We just spent a magical week along Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way.
What a treat it was to slow down immerse ourselves exploring County Clare and the Aran Islands.
Starting from the vibrant colourful town of Doolin, exploring the beautiful landscapes of the Burren, and of course, the breathtaking Cliffs of Moher.
And you can also hop across the water to explore The Aran Islands’ Inis Mor too!
One of my favourite things about unrushed exploring is getting to know people, hearing their stories + the best local recommendations! ❤️
Ideally, I’d recommend at least 5 nights to see and do everything in this list below!
20 Magical Things to do in Doolin, The Burren & Cliffs of Moher
Spend a few days in Doolin 🌈
This colourful little town is the CUTEST!
And even though it’s quite small, there is actually so much to do and see in the area. I’d really recommend it as a base for your Wild Atlantic Way adventures.
Don’t miss a cliff walk with Ollie’s Tours
Wow, you totally HAVE to book in a Cliff Walk tour with Ollie’s Tours!
Ollie and his team are amazing and such good fun. We started our Cliff walk in the colourful Doolin and made our way all the way up to the Cliffs of Moher.
It’s a stunning walk and there’s plenty to see along the way! You’ll learn the lore and history as you take in the sights.
Plus with your local guide, you’ll experience views that only about 3% of people visiting ever get to see!
PS keep an eye out for puffins!
As our guide Ollie says… “What Moher could you want?!” Also, I loved that he was like, YES bring the awesome dresses for the walk! We totally loved spending our day out with him!
Russels for the absolute best seafood!
Foodies will love dinner at Russels for the BEST seafood!
We were so lucky to have dinner here, not one, but two nights.
Everything on the menu is delicious. I’d definitely recommend the oysters as a fun starter…. and the scallops are a must!
No matter what you order, it’s going to be delicious.
🎶 Live music & drinks at McGanns
This is a super cosy pub, perfect for a relaxing evening. Plus they have live music seven nights a week, which is pretty cool!
Grab a Guinness and settle in a booth to enjoy the tunes!
Gus O’Connor’s Pub
Another great local pub in the heart of Doolin.
We popped in for a spot of lunch and I 10/10 recommend the seafood chowder!
Doonagore Castle
Don’t miss Doonagore Castle while in Doolin.
It’s a 16th century tower house castle. You can’t actually go inside as it’s a privately owned home.
But it’s perfect to admire from the road below or if you walk a little bit of the Cliffs of Moher walking trail, there are some gorgeous viewpoints, like the photo above.
Cliffs of Moher Experience
So technically the Cliffs of Moher are free to visit – after all they span a HUGE portion of the west coast of Ireland.
But, there’s also the Cliffs of Moher Experience to visit and this is where you’ll get the iconic shots you may have seen of the cliffs before.
There is a cost for parking here, but you have access to the bathrooms and visitor centre.
Adult tickets start from €8.00 and includes car parking, wi-fi, access to all areas including O’Brien’s Tower and the interactive Cliffs exhibition and much more.
PS Did you know that legend has it there is a lost city sunken beneath the Cliffs of Moher? Allegedly rising slightly from the sea every seven years… 🌊
Go for a wander in The Burren 🍃🌾🐐
I’d absolutely recommend a Stones & Stories Burren walk
We were so happy to spend a morning with Marie hearing her knowledge of the nature + stories of the Burren.
AND how to spot the fairy trails, of course!
Did you know that Hawthorn trees are for the fairies? And how to spot a fairy trail? Simply look along the forest floor for tiny winding pathways!
Poulnabrone Dolmen
Located in the Burren, you’ll find Poulnabrone Dolmen.
The dolmens throughout the country are said to be where lovers, warrior Diarmuid and princess Gráinne sought shelter whilst fleeing warrior Fionn Mac Cumhaill
🪨 Caherconnell Stone Fort
The history at this over 1,000 years old ring fort is unreal!
Ask Sean to for a tour, he grew up right next to the Fort and knows literally everything!
The Burren Perfumery
This was such a neat place to stop in for a visit.
We were recommended to come here by our guide Marie from our Stones and Stories walk in The Burren.
She recommended it for the fairytale aspect and it really delivers! It’s such a cute spot.
We grabbed a brownie and a hot chocolate in the café and bought some gorgeous soaps to take back home.
Monk’s Restaurant
Following local recommendations for the day, one of the employees from The Burren Perfumery recommended Monk’s for lunch and that the open crab sandwich was a “must”.
So naturally, once we left there, we hit the road and headed to Monk’s!
And yes, this seafood place hit the spot.
Can confirm the crab sandwich is delightful and also the smoked salmon one as well.
Delicious!
⛴️ Hop on the Doolin Ferry for a Cliffs of Moher cruise
Another way to see the Cliffs of Moher?
By sea, of course!
You can get a Cliff Cruise ferry from Doolin!
Make sure to bookmark this post as your ultimate guide to an unrushed visit to Inis Mór… with a little bit of Irish fairytale folklore too!
Take a ferry to the Aran Islands!
Ok, so I fully think that if you are going to the Aran Islands you should spend at least one night on one of the islands.
It’s super easy to get there, you catch a ferry from Doolin straight over and we loved taking in the sights along the way.
We stayed overnight on Inis Mór and it was such a great time. I’ve even got the perfect guide for your visit…
Here’s everything you HAVE to do on the Aran Islands: Inis Mór!
😴 Stay overnight at the Fiddle & Bow
The perfect overnight stay in Doolin? The Fiddle & Bow.
Doolin is pretty small, so everything is easily in walking distance together.
And the food here is AMAZING. They have Russells Seafood Bar & Restaurant, a café and takeout! They really have it all and I can’t recommend it enough.
Relax and unwind overnight at the Falls Hotel & Spa
We ended our trip with a last night at the Falls Hotel & Spa and it was the perfect way to finish our journey.
Closer to Shannon Airport and the perfect relaxing getaway, this is such a cute area.
Thanks so much for joining me on an epic adventure along Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way!
I hope this helps with future travel planning! 🙂
Kelly xoxo