The following content may contain affiliate links. When you click and shop the links, we receive a commission.
After a much deserved retreat at Dromoland Castle, we said our goodbyes and started our journey west with Dingle being the next destination. We made it about thirty minutes and realized a late lunch was in order. You will be remiss not to make a stop in the charming town of Adare. Every door is impossibly more happy and bright than the next. A few antique shops and a fish & chips later and we were back on the road.
We hopped back in our (automatic.. thank goodness) van with the kids in the back. there are two routes to Dingle from Adare… we’ve learned our lesson and always take the southernmost route along the coast.. it avoids the mountain road and steep drops that I’d rather avoid. Plus you drive past inch beach before arriving to the Dingle peninsula. It is most certainly worth the stop. We caught it just as the sun was setting.
We settled in to our cozy three bedroom Airbnb that’s in the absolute perfect location. It’s just outside of town but certainly close enough to walk and has stunning views of the harbor. Ben ran out to grab groceries and we cooked dinner in the kitchen (one of my favorite things about staying at an Airbnb).
The next morning we packed up for a day of driving the coastline. First mission was to grab coffees at Bean in Dingle, a really lovely coffee shop that also serves pastries & sandwiches. We’ve been going there since our oldest was a baby. Then we were on our way. We typically do this trip in the spring or summer. This was the first time we’ve been in January. I was surprised with how temperate the weather was. It was chilly but not too cold and the grass was still a vibrant green. We of course stopped to see the new baby lambs. It’s always a treat and these were just a few days old. We then made our way around the peninsula along the narrow and windy wild Atlantic way. It doesn’t look that far on the map but the tight curves really make you slow down and take it all in.
Because we were traveling with the kids we tried to keep our packing to a minimum. I selected pieces that I could wear a few times and mix and match. I loved this jacket from J.McLaughlin that I wore on several occasions. The natural navy pairs with anything & everything and can elevate a pair of jeans but also works wonderfully with this navy dress or a playful skirt. I was able to use their darling wicker purse for evenings out and a wedding that we attended.
After a few days spent enjoying Dingle, it was time to head back to Dublin for our flight home. We drove into the city and enjoyed a wonderful dinner at Cafe en Seine. A charming, French-inspired restaurant with quite the cocktail menu and a French onion soup that I’m still thinking about. After dinner, we checked into our last hotel near the airport and got ready for the long travel day ahead.
I so hope you’ve enjoyed following along. I’m so grateful for opportunities like these to experience new countries and share the journey with our children. Here’s what else I packed for our trip in the event you were looking for some extra travel inspiration.
