Top Things to do in County Kildare
Top 10 Sights & Landmarks in County Kildare, Province of Leinster
Discover the best top things to do in County Kildare, Ireland including Solas Bhride, Nurney Lakes, Athy Library, Irish National Stud & Gardens, Moone High Cross, Clonfert Pet Farm, Castletown House, Saint Brigid's Cathedral and Round Tower, Maynooth Castle, St. Patrick's College.
Restaurants in County Kildare
1. Solas Bhride
2. Nurney Lakes
3. Athy Library
4. Irish National Stud & Gardens
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,467 reviews
This state-owned commercial stud farm also incorporates the world famous Japanese Gardens and wild Irish St Fiachra's Garden as well as the Irish Racehorse Experience, Living Legend's, Gift Shop and restaurant. It is also home to some of Ireland's most famous racehorses.
Reviewed By 357SueH - Cheshire, United Kingdom
A very interesting place, educational as well as a place to enjoy peaceful family time. 2 for 1 ticket price through the Irish Heritage leaflet made the cost exceptional and well worth the visit. The horses are so well looked after, the information is interesting and the grounds are immaculately kept. The Japanese garden is an added bonus, peace and tranquility await, a visual piece of art in every corner, vibrant colours abundant in every space, purity at its best! The cafe is lovely, serving delicious food, especially the cake/dessert selection. Worth a visit if in Co Kildare.
5. Moone High Cross
6. Clonfert Pet Farm
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 256 reviews
Reviewed By 887trishac
Clonfert pet farm is my kids’ favourite places to go and it’s easy to understand why. It has everything and more- the bouncy castle, karts, little wooden houses, pets, sandpit, zip line, indoor play area. This place beats the zoo by a long shot for little people. I am always so impressed by their cleanliness and great value for money. So nice to find this gem of a place. We will be back again and again. I couldn’t fault the place, on the contrary - it’s a credit to them as business owners to get it all so right.
7. Castletown House
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 370 reviews
Castletown is the first and largest Palladian style mansion in Ireland and is just 20km from Dublin City Centre and sits on the banks of the River Liffey. The house is open daily for tours Mid March to the 4th November 2018, access to the house is by guided or self-guided tour. For tour times and admission charges see website. FREE admission to the restored 18th century parklands, open daily throughout the year. For gate opening times see website or refer to the signs on the site. Extensive events programme which includes: Children's art and craft workshops, music recitals, parkland tours, evening concerts, 'Family nights' in the Courtyard Cafe for all this and more refer to website.
Reviewed By BJDublin
We visited Castletown House for the first time recently and absolutely loved it! There are lovely grounds to walk through. Ideal for couples, or families with children to enjoy or to walk your dog. There is a market held on the last Sunday of the month selling everything from local arts and crafts to delicious food. We spent a full day there by the time we had seen the market, had coffee and cake and then had a lovely walk for an hour. The paths are very well laid out and you can see the house clearly so you can't get lost! After our walk we had lunch in the cafe and then did the tour of the house. Our guide was Deirdre and she had so much information to tell us about the history of the house and the family that lived there. It was a very enjoyable day and we would highly recommend a visit. It's a real gem just outside of Dublin.
8. Saint Brigid's Cathedral and Round Tower
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 129 reviews
Reviewed By LindaK631 - Auckland Central, New Zealand
It is such a gorgeous wee village and the first thing to do when you get there is to go to the Visitor’s Centre where you get a very warm welcome, lots of information and an excellent little video for 10 minutes that introduces you to the sights of the town, including Saint Brigid’s. The church itself is wonderfully historic with several additional features include the fire temple and the round tower. They’re all really worth seeing, particularly if you get the information first from the Visitors’ centre. We loved our stop here and wish we had more time to explore.
9. Maynooth Castle
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 160 reviews
Maynooth Castle is a mid to late 12th Century Norman castle with a history that is both intriguing and exciting. The stronghold of the Fitzgerald family, the castle has stood on this site in the centre of Maynooth for over 8 centuries. Today, Maynooth Castle holds a detailed exhibition on the history of the Fitzgerald family, one of the most important Anglo-Norman families in Ireland. PLEASE NOTE - Maynooth Castle is a seasonal site and is only opening during the summer months. Open daily 10.00am - 17.45pm (Including public Hoildays) Free admission and Free Guided Tours. last guided tour 16.30pm. (45-60mins approx.) For self guiding visitors- Within the undercroft of the castle, an exhibit detailing the history of the FitzGerald family. Upper level holds the remains of the Great Hall. Feel free to visit the castle grounds also. (35-40 mins approx.) Visitor Guides / Post cards available to purchase. Maynooth is also open during Culture Night 2018
Reviewed By Journiemernie
If you're in the neighborhood and have the chance to explore here, it is so worth it! So much history in one location! I had a lovely time exploring the grounds and taking in the sheer size of the remaining Castle pieces. Inside the exhibit, I was blown away by the amount of information I could learn about the Castle, Fitzgerald Family, and the complex history of Medieval Ireland/England. There is even a small model of what the Castle had looked like in it's hay-day, really bringing into perspective where you are standing. I struck up a conversation with one of the workers, Mary, and she was very knowledgeable of the site as well as super nice. One of the highlights of my stay in Ireland!
10. St. Patrick's College
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 97 reviews
Reviewed By CarolineC936 - Leeds, United Kingdom
I was fortunate to stay in the College for a conference. The rooms are lovely and much better than I was expecting. They are a good size and very well heated. Mine had 3 windows with a great view of the campus. I had breakfast in Pugin Hall which is full of history. It was a treat to stay in a place with such history and character which has beautiful grounds, including Ireland’s oldest native tree, the Silken Thomas Yew tree. Next time I hope to see the Chapel.
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