WANDER Dingle Ireland

Last month, Brad and I traveled to Dingle Ireland for a Couples Adventure Retreat put on by my dear friend Cayce. Dingle is a small town on the southwest tip of Ireland. It is a port town on the Dingle Peninsula and it is one of my favorite towns in Ireland.

On this trip, we traveled without kids, but I can’t wait to get my girls to Ireland…and Dingle, someday! Until then, here are our favorite things to do in Dingle!

Wonder: Activity 1 – Slea Head Drive

Dingle Peninsula’s Slea Head Drive is arguably home to some of the best scenery in all of Ireland. Full of history, stunning views and winding roads, this is a must when visiting this charming port town.

If you drive Slea Head straight through with minimal stops, it takes about 2-3 hours to complete–but to make the most of a trip to Slea Head Drive, you’ll definitely want to spend longer and explore the stops. A few stops I adored include:

• The Beehive Huts – The beehive huts or “clochan” date before 700AD and are stunning to see. They are made up of only stone – no mortar.

• The Blasket Centre – This stunning museum tells the story and history of the remote Blasket Islands off the coast of Dingle. I fell in love with the architecture and especially the stories of the women and children who lived on the island.

• Dunmore Head – A coastal headland with spectacular views. It’s also the location of some scenes in Star Wars “The Last Jedi.”

Adventure: Activity 2 – Irish Pubs

Irish pubs are iconic and Dingle has some charming pubs, for sure. I love that Irish Pubs are characterised by a unique culture centred around a casual and friendly atmosphere, delicious Irish food and drink, and of course traditional Irish music. There is a myriad of local bars and pubs in Dingle that offer pub food, lots of types of beer and cocktails and local Irish music. We loved the ambiance at Dick Macks Pub and were also able to hear our friend Will play with a local band at Kennedy’s Pub. 

Note with kids: A law forbids those under the age of 18 from being on pub premises after 9pm. Pub owners follow this strictly due to fines—but bring your kids along earlier for food, music and community.

Navigate: Activity 3 – Downtown Dingle Shopping

Downtown Dingle has a charming atmosphere and is super walkable. There is a decidedly local flair in Dingle, which is most often reflected in the things being sold. From bookshops to artist studios, to traditional Irish goods and crafts, there will be something you will likely find irresistible. I also love finding items in the local grocery store.

 Discover: Activity 4 – Dingle Distillery

The Dingle Distillery offers a tour of their facility where the entire production process is explained and a gin/vodka sample is provided. Their distillery tour gives an interactive introduction into Irish whiskey and into the Dingle Distillery.

The facility isn’t that big. After tasting some whiskey, we walked around the distillery, with our guide and you can see their processes all in one room. The tour guides are funny and the history of the distillery is fun to learn. Also, at the end, you get to try the gin or vodka in the tasting room and there’s a small gift shop for products.

 Eat: Murphy’s Ice Cream

There are tons of great pub food, restaurants (seafood is plentiful on the coast), bakeries and food shops in Dingle, but Murphys Ice Cream is a must! Based in Dingle but with shops all over the country,  it’s pretty amazing. It uses the milk of Kerry cattle and serves coffee as well as ice creams and desserts. The sticky toffee pudding sundae is to die for and I adore the honeycomb caramel, Irish coffee…okay, all of the flavors!

Rest: Ballymore House B&B

The Ballymore House is an amazing place for groups, families or couples. With incredible views of the ocean, situated next to a dairy farm where the cows meander by the front door a couple times a day after milking and the most incredible hosts, I will definitely book this spot again. There are several rooms available, a couple full kitchens, a fireplace, back porch and more. Plus, it is accessible to downtown Dingle by a quick car ride or taxi.