk around Killarney national park. You could hire bikes and cycle as far as Ross Castle.

Torc waterfall is on the way to Muckross from Killarney, so take a stop and visit there.

Sneem, Waterville etc are beautiful spots, but a bit of a drive from Killarney (close on 1.5 hours I'd say)

If you're venturing anywhere near Tralee, Banna beach is lovely too and less than 15 minutes drive from Tralee.

Wherever you go, you'll enjoy it, and the kids will love it. Kerry is absolutely beautiful. I'd move in the morning, but DH won't even consider it as he bloody mother lives 5 minutes up the road and is a master at the aul guilt trips

Star sailing in Kenmare do summer camps and activities for kids.
Also, there's a zip lining place now in Killarney. I went with my teen and my 7 year old and they enjoyed it.
We'll be there around the same time as you. Maybe we should resurrect the Mumsnet scarf so we recogniseceachave other😉