10 EPIC things to do in Dingle, Ireland

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Are you planning a trip to Ireland and want to know the best things to do in Dingle?

Dingle and its surroundings has all of the quintessential characteristics of Ireland to make it a perfect choice for a road trip. Colourful streets, winding roads, picturesque viewpoints and great food often sourced directly from the surrounding sea.

This guide will take you through the best things to do in Dingle including day trips, bars, shopping and great views. We will also provide you with the best hotels in Dingle to help you plan out your stay.

How to get to Dingle

Car

The main way to get to Dingle is by car but if you are driving for the first time in Ireland, we drive on the left side of the road and many country roads are quite narrow. If you are travelling from Dublin the main route is to follow signs for the M7 towards Limerick and from there the N21 to Tralee and then the N86 towards Dingle.

From Cork, take the N22 towards Killarney and the drive should take around 2 hours. From Galway, take the M18 towards Limerick and then follow the same route as you take from Dublin – this drive takes around 3 hours.

If you plan to rent a car, we would recommend using Discover Cars to ensure you get the best deal. Make sure to take out insurance with your rental car to avoid paying a much larger deposit.

Guided Tour

Alternatively, if you are visiting from abroad and don’t feel comfortable driving in Ireland we would recommend taking a guided tour. This again will depend on where you will be travelling from but there are a number of options available. If you are visiting from another part of Kerry we would recommend taking this tour which departs from Killarney and takes you around the Ring of Kerry. You can also take this open top bus tour around Dingle which will include stops at some of the best sites in Dingle including Paidi O’Se’s pub and Clogher Strand.

Alternatively, we would recommend taking this tour if you are visiting from Cork. One other option if you are visiting from abroad would be to take a multi day guided tour to take the stress out of planning. One of the most popular options is this one by Paddy Wagon tours, which includes stops in Galway, Clare, Kerry and Cork.

Bus

Another option is to use public transport to get to Dingle. Again this will depend on where you are travelling from but there are direct buses to Dingle from Tralee, which is serviced by locations around the country. You can get more information on the available routes on the Dingle Tourism site.

Where to stay in Dingle

If you do decide to stay overnight and book a hotel in Dingle, we have put together our top recommendations for you to enjoy a stay in the town. If you’re planning to visit other parts of the Kerry, check out our guide on where to stay in the Kerry, providing a breakdown of or favourite options.

10 things to do in Dingle

1. Take a wildlife boat tour

One of the best things to do in Dingle is to explore the wildlife through a guided boat tour around the peninsula. There are a number of options you can take but we would highly recommend taking this one, which takes you out to the Blasket Islands.

This 4 hour boat tour will take you from Dingle Harbour out to the Blasket islands where you will have the opportunity to spot some of this coasts stunning wildlife including dolphins, whales, seals and possible even puffins. The islands themselves were previously home to Irish speaking inhabitants but have been abandoned since 1953 so it is now mainly known for wildlife conservation.

During the boat tour you will also pass along ‘Cathedral Rock’, a unique rock formation that towers above the boat as you make your way towards the islands. We would definitely having your camera ready for this incredible sight.

2. Visit Dunquin Pier

One of the best no hike views in Ireland can be found at Dunquin Pier. This unique rock formation framed by a winding pathway and the surrounding cliffs and Blasket Islands is one of Ireland’s most picturesque locations. To get to Dunquin Pier from Dingle take the Slea Head route and the drive should take around 20 minutes. Alternatively, you can also get there on the Dingle Sunset Bus Tour.

Dunquin Pier itself is just a short walk from where you will park your car and it is suitable for all ages. There is no entry fee etc. either so it’s a great addition to your Dingle itinerary. You can choose to take the winding path down towards the rocks but the best view of Dunquin is from above. The cliff edges are not guarded here and do have some loose ground so do take precautions and stay a few metres back from the edge.

Alongside the car park point, you will also see some stalls for coffee/snacks and there will be few better places in Ireland to sit with a coffee then atop the viewpoint at Dunquin Pier.

3. Take a day trip around the Ring of Kerry

There is so much to do in Dingle and the surrounding area that often the best approach is to let a local take the lead and show you all the best spots. If you haven’t driven in Ireland before, we would highly recommend taking a guided tour.

Firstly, you can take a tour of Dingle itself, which will bring you to stops including a drive around Slea Head, Clogher Strand, Gallarus Oratory and Paidi O’Se’s pub.

But if you want to see beyond Dingle, we would highly recommend taking a day trip around the Ring of Kerry. The Ring of Kerry is a stunning route and can be done in a day with good planning but it will require an early start if you drive it to avoid being in a huge rush between stops.

There are 20+ places you could easily stop at along the route but to allow time to enjoy each we would suggest the main highlights are Muckross Abbey, Torc Waterfall, Ross Castle, Derrynane Beach, the Kerry Cliffs, Valentia Island and Rossbeigh Beach.

4. Take a walk along a Coumeenoole Beach

The West coast of Ireland is blessed with lots of incredible beaches and some of our favourites are in Kerry & the Dingle Peninsula. Just a short drive from Dunquin Pier you will find one of its most beautiful beaches – Coumeenoole Beach.

This picturesque beach is surrounded by Kerry’s rugged cliffs with the contrast between the golden sand and the greenery of the surrounding area making this beach a painter’s dream. There are a number of parking spaces just above the beach, with a stairway leading you down to the beach below.

In this area you can also enjoy a coffee with an incredible view of the peninsula at Caife Na Tra or enjoy a hiking trail to get a view from above.

Also close to Dingle, we would highly recommend visiting Inch beach as well but Coumeenoole is our favourite option in this area.

5. Go for a hike at Sauce Creek

Katie an I are both outdoor lovers and have alway enjoyed going for a hike. There are few better places in Ireland for hiking trails and nature walks than in Kerry. Our favourite option in the Dingle Peninsula region is Sauce Creek.

To do this hike you can drive from Dingle to Brandon Point, which has parking facilities available for your car. From there, the hiking trail takes around 1.5 hours but the route is well signposted. This hike is moderately challenging but the views at the top are well worth it the effort.

When you do reach the top be very mindful that the cliff edge is unguarded and Ireland is a very windy country so do take precautions. At the top, you will get stunning views of the cove below and a nice day there are few hiking views in Ireland as good as this one.

6. Visit a traditional Irish pub

This will obviously depend on personal preferences but if you want to enjoy a traditional Irish pub experience, then Dingle is the place to be. Both in Dingle itself and in the surrounding Slea Head route, you will find some great pubs that we would highly recommend visiting.

First on the list dating back to the 1800’s and possibly one of Ireland’s most photographed pubs is Dick Mack’s.

If you are gong to Dingle to experience some traditional Irish music then we would recommend trying O’Flaherty’s or O’Sullivan’s pubs, who regularly have musicians performing.

If you are a fan of sporting memorabilia, we would also recommend stopping off at Paidi O’Se’s pub on your way around the Slea Head drive. This pub honours one of the great Kerry footballers, Paidi O’Se, a multiple All Ireland championship winner. This pub contains lots of great pieces of sporting history from Ireland’s national sport.

7. Hold a baby sheep

Yes that is correct, not far from Dingle you can in fact hold a baby sheep. Found on Aedan’s farm, halfway between Dunquin Pier and Dingle, this unique experience is perfect for a budget friendly activity that is perfect for a family day out or even a unique first date.

While you are at the farm, you can cuddle and even help feed the baby lambs, get a sheepdog demonstration and explore their 1400 year old beehive huts. Tickets for this unique experience are only €4 so it is well worth adding to your itinerary for a day in Dingle.

8. Take a scenic drive around the Conor Pass

Again, this one comes with a slight warning in that the drive does take a little bit of confidence. This route stretches 12km through the mountains between Dingle and Kilmore Cross.

The drive can be quite sharp and winding in places and at certain points it is not possible for two cars to pass one another so you will need to be aware of oncoming traffic and be prepared to stop at any of the wider sections of the road to allow safe passing

Along the route, the best viewpoints are at Peddlar’s Lake and then also at the summit. There is a car park at the top of the route where you will be able to enjoy amazing views of the surrounding Peninsula.

9. Enjoy a gin flavoured ice cream at Murphy’s

We couldn’t let you leave Dingle without sampling one of its finest exports – ice cream. Murphy’s Ice cream shop opened in Dingle in the year 2000 and has been delighting visitors to Kerry ever since.

Everything here is sourced locally, using dairy from Kerry cows and even making their own sea salt from Dingle sea water, nothing is left to chance. The creamy ice cream from Murphy’s comes in a number of unique flavours like Irish brown bread, Dingle Sea Salt and and Dingle Gin ice cream.

There are few better things to do in Dingle than to stroll along the colourful streets on a Summer’s day with a Murphy’s ice cream in hand.

10. Make your own claddagh ring

Another unique thing to do in Dingle is to forge your own Claddagh Ring. A Claddagh Ring is a traditional Irish piece of jewellery that represents love, loyalty and friendship.

You can attend a workshop in Dingle hosted by Celtic Coastal Creations, where you will learn the traditional techniques of metal working, shaping, cutting and polishing your own piece of Irish memorabilia.

The cost of this workshop is €130 but this includes all of the materials needed to create the ring and the expert guidance on how to complete the process as well.