Killarney - too touristy?
 

My husband and I are taking a 2 week trip to Ireland in April for the first time.
Our trip includes flying into Dublin and out of Shannon, driving across the south and west of Ireland. (would love to do the north, but we may save that for another trip).
Question is - is Killarney too touristy of a town? I was thinking it would be a good base for a few days to do Dingle, Ring of Kerry, etc. I've heard from some folks that it's a fun place, but I was reading Rick Steves' who was pretty much bashing Killarney as too touristy and filled with Holiday Inns. Can someone offer some insight? Thanks!

I agree with Steves. Killarney has gotten very big and busy in the last few years. I would stay a few nights in Dingle and a few nights in Kenmare. From these two locations you can do everything you mention. The Gap of Dunloe and Muckross house are worth a visit but you don't have to say in Killarney do either. Be sure and visit the Beara, Sheepshead and Mizen Penninsulas for great views that I think rival the Ring of Kerry without the buses and tourist shops.

It’s also a lot of fun and has great restaurants. We stayed by Ross Castle and it was beautiful. We were able to see the area from there and walk into Killarney at night.

Personally, yes I found Killarney too touristy. I preferred Kenmare, but some people may find Kenmare too quiet - it depends on your personality!

You want to do the Ring of Kerry and the Dingle Peninsula, and you are concerned that Killarney is too touristy?

Hmm..

Had exactly the same thought, Padraig.

Killarney is too touristy AND too crowded. I was in Dingle and Kenmare in the first half of May. Neither were crowded and we enjoyed both for 2 nights each. (Had a lunch in Killarney and was not particularly impressed with the Town.)

This is one Rick Steve's opinion that I disagreed with whole heartedly! Go to Killarney. We had a great time there and it will be so beautiful in April. Make sure you go to the falls and Muckross House. Killarney is "touristy" but so are many of the other towns in Ireland at this point. It also has many good restaurants, shops, pubs and is a good spot for sight-seeing. We visited Kenmare but I was glad we did not say there as it is very quiet and a bit of a drive from other sights. I would not want to stay in Killarney in the summer but would not hesitate to do so in the spring. We stayed at the Great Southern Hotel which was very nice. Enjoy your trip!

We also like Killarney. I think it's a good base. We were there in the late May/early June timeframe twice. I didn't think it was overrun by tourist. I thought it had great shopping, pubs, restaurants, and convenient to the area attractions. ((b))

I stayed in Killarney one early Nov for 5 nights at Killarney Park Hotel and I must say, I did not enjoy the stay in Killarney. The hotel was great, the town was just ok but the weather was so bad I couldn't do much walking and tours by taxis weren't very good, again because of the weather. I heeded the advice of Fodorites on my last trip and stayed 5 nights in Dingle and 6 nights in Kenmare. What a wonderful trip that was. We did go over to Killarney and guess what? It was raining and we couldn't do any walking. I think that may color my thoughts of Killarney. Maybe not, as I've been rained on in much of Ireland and it hasn't kept me from going back for more. That is just my opinion. Also, I was there in April my last trip and it wasn't too touristy.

Just what do you consider "touristy"? If it is a place that tourists visit then you might as well cross Ireland off your list along with England, France, Italy, Spain, etc. You are tourists, are you not? Rick Steves is a tourist, is he not? Just because it is mentioned in a Rick Steves book does that make it the gospel truth...or one person's opinion?

On a July bank holiday, I might skip Killarney too. But you will be there in April. You will see a few other tourists (including yourselves if you look in the mirror) but it will not be inundated.

Killarney is a fine town with everything you (as a tourist) need. It has good restaurants, pubs, shops, B&Bs and hotels. It is surrounded by a great deal of natural beauty including mountains, lakes, woods, Killarney National Park, waterfalls, gardens, etc. It makes a perfect base for Dingle and Ring of Kerry. It has ONE Holiday Inn. This has made it a tourist attraction for almost three centuries.

I have a friend that runs a B&B near one of Ireland's airports. People who stay there on their last night often give her travel books that they have finished with to pass on to other tourists. The one book that is always in the trash can is Rick Steves. That shoud tell you something. They have used the book and are not passing it on to someone else.

(Getting off my soapbox once again)

I did not expect to like Killarney, but was very pleasantly surprised. We stayed at the Killarney Avenue Hotel and were very happy with the location. It was easy to get in and out of town to reach other places and attractions, yet we could leave our car parked at the hotel in the evening and have a selection of pubs, cafes and other restaurants within easy walking distance.

At various times on this board I've heard folks call Rothenburg, Neuschwanstein, Florence, Pisa and the Eifel Tower referred to as "touristy". And I've been to each place multiple times.


That's because I AM A TOURIST!!!

The reason I am going back to Ireland is Killarney. Spent 2 days last year and enjoyed Killarnet so much that this year we are spending 6 days in Killarney. and 2 in Dingle Great people.sights and pubs,

A great swathe of buses descends on Killarney town starting in April; believe me, you're better off staying away. Killarney is the gateway to the Ring of Kerry, obviously, but you can drive in the back way from Kenmare and have much the same experience (if not a better one, since you'll avoid the traffic). I agree with those who said that staying in Kenmare would be a good idea, as I personally think it's a much nicer town; however, you might just consider staying in Waterville or even close to Aghadoe if you can. You'd be on the Ring, for one thing; for another, you'd be 'off the beaten path', which so much of that part of Ireland is (this is, by the way, a stilted, Cork opinion ;) )

Keep in mind that it's quite a long drive from Killarney to Dingle, despite how close it looks on the map, though if you've got two weeks you won't be pressed.

The drive from Killarney to Dingle takes about 1 1/2 hours. I have never been inundated by tour buses in Killarney in April, May, September, October or November. They do park in the hotel parking lots after all. It is not as if you are dodging them through every part of town. I have done Dingle as a day trip from Kenmare and would not do it again. If you stay in Kenmare plan on overnighting in Dingle as well.

There is a reason why Killarney attracts so many tourists (and HAS for hundreds of years!).. ... The National Park, Muckross House and Farms, the Lakes, Torc Falls, the Gap of Dunloe ...

Is it crowded and "touristy"? You bet, though April isn't bad. Stay in the Carraige House at Caratlea (sp) over looking the lake, midway between Ross Castle and Muckross House, or the Harp B%B, just south of town.
Spend an evening in the newly remodeled upstairs of O'Rian's on High Street.
If you want a base from which to cover ROK AND Dingle, consider splitting the difference and staying in Kilorglin.
We did that in June of 2005.

Here's a link to the trip report for that trip:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34679685

We were back in Killarney in April of '06, as well.
That trip can be browesed at:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34787168

Bob

But April <i>is</i> bad, folks. Believe me! For the past two years, I have taken various groups of friends on tours of the Dingle Peninsula and the Ring of Kerry, one in the start of April (first week) and one towards the end (20th onward). Each time, we encountered stacks of tour buses; and they do park in the hotel parking lots, yes... but they have to <i>get</i> into the town first. Killarney's streets are narrow, and fitting a huge bus down them creates instant log jams, no matter what time of year. The group that visited us here in Cork at the beginning of the month decided they wanted to go to Killarney on Sunday. This is the God's honest truth: it took us two hours to make it from Killarney Outlet Centre at the top of town to the mouth of Killarney National Park.

Also, it is a rule that tour buses may only drive one way around the Ring to prevent collisions on the narrow and steep upper roads. But because they're all going the same way at the same time, you will average roughly 20 mph in some locales on the Ring, sometimes even less.

American tourism (and tourism in general) is back up in bulk; and the numbers of tourists pouring in here, according to Bord Failte, has been restored to pre-9/11 numbers. While that's a good thing for the Irish economy--and we aren't complaining, mind you--it's also multiplying the length of time needing to be set aside for journeys.

Just keep it in mind when you're planning. And no offence meant to previous posters. :)

I didn't read the other postings, but I just have to say...

YES!! Killarney town is just one big tourist pit (and this is coming from someone who likes places like Wall Drug). Even many of the pubs now have folding chairs and tables to accommodate the hordes. The restaurants have less-than-mediocre food at inflated prices, and it's just someplace you're better off avoiding altogether.

I did notice that one poster said that Killarney has recently become touristy--I first went there 18 years ago, and it was a tourist trap from hell then.

That said, the countryside around Killarney is lovely, and worth a wander about. Enjoy your stay.

We love Killarney, not so much for the town itself, but for the beautiful national park, lake, Muckross House, and the easy access to many areas including Dingle and Ring of Kerry. We go in September or October and stay at Carriglea House overlooking the lake, set far off the road and very quiet. It's become one of our favorite spots. As for Rick Steves, we use his book for reference but not for gospel.

We seem to be split on the subject of Killarney. But that is fine since everyone has their own opinion. I am fortunate to have not run into all those tour buses and I have been to Killarney too many times to count. I generally prefer to stay close to town so I can walk in for pubs and restaurants. Killarney Lodge is perfect for that. Just a tiny bit farther is Earl's Court. You can't go wrong with either choice.

Ellenrho

Killarney is a lovely town, yes I agree its full of tourists, but so is Dingle, and indeed the whole ring of kerry! you can stay slightly outside the town and its very nice, another poster mentioned staying near ross castle and liking it very much, well I agree, its a lovely area to stay in. I hate to sound like I'm being smug, but the whole of Ring of Kerry is full of tourists, so you will have to just accept it. I'm Irish and I feel like a tourist in Kerry!! :)

ttt

killarney is a great town

Great nonsense! If visitors in large numbers did not visit so called 'touristy' venues then no one else would. The importance of an attraction can be measured by the number of its attendees. If you don't like crowds, visit in 'low' season.
Re: April trip. How was it?

We just returned from 2+ weeks in Ireland, the last 5 days of which we spent in Killarney at Old Killarney Village. We were actually there on the June bank holiday.
We did not find hordes of tourists at all. In fact, we found it fairly quiet, except on Friday and Saturday nights. There was no congestion due to tourist buses. We did the ROK in virtual solitude.
The only town we went into twice that had massive traffic jams was Kenmare. That really surprised me, as I thought it was supposed to be the quieter town.

Like Yogi Berra says &quot;Nobody goes there anymore; it's too crowded.&quot;

I chose Dingle for our stay, and avoided Killarney as it sounded too touristy for me. But I planned our itinerary so that we could stay in Dingle on weekdays, avoiding the weekend crowds. This worked well. Even though it was summer, we didn't have any crowds in Dingle during the weekdays. Yes there were people, but no crowds. I made sure to avoid holidays and avoid weekends in Dingle.

I live in a tourist destination, San Diego. Tourist destinations are always more crowded on the weekend and holidays. Usually weekdays are much more bearable.

One of the problems with your question is that people who stay in Killarney have a different way of viewing what is touristy. They aren't worried about that. People like me are going to avoid Killarney, and therefore I can't tell you that Killarney is touristy because it sounded so touristy to me, from the trip reports and guidebooks that I read, that I avoided it all together.

As you will see, opinions differ. I think you will make the decision that suits you best having read both viewpoints. I know that helps me a lot. You begin to get a &quot;feel&quot; for a place when you read subjective opinions.

I don't always agree with Rick Steves, but he loves Dingle and so do I. I would be willing to stay there for a year! On the other hand he seems to like Portrush in Northern Ireland as well, and we greatly disliked Portrush...parking problems, crowds, we found Portrush NOT to be to our liking.

Enjoy Ireland! It's a beautiful and friendly country!

I think that people compare crowded with what you consider crowded in the U.S. I rarely have seen the mobs here in Irleand except maybe at Guinness in Dublin in August. Its busy and slightly at times but never the hour queue mobs that you see in Rome, or some U.S. Sites or The Eifel Tower. Go for it.

SiobhanP,

This interesting discussion of Killarney is mostly by a bunch of Yanks who are taking other people's opinions about Killarney. You will notice that the OP is quoting Rick Steves. He is an American guide book writer. If Rick says do not go there, then the Yanks will follow that advice. If Rick says go there, then the crowds will descend. Hmmm, wouldn't that then make the Steves approved place touristy?

Steves calls it &quot;plastic Killarney town&quot;
: &quot;In towns like Killarney the battle has already been lost -- what remains there of real Ireland is buried under a pile of postcards and ceramic leprechauns galore.&quot; ... &quot;If you have the misfortune to spend the night in Killarney, you'll understand what I mean. The town is a sprawling line of green Holiday Inns littered with pushy shoppers looking for three-leaf clovers.&quot;

His advice on Bunratty: &quot;Skip the Bunratty Castle and Folk Museum. I'd leave this most commercial and least lively of all European open-air folk museums to the jet-lagged, big-bus American tour groups (located just a potty stop from the Shannon Airport, past Limerick on the road to Ennis).&quot;

Interesting. I have never had to go from Shannon through Limerick to get to Ennis. Rick, please get a map!

Perhaps our Irish friends can understand better about the Rick Steves Syndrome now.

IrishEyes, thanks for the quotes, but most of all for making clear that for many the world is mediated by gurus like Rick Steves.

Personally, I don't much like Killarney, but I think the description you quote is off the mark. And it is fair to point out that it is set in a spectacular place, which counts for something.

His rubbishing of the Folk Museum in Bunratty is -- well, rubbish. The castle is, of course, authentic. As folk parks go, the one in Bunratty is a proper representation of aspects of Irish life. It's not a Disneyfication. What's wrong with that?

I have been going to Bunratty since I was 4 years old. Back then it was just a castle that stood empty. Over the years the addition of the folk park and banquets has kept a piece of Irish life alive for visitors. My own parents think its great and my mom is from nearby. On our last visit my dad was talking to a man his age thatching the roof of one of the cottages in the park and this is almost a lost art. People should see how they lived and how craftmanship made up a large part of rural life. The animals are great for kids to see and I am glad the castle is still a tourist site as it gives local employment, Provides an outlet for tourists to see storytellers and music (They even advertise for storytellers with Italian and French language skills!) So wjhat if its a bit touristy I think its less plastic paddy than some other places like the Blarnety stone. I have fond memories of Bunratty as a kid.

I have been going to Bunratty since I was 4 years old. Back then it was just a castle that stood empty. Over the years the addition of the folk park and banquets has kept a piece of Irish life alive for visitors. My own parents think its great and my mom is from nearby. On our last visit my dad was talking to a man his age thatching the roof of one of the cottages in the park and this is almost a lost art. People should see how they lived and how craftmanship made up a large part of rural life. The animals are great for kids to see and I am glad the castle is still a tourist site as it gives local employment, provides an outlet for tourists to see storytellers and music (They even advertise for storytellers with Italian and French language skills!) So what if its a bit touristy I think its less plastic paddy than some other places like the Blarney stone. I have fond memories of Bunratty as a kid.

Rick Steve's is NOT the be all and end all of advisors for North American tourists, even though it may seem that way. After watching one of his Ireland specials, I realized that he hadn't a clue about the real Ireland.

Killarney is a great place and because of that, draws a lot of tourists. It has Killarney National Park, Gap of Dunloe &amp; the Ring of Kerry. All of these attract tourists. As someone pointed out, we are all tourists or visitors, if you will, unless born and raised in the area we are visiting.

Using Killarney for a base to visitDingle, is a bit of a stretch, as it makes for a long day. I would suggest that you do two days in Killarney and two in Dingle. That way neither gets short shift. I, personally, stay in Kenmare and drive over to Killarney for the day. That doesn't mean that I don't enjoy Killarney. I just have a preference for Kenmare. Of all Ring and Loop drives, my personal favorite is the Beara drive but I really enjoy a more rugged beauty. Yet, the Ring of Kerry has its own special magic and draw. Keep a watch out for Unicorns! I don't think there truly is a bad spot in all of the Kingdom of Kerry.

Slan Beo,

Bit

We will be spending 3 days in Killarney at the end of March, so curious to see how it is then. It seems to suit our needs. We will take a tour of the Ring of Kerry, and maybe take the bus to Kenmare one day. Otherwise, we'll walk, take the taxi or a tour bus -- depending on availability -- to the various sights in the area. Deros Tours has a Highlights of Killarney tour which is just what we'd like, but they said they will only go if there are at least 8 passengers, so we'll see. It's a pretty small town, so between walking and taxis I think we'll make it around all right.

Sandy