Sligo road trip itinerary: 3 days, 2 nights with kids
Dublin to Sligo is 215km on the N4, about two and a half to three hours direct, longer with stops. Ten years ago I drove this same route chasing a list of must-sees. This time, with two kids and a third on the way, we broke it into a proper three day loop instead, one lunch stop and a couple of fuel breaks on the way down, then the county spread across three days rather than crammed into one.
Quick route overview
Day Focus Key stops Day 1 Drive down, mountain, check-in Lunch and fuel stops en route, Benbulben, Gleniff Horseshoe, Clayton Hotel Day 2 Harbour and waterfall Galeón AndalucÃa, Tank & Skinny's, Glencar waterfall Day 3 Drive home Lough Key Forest Park, picnic by the lake
Day 1, the drive down and Benbulben
We left Dublin in the morning and took our time getting there, a proper lunch stop and a couple of fuel breaks along the N4 rather than driving straight through. We arrived into the Sligo area in the afternoon.
Rather than checking in first, we headed straight to Benbulben and the Gleniff Horseshoe while the light was still good.
Benbulben and Gleniff Horseshoe, pick your side
We stopped along the Benbulben side to take a few photos and let the kids stretch their legs after the drive. I call it toothbrush mountain with them, the flat tabletop shape does genuinely look like a giant toothbrush laid on its side, and it is an easy way to get young kids interested in a mountain instead of just driving past it.
We also drove the Gleniff Horseshoe loop, and I will be honest, I was underwhelmed. It is a one-way road, and a fair number of drivers treat it like a rally stage rather than a scenic route. It is not a relaxed drive with kids in the car. If you only have time for one side of this landscape, I would stay on the Benbulben side, park up, take the photos, and skip the horseshoe loop unless you specifically want the drive.
Mobile photography tip: shoot portrait mode with your kids in the foreground and Benbulben behind them. Switch between your 2x and 5x zoom while you do it, the longer focal length compresses the distance and pulls the mountain visually closer behind your kids, so the flat tabletop shape reads bigger and more dramatic in the frame than it does to the naked eye.
Checking in at the Clayton Hotel
After Benbulben we checked into the Clayton Hotel near Sligo Harbour. We had the rest of the afternoon free, so we went straight to the pool and stayed there until around 7pm. The leisure centre has a steam room, jacuzzi and sauna, plus two pools, one for the smallies and one for the tallies, so both age groups had their own space. Our kids loved it. Dinner after, then straight to sleep, the pool time did the job of winding them down.
Day 2, the galleon and Glencar waterfall
Sunday morning we walked down to Sligo Harbour for the Galeón AndalucÃa, docked at Deepwater Quay, open to visitors from 30 June to 13 July 2026. It is the world's largest replica Spanish galleon, and it was there specifically to mark the 1588 Armada wrecks off Streedagh, so the visit carries actual local history rather than being a generic tourist stop.
Watching the kids climb the stairs and run the plank walks, hands on the same wood, feeling the same sea breeze sailors would have felt four centuries ago, did more for their sense of history than any book has managed. The self-guided tour covers the cabins and the story of what happened off the English coast and later near the Irish shore, and it holds attention even at kid height, which is not something I say about every heritage site.
If the ship is not in port when you read this, it was a limited two-week visit, the harbour itself is still worth a wander, and it gives you a clean base for the rest of this route.
Moobile photography tip: put your kids in the frame against the masts. A small child standing beneath a 49-metre ship communicates the scale far better than a wide shot of the ship on its own, use them as your measuring stick.
Lunch, or brunch
From the harbour we went straight to Tank & Skinny's café for lunch, or more accurately brunch given the timing. It does a wide range of food and is an easy recommendation if you want one solid stop that covers both.
Is the walk to Glencar waterfall manageable with kids
In the afternoon we drove out to Glencar, our first time actually walking in to see the waterfall. The road in was worth the trip on its own, the views the whole way were some of the best we had all weekend. The walk from the car park to the waterfall is about five to ten minutes on a paved path, well within range for small legs, and the waterfall itself is one of the larger ones we have seen on this island.
Watch out for the horse flies near the water, especially in the warmer months. Bring a hat or something to wave around, the kids will thank you.
Parking is free, there are toilets onsite, and a café near the car park if anyone needs a coffee before or after. It is the kind of stop that does not eat your whole day but still feels like the main event.
Photography tip: if your phone has a long exposure or live mode, use it on the waterfall itself. Hold steady for a couple of seconds and the water turns soft and silky instead of a static blur, no tripod needed, just something to brace your arm against, a railing or the top of the fence works fine.
Benbulben's flat tabletop shape sits in the background from several angles around Glencar and Sligo town, and honestly it is my favourite subject to shoot here. The scale of it against the low Irish light does more work than any composition trick I could try.
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We headed back to the hotel after Glencar, straight to the pool again until early evening, dinner, then sleep.
Day 3, the drive home via Lough Key
How much the Lough Key playground costs per child
Monday morning we packed up and started back toward Dublin, stopping at Lough Key Forest Park on the way. This is where I want to be specific about cost because a lot of guides gloss over it. The playground charges €5 per child, and two adults are allowed in free to supervise. Everything else (the walking trails, the lakeside paths, the picnic spots) is free.
We skipped the paid attractions entirely. We took in the scenery, the views over the lake, and picked up sandwiches for a picnic by the water before getting back on the road. It was the most peaceful couple of hours of the whole trip, and it cost us nothing beyond the sandwiches.
If you want more structured activity, the park also has a tree canopy walk and an indoor problem-solving attraction called Boda Borg, both priced separately, but for a family with younger kids the free trails and the €5 playground cover most of what you need.
What changed in ten years
Ten years ago I passed through Sligo trying to tick off a list. This time, with two kids and one more on the way, the list was gone, and the trip was better for it. One ship, one mountain, one waterfall, one forest park, and a hotel with a spool and spa area to close out both evenings.
If you are planning your own version, don't try to add a fifth stop. Book the Clayton or a similar spot near the harbour, arrive slow on day one with stops built in, use day two for the harbour and the waterfall, and let day three be Lough Key and the drive home. Three stops well spent beat five rushed ones.
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