13 Of The Best Things To Do In Kilmore Quay(+ Nearby Attractions)

If you’re looking for things to do in Kilmore Quay in County Wexford, you’ve landed in the right spot!

This picturesque seaside town is a fine spot for a weekend away and it’s a great base for exploring some of the best places to visit in Wexford.

In the guide below, you’ll find everything from walks and beaches to food, pubs and things to do near Kilmore Quay. Dive on in!

Our favourite  things to do in Kilmore Quay (and nearby)

The first section of our guide is packed with what we think are the best things to do in Kilmore Quay.

There’s everything from coffee (or ice cream!), coastal walks, historical sites and indoor attractions for those dreaded wet summer days. Dive on in!

1. Kick-start your visit with coffee at Cocoa’s Coffee Shop

Cocoa’s Coffee Shop is situated in the heart of Kilmore Quay and features a lovely terrace with a stunning view of the sea. This is the perfect place to start your morning with a strong cup of coffee accompanied by a little pastry (the brownies are delish!).

Here you will find a breakfast menu as well as a lunch menu including dishes for vegetarians, vegans and celiacs. Cocoa’s Coffee Shop is open seven days a week, from 8 am to 4 pm during the week and from 8 am to 5 pm on Saturday and Sunday.

Nip into our Kilmore Quay restaurants guide to see what other food spots the town has to offer (the Saltee Chipper is a personal favourite!).

2. Then tackle the Kilmore Quay Walking Trail

The Kilmore Quay trail is one of the most overlooked walks in Wexford. It starts at the car park next to the harbour and will take you about one hour to complete. This walk first takes you to a memorial garden to commemorate the many who lost their lives at sea and then continues towards the beach.

If you keep following this route, you will soon arrive at the stunning Ballyteigue Burrow. From here, you can either continue till the end of Ballyteigue Burrow, in which case your walk will be 16 km (10 miles) in length, or turn back to your starting point.

If you choose the latter option, you will follow the original Kilmore Quay Walking Trail path and walk for about 4.5 km (2.8 miles).

3. Take a boat trip to the Saltee Islands

The Saltee Islands are one of Ireland’s true hidden gems. You’ll find them around 5km off the coast of Kilmore Quay. Ferries depart daily from the harbour and the crossing takes just 20 minutes.

You can ‘land’ on the Great Saltee Island, however, make sure to bring an extra pair of shoes as you will likely get wet when getting off the ferry (more info here). These islands are a bird sanctuary and more than 220 species of birds have been observed here.

A colony of seals also inhabits the islands and every year 20 new pups are born here. 

4. Or keep your feet on dry land and take a saunter along Ballyteigue Strand

Ballyteigue Strand is one of many Wexford beaches that’s well worth rambling along. This spacious beach is the perfect spot to enjoy an early-morning ramble, and it sits right alongside the town.

Keep an eye our (but keep your distance from!) little terns creating their nests and stonechats, linnets and pipits flying around.

Now, keep in mind that during the busy summer months a visit here is one of the more popular things to do in Kilmore Quay, so it can get very busy.

5. Stretch the legs on the Norman Way

The Norman Way is a Medieval heritage trail that connects nearby Rosslare to New Ross. This ancient route also passes through Kilmore Quay so you can decide whether to follow it east, towards Rosslare, or northwest, towards New Ross.

Along the way, you will pass several buildings left by the Normans and therefore more than 800 years old, such as Ballyhealy Castle and Sigginstown Castle. If you decide to walk towards Rosslare, you will find the ancient windmill of Tacumshane.

This windmill dates back to the early 17th-century, however, it still maintains its original Norman design.

Related read: Check out our Kilmore Quay accommodation option if you fancy staying in the town (there’s a mix of hotels and holiday homes)

6. Or take a road trip and drive the Ring of Hook

The Ring of Hook kicks-off a 35-minute drive from Kilmore Quay. This route can be completed in about one hour, however, if you want to explore attraction along the way, allow a day.

This drive will take you to wonderful bays, ancient ruins and majestic fortresses. On your way, you will get the chance to have a stroll on Dollar Bay, visit the ancient Duncannon Fort, see the haunted Loftus Hall and wander through the ruins of Fethard Castle. 

Other popular places to visit in Kilmore Quay (+ nearby attractions)

Now that we have our favourite things to do in Kilmore Quay out of the way, it’s time to see what else there is to do nearby.

Below, you’ll find everything from hikes and walks to several stunning beaches near Kilmore Quay that are well worth a saunter along.

1. Spend a sunny day at Ballycross Apple Farm

If you’re looking for things to do in Kilmore Quay with kids, Ballycross Apple Farm is an excellent option, and it’s just 10 minutes from the town. This place has 5 km (3 miles) of farm trails for you to explore while kids can get to know the many farm animals living here.

There’s also go-karts and pedal tractors available for children as well as a race track. An entrance ticket for an adult will cost you €5.50 while a ticket for children is €4.50. Ballycross Apple Farm is open from June to November, seven days a week, from 12 am to 6 pm. 

2. And a wet one at Leisure Max

If the weather’s terrible, head towards Leisure Max. It’s located a short, 22-minute drive from Kilmore Quay. They’ve everything from bowling and archery to a kids play centre.

Some of the other activities that you will find at Leisure Max include an escape room, laser tag and a build a bear workshop. If you’re looking for things to do in Kilmore Quay when it’s lashing down, get yourself here.

3. Take the kids to IOAC – Camping & Outdoor Adventure Centre

The IOAC adventure centre is located a 20-minute drive from Kilmore Quay. Here you will find all sorts of activities from raft building and kayaking to archery, high ropes, a play area, battlezone archery tag and much, much more.

This is also a great place to camp or, if you’re looking to try glamping in Wexford, there are cabins here that sleep up to 4 people.

4. Or spend a morning tackling the Forth Mountain walk

Forth Mountain is a 25-minute drive from Kilmore Quay and it’s home to some glorious walking trails. The mountain is 780 feet and it offers some stunning views of the surrounding countryside.

There’s two main trails (see a guide to each here):

• The Forth Mountain Loop: Moderate 10km walk that’ll take around 2.5 hours
• The Three Rocks Trail: Moderate 13km walk that takes up to 4 hours

5. Step back in time at the Irish National Heritage Park

The Irish National Heritage Park is situated 5 km west of Wexford Town, around a 25 minute drive from Kilmore Quay. This park is 40 acres in size and welcomes 70,000 visitors every year.

Here you will find three different tours that will teach you everything there is to know about the ancient populations that used to inhabit these lands from the prehistoric period to the Norman invasion.

You will get the chance to explore replicas of ancient Vikings’ houses and meet the many birds of prey staying at the falconry centre. 

6. Or take it handy and see Kilmore’s thatch cottages

One of the more popular things to do in Kilmore Quay is to admire the town’s thatch cottages. Many of the houses in the town date back to the early 19th century and have beautifully committed to the tradition of thatching.

These buildings were frequently built of mud that was later whitewashed with lime and still nowadays their thatched roof is composed of either wheaten or oaten straw. 

7. And, if all else fails, visit one of the many nearby beaches

There’s some outstanding beaches in Wexford and some of our favourites are a short spin from Kilmore Quay.

Ballyteigue Strand is right next to the town but you also have Cullenstown Beach (20-minute drive) and Rosslare Strand (25-minute drive) nearby.

FAQs about what to do in Kilmore Quay

We’ve had a lot of questions over the years asking about everything from ‘What are the best beaches nearby?’ to ‘What is there to do with kids?’.

In the section below, we’ve popped in the most FAQs that we’ve received. If you have a question that we haven’t tackled, ask away in the comments section below.