Wednesday, November 03, 2021

Muckross House and Gardens | A Great Family Day Out in Kerry

Last weekend we visited the beautiful Muckross House and Gardens for the first time. It made for a great family day out in Kerry - one of my favourite counties in Ireland.

I wasn't sure what to expect from Muckross House as I hadn't heard much about it before we went and our trip there was a spur of the moment thing during our boys' mid-term break, but it didn't disappoint!

You could spend a whole day enjoying Muckross House and gardens and it's beautiful grounds, including a stunning lake. We're already planning to return in the summer when the traditional farm (my boys spotted a playground in there and want to go back!) is open and the lake is warmer for paddling in.

You can visit inside Muckross House for just €7 per adult, children are free. I always get nervous visiting old houses and museums with my rowdy boys, but honestly, they loved it. 

It's a self-guided tour - which always makes me more comfortable when touring with kids and you can walk around the house (one way system in place) at your own pace and leisure. There were guides seated in various rooms of the house and each was exceptionally friendly and full of knowledge about the house, so if you have any questions during your visit they'd be more than happy to answer you.

Photographs and videos aren't permitted inside Muckross House unfortunately, so I can't show you how beautiful it was, but it really was stunning. The views of the lake itself from inside the house is a real sight to behold.

For just €7 it really does make for a great place to visit and one that house and history lovers are sure to enjoy.

The grounds of Muckross House are stunning and you could easily spend all day walking around them. The stream walk is especially lovely and there's lots of space for kids to play and explore. There were lots of kids out enjoying the walks on bikes and scooters during our visit and it was a lovely, relaxed place for families to enjoy getting some fresh air in the autumn sunshine.

The grounds of Muckross House boast one of the most beautiful and larges greenhouses I've ever seen. Sadly, no admittance is allowed to it, but it was lovely to look inside through the door.

The beautiful lake is the real highlight and it even has sand on it's banks - a perfect place to take the kids during the summer. The view of the Kerry mountains in the distance just makes it all the more special.

Torc Waterfall is a 2k hike from the grounds of Muckross House and when we return we'll do that - we weren't dressed for hiking during our visit! 

We had lunch in the Garden Restaurant, located on the grounds of Muckross House. The food was delicious and the restaurant itself was lovely. There's also a craft centre in the building if you're looking for anything lovely to take home.

The magical Muckross Abbey is also a short walk from Muckross House and I'll share more about our visit there in another post. It really is a must-see if you're in the area and it's free to visit.

I'd highly recommend a visit to Muckross House and Gardens if you're looking for a great family day out in Kerry. It was worth the 1 and half hour drive for us from Cork.

Are you inspired to visit with your own family for a day out?

Share:

1 comment

  1. heading down next week with 2 and 5 year old. Scooter mad! have seen you have mentioned the scooters were in use by kids.

    I assume there is a paved walk and the kids can use the scooters with no problems?

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for reading my blog and taking the time to comment. I appreciate all your comments and try to reply whenever I can.

© Dolly Dowsie | All rights reserved.
Blog Layout Created by pipdig