Free-wheeling on the Wild Atlantic Way

Road-tripping is always a magical way to travel, but Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way is almost supernaturally special. As a Belfast-born travel writer, no matter how dazzled I am by new and exciting destinations around the world, I’m still drawn to Ireland’s west coast for its trad music sessions in cozy pubs, picnics in ancient woodland, blustery strolls along awe-inspiring cliffs—and memorable stays at luxurious castle hotels or quirky lighthouse lodgings. Here are my highlights… 

Beyond-the-ordinary beaches

From pounding surf to powdery golden sands, this road trip offers wildly different renditions of a “beautiful beach.” Driving north-south, the bar is set immediately at Donegal’s Ballymastocker Bay (also known as Portsalon Beach), a golden swathe of sand on the western shore of Lough Swilly. Further south, Sligo is sheer paradise for surfers; Mullaghmore and Strandhill are particularly popular and Strandhill recently opened Ireland’s first National Surf Centre. In County Clare, near the awe-inspiring Cliffs of Moher, Clahane beach is a more peaceful and family-friendly swimming nook, where dolphins are often sighted. In Connemara, the silky white sand of Dog’s Bay near Roundstone is a true treat. Down on the Dingle Peninsula, rugged Coumeenoole is the jewel in the crown of Slea Head Drive, a particularly picturesque stretch of the W.A.W.  

Fine dining and seafood shacks

The Wild Atlantic Way is one of the world’s longest coastal drives. It’s also a culinary odyssey through some of the island’s best food experiences, from freshly shucked oysters in Galway to the artisan cheeses of Kerry, and from seafood beach shacks in Donegal to fine dining in Cork.

Unmissable experiences 

Whether you’re craving adrenaline-spiking adventure or soul-nourishing self-care, Ireland’s west coast delivers. Sink into the iodine-rich waters at swish Voya Seaweed Baths in Strandhill, or try this traditional cure (said to help everything from arthritis to a Guinness hangover) at a historic bathhouse like Kilcullen’s Seaweed Baths in Enniscrone, or in one of Wild Atlantic Seaweed Baths’ mobile whisky-barrel tubs.

Perhaps try kite-surfing or paddle boarding on Achill Island, and don’t miss a boat trip off Ireland’s southwestern tip, on a visit to Skellig Michael, a jagged rock sticking out of the Atlantic Ocean, just as famous for its Star Wars appearance as its UNESCO status. Got a food or music obsession? Time your visit with Galway International Oyster Festival or Clifden Arts Festival (both in September), among Ireland’s many wonderful food and culture events.