Our road trip concluded with two nights in Galway, Ireland. While we didn’t have a lot of time in the city itself, we were able to see a few sites in the surrounding parts of County Clare. We also discovered one of our favorite pubs of the entire trip there as well! Check out the highlights below.
Cliffs of Moher & the Burren
Galway is only about an hour from the Cliffs of Moher and the Burren. We made it a point to stop there on our way from Killarney to Galway, but if you are only visiting Galway – I highly recommend a day trip here. It’s best to either go early in the morning or before closing at sunset. For more information, check out our previous post here: Cliffs of Moher & the Burren.
Kylemore Abbey
Kylemore Abbey is another great day trip from Galway, Ireland. It takes about 1.5 hours to get there by car. This area offers a lot for all various types of travelers. There are hiking and walking paths, a walled Victorian Garden, a massive estate and stunning views of Connemara National Park. For more information, check out our previous post here: Kylemore Abbey.
Dunguire Castle
Only about 30 minutes from Galway you can find Dunguire Castle. We actually drove past it on our way from the Cliffs of Moher to the city. They offer tours during the day, as well as Castle Banquet dinners in the evening with live performances. While we didn’t have the time to visit, you can learn more here: Dunguire Castle.
Galway, Ireland Pubs & Nightlife
Arguably, Galway, Ireland is home to some of the best pubs and nightlife in Ireland! It’s here I discovered one of my favorite bars of the entire trip: O’Connells. I originally planned to go there because O’Connell is Mark’s father’s grandmother’s maiden name, so it was significant to our group, but I think we all fell in love with the atmosphere! It has a large indoor space, with an outdoor seating area as well for nicer weather. (For anyone familiar with Ed Sheeran’s Galway Girl song – this is the pub where he filmed the music video!) We also had a wonderful (late) night out, listening to a live band at The Kings Head in the Latin Quarter of Galway.
Whiskey Tasting
Speaking of pubs – Galway offers a whiskey trail, where you can visit various bars and try different flights of whiskey. It’s a fun opportunity to learn more about the types of whiskey you like and a great rainy day activity. To name a few of the participating bars: Garavan’s, The Kings Head, O’Connells, Garvy’s and the Dáil. To learn more about how to follow the whiskey trail on your own, check out this helpful website: Galway Whiskey Trail.
Overall, Galway, Ireland was a jumping off point for us to see some of the surrounding sites in County Clare. Like many places, I wish we had more time to discover what the city itself had to offer. I still daydream about drinking a Guinness in O’Connells pub – so I know we’ll be back again someday!
Sláinte, Amanda
