Things to do in Co. Waterford
39 places
1.Coumshingaun Lake Loop
365m cliffs plunge into a glacial lake
A dramatic horseshoe ridge-walk around one of Europe's finest glacial corrie lakes, with 365m cliffs plunging into dark water — one of Ireland's most exhilarating but demanding half-day hikes.
- Highlights
- One of Europe's finest examples of a glacial corrie
- 365m vertical cliffs rising straight from the water
- Panoramic views over Waterford to the Copper Coast
2.The Hot Pod - Clonea
€10 for a wood-fired seaside sauna
A wood-fired Nordic barrel sauna parked right on Clonea Lower Beach, offering sea-view heat therapy and wild swimming dips along the Waterford coast.
- Highlights
- Wood-fired Nordic barrel sauna with panoramic sea views
- Direct beach access for cold sea plunges between sauna rounds
- €10 for a 30-minute session — great value
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
3.Anne Valley Nature And Wildlife Walk
a 13th-century castle overlooking the trail
A community-built, wheelchair-accessible trail winding 5 km through wetlands and woodland along the River Anne, from Dunhill village to the secluded Annestown Beach — with a ruined 13th-century castle watching over the valley.
- Highlights
- Fully wheelchair- and buggy-accessible for the entire 5 km
- Dunhill Castle — 13th-century ruin with valley views
- Otters, herons, kingfishers and swans
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
4.Ardmore Cliff Walk
a 1987 shipwreck on a 4 km loop
A compact 4 km loop along sea cliffs, packed with 5th-century Christian ruins, a shipwreck, lookout posts, and sweeping Atlantic views — all accessible from the charming village of Ardmore.
- Highlights
- 4 km easy loop (~1 hr)
- St. Declan's 5th-century well & hermitage
- Samson shipwreck (1987)
5.Ballysaggartmore Towers
Gateway to a never-built mansion
A pair of Gothic Revival follies hidden in woodland near Lismore — the extravagant gateway to a mansion that was never built. A short, free, and wonderfully atmospheric walk through an abandoned 19th-century dream.
- Highlights
- Gothic Revival towers draped in ivy and moss
- Stone bridge over a wooded ravine
- Ruined gate lodges open to explore
6.Ballyvoyle Tunnel
Fully brick-lined 1878 railway tunnel
A beautifully preserved 1878 railway tunnel — atmospherically lit and fully brick-lined — forming the most iconic feature of the Waterford Greenway. Cycle or walk its 400-metre length through a lush, fern-filled cutting.
- Highlights
- 400-metre fully brick-lined 1878 railway tunnel
- Atmospherically lit with discreet modern lighting
- Part of the 46 km Waterford Greenway
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
7.Colligan Wood Walks
two looped trails past a salmon-spawning river
A peaceful mixed woodland in a steep river valley just north of Dungarvan, with two well-marked looped trails, picnic spots by the water, and sweeping views over Dungarvan Bay and Helvick Head.
- Highlights
- Two looped trails (3.5 km easy / 6 km moderate)
- Riverside picnic spots
- Views over Dungarvan Bay and Helvick Head
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
8.Copper Coast Drive View point
UNESCO Global Geopark's Fire and Ice sculpture
A dramatic roadside pull-off on the Copper Coast UNESCO Global Geopark, with sweeping Atlantic panoramas, a striking stone sculpture, and easy access to Boatstrand Harbour — one of the best viewpoints on the 25km drive between Tramore and Dungarvan.
- Highlights
- Part of the Copper Coast UNESCO Global Geopark
- Fire and Ice stone sculpture
- Panoramic Atlantic views from Dunabrattin Head
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
9.Crough Wood
2025 RDS Community Woodland Award winner
A magical riverside woodland walk in the foothills of the Comeragh Mountains, where the River Mahon tumbles through ancient oak forest — winner of the 2025 RDS Community Woodland Award.
- Highlights
- 2025 RDS Community Woodland Award winner
- Ancient native oak woodland along a tumbling river
- Red squirrels, pine martens, otters and dippers
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
10.Dunmore East Cliff Walk
Home to Ireland's longest sea cave
A breathtaking clifftop trail along Waterford's red-sandstone coast, linking the fishing village of Dunmore East to hidden coves, a legendary sea cave, and an ancient standing stone — with Hook Head Lighthouse always on the horizon.
- Highlights
- Ranked 4th in Irish Independent Reader Travel Awards 2023 top 10 Irish walks
- Views of Hook Head — the world's oldest operating lighthouse
- Ireland's longest sea cave at Rathmoylan (60+ metres)
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
11.Kilclooney Wood Hiking Area
365m cliffs wrap a glacial corrie lake
A rugged Coillte woodland on the slopes of the Comeragh Mountains, Kilclooney is the gateway to Coumshingaun Lough — one of Ireland's finest glacial corrie lakes — with trails ranging from a gentle forest stroll to a genuinely demanding ridge scramble.
- Highlights
- Coumshingaun Lough — one of Europe's finest glacial corries
- Dramatic 365 m cliffs wrapping the lake on three sides
- Red squirrels, fallow deer, peregrine falcons and hen harriers
12.Mahon Falls
80-metre waterfall with a gravity-defying road
An 80-metre cascade tucked into a glacial valley in the Comeragh Mountains — one of Ireland's most accessible waterfalls, reached by a short gravel path with sweeping views back towards Dungarvan and the sea.
- Highlights
- 80-metre waterfall in a glacial coum
- Easy 40–60 min walk on a gravel path
- Free parking and free entry
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
13.The Doneraile Walk
5km clifftop walk past an 1816 shipwreck memorial
A free, easy clifftop promenade in Tramore with sweeping views over Tramore Bay, gifted to the town by Lord Doneraile and rich in shipwreck history.
- Highlights
- Panoramic views over Tramore Bay, Backstrand and Brownstown Head
- Sea Horse 1816 shipwreck memorial and old coastguard cannon
- Metalman and Beacon Towers visible across the bay
- Facilities
- Good for kids · Dog-friendly · Wheelchair access
14.Ardmore Beach
Blue Flag sands below a 12th-century round tower
A mile of clean golden sand in what is often called Ireland's oldest Christian settlement, with a ruined 12th-century cathedral and round tower rising on the headland above. Safe bathing waters, a family-friendly seafront and the start of the Ardmore Cliff Walk are all right here.
- Highlights
- Mile-long sandy beach with excellent water quality
- 12th-century round tower and ruined cathedral on the headland
- Ardmore Cliff Walk — easy 4 km loop from the beach
15.Ardmore Open Farm and Mini Zoo
Pet a 12ft albino Burmese python
A family-run 22-acre open farm and mini zoo overlooking Whiting Bay, where kids get hands-on with everything from Burmese pythons to miniature goats — and the indoor play centre means rain never spoils the day.
- Highlights
- Over 200 animals including rare and exotic species
- BIAZA-accredited mini zoo (one of only eight in Ireland)
- 12ft albino Burmese python
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
16.Ardmore Round Tower
part of Ireland's oldest Christian settlement
One of Ireland's finest and best-preserved 12th-century round towers, standing 30m high on a hill above Ardmore Bay. Part of the ancient monastic site founded by St Declan — possibly the oldest Christian settlement in Ireland — with a ruined cathedral, an 8th-century oratory, and Ogham stones all on one windswept headland.
- Highlights
- 30m-high 12th-century round tower with unique three-ring taper
- Romanesque sculpted arcading on cathedral's west gable
- Two Ogham stones inside the cathedral, plus medieval grave slabs
17.Atlantic Arcade & Casino
a family arcade by day and casino until 2am
A rare dual-purpose venue on Tramore's Strand Road: a lively family arcade with ticket-redemption games during the day, transforming into a relaxed casino with slots, roulette and bingo after dark.
- Highlights
- Free tea, coffee & biscuits while you play
- Family-friendly arcade floor with ticket prizes
- Casino open until 2am every night
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
18.Dunmore Adventure
Ireland's biggest floating aquapark
Dunmore Adventure is an activity centre at the water's edge in Dunmore East harbour, home to Ireland's biggest floating Wibit aquapark plus sea safaris, kayaking, SUP, climbing and caving in one sheltered-cove location.
- Highlights
- Ireland's first and biggest Wibit floating aquapark
- Guided Sea Safari boat tours to Hook Lighthouse
- All water and land activities in one harbour-side location
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
19.J. & K. Walsh Victorian Spirit Grocer
pouring Guinness in 1950s jar glasses since 1899
Step into a fully preserved 1899 Victorian spirit grocer and bar in the heart of Waterford, where Guinness is still poured from original 1960s taps into 1950s jar-style glasses.
- Highlights
- Fully preserved 1899 Victorian family grocer & bar
- Guinness served in 1950s jar glasses from 1960s taps
- Original snug with service hatch
- Facilities
- Restrooms
20.Mount Congreve Gardens & Country Estate
One of the world's largest private plant collections
One of the "Great Gardens of the World", this 70-acre woodland estate holds one of the largest private plant collections on earth — 16km of paths weave past massed camellias, magnolias and rhododendrons, with a superb estate-to-plate café at its heart.
- Highlights
- One of the largest private plant collections in the world
- 700+ camellia varieties, plus magnolias, rhododendrons & azaleas
- 70 acres of woodland garden with 16km of paths
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
21.Stradbally Cove
Ordovician volcanic cliffs older than dinosaurs
A secluded sandy cove on Waterford's Copper Coast UNESCO Global Geopark — tucked at the mouth of the River Tay between grassy headlands, with acres of sand at low tide and crystal-clear waters for swimming at high tide.
- Highlights
- Part of the Copper Coast UNESCO Global Geopark
- Sandy beach with acres of sand at low tide
- Dramatic Ordovician volcanic geology in the cliffs
22.The Magic Road
Car rolls uphill without an engine
A surreal stretch of country road in the Comeragh Mountains where, thanks to a powerful optical illusion, your car appears to roll backwards uphill all by itself — no engine, no handbrake, just magic (or clever topography).
- Highlights
- Cars appear to roll backwards uphill — one of Ireland's best-known optical illusions
- Marked by a stone inscribed 'Magic Road' and a fairy tree draped with rags
- Set on the stunning Comeragh Drive with panoramic mountain views
23.Waterford Treasures: King Of The Vikings
the world's first Viking VR experience
The world's first Viking virtual reality experience, staged inside a hand-built replica longhouse in the ruins of a 13th-century Franciscan friary in Waterford's Viking Triangle.
- Highlights
- World's first Viking virtual reality experience
- Hand-built replica Viking longhouse
- Set in ruins of a 13th-century Franciscan friary
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
24.Carey's Castle
19th-century folly with round tower and Gothic windows
A fairy-tale castle ruin hidden in mixed woodland beside the Glenary River — just a 500m stroll from the car park, blending Gothic windows, a round tower, and Romanesque arches into one delightfully eccentric 19th-century folly.
- Highlights
- Eclectic architectural mix: round tower, Norman keep, Gothic & Romanesque arches
- Picturesque riverside setting in mixed woodland
- Only 500m easy walk from the car park
25.Dunhill Castle
Cromwellian siege tale of buttermilk betrayal
A dramatic 13th-century Norman tower house ruin perched on a rocky bluff high above the Anne Valley, free to visit and rich with tales of Cromwellian siege, betrayal, and buttermilk.
- Highlights
- Dramatic clifftop setting overlooking the Anne Valley
- Free, unstaffed ruin — visit anytime
- Part of the accessible Anne Valley Nature & Wildlife Walk
26.Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Gardens
11 garden scenes tracing a remarkable life story
A living biography told through 11 exquisite garden scenes — from a Victorian childhood to a Japanese tea house — set on a hillside overlooking Tramore Bay.
- Highlights
- 11 distinct garden areas tracing a remarkable life story
- Authentic Japanese tea house and tea garden
- Panoramic views over Tramore Bay from the café deck
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
27.Pirates Adventure
8,000 sq ft of slides, ball zones and party rooms
Pirates Adventure is an indoor play centre in Tramore with nearly 8,000 sq ft of soft play, giant slides, sports courts and a glow-in-the-dark zone — plus themed party rooms and an on-site café, so parents can relax while the kids burn off energy.
- Highlights
- Nearly 8,000 sq ft of indoor soft play
- Giant multi-lane slides, ball zone and glow-in-the-dark area
- Football and basketball courts
- Facilities
- Good for kids · Restrooms · Wheelchair access
28.Reginald’s Tower
a Viking-age tower in use for over 800 years
Reginald's Tower has stood in continuous use for over 800 years at the apex of Waterford's Viking Triangle, and now holds the city's Viking Treasures collection. It is Ireland's oldest civic building and the only fully intact tower of the 23 that once defended the medieval city.
- Highlights
- Ireland's oldest civic building, in continuous use for over 800 years
- Only fully intact tower of the 23 medieval defences of Waterford
- Viking Treasures: kite brooch, gaming pieces, minted silver coins
- Facilities
- Good for kids
29.Waterford Suir Valley Railway
Ireland's longest narrow-gauge railway beside the River Suir
A community-run heritage narrow-gauge railway running 10km along the abandoned Waterford–Dungarvan line beside the River Suir, offering a gentle 40-minute journey through countryside only accessible by train and the Waterford Greenway.
- Highlights
- Ireland's longest narrow-gauge railway at 10km
- 40–50 minute journey along the River Suir
- Wheelchair-accessible train compartments
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
30.Waterford Treasures: Medieval Museum
Henry VIII's only surviving garment
Ireland's only purpose-built medieval museum, incorporating two genuine medieval chambers — the 13th-century Choristers' Hall and the 15th-century Mayor's Wine Vault — right in the heart of Waterford's Viking Triangle.
- Highlights
- Only complete set of medieval vestments in Northern Europe
- King Henry VIII's Cap of Maintenance — his only surviving garment
- The Great Charter Roll of 1373
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
31.De La Poer Tower
92 steps to views over 5 counties
A haunting 1785 folly tucked deep in Portlaw Woods — climb its 92 stone steps for sweeping views across five counties from an open-air summit with no guardrails.
- Highlights
- 70-ft Georgian folly (1785) inspired by Irish round towers
- 92-step spiral staircase built from Clonea Castle stone
- Views across five counties from the open summit
32.Kilcohan Park Greyhound Stadium
Saturday night greyhound racing from €10
A night at the dogs in Waterford: Saturday greyhound racing with restaurant dining, tote betting and family packages, minutes from the city centre on the Old Tramore Road.
- Highlights
- Racing every Saturday night, gates 7.00pm, first race approx 7.35pm
- Adult admission €10 including race programme
- Restaurant dining with track views from €29.50
- Facilities
- Restrooms · Wheelchair access
33.Lismore Castle
Oldest continuously cultivated gardens
The oldest continuously cultivated gardens in Ireland, set within the dramatic walls of a privately-owned Devonshire family castle, with a contemporary art gallery in the west wing.
- Highlights
- Oldest continuously cultivated gardens in Ireland
- Ancient yew avenue linked to Edmund Spenser
- 17th-century walled Upper Garden
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
34.Activate Waterford
Europe's only venue with SisyFox, iWall and MultiBall
Waterford's largest indoor family activity centre — 25,000 sq ft with 9+ activities under one roof, from soft play and bowling to climbing, laser tag, and roller skating. Locally owned, winner of "Best Indoor Leisure Facility".
- Highlights
- Over 25,000 sq ft of indoor fun
- 9+ activities under one roof
- Only venue in Europe with SisyFox, iWall and MultiBall together
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
35.Tramore Amusement and Leisure Park
Ireland's largest outdoor amusement park, free to enter
A 50-acre seasonal fairground right on Tramore's promenade — free entry, pay-per-ride, with roller coasters, log flumes and classic attractions for all ages, just steps from a 5 km Blue Flag beach.
- Highlights
- Free admission — only pay for the rides you want
- Magic Mouse spinning roller coaster and Jungle River log flume
- Vintage Tramore Miniature Railway running since 1973
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
36.Kingfisher Club Waterford
Awarded 2025 Outstanding Leisure
A large leisure club at Waterford Regional Sports Centre combining a 25m pool, thermal spa, 120-piece gym, 100+ weekly fitness classes, and direct access to Waterford Nature Park.
- Highlights
- National Quality Standard – Outstanding Leisure 2025 Award
- 100+ fitness classes every week
- 25m pool with dedicated kids' pool
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
37.Dungarvan Castle
a rare polygonal shell keep built by King John in 1209
A rare polygonal shell keep built c.1209 by King John's orders to guard Dungarvan Harbour — one of the few Norman royal castles in Ireland, now a free OPW heritage site with a compelling exhibition tracing 800 years of military and policing history.
- Highlights
- Rare polygonal shell keep — one of few in Ireland
- Free guided tours with passionate OPW guides
- Panoramic harbour views from the South West Tower
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
38.Splashworld
Indoor waterpark open 360 days a year
Ireland's largest indoor waterpark, right beside Tramore Beach. A community-run all-weather destination with wave pool, slides, rapids, sauna, gym and swim school — open 360 days a year.
- Highlights
- Wave machine runs at scheduled intervals
- Two water slides: Big Flume (6+) and Splash Slide (all ages)
- Roaring Rapids lazy river
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
39.Ballinacourty Lighthouse
Only reachable by a shoreline scramble
A compact 1858 limestone lighthouse perched on the rocky shore of Dungarvan Bay, surrounded by a championship golf course and reachable only by a shoreline scramble — a raw, rewarding slice of the Waterford coast.
- Highlights
- 13-metre limestone tower built 1858, designed by George Halpin
- Flashing light pattern: two flashes every 10 seconds, visible 10 nautical miles
- Surrounded by the Gold Coast Golf Club — one of Ireland's most scenic courses