Things to do in Co. Clare
38 places
1.The Flying Alpaca
Hand-feed, cuddle and walk alpacas from €11
A family-run alpaca farm near Kilkee where you can hand-feed, cuddle and walk gentle alpacas, meet goats, chickens and the farm dog Yuki, and even make your own soap.
- Highlights
- Hand-feed and cuddle alpacas on a working West Clare farm
- One-hour alpaca walks for ages 8+
- Rare Suri alpacas and an award-winning herd of ten
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
2.Cliff Walk Kilkee
Rugged sea cliffs and rock pools minutes from town
A raw, uncrowded stretch of Atlantic coastline 5.5km west of Kilkee town, where a cliff path runs from the Diamond Rocks past natural sea pools, shipwreck coves and Bishop's Island. Less visited than the Cliffs of Moher, with a café right at the trailhead.
- Highlights
- Cliff path right above the Atlantic, with ocean sound up close
- The Pollock Holes natural sea pools
- Bishop's Island sea stack
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
3.Cliffs of Campoy
Free sea cliffs beside a working 1670 lighthouse
The Cliffs of Campoy are the wild Atlantic sea cliffs just beyond Loop Head Lighthouse, reached by a free 1.5 km cliff-top loop at the very tip of County Clare's Loop Head Peninsula.
- Highlights
- Free 1.5 km cliff-top loop
- Cliffs of Campoy sea cliffs
- Second World War EIRE sign
4.Derg Isle Adventure Centre
Lakeside kayaking, climbing and obstacle courses
A family-run, 13-acre lakefront adventure centre on Scariff Bay, where kayaks, climbing walls and an obstacle course meet the calm channels that open onto Lough Derg.
- Highlights
- Direct Blueway access from the site to Lough Derg
- Sit-on-top kayaks, Canadian canoes and SUP
- Self-drive lake boats for hire
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
5.Lough Avalla Farm
A 5.2km Burren walk ending in tea and apple tart
A 5.2km waymarked loop across the Jeuken family's working Burren farm, finishing at a tiny tea house where walkers are met with tea and homemade apple tart.
- Highlights
- 5.2km moderate loop through a working organic Burren farm
- Hand-cut hazel walking sticks to borrow at the trailhead
- Holy well with drinking cups, plus a mossy fairy ring
6.West Lake Aqua Park Killaloe
18 inflatable obstacles floating on Lough Derg
Ireland's biggest inflatable water park floats on Lough Derg at Twomilegate, near Killaloe — an 18-feature obstacle course of slides, domes and balance beams you play on for 50 minutes at a time.
- Highlights
- Ireland's largest aqua park
- 18 floating inflatable obstacles
- 50-minute sessions on Lough Derg
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
7.12 O'Clock Hills
309m twin peaks with a summit sundial
A 309m twin-peaked hill in East Clare, threaded by waymarked walking trails and crowned by a compass-sundial, with wide views across Munster on a clear day.
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
8.Bridges of Ross
The last survivor of three Atlantic sea arches
Two of the three natural sea arches at the Bridges of Ross have collapsed into the Atlantic, leaving a single rock arch on the wind-battered Loop Head Peninsula. It is a short walk from a roadside car park to the cliff-top viewpoint above it.
- Highlights
- The one remaining arch of the original three
- Wild Atlantic Way Discovery Point
- Seabird migration hotspot in late summer and autumn
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
9.Cliffs of Moher
Sea cliffs over 200 m with a 4D cliff-edge ride
Ireland's most famous sea cliffs drop sheer into the Atlantic for 8 km, with safe paved walkways, a hillside visitor centre and views to the Aran Islands. Sunset is the best time to go.
- Highlights
- Sheer cliffs up to 214 m over the Atlantic
- 800 m of paved, safe cliff pathways
- O'Brien's Tower (1835) viewing point
10.Doolin Cliff Walks
guided 9km cliff walk with the trail's creator
A guided 9km cliff walk from Doolin village to the Cliffs of Moher, led by the local farmer who created the trail.
- Highlights
- 9km guided coastal walk from Doolin to the Cliffs of Moher
- Led by local farmer and historian Pat Sweeney, creator of the trail
- Reaches the 214m highest point at O'Brien's Tower
11.Pollock Holes
Natural sea pools that only appear at low tide
A run of clear, sheltered Atlantic sea pools cut into Duggerna Reef at the west end of Kilkee — walkable only when the tide is out, and one of Ireland's best wild swimming and snorkelling spots.
- Highlights
- Three main pools, 1–2.5 m deep
- Free wild swimming and snorkelling
- Crystal-clear water over a rocky bottom
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
12.Ballycuggaran Forest Car Park
Gateway to a 532m summit above Lough Derg
The trailhead on the lower slopes of Crag Hill above Lough Derg, where the Crag Wood Walk and the climb to County Clare's highest point both begin.
- Highlights
- 7.1 km Crag Wood Walk loop with panoramic Lough Derg views
- Access to Moylussa, the highest point in County Clare
- Connects onto the long-distance East Clare Way
13.Bothar nA hAillite
Walk an ancient green road above the Atlantic
Bothar nA hAillite, "the road of the cliffs", is an ancient green road that threads the Burren's bare limestone pavement above the Atlantic just outside Doolin, Co. Clare.
- Highlights
- Ancient green road across Burren limestone pavement
- Atlantic sea and cliff views
- Burren wildflowers and wildlife
- Facilities
- Good for kids
14.Burren National Park
A limestone moonscape with 23 orchid species
An 1,800-hectare expanse of cracked limestone pavement in southeast County Clare, where lime-loving and acid-loving plants grow side by side and 23 of Ireland's 27 orchid species have been recorded.
- Highlights
- 1,800 hectares of limestone pavement, turloughs and hazel woodland
- 23 of Ireland's 27 orchid species occur here
- Free admission and a free summer shuttle bus from Corofin
15.Cliffs of Moher Walking Trail
a 20km clifftop trail with puffins and sea stacks
The Cliffs of Moher Coastal Walk is a rugged clifftop trail linking the village of Doolin with the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Centre and on to Liscannor, passing O'Brien's Tower above some of Ireland's highest sea cliffs.
- Highlights
- Clifftop path rising to 214 m (702 ft)
- O'Brien's Tower viewpoint
- Puffins between May and June
16.Craggaunowen Castle & Crannóg
Bronze Age lake dwellings beside a 1550 castle
An open-air museum in the Clare countryside where a restored 1550 MacNamara castle stands over a reconstructed Bronze Age crannóg, ring fort and the leather boat Tim Severin sailed across the Atlantic.
- Highlights
- Reconstructed crannóg and roundhouses on a lake
- Restored 16th-century Craggaunowen Castle
- Tim Severin's Brendan Boat
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
17.Dolphinwatch Carrigaholt
98% dolphin encounter rate off Loop Head
A family-run boat trip from the Castle Pier at Carrigaholt, out into the Mouth of the Shannon to meet Europe's largest group of resident bottlenose dolphins.
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
18.Doolin Cave
Europe's largest stalactite, 70ft underground
A fully guided descent 70 feet underground to the Great Stalactite — the largest in Europe at 7.3 metres and around 10 tonnes — plus a 1 km farm Eco-Trail above ground.
- Highlights
- Europe's largest stalactite: 7.3 m (23 ft), about 10 tonnes
- 125 steps down into the cave, equal to an 8-storey building
- Constant 11°C (52°F) underground all year
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
19.Kilkee beach
a sheltered Blue Flag bay with natural rock pools
A crescent of golden sand in west Clare, sheltered from the Atlantic by the Duggerna Reef and a seaside favourite since Victorian times.
- Highlights
- International Blue Flag, 1.5 km of golden sand
- Safe horseshoe bay protected by the Duggerna Reef
- Natural swimming pools at the Pollock Holes
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
20.Moher Hill Open Farm and Leisure Park
Feed an ostrich and play mini golf by the bay
A 14-acre family farm and zoo perched above Liscannor Bay, minutes from the Cliffs of Moher, where you hand-feed animals and then let the kids loose on go-karts, mini golf and play areas whatever the weather.
- Highlights
- Animal paddocks you can walk through and hand-feed
- 9-hole mini golf using local Liscannor stone
- Indoor and outdoor go-karts, ball pool and bouncing castle
21.Quin Friary
A 15th-century friary built inside a castle
Quin Friary is a remarkably intact 15th-century Franciscan friary built inside the ruins of an Anglo-Norman castle, and its small cloister is among the best preserved in the country.
- Highlights
- Well-preserved 15th-century mendicant cloister
- Medieval stone high altar still in place
- Rare early 17th-century stucco crucifixion
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
22.Twomilegate
Blue Flag freshwater beach on Lough Derg
A freshwater Blue Flag beach and lakeside park on Lough Derg's Clare shore, backed by the woods and trails of Ballycuggeran. People come for a picnic, a swim off the wooden jetties and a flat shore walk in from Killaloe.
- Highlights
- Freshwater Blue Flag bathing beach
- Wooden jetties for a sunrise dip
- Public BBQ pits and picnic area
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
23.Wilde Irish Chocolates - Chocolate Factory, Hot Chocolate Cafe& Coffee Dock & Chocolate Shop
Free entry to a real working chocolate factory
A real, working chocolate factory on the shores of Lough Derg, where you can walk in free, watch the chocolatiers at work and make your own bar.
- Highlights
- Free entry to a working factory
- Build Your Own Chocolate Bar, €12
- 58 varieties of hot chocolate to
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
24.Aillwee Burren Experience
A 45-minute cave tour with flying eagle shows
The Aillwee Burren Experience pairs a 45-minute guided tour of one of Ireland's oldest caves with daily birds-of-prey flying displays, a working farm shop and wooded hillside trails above Galway Bay.
- Facilities
- Good for kids · Restrooms · Wheelchair access
25.Bunratty Castle & Folk Park
a 600-year-old castle and a 26-acre folk village
A restored 15th-century castle and a 26-acre "living" folk park where 19th-century Irish village life, farmhouses and fairy trails come together on the banks of the Shannon.
- Highlights
- Ireland's most complete restored medieval castle (1425)
- 26-acre folk park with 30+ buildings
- Costumed village characters and musicians
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
26.Burren and Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Global Geopark
214m cliffs, a giant stalactite and ancient tombs
A 530 km² UNESCO Global Geopark of bare limestone, Atlantic cliffs, caves and prehistoric tombs in Co. Clare. Its signature site, the Cliffs of Moher, drops 214m straight into the ocean and is one of Ireland's most visited natural attractions.
- Highlights
- The Cliffs of Moher, 214m high, with 800m of cliff-edge paths and O'Brien's Tower
- Over 30,000 pairs of nesting seabirds, including puffins, guillemots and razorbills
- Doolin Cave's free-hanging stalactite, among the longest open to visitors in the world
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
27.Cratloe Wood Forest Park
Oak woods said to have roofed Westminster Hall
A 700-hectare Coillte forest on the slopes of Woodcock Hill, threaded with walking trails above the Shannon Estuary and home to a much-loved children's playground. Cratloe's oaks are said to have roofed Westminster Hall.
- Highlights
- 700-hectare forest on Woodcock Hill
- Oak said to have roofed Westminster Hall
- Children's playground with zip line
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
28.Doolin Ferry
15-minute crossings to the Aran Islands
Family-run Doolin Ferry is the fastest link from Doolin Pier to the Aran Islands and the Cliffs of Moher — 15 minutes to Inis Oírr and award-winning cruises beneath the cliffs.
- Highlights
- 15-minute crossing to Inis Oírr
- Cliffs of Moher boat tour from sea level
- Best Boat Tour in Ireland 2025
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
29.Doonagore Castle
A 16th-century tower house closed to the public
A round 16th-century tower house perched above Doolin Point, used by boats as a navigational aid — and famous for a very dark Spanish Armada story. It is privately owned, so you admire it from the outside.
- Highlights
- Round sandstone tower house with a bawn wall, one of the Burren's three cylindrical tower houses
- Panoramic views over Doolin Point and out to the Aran Islands
- Site of the 1588 Spanish Armada hangings
30.Loop Head Lighthouse
A 1670 lighthouse with 74 steps to the top
A working lighthouse has guarded the mouth of the Shannon since 1670, perched on a wind-battered Clare headland where Atlantic cliffs drop 90 metres to the sea. Climb the tower for views as far as the Blasket Islands and Connemara.
- Highlights
- Origins dating back to 1670
- One of two Wild Atlantic Way Signature Discovery Points in Clare
- 74-step climb to a 23 m tower and open balcony
31.Moher Fort Site Telegraph Station
Free 1808 watchtower at the cliffs' quiet tip
A roofless Napoleonic signal tower on Hag's Head, the southern tip of the Cliffs of Moher — the free, crowd-free viewpoint most coach tours never reach.
- Highlights
- Free, unstaffed Napoleonic watchtower on Hag's Head
- Panoramas to the Aran Islands, Galway Bay and Loop Head
- Built on the promontory fort Mothar that named the Cliffs of Moher
32.Seafield Pier and Beach
Fossil hunting on 320-million-year-old rocks
A working fishing pier flanked by two sandy beaches on a short Wild Atlantic Way peninsula, known for sheltered swimming and 320-million-year-old fossils in its rocks.
- Highlights
- Green Coast Award beach with 'Excellent' water quality
- Lifeguarded, designated swimming area in summer
- 320-million-year-old fossils on the western beach
33.Vandeleur Walled Garden & Visitor Centre
A hidden walled garden with a horizontal maze
A walled garden hidden behind mighty stone walls outside Kilrush — restored as an exotic-plant garden, with a visitor centre telling the story of the Vandeleur family and Kilrush House.
- Highlights
- Enchanted walled garden restored in 1997
- Exotic plants thriving in a western micro-climate
- Unique horizontal maze and beech espalier maze
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
34.Caherconnell Stone Fort & Sheepdog Demonstrations
Only sheepdog demo beside a 1,000-year-old fort
A 1,000-year-old stone fort and County Clare's only sheepdog demonstration, set in a hidden valley in the heart of the Burren. Watch border collies work the hillside, then tour a remarkably preserved ring fort still yielding buried treasures.
- Highlights
- County Clare's only sheepdog demonstration, held daily
- A 1,000-year-old ring fort, still excavated each year
- Finds including Venetian glass, Baltic amber and the earliest pen in the British Isles
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
35.Ennis Friary
350 friars, 600 pupils and medieval carvings
A medieval Franciscan friary in the heart of Ennis, once home to 350 friars and a famous school, and still packed with vivid fifteenth-century limestone carvings.
- Highlights
- Fifteenth- and sixteenth-century limestone carvings
- St Francis displaying the stigmata
- Christ with his hands bound, on the nave-transept arch
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
36.Ennistymon Cascades
The waterfall you can watch from a hotel bar
The Cascades are where the River Inagh drops over a broad rock ridge in the middle of Ennistymon, and they are among the most photographed natural sights in Clare. The best-known view is from the grounds of the Falls Hotel, which looks straight onto the churning water.
- Highlights
- Most photographed natural sight in North Clare
- Classic view from the Falls Hotel grounds
- River Inagh tumbling through the town centre
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
37.Poulnabrone Dolmen
a 5,800-year-old portal tomb on bare limestone
A dramatic portal tomb, the oldest dated megalithic monument in Ireland, standing alone on the Burren's bare limestone plateau.
- Highlights
- Portal tomb with a massive sloping capstone
- Oldest dated megalithic monument in Ireland
- Second most visited site in the Burren after the Cliffs of Moher
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
38.Clare Abbey
Free-to-wander 12th-century Augustinian abbey ruin
One of Ireland's largest Augustinian monasteries, Clare Abbey is a free, unguided ruin on the floodplain of the River Fergus just south-east of Ennis. Its 15th-century belfry tower and traceried windows survive among a grassy cloister, old graveyard and domestic ranges.
- Highlights
- The first, largest and most important Augustinian house in County Clare
- Square 15th-century belfry tower with no internal staircase
- Three traceried windows, one with a carved human face above the hood