Dingle is one of my favourite places in Ireland. It’s quaint, charming, beautiful and super easy to visit if you’ve only got a few days in Ireland.
If you’re wondering what to do in Dingle Ireland then look no further, my guide below is going to take you through all the best things to do in Dingle.
I love that Inch beach is called “inch”...because it’s soooooo darn long, 3 km to be exact.
It’s also super beautiful and a very iconic beach in Ireland.
If it’s a nice day you might even want to dip your feet in the water.
But if it’s not, it’s still a nice place for a stroll.
There are so many amazing drives in Ireland.
You’ve got the Ring of Beara, The Ring of Kerry, the Atlantic Drive and the Dingle Peninsula.
If you were to ask me what my favourite was, I would struggle to answer, but I actually think it might be ...the Dingle Peninsula.
It’s crazy beautiful and there is actually a lot of unique activities in Dingle that I would never have thought of visiting.
Even if you only rent a car for a day, I think you should drive the Dingle Peninsula on your own.
Of course you can take a Dingle Peninsula tour if needs be, and this is a great tour, but there’s nothing quite as amazing as driving Ireland.
The Dingle Peninsula is only 30 miles (47km) and you drive it in a clockwise direction.
Read Also: The Best Places To Visit In Ireland
Dingle town is home to the best fish and chips on the island of Ireland (in my opinion).
There are lots of fish and chip shops to choose from and you should get them to go and sit by the seaside and enjoy them!
We can recommend Ahoy Fish and Chips- it’s a quirky van and they also do burgers too.
Fish and chips were delicious.
One of the more “tasty” things to do in Dingle!
Don’t forget to buy a delicious ice cream afterwards. There is an ice cream place called Murphys and it serves homemade Dingle style Icecream! (There is a store in Galway too).
Oh this was such an unexpected surprise and I loved it.
We were driving along the Dingle Peninsula and seen a lot of people interacting with sheep and I thought, well, I want in on this.
So pulled over and it’s 3 euro entrance to sheep petting and feeding (they are all just roaming in their field) and to check out the Lios Stone Circle.
One of the more unique things to do in Dingle but awesome! Great activity for children too.
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Coumeenoole beach was one of my favourites in Ireland.
It’s a beautiful beach with two levels for parking and wild camping.
When we visited the weather wasn’t too warm but there were still families building sandcastles on the beach and the wind isn’t too bad because there is a bit of cove protection.
Definitely one of the best places to visit in Dingle. Great picnic spot!
There are other beautiful beaches around the Dingle Peninsula, you’ll discover them when driving around, so just stop at the ones you want.
The Slea head loop on the Dingle Peninsula treats you to a range of cozy villages, ancient sites and beautiful scenery.
This Irish driving route starts and ends in Dingle town.
It’s part of the Wild Atlantic Way so if you’ve only got one chance to drive some of the route, then this is a great part of the Wild Atlantic way.
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Did you know that Star Wars was filmed in this area of the new world? (The new Star Wars collection) and from this point you get a viewpoint of the filming area.
If you can’t go to Skellig Island to see where the found Luke Skywalker then this is another opportunity to see some of the Star Wars collection.
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The conor pass is the highest mountain pass in Ireland.
It provides a dramatic landscape and runs for 12 km. Whilst driving you’ll some to two scenic viewpoints to get fantastic pictures (or drone footage).
This is one of the best things to see in Dingle and the Wild Atlantic Way in general.
Minard castle is a castle that is in ruins and you will have to be careful nothing drops on you when visiting, but it’s location is stunning and it’s a brilliant wild camping spot if you’ve got a motorhome or campervan.
This was such a great little castle and an opportunity to let your imagination wonder about it’s past.
READ: Best Campervan Rentals In Ireland!
This is one of the main spots in Dingle that we wanted to see, but drove past and didn’t realise until 30 minutes later and didn’t have time to go back.
Which is a real pity because this is one of the most iconic spots in Dingle, and when you see the photos you’ll know what I mean!
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Around the Dingle Peninsula there are lots of signs for neolithic sites and settlements and one of the most popular things to do is see the Famine houses.
Whilst this isn’t something we did, if you don’t know much about the famine in Ireland then this is a great way to learn more about the situation.
Over 1 million died and more than 1 million emigrated to other countries (the USA being the most popular one).
Noone lives on the Blasket islands, but if you want to step back in time in Irish history, then a trip to the Blasket Islands is exactly what you need. This is one of the best Dingle attractions and easy to see via a tour.
You can even stay on the islands in classic housing.
You can find out more information about visiting here.
Another one of the unique things to do on the Dingle Peninsula.
We didn’t stop at the Bee hive huts as I wasn’t too interested, but if you’re looking for something unique to do, then just pull over at one of the spots advertised on the road.
This is slightly in-land from the typical Dingle Peninsula route, but it’s only a detour of around 10 minutes.
The Kilmalkedar church is in ruins, but a graveyard is still there.
It’s quite a beautiful area and the church is super super old.
There are also some beautiful walking routes around that area, so I think it's worth a visit.
Ireland is full of great walks, and if you don’t fancy driving the Dingle driving route, or even taking a tour, you could walk the Dingle Way!
It’s 179 km long and takes around 8 days to complete.
So you’ll definitely need some spare time.
But you can find out all you need to know via their website.
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Dingle town has some great pubs! So why not gather your friends or family and have yourself a pub crawl.
You can end with dinner in one of the bars and you’ll find almost all of them playing traditional Irish music.
This is one of the great things to do in Dingle when it rains.
Pub grub and drinks, you won’t even notice the weather!
One of the great things about visiting Dingle is the fact that you can always discover new viewpoints, walks and beautiful areas that no one else has discovered.
That’s probably why it’s one of my favourite places in Ireland because it felt like no matter where I looked I was discovering brand new stunning beauty.
Standing tall at 952 metres, Mount Brandon is one of the highest peaks in Ireland. This mountain offers one of the most scenic views at Dingle, and was named after St. Brendan. It actually lies at the end of the Cosán na Naomh pilgrimage trail.
There are plenty of walking routes here, with several options you can take to climb the summit. One that I can recommend is the one that starts from the car park at Faha Grotto. This will take around 4 to 5 hours.
But the easiest route would be from the west and follows the final paths of The Saint’s Route, a medieval pilgrim path. Beginning in Ballybrack, this 5-mile route will take around 3 or 4 hours. Trust me, the view at the top is something to remember indeed!
The Dingle Distillery is a must for any whiskey lover. It’s a local favorite where you can go on tours to learn of their artisan production facility and Irish whiskey history. Plus, you’ll get to see behind the scenes of their stringent distillation process.
It still uses the traditional method that was used during the old days. In fact, the hundred official distilleries on Dingle that stood two centuries ago have almost all disappeared, except for this and another one.
Of course, the unique thing about this visit would be the fascinating workings of a distillery. The hour-long tours even offer whiskey samples.
Opening times: 9:30am - 5:30pm
If you’re even the least bit impressed by historical remnants and places, then you should try stopping at the South Pole inn. This charming pub is nestled in the village of Annascaul.
It was owned by Tom Crean, a local guy and famous Antarctic explorer. He’d left the village for the Royal Navy and later took part in three expeditions from 1901. It was when he came back to Annascaul did he open the bar in 1927.
With hot food, cold beer, and an incredibly friendly atmosphere, this pub is suitable even for families. Be transported back in time as you sit within this cozy little bar.
Opening times: Thu - Mon, 12am to 9pm
The best time to visit Dingle is during Ireland's summer season which is the month of June, July, August and September.
You can sometimes get decent weather in May, but it can’t be guaranteed. If you want to beat the crowds then I suggest you visit during the months of June and September.
We visited in June and it was perfect.
Having your own form of transport makes getting around Dingle (and all the best sites of Ireland) a lot more easier.
We used a campervan to get around Dingle, but if you don’t have your own vehicle there are a variety of tours that take place around the Dingle area.
But I think the best way to see Dingle is via your own transport.
Read Also: A Guide To Getting Around Ireland: Everything Explained!
You could easily see all the best sites in Dingle in one very long day, but I think you should stay overnight in Dingle town itself, or wild camp (there are some amazing spots). So 2 days should be enough to experience it all!
During our Ireland road trip, we hired a Delta Campervan from Spaceships Rentals. We had an awesome time and you can read our review of the company here.
Since had our own place to sleep we found ourselves wild camping most of the time or trying out some of Ireland’s brilliant campsites.
But, if you need hostels, hotels or any other type of accommodation in Dingle then we recommend these websites for the best deals.
Absolutely. Dingle and the Dingle peninsula is one of the most popular spots in Ireland, so tours around the area are quite common from lots of great places.
So if you don’t want the hassle of organising your own Dingle itinerary, then booking onto a tour is a fuss-free and great way to see the best places to see in Dingle.
Whenever we book tours, we always use these 2 sites:
If you’re on the lookout for cheap flights to Ireland then we suggest you start looking with Skyscanner.
Also, don’t go on holiday without ensuring you have travel insurance. We think World Nomads are usually a great, affordable choice.
If you want a taste of #vanlife (it’s as good as you’re thinking!) then check out Spaceships Rentals offer excellent campervans and motorhomes.
Need a car? Try RentalCars.com.
Below are some more useful guides we’ve written that you might find useful for your trip Dingle Ireland.
So there you have it, my guide to the best things to do in Dingle, Ireland. I hope you find this useful in planning your Dingle adventures and if you have any other great activities in Dingle to add to the list, then just comment below.
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