When visiting Ireland, Cork is often overshadowed by Dublin. But the country’s second largest city, situated right on the River Lee, is worth a visit. It has a dense, walkable downtown with great pubs and restaurants. And it’s the perfect home base for seeing other places. In fact, there are several day trips from Cork that are both easy and awesome.
All of the day trips from Cork listed here are easy enough to do on your own, as long as you’re willing to drive in Ireland. (My boyfriend promises it wasn’t that bad!) But if you prefer having a guided tour, I’ve added some suggestions for those, too. (FYI: Some of the links are affiliate links and I may receive a commission from them.)
The Best Day Trips from Cork, Ireland
Cobh & St. Colman’s Cathedral
Cobh (pronounced “Cove”) is a seaport city that was famously the last port of call for the Titanic before it sailed across the Atlantic. (Back then it was called Queenstown.) Today it’s the only dedicated cruise port in Ireland, so there’s plenty of touristy shops and restaurants along the water.
The main icon of Cobh is St. Colman’s Cathedral, a beautiful church perched high on the hill. Nearby is a row of colorful Victorian houses known as The Deck of Cards. Between the colorful architecture and beautiful scenery, it’s worth visiting Cobh just to wander around.
Cobh is about a half hour drive from Cork, making it a super easy day trip. Or make it a stop on your way somewhere else. We stopped in Cobh for lunch on our way to Midleton Distillery. (More on that below.) But in mid-February many shops and restaurants were closed for the season. It was still pretty (even in the rain!) but our lunch options were limited, so keep that in mind.
Cashel & The Rock of Cashel
Of all the small towns and big cities we visited during our birthday week exploring Ireland, Cashel was my favorite. Cashel is about an hour north of Cork, so we actually stopped there on our way from Dublin to Cork.
Cashel is an adorable town full of quaint shops and restaurants. We stopped for lunch at Mikey Ryan’s Bar & Kitchen, where we had a delicious lunch. The restaurant focuses on a “farm to plate” philosophy, using local ingredients. And while the name suggests a pub-like place, it was surprisingly nice with fancier food.
But the real draw of Cashel is The Rock of Cashel, the ruins of a castle and church dating to the 12th Century. Most of the walls are still intact, but the missing roof adds to the mystique. Some frescoes managed to survive, and can be seen during limited tours. There’s a small entrance fee to get in, then you can wander around yourself or take a tour at a designated time.
Midleton & Jameson Distillery
The entire reason we spent two days in Cork was for easier access to Jameson Distillery in Midleton. But once we realized all the easy day trips from Cork, its cute downtown, and the incredible whiskey bar The Shelbourne, we were more than glad we spent a few days there. (And already want to go back!)
Midleton is just a half hour drive away from Cork. Its main draw is the Jameson Distillery, a huge campus with a historic distillery (now a visitors center and museum) and the working distillery. Jameson Distillery is simply fascinating and I can’t recommend touring it enough. And definitely don’t miss the tasting room, where you can build your own flights of whiskey, choosing between Jameson, Midleton, Red Breast, Method & Madness, and more. This tour includes transportation from Cork to the Distillery.
And if you want to spend more time in Midleton after the distillery, walk down to Main Street. It’s lined with restaurants perfect for your post-tour meal. I highly recommend Finin’s, where we had an outstanding dinner of wild venison loin and East Cork lamb rump.
Related :: 5 Fascinating Facts About Jameson Midleton Distillery
Limerick & King John’s Castle
Limerick is one of those iconic Irish places that you’ve heard of in books and movies, instantly elevating its status as somewhere worth visiting. And there’s good reason you’ve heard of it: its Old Town dates to medieval times, there’s a medieval castle, and a beautiful river runs through it.
Of course I’m talking about King John’s Castle, dating back to 1200. It’s one of the best preserved Norman castles in all of Europe, and sits right along the River Shannon. Climb to the top of the castle’s towers for a view of the river and St. Mary’s Cathedral, built in 1168.
Limerick is about a two hour drive from Cork, so it’s definitely doable in a day. Stop for lunch at one of the many traditional pubs after visiting the castle and wandering the historic streets. Bonus points for ordering Limerick Ham, ham smoked over juniper branches and boiled in cider, then baked until the edges are crispy.
Cliffs of Moher
Getting to the Cliffs of Moher from Cork requires a little more time than these other day trips, but it’s so popular I can’t leave it off this list! The Cliffs of Moher are beautiful, huge cliffs overlooking the ocean. It’s one of the most popular tourist attractions in Ireland, and with good reason.
The drive to the Cliffs from Cork is about 3 hours. It’s a long drive for a day trip, but it’s doable. (I actually took a day trip to the Cliffs of Moher from Dublin, about an equally long drive, and it was worth it!) This tour includes transportation from Cork and includes several other stops along the way.
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Of course these aren’t the only day trips from Cork you can do. Waterford and Kinsale are nearby, plus the Ring of Kerry and more. There are tons of options — book them here!
There’s also plenty to do right in Cork, so make sure to plan for time to explore the city itself!
Related :: How to Plan a Whiskey Trip to Ireland, What to Eat in Ireland, and The Ultimate Guide to Distilleries in Ireland
