If you love car rides with beautiful scenery, a road trip to Dingle should be on your itinerary! This was one of my favorite drives on our epic road trip around Ireland!

The scenery along this stretch of Ireland’s southwest coast is AMAZING! You get farmlands, the beach, and cute towns all along the route! Next time we come to Ireland, we will definitely plan a longer visit in this area!

If you don’t already know, I LOVE cows! I literally brake for cows…or at least George does! He is always the one driving, so he knows if I can get close enough to get a good look, he should probably stop the car! While driving in Ireland, the carefully placed hedges that surround people’s property really inhibited my chance to see cows close up…but the ride to Dingle change it all! See below!

We were also in awe as we were driving and saw Inch Beach! We had to pull over and take in the views! Inch Beach is about 3 miles long. I imagine that this is a very busy beach in the summer. The waves are pretty rough here, so as you can imagine it is a surfer’s delight! During the summer months, there are lifeguards here. However, during our visit we just saw some walkers and a few pups!

We did not have anything planned for our day in Dingle. It is a seaside town…and it was rainy (and during their off season), so we just wandered around, enjoyed the town, and visited some local businesses! As you can see in the pictures below, there is plenty to see here…even if you do not have a plan! Take a close look at the sign for Foxy Johns pictured below…now that is a PARTY!

While you are in Dingle, we would recommend that you visit the following local businesses!

1. Murphy’s Ice Cream - We will start with the one business that WAS part of our plan for the day. It is on our Ireland Bucket List.

This ice cream has been made in Dingle since 2000. There are quite a few locations throughout Ireland, but I wanted to get it from the original location!

The owners use fresh milk from Kerry cows, loads of cream, and free range eggs. These high quality ingredients produce a delicious treat! Pro-tip: Get the Honeycomb Caramel…and thank me later!

2. Sheehy’s Fish and Chips - Who can say no to some cheesy potatoes out of a food truck? Not this girl! But in Ireland, they take it one step further and add a Garlic Mayo sauce on top. I imagine this is their equivalent to our ranch dressing.

Don’t ask questions, just get them! You won’t be disappointed. Of course they also serve fish and burgers, but we had already had lunch a little bit earlier. So, this was the perfect late afternoon snack!

3. Bacus Bakery - This locally owned bakery serves up delicious bread and desserts. Originally started in 2009 at home, owner Orla Gowen believes that simple ingredients are the key to creating a delicious product. Their products are so popular that they are sold in shops and restaurants throughout Dingle , Tralee, and Killarney.

Because of the popularity, the bakery moved into this location in 2018. And for that I am thankful. It is here that I ate THE most delicious dessert in all of Ireland: Guinness Chocolate Cake. Trying this cake, was another item on my bucket list. I am so glad that THIS is the place we were able to try it. My only regret is that I did not buy the WHOLE cake! DO NOT MISS THIS!!!

4. The Little Cheese Shop - I love cheese…and especially sharp, flavorful cheeses. In a lot of places that we have travelled, the cheese are too mild for me. But, I was super excited to try cheese in Ireland because I knew this would not be the case!

Most of the cheeses in their shop, come from Irish pastures. If you are a fan of cheese, you must visit this shop!!!

5. Paul Geaney’s Bar & Restaurant - Because Dingle is a seaside town, there are tons of fresh seafood restaurants. We are not huge seafood fans, so we were looking for a place to have lunch. This place was recommended by one of the locals. Below is a picture of George’s lunch, which made him very happy!

They do not shy away from their portions of meat and potatoes in Ireland. If you are looking for a hearty meal while you are visiting, check this place out!

6. Kathleen McAuliffe’s - Because we own a gift shop, I am always on the hunt for cute, locally owned shops when we travel. This particular shop had clothes, candles, skin care products, art, and more.

The shop is filled with lots of cute gifts! We really enjoyed our visit to this shop…AND I bought a super cute sweater (see below)! The shop owner, Kathleen, is a Milliner. A milliner is a women’s hat maker. She studied the art of hat making at the London School of Fashion. She actually learned under the woman who makes hats for the Queen of England! Kathleen’s hats are sold in the shop!

Our trip to Dingle was definitely one of our favorite day trips. This is an area that should not be missed!

Listen to our podcast to hear more about our travel to Dingle: Off Your Beaten Path Podcast