1. Wild Atlantic Way
Distance: ~2,500 km. Time: 14–21 days minimum to do it justice. Direction: Either way, but most travellers go Cork to Donegal.
The Wild Atlantic Way runs from Kinsale in County Cork to Malin Head in Donegal. It's officially the longest defined coastal driving route in the world. Done in a week, you'll see headlines and miss the soul of it; done in three, you'll start to understand why people keep coming back.
Stage 1 — Kinsale to Mizen Head (~120 km, 1–2 days)
The gentle opener. Kinsale is one of Ireland's prettiest towns — eat at Fishy Fishy, walk Charles Fort. Then west through Clonakilty, Skibbereen, and out to Mizen Head, the most south-westerly point. Van-friendly: the Old Head of Kinsale car park (off-season), Skibbereen has a small motorhome aire.
Stage 2 — Mizen to Beara to Kenmare (~150 km, 2–3 days)
The Sheep's Head Way and then onto the Beara Peninsula via Adrigole. Beara is what Kerry was 30 years ago: quieter, weirder, less polished. Allihies, Eyeries, and the cable car to Dursey Island. Camp at Allihies (paid) or wild near Eyeries.
Stage 3 — Ring of Kerry & Dingle (~340 km, 4–5 days)
See the dedicated Ring of Kerry section below. From Dingle, head north over Conor Pass (carefully — check your van's height; it's tight) to the Magharees and on to Tralee.
Stage 4 — Loop Head to Cliffs of Moher (~150 km, 1–2 days)
Loop Head is the under-rated highlight of West Clare — lighthouse, sea cliffs without the crowds. Then Doolin, the Cliffs of Moher (book the visitor-centre car park; van-restricted in peak), and the Burren.
Stage 5 — Connemara (~200 km, 2–3 days)
Galway is the natural stop. Then west to Roundstone, Clifden, Sky Road, and through Connemara National Park (no overnight in the park itself). Wild-camping spots cluster around the Killary Fjord coast and the Renvyle peninsula.
Stage 6 — Mayo to Sligo (~250 km, 2–3 days)
Achill Island (huge, dramatic, often empty), Belmullet, Erris head — the most remote stretch of the WAW. Sligo for Strandhill, Mullaghmore, Benbulben.
Stage 7 — Donegal (~350 km, 3–4 days)
Slieve League cliffs (taller than Moher, fewer people), Glencolmcille, Ardara, Glenveagh National Park (day-use). Then up to Fanad Head and Malin Head — the official end. Sit on the cliffs at Malin Head for an hour. Earned it.
2. Ring of Kerry
Distance: 179 km. Time: 3–5 days for proper enjoyment, 1 day if you must. Direction: Anti-clockwise — you're not stuck behind tour buses, who go clockwise.
The Ring of Kerry is the most-photographed loop in Ireland for a reason. Killarney as the base, then Kenmare, Sneem, Caherdaniel, Waterville, Cahersiveen, Glenbeigh, and back. Best stops:
- Killarney National Park — day-walks at Torc Waterfall and Muckross House. No overnight.
- Kenmare — second-base option to Killarney. Better food, fewer tour groups.
- Caherdaniel & Derrynane Beach — the prettiest beach on the loop.
- Skellig Ring — spur off the main route via Portmagee. Pay the €100 or so for the boat to Skellig Michael if you can — one of the great Irish day trips.
- Cahersiveen — underrated stop, good wild-camping just north.
Van-friendly sites cluster in Killarney (Fossa Caravan Park is the standout), Kenmare (Ring of Kerry Caravan Park), and Caherdaniel (Wave Crest Caravan Park).
3. Causeway Coastal Route
Distance: 190 km. Time: 4–6 days. Direction: Belfast to Derry (most photogenic). Note: this is in Northern Ireland; bring a UK e-SIM, sterling, and check your insurance covers UK driving.
The most underrated of the four big routes. From Belfast it climbs the Antrim coast, through the Glens of Antrim, the Giant's Causeway (the headline), Bushmills (the distillery), the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge, the Dark Hedges from Game of Thrones, and into Derry.
Why it works for vans:
- Cheaper than the south — site fees, fuel, food all noticeably less.
- Quieter outside July/August; even in season, less of the Killarney coach-tour bottleneck.
- Genuinely good roads — the A2 around the coast is wide and well-maintained.
- Decent network of public car parks tolerating overnight (off-season especially).
Van-friendly sites: Cushendall, Ballycastle, Portrush, Castlerock all have caravan parks open at least May to September.
4. Dingle & Beara peninsulas
Distance: ~180 km combined. Time: 5–7 days for both at a slow pace. Direction: Either; do them as a pair from a Killarney/Kenmare base.
The two peninsulas south of the Ring of Kerry, side by side, with very different personalities.
Dingle Peninsula
Dingle town (Murphy's ice cream, the trad music, the harbour at sunset). The Slea Head Drive is one of the great half-days in Ireland — 47 km loop, every corner a postcard, the ruined famine-era stone houses near Dunbeg, Coumeenoole Beach. Conor Pass north out of Dingle is the most scenic mountain road in Ireland but check your van's height (3.5 m soft limit).
Beara Peninsula
Beara is what people imagine when they imagine "wild Ireland" — depopulated villages, a single road around the rim, copper-mining ruins, Allihies Beach, the Healy Pass over the spine. Slower pace; you'll do less driving and more walking. Eyeries is one of the prettiest villages in Ireland.
Three under-the-radar alternatives
- Hook Head Loop (Wexford) — 2 days, the oldest working lighthouse in the world, the Saltees, lovely cliffs. The route nobody Instagrams.
- Inishowen Peninsula (Donegal) — 2–3 days, an extension off the WAW. Malin Head, Five Fingers Strand, the Doagh Famine Village. Often skipped; shouldn't be.
- The Boyne Valley loop (Meath/Louth) — 2 days, an entirely different vibe: Newgrange, Mellifont, Monasterboice, Trim Castle. History instead of coastline.