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Things to do in Kildare

Our most recommended things to do in Kildare

Dublin: Go City All-Inclusive Pass with 35+ Attractions

1. Dublin: Go City All-Inclusive Pass with 35+ Attractions

With the Dublin All-Inclusive Pass, you get to enjoy access to more than 35 sites attractions and sites including the Guinness Storehouse, Chester Beatty Library, Christchurch Cathedral, and many more. Explore all there is to do in Dublin at your own pace. Pay nothing at the gate; simply show your QR-coded digital pass on your phone (or print at home and take it with you) and you're in. Your pass includes free entry to over 35 Dublin attractions, including (the attractions marked with an (R) require advanced reservations): Popular Attractions • Guinness Storehouse (R) • Dublin Hop-on Hop-Off Big Bus Tour • EPIC The Irish Immigration Museum • Jameson Distillery Bow St. Tour (R) • Saint Patrick’s Cathedral • Christ Church Cathedral • Dublinia • Dublin Castle Museums & Heritage • National Wax Museum PLUS • GPO Museum • Little Museum of Dublin • Museum of Literature Ireland (MoLI) • 14 Henrietta Street • Jeanie Johnston Tallship and Famine Museum • Irish Rock 'n Roll Museum Experience • Malahide Castle • Casino Model Railway Museum • Newbridge House & Farm • Skerries Mills • Airfield Estate • Castletown House and Parklands (R) • Farmleigh House & Estate • Irish National Stud & Garden Tours & Experiences • Teeling Whiskey Distillery Tour (R) • Walking Food Tours - Food on Foot (R) • Walking Food Tours - Drinks on Foot (R) • Lazy Bike Tours - Half Day Hire (R) • Dublin Zoo • The Murder at Trinity College • Big Bus Dublin Coastal Tour • Rock Shop at the Hard Rock Hotel • Croke Park Stadium Tour & GAA Museum

Dublin: Cliffs of Moher, Atlantic Edge & Galway City

2. Dublin: Cliffs of Moher, Atlantic Edge & Galway City

Escape the hustle and bustle of Dublin for a scenic full-day drive through the counties of Kildare, Limerick and Clare, passing the 15th-century Bunratty Castle and world-class golf and surf resort of Lahinch. Your ultimate destination is the dramatic Cliffs of Moher, where you will get 2 hours of free time to explore and premium entrance to the new Atlantic Edge, an interpretive visitor experience that gives you a virtual reality birds’ eye view of cliff edge life above and below sea level. Then, you can choose to walk along the cliff face and experience the power of nature at work. Feel the fresh air blowing off the ocean, and the sheer height of the cliffs overlooking the Atlantic. Visit O'Brien's Tower, standing proudly on the headland, with panoramic views of the Aran Islands and Galway Bay. Next, drive deep into the Burren, traveling along Europe’s edge! See native flora, ancient monuments, and megalithic tombs in Burren National Park, and look out for the unique Fairy Forts and Celtic Crosses. Continue around Galway Bay to medieval Galway City, passing the Blackhead Lighthouse and fishing village of Kinvara, famed for its Galway Hookers (boats). Upon arrival in Galway, described by W.B. Yeats as “The Venice of the West”. Enjoy a 30-minute guided walk, and learn about the city’s trade connections with Spain. You will have some free time to explore the narrow streets on your own, or relax in boutique stores and quaint cafés. 2 hour stop. Then, sit back on the return drive to Dublin, enjoying the on board entertainment, including extracts from the show “Riverdance” and other examples of Irish culture.

From Dublin: Kilkenny and Wicklow Mountain Full-Day Tour

3. From Dublin: Kilkenny and Wicklow Mountain Full-Day Tour

Travel through Kildare to historic Kilkenny on this full-day scenic tour from Dublin. Once the medieval capital of Ireland, Kilkenny boasts Ireland’s finest Norman castle, and have the chance to buy a pint of Kilkenny beer in the city where it is produced. Board the comfortable and climate-controlled bus in Dublin and begin your day trip. Relax on the drive to Kilkenny past sparkling lakes, dense forests and babbling brooks.  Arrive in Kilkenny and enjoy free time to shop for traditional Irish crafts like unique knitwear, pottery and glass. Spend your time strolling through quaint streets or popping into a local pub for a delicious Kilkenny beer. Continue to the monastic city of St. Kevin at Glendalough, best known for the wedding scenes in the blockbuster movie “Braveheart” and famous as the location for the film “PS I Love You.” Head to the megalithic portal tomb of Brownshill Dolmen to uncover how ancient Irish ancestors buried their dead and celebrated their passage into the next world. Return to your meeting point in Dublin at the end of your day trip. 

Kildare: Irish National Stud & Gardens Racehorse Experience

4. Kildare: Irish National Stud & Gardens Racehorse Experience

Experience one of Ireland's true gems with this ticket to the Irish National Stud and Gardens, just 40 minutes outside Dublin. Discover the historical grounds which is one of the only thoroughbred breeding farms open to the public. Once inside, stroll through the stud farm and its picturesque gardens, and learn of its unique history. Join a free tour and view immaculately bred stallions. Admire protective mares alongside their frolicking foals. Meet retired equine racing stars like Hurricane Fly, Beef, Salmon, and Faugheen on the stud "Living Legends" Team. Enjoy a stroll through two remarkable gardens; The Japanese Gardens and St Fiachra's Garden. Enter an oasis of calm in the Japanese Gardens and travel the "Life of Man" path which traces the passage of a soul from birth to death and beyond. Visit St Fiachra's Garden which is an inherently Irish Garden that symbolises the power of the Irish Landscape. Spot various native species and an array of Irish wildlife. Take part in the award winning interactive Irish Racehorse Experience which takes visitors on a journey from the birth to the retirement of a racehorse. Receive a "horse box" that gives you the opportunity of "owning a racehorse". After learning about foaling, the early years, and the history of the thoroughbred, enter an interactive auction where you can purchase an unbroken yearling. Through a series of beautifully appointed rooms learn about training, racecourses, jockeys, and the anatomy and physiology of these magnificent athletes. Experience the fashion, betting, and animated commentary style as you witness your chosen racehorse on race day. Visitors will even get the chance to ride their horse on a simulated ride to find out how their investments work in a race. Conclude your experience in the Living Legend room which has floor to ceiling large windows overlooking the elite, retired racehorses as they graze in the paddock. Not only will this room explain life after racing but also the diaspora of all the famous horses and people around the world. Beautifully set on 850 acres of lush green rolling hills, the Irish National Stud & Gardens is a must visit for anyone travelling to Ireland and looking to discover a true Irish treasure.

Kildare: Heritage Bookbinding Workshop

5. Kildare: Heritage Bookbinding Workshop

By Endurance We Conquer is the Shackleton family motto, and we’ll take it as our inspiration for a day of creativity which will see us make our own books, just as Shackleton did in Antarctica. You’ll learn more about Ernest and other Shackleton creatives, including his aunt Mary, in this fun, hands-on workshop, where you’ll also get to try a little screen printing, you’ll create journals in which to store your most meaningful thoughts! I’ll teach you the Coptic Stitch technique of bookbinding and guide you as you bind your own fabric-clothed journal. You can screen print the Shackleton motto “By Endurance we conquer” in English and Latin (“Fortitudine Vincimus”) on the front cover, or you can choose your own topic and motto if you’d prefer! Coptic stitch is particularly great for sketchbooks as the pages open completely flat so you can draw or write across both pages. And with a choice of inks, covers and writing paper, you can create a book that’s just right for you. You will also have the chance to bind a small single-signature, softcover notebook, using a choice of naturally dyed botanical covers – feel free to bring your own artwork along to the book-binding workshop if you’d prefer. There is something very special about binding your own sketchbook, notebook, or diary. If you keep a diary or like to write or sketch, this is a perfect way to store your most adventurous thoughts in a truly personal way!

Kildare: Eco-Printing on Paper Natural Dye Workshop

6. Kildare: Eco-Printing on Paper Natural Dye Workshop

Harness the power of natural dyes when you join a taster eco-printing workshop at the Blueway Art Studio. This hands-on beginners’ workshop is an excellent taster experience if you’d like to learn how to make natural dyes. The fun and informative experience will give you the chance to create your own natural, botanical art print on paper using leaves and flowers from the local trees and plants in Ireland’s Ancient East. The majority of the natural dyeing workshop will take place outdoors at Blueway Art Studio, located in the band hall in the gorgeous village of Narraghmore. We will take time to chat over a cup of tea as we wait in anticipation for the dyes to fix. I’ll introduce you to the history and traditions of the dye process, from natural dyeing techniques to the bright colours associated with our ancestors. When the natural dyes have set, you’ll get to reveal original and unique design, which can be used as a wall print, card design, or book cover. It’s a beautiful experience to watch nature and your creations transform into something new in this fun and creative workshop.

Other Sightseeing Options in Kildare

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What people are saying about Kildare

Overall rating

4.5 / 5

based on 1,967 reviews

Fabulous day trip. Richard and Chrisna were both very nice and knowledgable about the area, things to see or do while out. Safety was their most important aspect while guiding us throughout the day, which I appreciated. The commentary was hilarious and the Irish history tidbits along the way kept us all interested.

This saves you a ton of money!!! Easy and no hassle and especially if you have to go to Guinness ( that is always full ) with this pass you get access and it gives you a peace of mind don’t have to worry about buying tickets . You just need to worry about what to do and when

Highly recommended!! Good value for money,.. Easy to use it.

Great value for money. Easy to use and strongly recommend.

Great value & flexibility for a family trip to Dublin!