Visiting the Cliffs of Moher - Ireland

After spending the first 2 days of our Ireland trip in Galway (plus a side trip to Kylemore Abbey), we were ready to head south to our next destination. Our route took us through the beautiful Irish countryside, around the coast to the stunning Cliffs of Moher.


The Cliffs of Moher were formed 319 million years ago. They stretch for 5 miles along the coast and are over 700 feet high at the highest point. On a clear day you can see the Aran Islands, Galway Bay, and the Dingle Peninsula from the top of the cliffs. The view is absolutely breathtaking.



We lucked out with amazing weather, but as you can imagine, it can get REALLY windy up there, so the weather could impact your plans for the day. Oh, and please don’t be that person who thinks it’s cool to sit on the edge of the cliff for a picture. The wind can change suddenly and blow you off to your watery grave. Or as this gif shows, the Cliffs are eroding and portions of the rock face can collapse without warning.



We were there in early October, just after the peak season (July-August are the peak months, but April-September is the busy season). It wasn’t very crowded, so we had no issues exploring the cliffs or checking out the visitor center and gift shop. We arrived in the morning and left before lunch, but I think the late afternoon/sunset would be an amazing time to visit. There’s some gorgeous Cliffs of Moher sunset pictures out there, so I can only imagine how beautiful it would be in person.



If you visit in May or June, you might see puffins! They start arriving late March and stay until mid-July. I saw puffins when I was in Alaska a couple years ago and they are SO cute! But regardless of when you go, there’s usually plenty of wildlife (especially birds) around. We saw some birds, but these local cows were my favorite.



We were with a group, so we only had a limited amount of time to explore. If I were to go on my own, I’d try to book one of the cruises (depending on the weather) or just walk more of the cliffs trail. I would have also liked to visit O’Brien’s Tower. The rooftop area is supposed to be one of the best photo opps. Please note that the ground floor ranger station is free to enter, but there’s a separate admission charge for the rooftop and exhibit (€2 for adults, €1 for children).



Despite wishing we had a little more time, our visit to the Cliffs of Moher was one of the highlights of our trip. At the very end of our tour, quite a few people said it was their favorite spot in Ireland. So if you’re ever planning a trip to that area, be sure to add the Cliffs of Moher to your itinerary!



Visitor Information (as of March 2018):

  • Adult tickets are €6.00, children under 16 are free
  • Hours vary by month, check here for times
  • You can purchase tickets online for faster service – tickets purchased online are valid for 12 months
  • Admission includes parking, bathroom access, visitor information and the Cliffs Exhibition

You can find more information about the Cliffs of Moher here

 

20 comments

  1. Ireland was such an amazing experience for me. I spent nine weeks there and loved everyone minute of it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Your photos are breathtaking I can only imagine how perfect it was in real life! I cannot wait to travel to Ireland one day!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Your photos are gorgeous. Ireland is on my bucket list, and my son hopes to live there someday. The Cliffs of Moher will be a place to visit if/when we make it to Ireland. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It would be so fun if your son moves there! And it's the perfect excuse to visit!

      Delete
  4. Gahhhhh this is soooo gorgeous! My dream has always been to go to Ireland. I feel like it is the land of my people and they want me to visit them! Sigh. One day! I can't wait to go! Until then I shall live vicariously through you and your mom's adventures.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You would love it and your red hair would definitely fit in there! I'm pretty sure I already told you this, but I bought a card for your wedding while I was there. The bride in the drawing had red hair and I figured that would be the only place I would find that easily!

      Delete
  5. Oh my goodness this looks like a beautiful trip. Ireland is on my bucket list when my babies are older.
    Angela

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ireland is so beautiful! Everything is so green and lush...it's the complete opposite of Phoenix!

      Delete
  6. Ireland's going to the top of my bucket list. The view is absolutely breathtaking.

    ReplyDelete
  7. This trip looks so beautiful! Definitely adding this to my list of places to visit. So pretty!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes! Put it on your list! It's such a beautiful place!

      Delete
  8. The Cliffs of Insanity! :D We love Ireland so much too. You got some beautiful pictures of them!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ireland is amazing! I hope I get to go back someday!

      Delete
  9. I have always wanted to visit the Cliffs of Moher!! This looks amazing!! Glad you had such a great time!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was amazing! Hopefully you make it there someday!

      Delete
  10. I had no idea the cliffs you could possibly see puffins (or in Ireland at all) Never been, but Ireland seems to be a hot destination in my travel blogger feed! Happy #TravelTuesday

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I wish we would have seen some puffins while we were there, but we were way too late in the season.

      Delete

Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment!

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.