This Family Travels: our staycation in Killarney and Kenmare, Kerry

Another one to put on the list.

The staycation subsidy comes into play next month (October). The subsidy will see a person who spends over €625 on accommodation, food, and non-alcoholic drinks, able to claim back €125 via a tax credit with couples, able to get back €250. If you're planning on taking advantage of the staycation subsidy (which lasts until April 2021) then you can't do better than a trip to Kerry.  

Where we stayed

We stayed in a gorgeous cottage that was built over 100 years ago but was recently refurbished and renovated by the 23-year-old great-granddaughter of the originals owners. The cottage has two bedrooms upstairs (the ceilings are quite low but my 6.5ft husband managed ok), a dining area, a sitting room (with sofa bed), fully functional kitchen and bathroom with shower. It also has a large back garden (great if you're going with kids) and was only a short drive from Killarney town centre. You can view the full listing with additional photos here.

Where we ate

With the cottage having a working kitchen we cooked our own meals most of our stay but we did stop by a couple of places in both Kenmare and Killarney. In Killarney we stopped by Casita Mexicana which is located in the heart of Killarney beside several other eateries in an open air food court. I ordered a vegetarian burrito and iced coffee while the kids tucked into big bowls of cheesy nachos. If you happen to find yourself in Kenmare and are a chocolate lover I highly recommend seeking out Lorge for the most delicious hot chocolate that you will have in your life. The shop also stocks handmade chocolates and tubs of hot chocolate granules that you can bring home to recreate the experience.

What we did

On our first day in Kerry we adventured around the Ring of Kerry and stopped off in Kenmare for food and lots of shopping. The following day we went to visit friends on their farm just outside of Killarney town where the kids helped to collect eggs and feed the animals. On our last day we went for a wander around Killarney town and of course had to stop by Hazel Nuts About Vintage, one of my favourite Irish vintage shops. They have a depop shop so even if you don't get down to Killarney this year you can still pick up a bargain.

Our favourite part

While we say a lot of gorgeous things around Kerry's national park and the Ring of Kerry the biggest highlight was Torc Waterfall. There's a little bit of a hike up to it but it's well worth it.