A concise itinerary for 2 weeks in Ireland and Northern Ireland.
Malahide Castle made it to our list because it is touted as a kid-friendly castle due to it’s fairy trail, diverse food choices, and small castle (which is easy to navigate in a tour). The playground at Malahide is also extensive and suitable for kids from all ages.
If you visit Northern Ireland and ask for any advice on what you should do, most people will say to take a Black Cab tour. And I did not fully understand why until we listened to this advice and took a tour one summer day.
These political tours take you through the murals of Belfast and help make the Troubles more real. If you visit Belfast on your own, you might find yourself down by the Titanic museum or the W5 museum with children, or wandering around the grounds of Queen’s University, but you will likely not find yourself on the Falls road or Shankhill road.
The Dingle Peninsula is on everyone’s radar, and for good reason. This southwest coastal town is beautiful, and is the perfect place to spend a few days in the summer. We visited Dingle in July of 2024 with our 5-year-old daughter, as part of our road trip around Ireland and Northern Ireland.
Some of the most iconic photos from the Emerald Isle are often of Northern Ireland’s east coast. In two days on the Antrim Coast, you can easily visit well-known natural treasures, while also taking a beach day. Here’s our family friendly guide to the Giant’s Causeway, Carrick-a-Rede bridge, and the beaches of Portrush.
We visited Ireland in 2024, and in 2023 we explored Switzerland.
On a chilly day in July, we took a few aerial cableways (very large and sturdy gondolas) from our hotel in Murren up to the Schilthorn. On the way back down, we stopped at the Birg Thrill Walk. All in all, if you wanted to explore this part of the Bernese Oberland, you could spend an entire day working you way from top to bottom.
Lucerne (Luzern) is a popular town in Switzerland, and for good reason. It sits on a beautiful lake, is halfway between the Bernese-Oberland and Zurich, and is a great starting point for family-friendly adventures on the way to Mount Pilatus.
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You guys—Rick Steves was right! The Bernese Oberland is a must-see place in Switzerland. But I’m not sure he knew that the this area is also heavenly for children and families; we spent 5 weeks in Europe, and this was one of our favorite places.
When I think of the Bernese Oberland, I think of stunning views, epic adventures, and the best playgrounds for kids. We visited in June, and spent 4 wonderful days in this region with our 4-year-old.
When people think of Dublin, they might first think of pubs and not add it to their family trip to Ireland. However, we thought Dublin was a great city to visit with our daughter. We felt welcomed in all restaurants, and it is an easy city for walk around. If you are roadtripping around Ireland, you will probably want to spend more time in the countryside, but you should not skip Dublin and the surrounding area.