Ireland,  Itinerary

Best Things to do in Doolin with Two Days

doonagore castle on a hilltop overlooking doolin

Doolin, Ireland is one of the most quintessential of Irish villages. It has a great pub scene with traditional Irish music, gorgeous landscapes, a castle and an amazing hike. If all that doesn’t sell you on why you should visit Doolin, keep reading to discover the best things to do here!

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Day Trip to Inis Mór from Doolin Pier

Take a ferry out of Doolin Pier for a day trip to the Aran Islands. There are three different islands to visit, but Inis Mór is definitely the one most worth visiting.

For such a small island, Inis Mór has some astounding sights from ancient Ireland to visit in addition to impressive views of the Atlantic Ocean. Some highlights include Dun Eochla, Dun Aengus and the Wormhole.

With the Doolin Ferry Company, if you leave at 10:00 a.m. you have about five hours on the island to explore the different sights it has to offer. When you arrive, rent a bike from Aran Islands Bike Hire as your means of transportation for seeing Inis Mór.

dun aengus on inis mor
Dun Aengus
Inis Mór's coastline
Inis Mór’s coastal cliffs

Check out my post on visiting Inis Mór to read more about what to see and do during your tip!

Explore Doolin’s Killilagh Ruins

The Killilagh Church ruins can be seen atop the ridge to your left as you head north through Doolin. I had no idea these were here from my pre-trip research, but once I saw them when we arrived at our bed and breakfast, I knew I had to visit. I woke up especially early the next morning just so I would have to have a good wander around them before we hiked to the Cliffs of Moher.

It was worth the early morning. The ruins themselves contain the actual church and several lichen-covered tombstones. Being there so early in the morning when everyone is still asleep is a unique experience. It wasn’t necessarily scary, but it had a certain haunting beauty to it.

The sun rising off to the east creates the perfect juxtaposition to the ruins you’re standing in. I stood there admiring the vistas for way longer than I intended.

If you can’t visit at sunrise, it’s still worth checking out if you enjoy visiting old cemeteries. Otherwise, it probably isn’t worth taking the time to visit. If you do visit, be wary when walking around as the ground is soft and covered with high grass. It’s easy to trip over smaller tombstones or step in a hole.

Killilagh Church is a little difficult to get to. There’s a small, narrow road to the left just past McDermott’s Pub. It’s easy to miss because it doesn’t seem like a road that goes anywhere. Once you take this road, it’s about a quarter mile uphill to the ruins.

sunrise from behind ruined tombstones
Killilagh ruins

Go for an Early Morning Run to Doolin Pier

And if you don’t run, walk or rent a bike!

Seriously, though, my run through Doolin at 6:30 a.m. while everyone else was asleep was excellent. Because the village isn’t particularly long and we were staying near the northern boundary of the main drag, I was able to see everything in Doolin basically by myself as the sun came up.

There are three main stops you should try to hit on your morning route.

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North of Doolin

If you go to the northern edge of Doolin just past Flanagan’s Hostel, a great view of the sun rising over pastoral farmlands awaits you. Take a few moments to take in the views of the sun coming up and cattle out for their morning meal before heading back into town.

sunrise over a cow pasture in doolin
Sunrise over Doolin

Killilagh Ruins

I won’t bore you with more descriptions on these ruins, but I will say one more time to check Killilagh out in the morning! Especially if you are a tombstone tourist, you must check this out as the sun rises. It’s a delightfully eerie experience.

Fisher Street and Doolin Pier

Make your way along Fisher Street towards Doolin Pier before all the other tourists and their cars ruin the scenery. All the storefronts on Fisher Street are pretty to admire during the day, but there’s just something about seeing these buildings while the town was asleep that make them that much better.

Eventually, you’ll make your way to the pier. From here, take a break from running to amble over the seawall to make your way down among the boulders lining the shore. This is the perfect time to rest for a bit while you listen to the waves crash against the shore and cliffs beyond.

Behind you, the sky glows orange as the sun makes it ascent. In front of you is the misty, gray vista of the Atlantic Ocean. With luck, you’ll be in the only person here. It’s easy to forget that civilization is within 50 yards of you while you take in this natural setting.

Hike the Doolin Cliff Walk Along the Cliffs of Moher

The main reason for staying in Doolin is to see the Cliffs of Moher, and the best way to see the Cliffs of Moher is to hike the 10-mile roundtrip route along the cliffs via the Doolin Cliff Walk.

It’s a long hike. It’s a little sketchy in parts where the trail is hugging some exposed edges. It is also totally worth doing.

The hike itself is not overly difficult with the exception of a couple spots where you are very close to the edge, but as long as you take your time and watch your footing, you will be fine. That said, there is a detour you can take to avoid the riskiest sections.

The Doolin Cliff Walk takes you all the way to the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Centre where you can see the most iconic cliffs that you see in pictures. Don’t be fooled into thinking those are the only views you’ll see during your hike. The entire length of the trail is one epic view after another as you negotiate the trail.

Cliff view from Doolin Cliff Walk
The Cliffs of Moher

For more detailed information on the hike, make sure to give my Doolin Cliff Walk guide a read!

Other Content You Might Enjoy: Your Guide to Hiking Connemara’s Diamond Hill

Visit Doonagore Castle on Doolin’s Outskirts

Ireland is estimated to have around 30,000 castles and castle ruins. With so many castles in such a small country, everyone will have their own favorites. If you ask me, I’ll tell you Doonagore Castle was without question my favorite!

Its location on top of the hill overlooking the village of Doolin and the Atlantic Ocean creates the perfect setting for this 16th century castle. It’s equally magnificent when viewed from the Doolin Cliff Walk, dotting the hilltop to your left as you traverse those first couple miles.

Unfortunately, Doonagore is privately owned, so you cannot actually tour the castle. However, you can get close enough for spectacular views and photos.

As you drive south out of Doolin, you’ll come to a bend in the road with the castle on your left. Keeping it to your left, there are a couple pull-offs where you can get out to admire the castle up close. Be careful when parking at these pull-offs. The roads are narrow and because of the bend, it can be difficult for other drivers to see you.

doonagore castle on a distant green hilltop
Doonagore Castle from the Doolin Cliff Walk
closeup of doonagore castle
Doonagore Castle

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Check Out Doolin’s Pub Scene

Doolin punches above its weight when it comes to its pubs. This makes sense considering Doolin is known as the capitol of the traditional Irish music scene in the country.

During our visit, we had the chance to visit three of Doolin’s more well-known pubs. I’d recommend all three of them, but my personal favorite was McGann’s. Besides these three, there are plenty other places to stop for a pint and some food, so feel free to explore during your stay in town.

Related: A Visit to the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin

McGann’s Pub

McGann’s Pub has everything you could want from an Irish pub. There’s a relaxing beer garden replete with a trickling stream and seating tucked away in every hidden corner. The inside of the pub is cozy with lots of old pictures and knickknacks. The food was a mouthwatering mix of contemporary combined with traditional Irish fare. To top all that off, there was some great traditional Irish musicians performing as we finished our meals.

beer garden with fairy lights
The beer garden at McGann’s Pub

McDermott’s Pub

McDermott’s Pub was my least favorite of these three. It was fine, but it just didn’t seem to have much personality like the other two did.

It had some interesting old pictures along the walls and a good, old bar. Other than that, it was lacking something. We did have some very tasty food, though, so there is that.

What I will say to McDermott’s Pub’s credit is that it seemed to have a very lively music scene later in the evening. Both nights in Doolin we walked by McDermott’s while they had live music going on. The music we heard was good and the crowds were into it. I would have loved to grab a drink, but we were tired and had early plans.

Based on this, I would suggest trying McDermott’s Pub in the evening when they have traditional music happening. Skip it during the day.

mcdermott's pub beer taps
McDermott’s Pub

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Gus O’Connor’s Pub

The best part of Gus O’Connor’s Pub is its prime location on Fisher Street. It’s one of the first things you see as you arrive back in Doolin after doing the Doolin Cliff Walk. You’ll definitely want to stop here to reward yourself with a pint or two to replenish those carbs after your hike.

As long as the weather permits, there’s a very nice beer garden at Gus O’Connor’s to relax with your beer while you do some people watching. It’s nothing special, but a good beer garden is always nice to have a beverage in.

I didn’t spend much time inside this pub except to order our beer. One feature I noticed were the American police badges pinned all over the trim along the bar. It was fun reading all these to see where people have visited from.

Bed and Breakfast at Nellie Dee’s

Nellie Dee’s was perhaps my favorite accommodation during our two-week trip through Ireland. The room itself is pretty barebones, but everything else more than makes up for that.

The best part of Nellie Dee’s is the small yet elegant dining room. One of the best parts of Doolin was waking up early each morning to get a seat next to the window where I could relax before anyone else woke up. From here, I had lovely views of Killilagh Church while I did some journaling.

Then breakfast came. The best full Irish breakfast I had in all of Ireland with Irish Breakfast tea. These mornings were perfect.

The only downside to Nellie Dee’s is it is relatively far from the village center compared to most other lodgings. Still, it is only about a 1-mile walk to Fisher Street, so it really isn’t that far.

Unfortunately, according to Nellie Dee’s Airbnb page, they are no longer offering breakfast. While I enjoyed Nellie Dee’s, the included breakfast was a big part of the experience. If they resume breakfast, I wholeheartedly recommend staying here. Until then, you might want to find another place to stay. I’ll update this if I learn of any changes.

Two Day Doolin Itinerary

If all that sounds like the perfect Doolin trip for you, here is a rough itinerary for you to follow in our footsteps!

Day One in Doolin

  • Arrive in Doolin. Take a 10:00 a.m. ferry via Doolin Ferry Company to Inis Mór
  • Land in Inis Mór at approximately 10:45 a.m., pick up a rental bike and explore the island
  • Return to Doolin around 4:45 – 5:00 p.m., and check in to your lodgings
  • McGann’s Pub for drinks and dinner

Day Two in Doolin

  • Go for an early walk or run around the village
  • Have breakfast either at your lodging or one of the restaurants around town
  • Start the Doolin Cliff Walk by 10:00 a.m.
  • Approximately 12:30-1:30, explore the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Centre
  • Stop at Gus O’Connor’s Pub for a post-hike Guinness
  • Time permitting, take a quick nap in mid-afternoon to recover from the hike
  • Take the rest of your evening to explore some of the shops and other pubs Doolin has to offer
the road leaving doolin
Leaving Doolin

More Resources to Plan Your Trip to Ireland

Here are some more of my itineraries to help with planning your trip to Ireland!

And don’t miss my 13-day Ireland itinerary tying all these fantastic places together!

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