There are 12 Blue Flag Beaches and 5 Green Coast Beaches in Kerry. These beaches are famous for their pristine golden sand, rugged cliffs, and beautiful scenery. Most of them are dog-friendly, but you may have put your dog on a leash.
If you’re looking to have a good time with your family on one of Ireland’s top beaches, Kerry stands as a perfect destination.
But there are some important need-to-knows before choosing a beach to visit.
Let’s explore some top beaches in Kerry to see what makes them spectacular.
Read on for insights to help you plan your next County Kerry visit.
1. Dundag Beach
Located two kilometres from Killarney, Dundag Beach is a famous destination for locals and tourists in Kerry. If you’re looking for a perfect relaxation spot on a warm day, you can’t go wrong with this beach.
At Dundag beach, you’ll also find the rocky promontory called Dundag Point. Here, you can enjoy the scenic view of the mountains bounding Killarney’s lakes.
Lined with Scots Pine, Dundag Beach is a fantastic location for hiking and taking long walks.
Killarney has beautiful accommodations for tourists, including the Park Place Apartments, Highstreet, which is located 500 meters from the World famous Killarney National Park. It is furnished in a contemporary style with a flat-screen TV and all the accessories you would expect from a top-class self-catering accommodation.
2. Coumeenoole Beach
Coumeenoole Beach is undoubtedly one of the best beaches to visit in Ireland. There’s a car park by the beach and some beautiful, jagged cliffs that provide a wonderful view. Your visit to Kerry is not complete without seeing the scenic views of Dunmore Head.
The beach is not the best place to swim due to strong and unpredictable currents created by the Atlantic waves.
However, you can go for a knee-high paddle with your kids on a calm day. It gets super windy on Coumeenoole beach, even during the summer days.
Coumeenoole beach is also famous for being the filming location for the classic love story, Ryan’s Daughter.
Another beauty of this beach is that it’s close to many attractions, both natural and man-made.
Some of the attractions include the Slea Head Drive, Dun Chaoin Pier, Dunmore Head, and more.
3. Fenit Beach
Fenit Beach is located south of Tralee Bay in Ballinskelligs, Co. Kerry. It offers awesome views across the Dingle Peninsula and is one of the best swimming spots in the County. Other fun activities on the beach include kayaking, sailing, and fishing.
It’s no surprise that the Fenit beach earned the Blue Flag status, given its popularity and many activities happening there.
There’s a large car park by the beach with picnic tables, public toilets, and children’s playgrounds.
Fenit beach is an excellent destination for you and your entire family.
But it’s easy to get stranded on the incoming tide while exploring this beautiful Blue Flag beach.
Fenit Island connects to the mainland, and you walk over or drive during low tides.
4. Ballybunion Beach
Ballybunion Beach is a fantastic destination for people looking to explore some shallow caves at low tides. It offers an extensive rock formation with wonderful views that will amaze you. This beach is located twenty minutes from a beautiful beach overlooked by an old convent (Nun’s beach).
In the International Blue Flag beach, you will find beautiful sand dunes and the popular castle located near the Ballybunion town.
The beach comprises three beaches (Men’s beach, ladies beach, and The Long Strand).
Ballybunion beach is divided by a cliff, one part is the men’s beach, and the other is the ladies beach.
The ladies’ beach is known as the Ballybunion North beach, while the men’s beach is called the Ballybunion South beach.
The Long Strand is renowned for its history with the 1932 Olympics.
These beaches make an excellent hang-out location for a family with kids. There are many activities for everyone, such as fishing, swimming, strolling, and more.
5. Inch Beach
Inch Beach is an excellent place for long walks if you love the feeling of sand underneath your feet with spectacular sunsets. Located on the Dingle Peninsula in Kerry Co., the Blue Flag beach is accessible via the Killarney to Dingle route. You will find that Inch beach is rarely busy thanks to its large size.
The beach is ideal for sunbathing, surfing, sea angling, and many other water sports.
Nearby you will find a choice of pubs, golf courses, and restaurants.
Inch beach offers locals and tourists a perfect place to swim and fish. There’s a decent parking space, so you don’t have to worry about parking your car.
6. Banna Strand Beach
Located in Tralee Bay, Banna beach stretches about 10 kilometers along the Kerry coastline. The sand dunes here get as high as 12 meters throughout the entire beach. You can see the mountains of the Dingle Peninsula from the southwest horizon.
Banna Strand beach is one of the best beaches in Ireland. It is a perfect environment for families to have a good time building sandcastles and swimming.
Surfing is another popular activity on this beach, as there’s a surf school nearby.
With lifeguards on duty, you can rest assured that you’re going to have a safe and thrilling experience.
There’s a car park at Banna Cross, which includes disabled spaces. So, you don’t need to worry about where to park your car.
If you need a place to stay around Banna beach, you’ll find Banna Beach Resort to be an excellent choice.
This self-catering holiday home has a large open plan lounge, colour television, dining and kitchen area with open fireplace, audio system, and other great accessories.
7. Rossbeigh Beach
Rossbeigh Beach is another popular tourist destination in Kerry Co. Located 2km from Glenbeigh village, on the Ring of Kerry, the beach is perfect for people who love watersports. Thanks to its unparalleled views of the Dingle Peninsulas and Iveragh, Rossbeigh Beach is one of the top beaches in Ireland.
With plenty of parking space at the south end of Rossbeigh Beach, it is a great hangout spot for your entire family.
You won’t have any issues unloading your water sports gear, as you can park close to the water.
The clean Blue Flag waters of Rossbeigh Beach are excellent for swimming and surfing.
Rossbeigh Beach is renowned for steady SW prevailing wind and gentle gradient, making it one of the best beaches for surfing.
Other popular activities on this beach include windsurfing, kitesurfing, and kite buggying.
8. Kells Beach
Kells Beach is located on the northern coastline of the Iveragh Peninsula. It has a small harbour that’s one of the best places to have a good time with your kids. You’ll find many rock pools to explore on this sandy and sheltered beach.
With many awesome activities such as swimming, watersports, fishing, and horse riding, Kells Beach is an exciting place to visit in Kerry.
If you just want to relax, you can enjoy the beautiful views from Kells Bay House.
The beach is an excellent place to paddle in crystal clear waters, and it has been awarded the Blue Flag status.
9. Ballinskelligs Beach
Located in the western part of Ballinskelligs Harbour, this beach is renowned for its clear water and golden sand. It is overlooked by two ruins, one of which is the 16th century McCarthy Castle, and the other is the 12th-century Ballinskelligs Priory or Abbey. Ballinskelligs Beach has won the Blue Flag award multiple times, so you can rest assured that it is an excellent family beach.
You can also go with your dogs, but make sure to put them on a leash. During the summer, the beach offers a lifeguard service.
Also, the Irish Water Safety Board provides free swimming lessons for one week.
Ballinskelligs Beach has excellent environmental management, making it one of the best places to visit in County Kerry.
10. Derrynane Beach
Derrynane Beach is located 3.5km west of the village of Caherdaniel in Derrynane National Historic Park. This lovely sheltered sandy beach has a natural harbour and is perfect for families looking to have a good time. It is considered one of the top beaches in Ireland.
The beach is close to the Derrynane House and the Derrynane Abbey & burial ground.
There is free parking next to Derrynane, but it gets busy during the summer months.
You can enjoy many activities on Derrynane beach, including swimming, camping, and watersports.
Derrynane beach is famous for its white sand and Blue Flag waters. Nearby is Abbey Island, which forms a natural harbour.
The beach is dog-friendly and serves as a great place for visitors and locals to have fun.
Conclusion
Ireland is known for its many attractions and beautiful beaches. Some of the best beaches in the country are located in County Kerry.
The County boasts of 12 Blue Flag Beaches and 5 Green Coast Beaches. It makes for an excellent vacation destination for families with kids. With many breathtaking sceneries, pristine waters, and golden sand, you will have an amazing time in Kerry.
If you’re planning a holiday trip to Kerry Co., you should know that Relax Ireland has the best self-catering houses for couples, families, and corporate occasions.
With over 500 beautiful properties available, finding a perfect holiday home only requires a few clicks.
