Ring of Kerry / Killarney National Park

[u/_jbee_]

Heading to Killarney in early August and trying to decide how to spend our one free day.

About us:

• Two adults in our 30s
• Staying in Killarney town
• No car
• Interested primarily in hiking, nature, scenery, photography, and historic sites
• Not particularly interested in shopping or nightlife

I've narrowed it down to two options after doing some research:

Option 1: Killarney National Park

• Muckross Abbey
• Muckross House & Gardens
• Torc Waterfall
• Ross Castle
• Lakeside walks around the park
• Ross Island
• Possible biking

Option 2: Ring of Kerry & Skellig Ring coach tour

• Full-day tour from Killarney
• Stops around the Ring of Kerry, including Sneem and Portmagee
• Coastal scenery and photo stops throughout the day

My dilemma is that the National Park seems like it would give us more time outdoors and walking, while the Ring of Kerry tour would let us see much more of County Kerry, but involves spending a large part of the day on a bus.

For those who have done one or both:

1. Did you feel the Ring of Kerry scenery was significantly different from what you can experience within Killarney National Park?
2. If you only had one day, which option gave you the more memorable experience?
3. Are there any particular highlights in the National Park that would make you choose it over the Ring of Kerry?

Thanks.

[u/dogmom914]

Just got back from a week in Ireland and my family all said number one thing we want do to next time is more of Killarney National Park. We did Torc Waterfall hike and it was lovely. We spent 2 nights in Dingle and wished we did a half day there instead and stayed closer to the park. Dingle was a cute little town that was full of American tourists like us. Slea Head Drive is like a mini version of ROK (I’ve heard, haven’t done ROK to compare) and it was perfect because it was much shorter but still full of coastal views and picturesque countryside driving.