Options abound for kids to enjoy Killarney as much as adults, with impressive caves, the brilliant Muckross Traditional Farms and the beautiful Blue Pool. For the active, Killarney has some excellent cycling and walking terrain as well as lots of opportunity to fish and watch Gaelic football.

Blue Pool
Killarney Blue Pool is a nature reserve featuring beautifully coloured water and much wildlife, and luckily, tourist numbers here are never excessive. Kingfishers can often be seen catching trout here and there are all manner of other birds and cuddly animals to seek out. To get to the Blue Pool, turn left at Molly Darcy's pub on Muckross Road.

Crag Cave
These million-year-old limestone caves were only discovered in the early 1980s and feature huge, well-lit caverns strewn with stalactites and stalagmites. Guided tours go for 30 minutes and reveal the cave’s most interesting parts. There is also a souvenir shop onsite as well as a children’s play area and café. Phone: + 353 66 714 1244; www.cragcave.com.

Cycling 
Killarney National Park has the best cycling within Killarney, where lakeside pathways and forest trails go every which way. A recommended ride if you have time is to ride through the Gap of Dunloe, which goes along a dirt forest road and returns on the N71 in a 35-mile loop. Bikes can be rented at shops in town.

Gaelic Football 
This is Ireland's national game, although English football is actually taken more seriously. This particular region of Ireland, County Kerry, has some excellent Gaelic football teams, including Kerry, which is a frequent winner of the All-Ireland Football Championship. You can catch a Kerry inter-county match in Killarney at the Fitzgerald Stadium.

Muckross Traditional Farms 
Featuring farming of yesteryear, the Muckross Traditional Farms, one of Killarney’s main attractions, feature mock farmhouses and barns complete with costumed artisans and lots of child-friendly animals. The whole complex gives off a real feel of what it was like farming here centuries ago, with blacksmiths, carpenters and farmers working the land. Phone: +353 61 31440; www.muckross-house.ie

Walking 
Killarney National Park has the best walking in Killarney, with its four established nature trails. These include: the 2.5-kilometre Mossy Woods Nature Trail, starting near Muckross House; the one-kilometre Old Boat House Nature Trail, beginning near Muckross Gardens; Arthur Young's Walk, which heads to Muckross Peninsula for three miles; and the 2.5-kilometreBlue Pool Nature Trail. Maps of the trails can be had at the National Park Visitor Centre.

Killarney’s greatest claim to fame is its beautiful countryside and there are many fine walks and drives to be had here, such as the Killarney-Kenmare Trail and the Ring of Kerry drive. The famed Colleen Bawn Rock can be seen towards the end of the Dingle Peninsular while traditional Irish pubs are ubiquitous.

Colleen Bawn Rock 
Those with transport and a love for folklore might like to take a drive out of town and visit Colleen Bawn Rock. It is a small limestone islet sat just off the beach on Muckross Lake and comes with plenty of allure and history. Dinis Cottage is also nearby.

Knockreer Estate 
The Knockreer Estate once featured an impressive old house, which unfortunately burned down years ago, yet its fantastic gardens and the pretty gatehouse remain. The gardens come complete with 200-year-old trees and a mixture of wildflowers, and views of the lake from the estate are stunning. To get here head through Deenagh Lodge Gate, near the cathedral. Phone: +353 643 1440.

Kenmare Walk
The Killarney to Kenmare walk to the south of town follows the old Killarney-Kenmare road, which snakes around the lake for 16 kilometres. The shorter route is 13 kilometres and covers even more delectable countryside, by way of the lake, while a longer version takes several hours. You can often see grazing red deer en route, while the stone village of Esknamuky Glen is worth a look.

Ring of Kerry 
If you hire a car, driving the Ring of Kerry is an absolute must to discern the humbling landscape of this verdant region of Ireland. The road loops around the Dingle Peninsular and takes in mountains and coastline and passes attractive towns and villages such as Dingle, where you can sample a traditional Irish pub and some fantastic seafood. Many people visit Kerry purely for the Ring of Kerry.

Traditional Irish Pub 
It rains a lot in Killarney, even more so than the national average, meaning beautiful green fields and a good excuse to duck into a traditional Irish pub for a pint of Guinness. The pub in Ireland is the social centre of small country towns and you will find all sorts of characters, great food, real ale and sometimes live music in any of Killarney’s public houses.

Most cafés and restaurants are in the town centre along High Street, while nearby Main, Plunkett, and New streets, and the slightly out-of-town Muckross Road on the way to Killarney National Park, also have plenty of choice. Many of the restaurants in town have international tastes, with Italian and Chinese being particularly popular, as well as traditional Irish favourites.

Irish dishes are usually simple and feature fundamental ingredients, like potatoes and chunks of meat, such as the traditional Irish hearty stew. Another favourite is boxty, a potato pancake dish featuring chicken or seafood with vegetables. Most pubs offer daytime bar menus with everything from salads and soups, to stews and roasts.

For such a small and unassuming town, Killarney has a great choice of shops, from the typical high street shops that you may see on any UK high street, like WH Smiths newsagents and standard fashion stores, to large department stores loaded with high fashion and casual wear.

In addition, Killarney also boasts numerous arts and crafts outlets where authentic Irish gear can be had, along with the typical kitsch touristy souvenir shops. Shopping in Killarney during late spring and early autumn is the best time, when the larger shops remain open seven days a week with late night openings.