Galway is an amazing harbor city with lots of things to do. From medieval buildings, quaint fishing village to awesome nightlife, Galway is a good base for your Ireland adventure. However, if you find yourself running out of things to do in this city, there are several day trips from Galway that you can do.
Here are the 7 best day trips from Galway.
Things you'll find in this article
Best Day Trips From Galway City
1.The Cliffs of Moher
The Cliffs of Moher are sea cliffs located in County Clare, Ireland. It is one of Ireland’s most spectacular sights and one of the most visited attractions in Ireland with 1.5 million visitors annually.
Standing 702ft above the ground at their highest point and 8km long, the Cliffs boast one of the most amazing views in Ireland. In a good day, you can see the Aran Islands in Galway Bay.
Admission Fee
Adults €6
Students €4
Senior Citizens €4
Children under 16
Free Group rates available on request
How to get to Cliffs of Moher from Galway
Take a bus from Galway Bus Station on Eyre Square to Cliffs of Moher. Take the Bus Eireann #350 and it will take you directly to the gate of the visitor center. It takes 2 hours and 15 minutes for €16-19 one-way trip. Bus leaves every hour.
Or you can also take this day tour from Galway which is cheaper by a lot.
This tour to the Cliffs of Moher and the Burren region is a leisurely guided day tour from Galway that includes a 2hr stops at the Cliffs of Moher and visits to Kilfenora and the Poulnabrone Dolmen. It’s € 30 per person. To book, click here.
Recommended hours for the day trip
Allocate at least 8 hours to enjoy Cliffs of Moher.
Opening Hours
8 am to 7 pm although, during winter, the cliffs are closed by 5 pm.
Contact Information
Location: Lislorkan North, Liscannor, Co. Clare, Ireland
Phone: bookings@cliffsofmoher.ie
Email: +353 65 708 6145
Buy your ticket online here.
2.Kylemore Abbey
Kylemore Castle was built by Mitchell Henry, a wealthy doctor from England, as a gift to his wife Margaret in 1871. It was sold to the Duke and Duchess of Manchester in 1903 and was then purchased by the Irish Benedictine nuns in 1920. Kylemore Abbey, a Benedictine monastery was then founded in 1920 on the grounds of Kylemore Castle, in Connemara. Since the 1970s, the estate has been opened to the public.
Nestled at the base of Druchruach Mountain and along the shore of Lough Pollacappul in Connemara, the Abbey is one of the most iconic attractions in Galway, Ireland. It is also one of the most beautiful castles in Ireland. And no visit to Ireland is complete without spending a half day to the castle ground.
Check out this Kylemore Abbey Tour article for more information.
Admission Fee
€13 for adult, €9 for a student, €10 for senior, and €26.00 for a family of 4.
How to get to Kylemore Abbey from Galway City
Take a Bus Eireann (bus #419) from Newcastle Road-NUIG West Gate to Kylemore Post Office. This takes around 2 hours and it costs between €13-17 one way. Then walk towards the estate’s garden for less than 5 minutes.
Or you can also take this day trip from Galway.
This tour to Kylemore and Cong is a leisurely guided day tour from Galway that also includes Killary Fjord and Lough Nafooey. It’s € 30 per person. To book, click here.
Recommended hours for the day trip
Allocate at least 7 hours to enjoy Kylemore Abbey.
Opening Hours
9:30 am to 4:30 pm. Last admission is at 4 pm.
Contact Information
Location: Kylemore Abbey, Pollacappul, Connemara, Co. Galway, Ireland
Email: bookings@kylemoreabbey.com
Phone: N/A
Buy your ticket online here.
3.Connemara National Park
The Connemara National Park is the second smallest national park in Ireland with only 30 square kilometers area size. It was established in 1990 and the area covers bogs, heaths, grasslands, and forests. It is well known for the diversity of bird life in the area.
Admission Fee
Admission is free to the national park and visitor center.
How to get to Connemara National Park from Galway
Take a Citylink bus (#923) from Newcastle Road-NUIG West Gate to Letterfrack/Veldons. This takes around 3 hours and it costs between €8-20 one way. Then walk towards the park’s visitor center for 10-15 minutes. The visitor center is about 1 km from the bus stop.
Or you can also take this day tour from Galway
This tour to Connemara and Cong is a leisurely guided day tour from Galway that also includes Killary Fjord and Lough Nafooey. It’s € 30 per person. To book, click here.
Recommended hours for the day trip
Allocate at least 10 hours to enjoy the national park.
Opening Hours
Visitor Center – Open daily, 9 am to 5.30 pm from March to November
Park Grounds – Open daily 9.00 am-5.30 pm all year round
Contact Information
Location: Letterfrack, Connemara, Galway
Email: cnp@chg.gov.ie
Phone: +353 76 100 2528
4. The Aran Islands
Aran Islands are a group of rocky islands located in Galway Bay. The islands include Inishmore (Inis Mór – the largest island), Inishmaan (Inis Meáin – the second largest), and Inisheer (Inis Oírr – the smallest). On the islands, you can explore ancient stone forts and churches, awesome cliffs, and flora and fauna. The islands are considered the soul of Gaelic culture and it’s considered one of the top island destinations by National Geographic.
How to get to Aran Islands from Galway
Take a bus (#524) from Galway Bus Station in Eyre Square to Rossaveal Port. The journey is about an hour and it costs between €8-11 one way or €16-22 for a round-trip fare. Then take a ferry from the port to Inis Mór. The ferry journey is about half an hour but make sure to check in half an hour before sailing time. Return ferry fare is €25. For sailing schedule, click here.
Or you can also take a bus to Doolin and take a ferry from there. Although the ferry in Doolin is just season compare to Rossaveal where they have ferries all throughout the year. To get to Doolin, take a bus (#350) from Galway Bus Station to Doolin. The bus ride takes about 2 hours and it costs €15-18 one way or €30-36 for a round-trip fare. From Doolin port, take a ferry to any of the islands. Return ferry fare is €30-40. For sailing schedule, click here.
Or you can also take this day tour from Galway which is cheaper by a lot.
This tour to the Aran Islands is a leisurely guided day tour from Galway that includes Inis Oirr and Cliffs of Moher. It’s € 50 per person. To book, click here.
Recommended hours for the day trip
Allocate at least 10 hours to enjoy one of the islands.
5. The Burren day trip from Galway
The Burren National Park is the smallest among the national parks in Ireland. Established in 1991, it only covers an area of 5.8 square miles near Doolin in County Clare.
The name Burren came from the word “Boireann” which means “great rock”. It is because the entire park is dominated by a glaciated karst landscape. Despite the soil being covered by rocks, the park has diverse and rich floras. During summer, these floras bloom in a way that will leave the visitors in awe because of the park’s natural beauty.
Admission Fee
Free
How to get to Burren from Galway
Take a bus (#51) from Galway Bus Station in Eyre Square to Crusheen. The journey is about an hour and it costs between €10-13 one way or €20-26 for a round-trip fare. Then take a taxi from the station to Burren National Park. The taxi journey is about half an hour and it costs between €25-30 for a one-way ride.
Or you can also take this day tour from Galway which is cheaper by a lot.
This tour to the Burren region and Cliffs of Moher is a leisurely guided day tour from Galway. It’s € 30 per person. To book, click here.
Recommended hours for the day trip
Allocate at least 8 hours to enjoy the national park.
Opening Times
April to September only. Daily between 9:30 am to 5 pm. To verify the schedule, click here.
Contact Information
Email: burrennationalpark@chg.gov.ie
Phone: +353-65-6827693
6. Killary Fjord
Killary Fjord is the only fjord in Ireland. It extends up to 16 km and it’s around 45 meters deep. The fjord is also famous for shellfish farming, bird watching, and there are several protected animals in the area such as otters. There are available boat tours/ cruises for a fee in the area.
Admission Fee
Cruise Rates
Adult €21.00
Child 0 – 10 free
Youth 11 – 17 €11.00
Senior/Student €17.50
Family tickets from only €42 when booked online (up to 6 children)
How to get to Killary Fjord from Galway
Take a bus (#51) from Newcastle Road-NUIG West Gate to Leeann, Leeann. The journey is about an hour and 15 minutes and it costs between €19-24 one way or €38-48 for a round-trip fare. Then take a taxi from the station to Nancy’s Point. The taxi journey is about 5 minutes for 3 km and it costs between €7-10 for a one-way ride.
Or you can also take this day trip from Galway which is cheaper.
This tour to Killary Fjord is a leisurely guided day tour from Galway that also includes Kylemore, Cong, and Lough Nafooey. It’s € 30 per person. To book, click here.
Recommended hours for the day trip
Allocate at least 6 hours to enjoy the fjord.
Opening Hours
For the updated list of opening hours, click here.
Contact Information
Location: Nancy’s Point, Leenane, Co Galway, Ireland
Email: info@killaryfjord.com
Phone:+353 (091)566736
7. Lahinch
Lahinch is a small town in the County of Clare, a popular surfing spot for locals. Aside from surfing, there are many other interesting activities in Lahinch that visitors can enjoy. Beaches, galleries, and quaint villages are just among the things to see in Lahinch.
If you don’t know where to stay yet in Galway, check out our Galway’s accommodations here.
Travel Insurance: I never leave home without travel insurance. My personal opinion is if you can afford to travel, you can afford to buy a travel insurance. All things can happen while on the road and you can never be too sure. And it's something that you'll be glad to have when you need it. For my preferred travel insurance, I use Safety Wing.
What To Wear: If you want some ideas on what to pack for Ireland, check out this packing list guide for Ireland.
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Hi, I’m Christine – a full-time traveler and career woman. Although I’m from the Philippines, my location independent career took me to over 40 countries for the past 8 years. I also lived in 3 continents – from the Caribbean, South East Asia to Africa. But despite living in several countries, my love for Ireland remains the same. A country that had been a part of my life since I was 14 because of my love for Irish music and bands. Ireland Travel Guides was born because of this passion and hopefully, in some little ways, this website will be able to help you on your next trip to Ireland.
10 Things To Do In Lahinch - Ireland Travel Guides
Friday 10th of December 2021
[…] It is also one of the most convenient day trips from Galway. […]
11 Things To Do In Connemara, Ireland - Ireland Travel Guides
Tuesday 22nd of June 2021
[…] Killary Fjord is the only fjord in Ireland. It extends up to 16 km and it’s around 45 meters deep. The fjord is also famous for shellfish farming, bird watching, and there are several protected animals in the area such as otters. It is also one of the best day trips from Galway City. […]
Utsav Srinet
Wednesday 31st of March 2021
Definately all the places should be on the bucket list once the travel restrictions will be eased after lockdown. Thanks for the listing.
Srikant
Friday 27th of November 2020
After reading your article came to know that there is a lot of places yet to be visited by me. Thanks for this day trips from Galway.
Suraj
Monday 1st of June 2020
I love to travel but in this lock down period it is really unfortunate that I did not travel past 3 months anywhere. Btw thanks that your blog helps me to feel virtual travel.. Thanks again.. :)