Good for
Coast & beaches
Co. Wexford · About 2 hours 15 minutes from DublinHook PeninsulaThe world's oldest working lighthouse, a famine ship and a run of beaches in Ireland's sunniest corner.
Co. Clare · About 3 hours 15 minutes from DublinKilkeeA horseshoe bay, a lighthouse you can climb and dolphins in the Shannon estuary.
Co. Galway · About 3 hours to Rossaveal, then a 40-minute ferry from DublinInis Mór, Aran IslandsLeave the car on the mainland, hire a bike and spend a weekend on the edge of Europe.
Co. Kerry · About 4 hours from DublinKenmareA colourful little town, a bay full of seals and a peninsula that most Ring of Kerry traffic never finds.
Co. Cork · About 3 hours from DublinKinsale & West CorkPainted streets, a star fort above the harbour, the best seafood in Cork and the whole of West Cork on the doorstep. Kinsale is a weekend made for eating and walking.
Co. Kerry · About 4 hours 30 minutes from DublinDingle PeninsulaColourful harbour town, trad music every night and the most famous coast road in Kerry.
Co. Galway · About 3 hours 30 minutes from DublinConnemaraMountains, bog, lakes and white beaches, with Kylemore Abbey, Diamond Hill and the Sky Road all within half an hour of Clifden. Connemara is the wild west at its best.
Co. Donegal · About 4 hours from DublinDonegalThe highest sea cliffs you can easily see in Ireland, a national park with a castle, empty beaches and Irish-speaking villages. Pick a corner of Donegal and take it slowly.
Co. Galway · About 2 hours 30 minutes from DublinGalway CitySmall, loud, creative and walkable, with the Aran Islands, Connemara and the Burren on the doorstep. Galway is the west's favourite city for a weekend.
Co. Mayo · About 3 hours from DublinWestport & AchillA lively music town on Clew Bay, a greenway to one of Ireland's best islands and a holy mountain to climb. Westport has it all, and you can get there by train.
Co. Clare · About 3 hours 15 minutes from DublinThe Burren & Cliffs of MoherBare limestone hills full of wildflowers, cliffs 200 metres above the Atlantic, caves to explore and music in Doolin every night. The Burren is one of Ireland's great weekends.
Co. Waterford · About 2 hours 30 minutes from DublinWaterford Greenway & DungarvanIreland's longest greenway, a harbour town at the end of it and a coastline full of coves. The easiest active weekend in the country.