The Perfect Day Trip to The Cliffs of Moher, Wild Atlantic and Galway City

One of Ireland’s most iconic sites are The Cliffs of Moher, which are located at the southwestern edge of the Burren region. I knew while visiting Ireland this was a place we had to see so we dedicated one of our days in Dublin to a take a day tour out to the Cliffs of Moher, including a visit to Wild Atlantic Way and Galway City with Wild Rover Tours.

We met our tour guide at one of the suggested pick up locations in Dublin’s city centre and boarded our lovely bus around 7:15am. We stopped for a chance to grab breakfast and use the restrooms at Barack Obama Plaza. Yes, like Barack Obama, the 45th President of the United States of America. He actually has Irish roots dating back to 1850 and a plaza has been opened in his honor. Following our stop at the plaza, we were on route to see the Cliffs of Moher. It took about 2.5 hours to reach the Cliffs, however our tour guide did an amazing job pointing out various points of interest along the way and giving a mini history lesson.

Once we arrived to the Cliffs of Moher it was pretty obvious we had reached our destination. The cliffs are about 700 feet (214m) high at the highest point and run for 5 miles (8 kilometers) along the western seaboard of County Clare. Pretty hard to miss right? At this point, we were free to visit the Cliffs and its grounds for about 2 hours. With 2 hours time, we were able to walk along the trail of the cliffs for about a mile and explore the opposite end where a tower stands. We stopped to take plenty of photos in this time and admire the views. If you don’t want to walk as far you could also explore their visitor center, gift shops or grab a bite in the restaurant. I wouldn’t suggest this tour to anyone who wants to explore beyond the cliffs, as it could take up to 7 hours to explore the cliffs in their entirety.

The tower is located near the highest point of the Cliffs, Knockardakin and stands about 700 feet above sea level – from here you can pay 1 euro to head up on the O’Brien’s tower and see marvellous views, north, south, east and west from an elevated point. We unfortunately did not head up on the tower as it was extremely windy and cold, however you can still capture beautiful photos from this side of the cliffs without the elevated view.

After experiencing the south views from the tower area, we walked to the opposite side. Not only did I enjoy the trail and views from this side, but I also enjoyed the weather. There was a significant change when walking on this side as it became much warmer. I was able to take off my jacket and scarf, where as on the side of the tower it was really windy and cold! I am assuming this was due to the height difference, but I am no expert, so don’t quote me on that!

On this route things were a little more dangerous, if you will. Like most of the walk along the cliffs, there are rock barriers to prevent people from getting too close to the edge, however I like to live on the dangerous side so I climbed over and walked the trail closer to the cliffs. I do not recommend this by any means, but I did this for a portion of the trail making sure not to get too close to any edges and I managed to survive! Many tourists were doing the same and it seemed to be safe, however there have been people who have gotten a little too close for comfort and you know how the rest of that story goes. The whole point is, just be extra careful if you cross the rock barrier.

I found the views from this side absolutely breathtaking! I feel you could spend an entire day here just admiring the Cliffs of Moher. It’s amazing how you see sites like this in movies, yet once you lay eyes on them in person you are just overcome with emotion. You almost can’t believe you are there and have to pinch yourself!

The Cliffs of Moher are one of the most beautiful and unique views I have ever seen! A completely stunning and impressive natural site that is worth seeing.

Following our exploration at the Cliffs of Moher and the visitor center, we boarded our bus and headed to stop number 2 – The Wild Atlantic Way! Our journey continued into the Burren National Park and stopping in the Burren where we enjoyed a walk along the Atlantic edge.

At this point, the weather began to change, winds picked up and even began to rain sporadically. This type of weather is actually pretty normal for Ireland. We were very lucky and happy to have experienced sunshine and beautiful skies at the cliffs, so we weren’t too disappointed with the change along the Atlantic. Despite the weather, the view was spectacular as we watched the waves crash against the rocks. We spent about 20 minutes here before beginning our journey to Galway city, our final stop!

On our way to Galway city, I had no idea what to except, but I was pleasantly surprised when we arrived! We only had 2 hours in this adorable city, but I could have spent 2 days here! It was the cutest little town. The streets were so lively, fun and vibrant. You could hear Irish music flooding the streets from some of the local pubs. As you walk between all the narrow side streets, lined with cobble stone, you will find shopping, restaurants, pubs, live music and more. A perfect place to grab a pint of Guinness, listen to some traditional Irish music and even browse through some of the local shops. I’m already looking forward to planning a trip back to the city of Galway!

After a full day of touring the West Atlantic, I can say that it was a complete success! We couldn’t have been more fortunate with the weather and the tour company, Wild Rover Tours! Wild Rover tours did an amazing job throughout the course of the day. They were professional, knowledgeable and even helpful with giving recommendations once we were back in Dublin. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone who plans to see the Cliffs of Moher and more on their trip to Ireland! (This is not a paid advertisement, I’m just being completely honest, as I always am on my blog posts).

Are you planning a trip to Ireland? What is on your bucket list?

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