DAY TRIP: DOOLIN

Doolin is a fishing village in County Clare on the west coast of Ireland. It is a one-hour drive from Limerick, almost an hour and a half away from Galway, two and a half hours from Killarney, and three hours from Dublin. While Doolin may be very small, it packs a punch, as you can access the Cliffs of Moher as well as the Aran Islands from this area.

Start your day by walking along the teeny but colorful Fisher Street. Head into Village Crafts and The Sweater Shop for some sweaters (and other souvenirs, but I believe you can never have too many sweaters from Ireland). Then make your way over to the Doolin Pier to board a ferry to Inis Mór, the largest of the Aran Islands! Once on the island, grab e-bikes from Aran Bike Hire. To avoid disappointment, make your ferry reservations as well as your bike rentals in advance. Then ride around the island and take in the sights, such as the Inis Mór seal colony, the Seven Churches (medieval church ruins), and Dún Aonghasa (a stone fort). If you have not treated yourself to enough sweaters at this point, have no fear. The Aran Sweater Market got its start on the Aran Islands, and a store is conveniently located very close to the Aran Bike Hire where you will drop off your bikes.

Then in the late afternoon, take the ferry back to Doolin. Jump in your car and drive 10 minutes to arrive just in time for the last Doolin Cave Tour, where you can see Europe’s largest stalactite! Hanging from a cave ceiling, this mineral formation is a very cool thing to see, and is a really lovely activity if you are experiencing Ireland’s famous inclement weather. Then drive back to Fisher Street to eat dinner at The Ivy Cottage. CJ has had the fish and chips and I have had the beef stew, and both were insanely delicious and flavorful!

After dinner, walk it off by tackling the arduous but breathtaking Doolin Cliff Walk as the sun sets. The Doolin Cliff Walk starts on the road adjacent to Fisher Street and takes you to the Cliffs of Moher. Clocking in around one hour and 35 minutes, you might want to grab a taxi from the cliffs back to where your car is parked in Doolin, or walk all the way back! If you decide to make a round trip of it, you are looking at three hours of time spent walking, which I guess will depend on how sore you are from biking earlier! This might also depend on whether you are travelling in the winter or summer, as the sun does not set until around 10pm in the summer, and you’ll have plenty of light while you are walking back.

DROMOLAND CASTLE

SKELLIG ISLANDS