paddywagon tours reviews

Paddywagon Tours

Review Highlights

“ Both kissing the Blarney Stone and seeing the brutal beauty of Cliffs of Moher should be on everyone's lifetime bucket list. ” in 57 reviews

“ We had an excellent time with Sean for our tour to Northern Ireland to see rope bridge and the Giants Causeway. ” in 16 reviews

“ Each stop on the tour had something beautiful to see and when we finally got to the Cliffs , they took my breath away. ” in 60 reviews

Location & Hours

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5 Beresford Place

Lower Gardiner Street

Republic of Ireland

North Inner City

Serving Dublin Area

Amenities and More

About the business.

Business owner information

Business Owner

We are Ireland's Number 1 Tour Company and lovingly operate the only All-Ireland hostel/B&B network, the sparkling Paddys Palaces. Paddywagon is officially the 'Most Fun Tour Company' in the world, as voted by over 900,000 reviewers at Hostelworld.com Our award-winning tours of Ireland are: All-inclusive World Famous For the young and young at heart oh, and No-one can beat us on price See all of Ireland's major attractions; The Cliffs of Moher, Giants Causeway, Blarney Castle, Ring of Kerry, Dingle Bay and many more! …

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Overall rating

219 reviews

If you're looking for an easy way to get around Ireland, Paddywagon is definitely a good option! The drivers were funny and entertaining and had some information on Ireland, but they didn't go into details, which is completely fine because we spent a bit of it sleeping, because we were so tired from a day long travel the day before. We brought our 14 month old with us. You have to pay for a seat for infants/toddlers and they will supply a car seat which we ended up installing it ourselves since we knew how to. If you do the tour from Cork to Dingle, it was very pretty! Especially around Slea Head Drive. At Killarney, you switch to a smaller van, which was expected from our end because I had read some reviews about it already and confirmed it with the tour company. I had been in touch with Paddywagon via email prior to visiting Ireland, and they were responsive. If you're looking for a way to just get around Ireland, low key, low stress, I would recommend Paddywagon!

I recently embarked on a tour with Paddywagon, and my experience left me with mixed feelings. Initially, I was somewhat disappointed, but upon further reflection, I discovered redeeming qualities. Despite encountering certain negative aspects, I must recognize that the driver did provide us with alternative options. I had booked the tour with high hopes of visiting the renowned Dark Hedges. However, to my dismay, the driver informed our group that it was no longer included in the itinerary due to safety concerns and ongoing tree removal. While the disappointment of this unforeseen change lingers, I appreciate that such matters were beyond the driver's control. It is crucial for Paddywagon to expeditiously update their website to ensure accurate information is provided to their valued customers. Furthermore, the early start time of 7:20 am enforced a regrettable sacrifice of missing breakfast at my hotel, which proved quite inconvenient. Additionally, the scheduled lunch stop at 2pm seemed inadequately timed, particularly considering the exclusion of the Dark Hedges from the tour. It would be in the best interest of Paddywagon to contemplate adjusting the tour schedule to accommodate these changes. The driver, to their credit, did offer an alternative tour by means of the black car tour, albeit at an additional cost of £20. However, as I had previously partaken in this tour some years ago, I found myself contemplating how to spend my time while others indulged in the black car tour. During the scheduled meal break at the chosen restaurant designated by Paddywagon, I found the vegetarian options to be rather limited. Consequently, my only viable choice was a bean burger, which failed to elicit any particular appeal. Enhancing the dining experience would significantly contribute to overall customer satisfaction, warranting Paddywagon to ensure the provision of a more diverse range of restaurant options, catering to various dietary needs. On a more uplifting note, the driver made a commendable effort to compensate for the earlier disappointment by graciously dropping us off at the bustling Christmas Market, while the remaining group proceeded with the black car tour. This kind gesture provided me with the opportunity to immerse myself in the market's festivities, savor a meal in the city center, and enjoy the enchanting atmosphere, thus amplifying my overall experience. Additionally, I must express appreciation for the chance to visit the awe-inspiring Giant's Causeway, capturing enchanting photos and videos of the picturesque location. However, I feel obliged to caution prospective visitors against perusing the merchandise at the black building gift shop situated alongside the site, owing to the exorbitant additional costs associated solely with browsing. Based on these considerations, I find it fitting to rate my experience with Paddywagon as 2 1/2 stars. I earnestly hope that this feedback will be taken into sincere consideration by Paddywagon, for the purpose of enhancing their services and overall customer satisfaction in the future.

When we went to Ireland, we did THREE tours with Paddywagon Tours and they were all fabulous. Our first was the Cliffs of Moher day tour, which included a drive along the gorgeous Wild Atlantic Way, a stop at the Burren "baby cliffs" that are a smaller version of the Moher cliffs, and Bunratty Castle which looked straight out of Game of Thrones. The weather was a little rainy and foggy, but it made more mysterious feeling like we were on the moors from an old Bronte novel. We next partook in the Giant's Causeway day tour. We stopped first in the Dark Hedges which stood in for the "King's Road" in Game of Thrones. We drove along the beautiful Causeway Coastal route to Giant's Causeway. The humungous rocks of Giant's Causeway make you feel so small and insignificant in the world! After we hiked around the Causeway rocks, our tour group headed to Belfast to spend about an hour in the capital of Northern Ireland. Lastly, we chose the Blarney Day Tour to kiss the Blarney Stone! We drove through the Golden Vale (gorgeous scenery) to get to our first stop which was the Rock of Cashel which was so breathtaking. We next meandered on over to Cork County where we got to spend a little over an hour to have a quick lunch and a bit of shopping. Our last stop was to Blarney Castle, where our tour included skip the line tickets to get our lips on that stone! The tour guides and bus drivers were all very knowledgeable throughout each of these tours, as well as friendly and engaging on those long bus rides. If you're planning a trip to Ireland (mostly if you're basing yourself in Dublin) I HIGHLY recommend utilizing Paddywagon Tours!

See all photos from Sara C. for Paddywagon Tours

Guide... 9/10 Itinerary... 10/10 Accommodations... 9/10 This was a great itinerary with a day filled with adventures. Our trip to Cork and Blarney had great stops with lots of great stops to stretch your legs. The weather did not cooperate the later half of the day, but that didn't stop us from enjoying the insides of Blarney Castle. Make sure that you come prepared for any weather because the show will go on! Our guide Sean was incredibly knowledgeable about all things Irish. He provides a wealth of information to help understand the diverse history of this island country.

Paddywagon did a fantastic job-loved the tour. We started with a pickup a couple blocks from O'Connell St. Seats were comfortable and great air conditioning. Our driver was very friendly. We stopped after about 1.5 hours for a snack and restroom break. Then about and hour at Rock of Cashel, Cork City and finallly Blarney Castle. It was a perfect trip!

HIGHLY recommend this company if you are doing any tours. We made the mistake of doing a different company with our middle one and we didn't like it. He drivers for Paddywagon are so much better!

We had such a great experience on the Cliffs of Moher tour! Our tour guide Dave was very knowledgeable and knew how to have fun. I highly recommend this tour if you are visiting Dublin.

the cliffs!

Experienced all the beauty of the Emerald island in the comfort of personalized tour for our family of 15. What a fantastic way to explore and enjoy without the worry of having to navigate itineraries and driving those narrow country roads. Our driver, Dan the man, as our 4 yr old grandson called him, was such a bonus to our trip. He was like extended family and made sure we had everything we needed for a safe and fun trip. Always punctual and accommodating when we wanted to go "off book", made the 7 days together fly by. He was a true professional with the warm hospitality and personality the Irish are known for. Can't recommend this company and Dan enough. Well worth the investment.

We took the tour to Cliffs of Moher - it was a must out of Dublin and we were nervous to drive on the other side of the road so a bus tour seemed perfect. The first bus was full so we decided to wait. The tour guide on that bus was kinda creepy towards some younger girls anyway so we weren't mad. Luckily, our tour guide Cash was awesome, attentive, so nice and funny, and great to listen too. He also had great music taste! We were super glad to get him. 10/10 as far as he goes, he has great explanations and facts and we felt very safe with his driving. The tour itself was okay, nothing special. We had a few quick touristy stops where we couldn't do much, but that comes with the industry. They definitely talk up the trip more than it actually is, but we didn't mind, we had a one track mind for the cliffs. I was a little worried about having to pee, but we made pretty frequent stops which was perfect. The cliffs were fantastic, and the tour definitely gives enough time for it - I believe almost two hours. It was perfect for a long walk, we were able to go out about a mile and back with a little time to check out the visitor center. Pretty standard tour as far as bus tours go, but definitely worth if for a budget way to see the cliffs!

Watch out at the Molly Malone pick up they skipped this stop for Belfast. Look elsewhere unreliable and wasted a day waiting for a pickup that never showed. Just terrible and they have little concern for the lack Of availability. Phone called and no pick up. Disappointed and going to other tour companies. It was ok in the end.

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PADDYWAGON TOURS (Dublin) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go

Paddywagon Tours

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Cliffs of Moher Day Tour from Dublin: Including The Wild Atlantic Way

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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Paddywagon Tours - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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Reviews 2.6.

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A very bad experience. Missed opportunity.

I do not think I would recommend PaddyWagon. I would like to make it clear that the first impression was very good and the trip was pleasant. Of course, at the time of departure we were slightly behind schedule: they had left back a customer and had to go back and retrieve him. However, it is clear that this was a physiological error and could have happened to anyone. Moreover, the guide also made the wait enjoyable-as well as the rest of the trip-thanks to his excellent sense of humor. Anyway, the experience turned out to be bad only on the second day after the trip: I checked my bank statement - which, as is natural, takes a few days to update - and realized that PaddyWagon had charged me twice for the same tickets - that is, €133.77 twice. I realized at that moment what had happened: when purchasing two tickets online for me and my girlfriend for a tour from Dublin to the Cliffs of Moher for the next day, the paddywagon Internet page had stopped working and informed me that the payment had failed; consequently, I repeated the ticket purchase process and, this time, the site page informed me that the payment had been successful. Therefore, as i realized after four days, I had paid twice for the same tickets. I contacted the company the same day by e-mail explaining to them in precise terms what had happened, including with reference to our names, the dates of the online purchases and the trip, and the order number of the tickets. Despite this, not only did they never refund me the amount I had unduly paid, they never even bothered to respond to me. I now read that on the Internet they describe themselves as "probably the world's best-loved tour company!" If you'll excuse me, I have my doubts: a company beloved by customers does not behave similarly with some of them.

Date of experience : May 22, 2022

*DO NOT BOOK* WORST TOUR AGENCY EVER!

We booked the 3-Day Southern Ireland Tour Including Galway and Kerry from Dublin with Paddywagon which turned out to be the worst decision ever. On Day 1, we followed the instructions set out in the tour details which asked us to check-in at Paddy's Palace 15 minutes before departure. The departure was supposed to be at Paddywagon Tours Ltd and the departure time stated was 8:00 AM. We reached Paddy’s Palace at 0730 only to find out that that’s where Paddywagon Tours used to operate and they’ve moved since. The people in that building asked us to wait in the road opposite instead, which seemed very random and odd. We ended up rushing to Paddywagon Tours and to make sure that it was the correct pickup point, we asked a female staff from Paddywagon Tours who didn’t know anything and asked us to ask the bus drivers who parked their buses by the road INDIVIDUALLY. After asking 3 bus drivers, the last one asked us to ask a male staff called Sonny/Sani (guy in orange shirt in the first picture, don’t know how to spell his name). When we explained our situation regarding the different check-in point and asked politely about the correct meet-up point, this is his exact response: “That’s your problem!”. Imagine him saying that in front of the whole group of people, who were in a similar situation as us and waiting for their turns to ask the same thing. We felt very humiliated and absolutely disgusted by his rude attitude and behaviour towards their customers. Surprisingly, (or maybe not so surprisingly?), when someone from the UK asked him about the same thing, he was smiling, being very polite and courteous. (We are international tourists if that’s not obvious). Why hire this kind of racist morons when you are operating a tour agency which obviously attracts international tourists mainly? By the way, this tour costed 1500 EUROS, fun 😊 To make things worse, the area outside Paddywagon Tours where everyone was waiting was in complete disarray and shambles, due to how disorganised Paddywagon Tours was. Not a single staff was doing the obvious thing to take names and check number of travellers etc. They also didn’t bother to group people into different tours, which may seem understandable if there’s overlap between different tours but imagine this: When a different bus arrives outside, everyone rushes to the bus driver asking the tour that the driver is operating. This was a back-and-forth process and one bus even forgot to stop outside Paddywagon Tours and just went on. You can see the second picture for an example of this. Eventually we got on the bus at 0840 but there weren’t enough seats. The driver, maybe acting on the instructions of the tour agency, had the audacity to ask if anyone wants to GET OFF the bus. One lady volunteered because she commented that it was a SHITSHOW, to which the driver agreed. We ended up departing at 0900. To make things worse, the driver said that the mic was broken, through the mic no less! We passed by all those places without knowing their history. We didn’t even know what we were looking at and just alighted the bus when all other tourists did to take photos etc. We had to keep asking the driver regarding how long we are stopping at each location, what we are doing, what’s the plan etc. We could move up a little to hear more clearly but there’s obviously only so many seats available. There was pretty much no commentary through the mic throughout the 3-day trip and the driver only spoke out loud, expecting the whole bus to be able to listen to him clearly, with the engines running and people talking in the background. The whole trip was pretty much the driver fetching us to all these stops while talking to those in the front row seats only. Oh before I forget, to make the tour more interesting and full or surprises, below is a list of things that were different to what’s advertised in the tour: - No free Wi-Fi on the bus - 2 breakfasts instead of 3 - We passed through Adare but didn’t even stop there. We were most excited about this given the description on the ad: “We will enjoy a stop at one of Ireland's most picturesque villages - Adare with its fabulous thatched cottages which line part of the village's broad main street , renowned for being regularly voted Ireland's tidiest town. It is known for its beautiful stone buildings, medieval monasteries and ruins.” Maybe Paddywagon Tours doesn’t understand that tours like this are usually considered by others are “trips of a lifetime”. It’s just infuriating how we paid so much money for this totally unenjoyable trip. “AwArD wInNiNg PaDdYwAgOn, WoRlD fAmOuS tOuRs Of IrElAnD” “OuR tEaM oF lOcAl TaLeNtS aRe PaSsIoNaTe AbOuT tHeIr HoMe CoUnTrY aNd ThEy WiLl PrOvIdE yOu WiTh StOrIeS tO lAsT a LiFeTiMe” What an absolutely terrible joke.

Date of experience : June 03, 2022

Had a great experience with this…

Had a great experience with this company going to the giants causeway, Jackie our tour guide was friendly, hilarious throughout the tour and shared some real good knowledge about the locations we visited, we stopped off in Belfast aswell for an hour on the way back from the giants causeway so it was nice to have a little look around, grab something to eat and stretch your legs as it’s a very long day (around 12 hrs) I would recommend if you are looking to go to the giants causeway from Dublin/ Belfast!

Date of experience : March 18, 2022

the tour was lovely

the tour was lovely, great service, thank you

Date of experience : September 29, 2023

Great Service

Brilliant Irish Tour company. Highly Recommended.

Date of experience : July 22, 2015

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Paddywagon Tours

• See all photos

Cliffs of Moher Day Tour from Dublin: Including The Wild Atlantic Way

Giant's Causeway Day Tour from Dublin

Blarney Castle Day Tour from Dublin Including Rock of Cashel & Cork City

Cliffs of Moher and Galway City Day Tour from Dublin

Glendalough & Wicklow Mountains Afternoon Tour from Dublin

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Paddywagon Tours - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024) - Tripadvisor

Paddywagon Tours

• See all photos

Cliffs of Moher Day Tour from Dublin: Including The Wild Atlantic Way

Giant's Causeway Day Tour from Dublin

Blarney Castle Day Tour from Dublin Including Rock of Cashel & Cork City

Cliffs of Moher and Galway City Day Tour from Dublin

Glendalough & Wicklow Mountains Afternoon Tour from Dublin

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Paddywagon Tours - Things You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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A Paddywagon Tours Review – Your Complete Guide

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When I was growing up in Dublin I used to see the Paddywagon Tours van parked up the road on my walk to school. I was so curious. What was this bright green bus with leprechauns painted on the side? Where did it go? What kind of people got to venture out in it?

Well, finally, I  can answer these questions! Get ready for an honest, thorough Paddywagon Tours review from this Irish native.

Paddywagon Tours – Dublin to Kilkenny Day Trip

What is the paddywagon.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bbb2-I1H1b9/

First things first, The Paddywagon itself resembles what I imagine the love-child of a bus and a leprechaun would look like. It is a bright green bus with orange curtains that shuttles tourists around Ireland showing them the highlights of this beautiful country.

This bus is captained by a jovial (well, that can be a tad hit or miss as you’ll find out later) Irish person with inside knowledge of all the best spots. Sounds cheesy? Well, simply put, it kind of is. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth doing!

What Kind Of Tours Are Paddywagon Tours?

https://www.instagram.com/p/BgWTPdrnJy3/

Paddywagon tours offers all kinds of trips to suit all budgets. Daytrips are available from Dublin , Cork, Limerick, Belfast, Killarney and even London and start at 20euro. There are also longer trips available ranging from 2 to 9 days.

So whether it’s a day on the Paddywagon you want, or a week, it’s no problem. From the legendary Cliffs of Moher , the breath-taking Giant’s Causeway or the incomparable Ring of Kerry, Paddywagon has you covered.

What Kind Of People?

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bi4Id7RgbEJ/

Naturally Paddywagon tours are aimed at tourists wanting to see the best of Ireland. But of course, locals are more than welcome. The Paddywagon tours are suitable for all age groups.

Though, due to the winding nature of a lot of the roads in Ireland, I would HIGHLY recommend some travel sickness tablets for children and any adults that usually suffer.

On my bus a toddler was sitting down the back of the bus (stupid move to begin with) across the aisle from us and, of course, once we hit the mountain roads the child threw up all over itself.

ALWAYS sit at the front if you have a child with you, the back of the bus is the worst place for anyone sensitive to motion sickness.

With regards to nationalities, it seemed to be a fairly good mix. Obviously there was a slight majority of Americans but that is to be expected.

They seemed to be having a great time and were by far the most responsive when the driver requested any sort of interaction from the group.

Myself and my friend (Sarah) were the only Irish people on the bus which made us somewhat of a novelty.

So Which Paddywagon Tour Did I Do?

Myself and Sarah spent a day on the Paddywagon for the Glendalough , Wicklow Mountains and Killkenny tour. At 25 euro for the day the trip is incredibly good value for money. You would spend much more on petrol if you did the drive by yourself. For me, this is a major selling point.

Glendalough is a historic place in Wicklow full of ancient graveyards, a round tower and some of the most beautiful views Ireland has to offer. The Wicklow mountains are full of bright yellow gorse and famous movie locations including THAT bridge from P.S I Love You.

* *READ MORE about the Wicklow Mountains National Park . ** 

Finally, Kilkenny is a beautiful town famed for it’s Hurling team. An old stone castle rises above the town overlooking everything. It’s a beautiful place to enjoy a meal by the river and wander around the little boutique shops. Paddywagon have all the best bits covered.

What’s The Paddywagon Schedule?

The Paddywagon has three different pick up spots in Dublin; The main office (Paddy’s Palace) on Lower Gardiner street, O’Connell Street just beside the Savoy cinema and Suffolk Street just beside the Molly Malone statue.

We got picked up from O’Connell street at about 9.10am on a Wednesday morning, unsure of what awaited us aboard the infamous Paddywagon.

This tour gives you 1hr and 30mins to explore Glendalough, a couple of short photo stops across the mountains and around 2hrs and 30mins in Kilkenny town.

Now, for me, this was perfectly adequate. I knew my way around Glendalough from family visits in the past. There was no need for me to spend 15mins trying to find the bathroom.

I didn’t stroll leisurely towards the lake and then suddenly realise I only had 30mins to get there, take pictures and then get back to the bus.

However, any regular tourist would have found 1hr and 30mins quite a rush in Glendalough. It simply isn’t enough time. 2hrs in Glendalough and 2hrs in Kilkenny would be a better solution.

That aside, the schedule is pretty comprehensive and includes a lot. I was impressed with the amount you could see in one day.

When the tour is finished you are dropped back at your choice of the 3 collection points I mentioned above. We got back into town about 7pm which is a bit later than scheduled, so be flexible and don’t make dinner reservations.

How was the Driver/Guide?

Now, this is the part of my tour that was really just a bit odd. Our driver, unfortunately, seemed to have woken up on the wrong side of the proverbial bed. His mood was more changeable than the weather, and in Ireland that really is saying something.

In fairness to him, he made a few decent jokes and he did attempt to get some interaction out of the bus. The Americans and myself were probably the only ones playing along for most of the trip. He also dazzled us with some wonderful tales of Irish history.

However, the real problem with our driver was that he seemed so fed up with us all before we had even gotten on the road. He was barking orders about making sure we were back on the bus at the right time, then explaining the consequences if we weren’t and generally treating us like primary school kids on a class trip.

GOD help you if you wanted to go to the bathroom between stops. He was NOT impressed with one lady that insisted we pull in at the next possible place so that she could avail of the facilities. It was all a bit ungraceful on his part. Honestly, I started rationing my water after that episode because I didn’t want to have to deal with his attitude if I needed to stop the bus!!

Now, I know drivers on these sorts of buses must get very fed up with late people and unscheduled stops, but in fairness, if you’re not going to put a bathroom on your bus it’s always going to be a possibility.

All I would say is, if you have a bladder problem but want to spend a day with Paddywagon tours then I recommend you let the driver know before you get on the bus.

Then there are the obvious tips like making sure you go to the bathroom before you get on the bus, and at every stop, as well as limiting your fluid intake on the bus.

Hopefully you get a nicer driver than we did, but no guarantees!

Any Last Words?

Ok, so that’s all folks, pretty much! My final recommendation before we come to the end of my Paddywagon Tour review would be to make sure that you bring plenty of snacks for the bus and a raincoat/umbrella just in case the Irish weather kicks in.

Oh and don’t let my qualms about the driver put you off. The Paddywagon employs lots of different drivers and the odds are you’ll get a different one from the gentleman (questionable) I had. Plus, even if you did have the same driver as me, maybe I just caught him on an off day. Everyone has bad days!

Soooo grab your best green clothes, your leprechaun catching nets and your Guinness and join one of the Paddywagon tours!

** BOOK NOW – you can book your tour direct with Paddywagon Tours on their website .**

** Paddywagon provided me with a complimentary tour. However, the opinion expressed in this post is, as always, my own.

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Ack… poor Freddie. I’m glad you otherwise enjoyed your trip to Glendalough and Killkenny! I bet it was v. busy!!!!

Did I mention his name??? Ah well, everyone has off days! I felt more sorry for the woman that needed to pee. I did have a really good trip otherwise though. Glendalough was PACKED!

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Paddywagon Tours

• See all photos

Cliffs of Moher Day Tour from Dublin: Including The Wild Atlantic Way

Giant's Causeway Day Tour from Dublin

Blarney Castle Day Tour from Dublin Including Rock of Cashel & Cork City

Cliffs of Moher and Galway City Day Tour from Dublin

Glendalough & Wicklow Mountains Afternoon Tour from Dublin

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

PADDYWAGON TOURS: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

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Paddywagon Tours Review: Dublin to Kerry Day Trip

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read  full disclosure  for more information.

If you’re looking for a Paddywagon Tours review , you’re in the right place.

As a student studying abroad in Ireland , I had a set list of places I wanted to be able to explore during my semester so that I could explore as much of the country as possible.

Killarney was definitely on that list, mostly for all of its stunning coastal views and cute Irish towns. So, I had to find out how to get from Dublin to Kerry.

I knew that I really wanted to try to make it to Dingle Peninsula, which was nearly impossible to do with any tour company.

However, I ended up finding my  f avorite  Irish town during my day trip to Co. Kerry with Paddywagon Tours , which I honestly did not expect! Learn all about it in this Paddywagon Tours review.

Table of Contents

The Details of a Day Trip to Co. Kerry

Dublin is about a 3.5-hour car ride away from Co. Kerry , so I knew that it was going to be hard to find a way to make a day trip out of it. I knew that I wanted to see some of Dingle Bay and more of the best outdoor areas of Ireland, like Killarney National Park .

After a Google search, I discovered that Paddywagon Tours offered a tour that would suit all my needs! I ended up doing the Kerry Tour from Dublin. The tour was reasonably priced, especially since I was a student. It’s not bad for a day filled with so many beautiful stops!

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We chose to get picked up at Paddy’s Palace on Lower Gardiner Street, which was at 6:20 AM. Pickup is so early because the destination is so far away!

We essentially chose to get picked up at the first stop because there are three pickup locations, and we wanted to guarantee that (1) we would be able to sit next to each other and (2) we’d be on the same bus.

I highly suggest getting picked up at the first stop if you want to 100% sit with the people you’re traveling with!

What to Pack for Your Day Trip to Co. Kerry

Obviously, this Paddywagon Tours review had to include what to pack!

I feel like I say this all the time, but I definitely think it’s best to bring a backpack .

My roommate and I each packed a backpack filled with snacks (mostly just too many Penguin bars, which I highly suggest trying), a  water bottle , an  umbrella , a  jacket , and some money .

There is a stop for lunch in Killarney, but you’ll definitely get hungry on the road, so bringing snacks is essential.

Bringing water is always good, too, because it can get stuffy on a bus!

We were lucky enough to go in April, so we got to wear shorts for the day but still brought a jacket just in case.

Stop in Adare, Co. Limerick

About 2 hours into the trip, we stopped at  Adare  in Co. Limerick. This is a lovely little Irish village that’s well-known for its thatched-roof houses. It’s also one of Ireland’s prettiest towns .

This was about a 20-minute stop, primarily for photo opportunities, but it definitely piqued my interest in possibly visiting Adare for a bit longer!

Sadly, one of the cottages had just lost its thatched roof due to a fire. However, there were still many that I took some photos of.

Just look at how beautiful they are! I loved looking at them. My roommate said they all looked like they just got a fresh haircut, haha!

Muckross House

Our next stop was another 1.5-hour drive away, so getting off the bus while in Adare felt good to get my legs moving! The stop was at  Muckross House and gardens , an elegant 19th-century mansion in Killarney National Park. 

It felt like something right out of Downton Abbey! Even multiple horse-drawn carriages would take people around the gardens, though we opted to walk around.

Most of our drive into Killarney was so foggy, so I was extremely happy that as soon as we got off the tour bus, it lightened up tremendously!

I think the fact that it was nestled in Killarney National Park only added to its beauty. There was a beautiful little lake, too, just a quick 5-minute walk from the mansion, so we went down there for a photo opportunity or two. 

On my tour, it was even mentioned that Queen Victoria had stayed at Muckross House and that the mansion’s owners completely redid the inside just for her so she could see the beautiful lake and mountains from her room! How awesome is that!?

You can tell that it’s still a *little bit* foggy in the distance of the photo above, but about an hour before this, we couldn’t even see the mountains because of the fog, so I’m so happy with the way that this shot turned out! It looked like the perfect place to sit and enjoy a picnic. I mean, look at that view!

There is a lovely little cafe near the gardens, and since it was so hot and we had finished most of our water, we decided to treat ourselves to some pink lemonade, which was absolutely splendid! It kind of tasted like pink sparkling lemonade. It sounds like a weird combination, but I swear it was good!

Torc Waterfall

After leaving Muckross House, we hopped back on the bus for a quick 5-minute drive down the road to Torc Waterfall . The waterfall is 66′ tall! It was insane.

It was also crazy how green this area was. I’ve never seen something so vibrantly green in my life!

This was one of the highlights of my day, and I even look back at it as one of my favorite sights in all of Ireland.

The cool thing is that there are hiking trails near the waterfall, though since we were only there for about a half hour, we didn’t have time to do that. I definitely want to go back one day and explore more of the area!

Stop in Killarney, Co. Kerry

Next, we finally got to explore   Killarney ! This is the best part of this Paddywagon tour.

This town is absolutely stunning and is so quintessentially Irish. I definitely wish I had been able to spend more than two hours here!

We walked around a bit and grabbed lunch at a local place called Salvadors. I definitely suggest the “hot stuff” pizza… I personally didn’t find it that hot, and I usually can’t handle spicy! 

Killarney felt so different from Dublin, so it was great to experience it.

We also tried  Murphy’s Ice Cream  for the first time here, which I recommend. It tastes like soft hard serve… I don’t know how to explain it! But it’s made right in Dingle, which is close to Killarney.

On our way out of Killarney, our tour guide was friendly enough to take us to a great viewing spot in Killarney National Park!

He said they usually don’t make this stop, but it’s one of his favorite views, and he just had to show it to us. The fog seemed to be back this time, but the view was still breathtaking! I could’ve sat there for hours and just enjoyed it.

After leaving Killarney, we drove a bit to  Inch Beach , one of Ireland’s most famous beaches because of its length! It goes on for 3 miles. Yes, you read that right!

There were even surfing lessons for super cheap, which I totally would’ve done if I had more time. This is also an excellent stop to grab some snacks at the cafe if you’d like. 

The beach is surrounded by beautiful hills, too, which we would soon drive along to see more of the Wild Atlantic Way! I had to include mention of this beach in this Paddywagon Tours review.

Wild Atlantic Way

Lastly, we drove along the Wild Atlantic Way and enjoyed beautiful views of Ireland’s western coastline. This is one of the most beautiful areas in all of Ireland, in my opinion. I just couldn’t get enough of the views!

After hearing some fun facts and stories about the area, we started the 3.5-hour ride back to Dublin. We made it home around 9 PM, and we were absolutely exhausted!

Ultimately, I’d suggest taking a day trip to Co. Kerry with Paddywagon Tours if you’re visiting Ireland. Hopefully, you got that from this Paddywagon Tours review!

It’s definitely a great way to dip your toes into one of the most beautiful areas of Ireland! It has made me want to go back to Co. Kerry in the future and perhaps spend a week or two exploring the area more in-depth.

Watch our vlog about our day trip with Paddywagon Tours!

Frequently Asked Questions

How far is dublin from kerry.

Dublin is about 300km from Kerry. You can travel there by car, bus, or train. The journey takes around 3.5 hours.

How far is Inch Beach from Killarney?

Inch Beach is about 40 kilometers from Killarney. To get there, take the R561. The drive takes about 40 minutes.

How far is Killarney from Dublin?

Killarney is about 300 kilometers from Dublin. The drive would take about 3.5 hours.

To get to Killarney from Dublin, take the M7. The journey would take you through Limerick before arriving in Killarney.

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KP is the head blogger and founder behind Volumes & Voyages. After studying abroad in Dublin for a semester, KP got bitten by the travel bug. Now, she writes articles to help other travelers in between trips where she chases her wanderlust. KP has lived in many different places, including Boston MA, Denver CO, Las Vegas NV, southern VT, and Dublin IE.

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This sounds like a fabulous day trip! Killarney sounds amazing and I’d love too see those thatched roof house, the Wild Atlantic Way, etc. Thanks for sharing!

Of course! Killarney is my favorite Irish town. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!

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Ah Killarney looks so pretty with such quaint towns that I know I’d love. The beaches too look so peaceful as they aren’t crowded. Will save for when I get the chance to visit Ireland!

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