Things to Do in Galway, Ireland

Ireland trip 2017 - Galway

Most years we spend our summer months at home, soaking up the hot weather at the beach each weekend or taking trips to see our families in Virginia. This summer, we decided to do something a little different by booking a trip to Galway, Ireland and Amsterdam. Our very first trip together started in Ireland back in 2009 when we were carefree college kids pretending to be "just friends." However, we never made it to Galway that trip and I have to say... it's probably one of our top places to visit right now. The people are nice, the food is incredible (I'm still craving seafood chowder), and the sites are gorgeous.

We only had two days in Galway (including train travel to and from) so we went full tourist-mode for this trip - taking a tour to the Cliffs of Moher, eating and drinking in the Latin Quarter/off Quay Street, lounging in front of Galway Bay, and more.

Food, Drinks, & Bites

Maxwell's Bistro - We had great service everywhere, but this place surpassed them all. Our waiter went out of his way to make sure we made the most of our meal. I had a simple BLT but it was so yummy! Richard had mussels everywhere we went, but says Maxwell's was the best.

Murphy's Ice Cream - Highly recommend the Dingle Sea Salt ice cream. Sounds weird but oh sooo good. I paired it with a scoop of Irish Coffee ice cream (yes, it had whiskey in it... always a win!).

1520 Bar - We went in for the live music, but stayed for the food. The menu is typical bar food, but they had the best seafood chowder (I tried it everywhere, but 1520 Bar's was the creamiest).

The Quays - This place is known for their live entertainment so we had this on our list before we got there. Bartenders were nice and the Guinness was flowing.

Places to See

With only one full day in Galway, we decided to book a tour so we weren't scrambling to find things to do day-of. I highly recommend looking at Galway Tour Company for tours! They made everything easy and our tour guide, Patrick (PJ) was awesome. His commentary throughout the entire tour - from bus ride to stops - was informative, funny, and honest. He also went out of his way to make sure we ate lunch at a local pub vs. the cafeteria at the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Center (it saved us money, food was great, and we supported small businesses, which is a plus in my book!). We did the Cliffs of Moher & The Burren tour.

The Cliffs of Moher is the most visited place in Ireland and I have to say it's worth the crowds! You won't find these views anywhere else plus Harry Potter was filmed there - so win! The Cliffs took up the majority of our tour and we honestly could've stayed longer if they let us - we only got through half of the trail. Be warned, the trail is literally 3 feet away from the edge of the cliff... so if you have a fear of heights, breathe!

The tour also took us to see the Dunguaire Castle, the Gleninsheen Wedge Tomb, the Celtic Crosses, and other sites within the Burren - and we were back in time for some dinner and drinks in the city!