Things To See and Do In Tipperary As A Family

Visit a castle - or two!
Tipperary is home to lots of amazing and historic sites and they're open for families to visit. Cahir Castle is where Jacek and myself went on our first ever day trip together many moons ago and we been back a lot of times since with our boys in tow.

Nenagh Castle is somewhere we visited for the first time recently during our staycation at the Abbey Court Hotel in Nenagh and it makes for a great free place to visit! Also, it seems to be a bit of a hidden gem as a lot of people weren't aware of it's existence until I mentioned it.

Go peddleboating on Lough Derg
One of the highlights of our summer was peddleboating on Lough Derg. We had some of our best laughs on that little yellow peddle boat going around the lough and it made for a great family-friendly activity.

You can hire peddleboats from Aqua Splash located in a lovely little place called Dromineer.You can jump off the peddleboat if you fancy taking a dip in Lough Derg too. We had such a great time there and it was one of the highlights of our summer. The peddleboats are also suitable for all ages, making it a perfect family friendly activity in Tipperary.

Pick your own fruit
Being able to pick your own produce (and take some pictures along the way) is a lovely seasonal thing to do as a family and The Apple Farm, located near Cahir in Tipperary, offers you to do just that.

During the summer months you can pick your own fruits and berries and The Apple Farm itself is a beautiful place to visit in late summer/early autumn to see all the apple trees ripening. There's also a lovely farm shop there that sells the best cloudy lemonade.

Explore caves
If you're looking for an underground adventure that the kids are sure to love then a trip to the Mitchelstown Caves, which, despite it's name is located in County Tipperary, is a great place to visit.

My boys thoroughly enjoyed our visit here and thought it was great fun when our guide turned off the cave lights for a few seconds! This is a really interesting and fun activity to do as a family and a perfect one to enjoy on a rainy day as you'll be underground and safe from getting wet!

Go to the beach
Now, I don't know about you, but I would have never have thought of non-coastal county Tipperary as a beach destination, but during our trips around Lough Derg we found lots of lovely beaches located on the lake.

We came across a great one on our travels - Castlelough, located near Portroe. Not only was there a beach but there was a playground and toilet facilities there too - perfect for a family day out!

Visit a sensory garden
If you're looking for a lovely, quiet place to visit with the kids where they can explore their senses and interact with nature then take a trip to Birdhill. With's Woodland Path and Literary Trail and sensory garden, it's a lovely way to spend an hour or two.

The sensory garden has lots for the kids to see and do - including foraging for their own flowers and herbs. There's fairy doors with a worry plaque for the fairies to take away their troubles. A little playground and a cabin with toys. It's an inclusive garden for children of all needs and it was a lovely quiet place to explore.

Visit beautiful cottages
Arguably, Tipperary's most beautiful cottage is Swiss Cottage, located 4k from Cahir Castle. We've walked this with the children and it's suitable for buggies and prams. I hear there's now a lovely fairy trail along the Coronation Walk too, which would be lovely to see with the kids along the walk.

We also managed a visit inside Swiss Cottage with very young children (a three year old and a baby in a carrier), but it's the outside with it's thatched roof, flowers and grassy lawn that's perfect to run around that appeal to families most I think! We've been back many times since our initial visit and the boys still love it.

Steep yourselves in history
One of Tipperary's most well-known and historic sights is the magnificent Rock of Cashel. This is a great place to visit as a family and like with Swiss Cottage, we've been many times. The kids always find the Rock fascinating. The area around the Rock is lovely too, with colourful buildings and a lovely little café to enjoy some cake.

Tipperary has lots of historical sites to offer, why not put a visit to them on your family bucket list?

I'm sure Tipperary has lots more to offer families and we're keen to explore the county further. Visiting The Vee and seeing all it's heather in bloom is top of my list and I'm sure a family hill walk will be enjoyed by us.

Are there any other places you'd recommend a visit to in Tipperary?