If you’re planning a trip to Ireland with a toddler, I want to give some personal tips to help your trip. I just finished up a 10-day trip traveling in Ireland with my 2.5-year-old. It was one of our favorite European destinations yet with a toddler.
What surprised me about Ireland was just how family-friendly it is. I found myself feeling completely at ease in the countryside as a parent—a rarity when on the road with a toddler. There was so much open space to enjoy, so we were able to be outside and take our time in places we visited.
I have been to Europe several times with our toddler. We were with our toddler in Paris last year and lived in Mallorca and Bordeaux. This trip, in particular, was part of a larger two-month trip to Europe where we went to the South of France with our toddler, Puglia, Cotswolds, and then Ireland. I feel like Ireland was the easiest of all.
Something I have found that works well for us when exploring Europe is the ease of a slow road trip. I will get into more details below, but a road trip in Ireland with kids makes it a much slower pace. It also allows a lot of freedom to pivot when you need to.
So below I’m breaking down everything you need to know about visiting Ireland with a toddler. The gear you should have, where to stay, and highlighted things to do in Ireland with toddlers!
Short on Time? Here Are My Top Tips for Visiting Ireland with Toddlers:
- Bring a Travel Car Seat and Travel Car Mirror
- Bring a Compact, Foldable Stroller
- Bring a Travel Pack & Play, Travel Sound Machine, and No WiFi Needed Baby Monitor
- Bring a Baby Carrier or Hiking Pack
- Bring a Backpack Diaper Bag
- Bring Rain Gear
Helpful Guides to Plan Your Trip
For more Ireland resources, don’t miss my ultimate Ireland itinerary, Wild Atlantic Way itinerary, and my travel guides to Kinsale, Killarney, Dingle Peninsula, and the Gap of Dunloe!
Travel Tip: The best way to explore Ireland is by driving yourself. We use Discover Cars for our rental cars in Europe, choose full coverage insurance, and opt for trusted companies like Alamo, Hertz, or Sixt. Renting a car in Ireland is quite easy, and while you drive on the opposite side, you’ll get used to it quickly (For more, read my guide to renting a car in Ireland). Book your car with Discover Cars here.
Your Ultimate Guide to Ireland With a Toddler
What to Know Before Visiting Ireland with a Toddler
Is Ireland a Good Place to Visit with a Toddler?
One of the most popular questions asked is whether or not to take your toddler to Ireland. I’ll answer that with a definite “yes!” Restaurants and hotels are family-friendly, with lots of beaches and national parks, and more to experience with your littles.
How Kid-Friendly is Ireland?
Out of the several countries I have been to with my toddler, Ireland is the most family-friendly place I have been. Ireland travel is accommodating to all ages, and littles are especially welcomed.
The Best Time to Visit Ireland with a Toddler
If you’re looking for the best weather, then you will want to plan your trip around the summer months of June through August. With it will come crowds, but fewer days of rain. I think if you want no crowds, then I would look at April/May and September/October but know you’ll have some rainier days.
Arriving in Ireland: Where to Fly In
Deciding where to fly into with toddlers in Ireland will depend if you’re already in Europe or coming internationally. If flying from the US, you’ll land in Dublin, which is a convenient to begin any trip in Ireland. If you’re already in Europe, you could consider flying into a more regional airport to begin your trip like Cork Airport. Remember, you will need a passport for your kid!
Read: How to Survive Long-Haul Flights With a Toddler
Getting Around Ireland with a Toddler
The best way to get around Ireland with a toddler is by hiring a rental car. A rental car will give you so much more flexibility to explore, not be dependent on transfers, and give you freedom for your kid’s schedule. We always book our Europe rental cars on DiscoverCars.com and book with a reputable agency like Sixt, Hertz, or Alamo. When we book a car, we always opt for an automatic and a smaller SUV to fit all of our luggage.
Important Rental Car Gear For Toddlers
- Lightweight Travel Car Seat — we always bring our own car seat
- Car Seat Bag for Plane Check-In — we use this bag to check our car seat
- Travel Car Mirror — I always put this in the car seat bag so they can see
Rental Car Note: You don’t need a rental car in Dublin. I would pick up your rental car when you arrive at the airport and embark on your road trip first. Return the car to an agency in the Dublin City Center to finish your trip in Dublin if you plan to go there. I use Discover Cars for our rental cars in Europe, select full coverage insurance, and opt for a reputable company like Alamo, Hertz, or Sixt. Renting a car in Ireland is very straightforward, and while you drive on the opposite side, you’ll get used to it quickly. Book a rental car with Discover Cars here.
Must-Have Gear For Toddler Travel in Ireland
Compact, Foldable Stroller
The Cybex Libelle is so helpful for all toddler travel. It folds very small, fits in the overhead in planes, and is convenient to use. I would use that or the Babyzen YOYO for traveling.
Baby Carrier or Hiking Pack
Depending on which age you travel with, I’d consider bringing a baby carrier (we loved our Artipoppe) or a hiking backpack. If you are going hiking in the countryside, you’ll need to at some point carry your kid. Our favorite hiking backpack for kids is this Deuter.
Car Seat Gear
I mentioned above that this is our favorite lightweight car seat, the bag we use to check it, and why we always bring a mirror. These three things are so helpful for road-tripping in Ireland.
Sleep Gear
While every hotel will offer a crib, I find it more successful to check our travel pack & play (it’s free to check with international airlines). With it, I always bring this travel noise machine to help reduce any exterior sound and this no WiFi needed baby monitor and most baby monitors won’t connect to hotel WiFi networks.
Backpack Diaper Bag
I always travel with this specific backpack diaper bag — it has all the storage and looks quite chic considering. I’ve used it for several years now and love that I can get everything I need in it.
Rain Gear
It will most certainly rain at some point during your trip, so I recommend having a few pieces on you. I love to travel with these lightweight rain boots, and this rain poncho for my toddler. If it’s going to rain a lot, I would even consider one of these coat + pant combos to keep your toddler dry.
Read: My Toddler Travel Essential Gear List
Read: Items for Flying With a Baby
Helpful Tips to Know Before You Arrive
Restaurants and Dining in Ireland with Toddlers
I found dining to be super easygoing in Ireland in general. Everywhere had high chairs, most restaurants had a kid’s menu, and often a coloring pack. It’s one of the easiest places for dining I found. The one caveat is summer months are very busy and you’ll need to reserve in advance for the popular restaurants.
Where to Get Toddler Supplies
If you’re looking for the basics like diapers and baby food, many shops like grocery stores will have them. You’ll find diaper brands like Huggies or Pampers in the bigger grocers, versus more off-brand options in Lidle or Aldi. There are plenty of snack aisles in all grocery stores, so don’t worry about that either!
Pharmacy and Emergency Help
You’ll find pharmacies everywhere you go in Ireland, most are open all day and even on the weekend. For emergencies, remember the numbers in Ireland are 112 and 999.
Finding Kids’ Parks in Ireland
There are parks all over the country, and almost every town will have a central kids’ park. There are also farms that are designed for toddlers and littles to visit as well as an alternative. These are very enriching as the kids can interact with animals and often have a small park too.
Where to Visit in Ireland With a Toddler
I’ll preface that our favorite places in Ireland were destinations along the coast, in national parks, and countryside. I found Dublin to not be our speed at all with a toddler — it was high energy, somewhere I probably would choose to visit another time without her. I wish we had more time to see places like Galway, Limerick, or Northern Ireland. This 10-day itinerary in Ireland is what we chose to do and we loved it.
When planning your itinerary, I suggest picking just 2-3 homebases to help cut down on drive time. I chose two small towns where we could go slowly and then explore beyond. I fell in love with Kinsale, a bright colorful seaside town. From there, we based ourselves in Killarney to do all the things. Sharing some information on all of these:
Kinsale — The Coastal Escape
Our favorite small town in Ireland was Kinsale. This small, foodie town just off the coast on the river is wonderful. It has just enough to do in terms of sights, but also you can go slow and not feel like you have to rush. For accommodations, I’d book into a vacation rental like The Marian Cottage or this Beautiful 2BR House. For a hotel, I would book at the Actons Hotel Kinsale which has family-friendly rooms.
When it comes to exploring, there are historic sights like the Charles Fort and James Fort where there is ample space to roam. Enjoy a walk along the water on the Scilly Walk that begins just outside of town. You’ll find casual dining at places like The Spaniard Inn or Lemon Leaf. In town, there is also a wonderful park if you’re looking to burn energy.
Killarney — National Parks + Day Trips
We spent the bulk of our trip in Killarney, using it as a base to do several day trips and enjoy time in Killarney National Park. For our time, we stayed at The Great Southern Killarney which will go down as one of the best family-friendly hotels I have ever stayed at. There was a literal playground just in the back in their private grand park — also an indoor pool for the win.
Our days were spent in the national park seeing all the sights, and then we could walk into town for dinner to places like The Laurels Pub & Restaurant. We did a big day trip to the Dingle Peninsula which was one of our favorite things we did. Another highlight was an afternoon in the Gap of Dunloe.
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PS — Are You Booking a Trip Soon? Use My Booking Checklist!
These are the sites I use most to book my own trips. Using the links below is a great way to support Bon Traveler’s travel journalism at no extra cost to you. If you need help organizing your itinerary, get my free travel itinerary template here.
1. Book Your Accommodations
I use Booking.com for hotels and Airbnb for vacation rentals. They have the biggest inventory and consistently offer the best rates.
2. Book Your Rental Car
Self-driving is the best way to explore most destinations. I use Discover Cars for our rental cars, select full coverage insurance, and opt for a reputable company like Alamo, Hertz, or Sixt.
3. Book Your Tours & Experiences
I use Viator, Airbnb, and Get Your Guide to find the best tours and experiences. They are my favorite tour search engines. I always check all three as their inventory varies depending on the destination.
4. Book Your Private Transfers
For easy, reliable private transfers, I use Welcome Pickups. It’s my go-to for arranging a driver in advance — whether it’s an airport pickup, a hotel-to-hotel transfer, or a day trip. The experience is seamless, with English-speaking drivers and upfront pricing, so you can travel stress-free at every stage of your trip.
5. Get Cell Data for Your Trip
I use Holafly for international cell data. Their unlimited data eSIMs are easy to install, activate instantly on arrival, and let you skip local SIM cards and expensive roaming fees.
6. Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
I never leave the country without travel insurance. It provides comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong (ie. illness, injury, theft, or cancellations).
My favorite companies that offer the best coverage and rates are:
- World Nomads (best for all-around)
- Safety Wing (best for frequent travelers)
Xx,
Jessica
