I’ve done the Clare road trip that you’ll find below many times now and it never disappoints.
It’ll suit those of you that:
- Have a vehicle (if you don’t, you’ll find public transport road trips for Clare here)
- Don’t want to move hotel/B&B (you’ll stay in Doolin each night)
- Want to see a good chunk of Clare (it’ll best suit those who haven’t explored much of Clare)
An overview of this County Clare itinerary
Right – here’s a quick overview of the route. Now, you can easily chop this into just two days if you only have the weekend in Clare.
Also, as it uses Doolin as a base, you can switch up the days, if you like, as the town is within close proximity to everywhere you’ll be visiting.
Day 1
- Arrive in Doolin at lunch time
- Cliffs of Moher
- Doonagore Castle
- Doolin Cave
- Doolin for the night
Day 2
- The Burren Scenic Drive
- Start and finish in Doolin
Day 3
- Option 1: An Aran Island
- Option 2: Loop Head Peninsula, Bunratty Castle and Ennis
Day 1: Doolin and its surrounds
As I mentioned earlier, I’m assuming that your Clare road trip will see you arrive in Doolin during the early afternoon on day 1.
This is a nice, easy-going 1/2 day where you’ll see plenty without having to drive too far.
1. Doolin for lunch/check-in
When you land into Doolin, check-in to your accommodation if you can.
There are a handful of places I tend to stay in the area:
- Hotel Doolin: Right next to colourful Fisher St. a short walk from pubs and places to eat
- Fairwinds or Killilagh: Further up into the town by McGann’s and McDermott’s – two great music pubs
If you fancy a feed before the exploring begins, there are several great restaurants in Doolin to grab a bite to eat, like The Ivy Cottage.
2. The Cliffs of Moher
The Cliffs of Moher are a 10-minute drive from Doolin.
Now, how you see the Cliffs is up to you:
- Option 1: Via the visitor centre
- Option 2: From the Hag’s Head side
- Option 3: Via the Doolin Cliff Walk
If you’re visiting for the first time, you’re arguably best-off seeing them via the ‘main’ entrance where the visitor centre is.
3. Doonagore Castle
Standing tall above Doolin Point from its elevated perch, the 16th-century Doonagore Castle is an imposing sight both from a distance and up close.
With a dark and storied past, it also serves as a navigational aid for boats approaching nearby Doolin Pier.
Though privately owned, this narrow tower house is worth viewing—just be mindful of the warnings below!
It’s a 7-minute drive from Moher and please do take note of the pointers in the map above.
4. Doolin Cave
The last stop on day 1 of this Clare itinerary is the brilliant Doolin Cave, a 9-minute drive from the last stop (grab your ticket in advance).
Descend 70 feet into the earth to witness the Great Stalactite, Europe’s longest free-hanging stalactite, measuring a lofty 7.3 meters.
Discovered in 1952, this limestone cave, known as ‘Poll an Ionain’ in Irish, is a geological marvel that formed over hundreds of thousands of years.
Visitors can also explore the eco-trail above ground, which showcases the Burren’s rugged beauty, and visit the on-site pottery studio.
5. Doolin for the night
When you finish up at the Doolin Cave, it’s back to your accommodation for the evening (here’s some tips on where to stay in Doolin if you’re still undecided).
As you can see from the map above, the different pubs in Doolin are fairly spread out.
If you’re staying beside Fisher St., head to Gus O’Connor’s.
If you’re up the opposite end, try both McGann’s and McDermott’s (I personally prefer McDermott’s, but I’ve had some great nights in McGann’s, too!).
Day 2: The Burren Scenic Drive
So, day two of this Clare itinerary is going to be spent tackling the Burren Scenic Drive.
Now, the beauty of this route is that, although it packs in the best of the Burren National Park, you’ll only be driving for a total of 1.5 hours (64km).
You’ll begin the spin from Doolin and stop at:
- The Fanore Viewpoint: An often missed viewpoint that offers glorious views
- Fanore Beach: One of Clare’s finest beaches and a popular spot among surfers
- The Stop That Isn’t A Stop: The best part of this route is the scenery you soak up as you spin
- Blackhead Lighthouse: An 8 metres tall lighthouse that dates to 1936. It’s visible from the roadside
- The Ailwee Caves: Discovered in 1944, the tour takes visitors on a journey through 10,000 years of history
- Lunch in Ballyvaughan: Monks is a great spot for a feed, especially if you like seafood
- Poulnabrone Dolmen: A portal tomb that dates between 4,200 – 2,900 BC
- Caherconnell Stone Fort: Over 1,000 years old and in excellent condition
- Leamenah Castle Ruins: There’s no parking, so you’ll admire them as you spin pass
- Lisdoonvarna: A colourful little town famous for hosting the Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival
- Finish in Doolin: Round off day 2 of your long weekend in Clare
Day 3: 2 Options
So, if you have a long weekend in Clare, how you spend the third day is up to you.
There are two good options that I’ll present you with, one for when there’s no rain and one for when there is.
The good weather options: The Aran Islands
The first option is to take the ferry from Doolin to the Aran Islands.
This is the less busy of the two options, however, it’s the one that’ll likely be a write off if the weather is poor (the Aran Islands aren’t a great place to be when it’s pouring rain).
There are three Aran Islands:
- Inis Mor: The largest island. There’s arguably more to do on this one than the others (35-minute ferry ride)
- Inis Oirr: The middle island (15-minute ferry ride)
- Inis Meain: The smallest island (25-minute ferry ride)
Option 2: A road trip around Loop Head and beyond
Many people spending a long weekend in Clare fail to explore beyond the Burren.
However, the Loop Head Peninsula, and the coast that leads to it, is home to some of Clare’s top attractions.
This is a full day of exploring with a good lunch stop at the 1/2 way mark.
Here’s a road trip route to follow from Doolin:
- Stop 1: Lahinch Beach (a big surfing spot)
- Stop 2: Spanish Point (grab a coffee from Gulls Cafe at the Armada Hotel)
- Stop 3: Kilkee Beach (massive beach that’s good for a stroll)
- Stop 4: The Kilkee Cliffs (long and short trails here)
- Stop 5: The Bridges of Ross (a fascinating natural formation)
- Stop 6: Loop Head Lighthouse (the cliffs here are incredible)
- Stop 7: Lunch at Keating’s of Kilbaha
- Stop 8: Bunratty Castle (one of the most impressive castles in Clare)
- Stop 9: Ennis Friary (an impressive 13th century abbey)
- Stop 10: Back to Doolin
Keith O’Hara has lived in Ireland for 35 years and has spent most of the last 10 creating what is now The Irish Road Trip guide. Over the years, the website has published thousands of meticulously researched Ireland travel guides, welcoming 30 million+ visitors along the way. In 2022, the Irish Road Trip team published the world’s largest collection of Irish Road Trip itineraries. Keith lives in Dublin with his dog Toby and finds writing in the 3rd person minus craic altogether.
Maggie
Sunday 1st of August 2021
Thank you great site information just what I was looking for & a little more
Kathryn O'Hara
Saturday 3rd of October 2020
Love the website Keith ? getting started discovering my home country n this is just the kind of info (and no nonsense delivery) I've been looking for?Nice one!
Shane Geraghty
Friday 16th of August 2019
Brilliant Keith!
Keith
Saturday 17th of August 2019
Thanks for taking the time to comment, Shane! Glad you found it useful!
Enjoy the weekend!
Keith