See & Do

Kinsale Things To Do

Last Updated: 10th Oct, 2019

Maritime activities of course are an essential element of life in Kinsale due to its waterside harbour location. Activies such as cruising, deep sea angling with blue shark fishing, yacht charter, river trips, scuba diving, are all available for visitors to Kisale. Enjoy a scheduled boat trip out around Kinsale Harbour. Or take time to view Kinsale waterside with a Kinsale boat hire option yourself. The town boasts fine outdoor activity centres with full hire and tuition facilities for windsurfing, sailing, canoeing, to all levels available in Kinsale and Oysterhaven Centre.

Nearby beaches, coves, and inlets allow space and privacy for bathing, swimming, snorkeling and, on some patrolled beaches, surfing and body-boarding, with Blue Flag Beaches near Kinsale such as Garrylucas and Garretstown.

Take your binoculars to the coast birdwatching in Kinsale to see gannet, cormorant, terns, gulls, and hosts of sea birds nesting on the sanctuary cliffs of the Old Head. Or cruise up the Bandon river and backwaters to see heron colonies, sandpipers, curlew, dunlin, in an expanse of tranquillity and natural environment.

Follow the Kinsale Wildlife Trail from Pier Head, World Ends Bridge to Commogue Marsh.

Kinsale boasts 3 fine Golf Courses in varying locations. Kinsale Golf Club has a 9 hole parkland course and an eighteen hole meadowland course, while The Old Head Golf Links is a spectacular 18 hole Links Championship course. Visitors are most welcome at these courses.

Further Kinsale Activities include Clay-bird shooting, horse riding, or pony trekking, guided and self-guided walks, a maze of country roads awaiting exploration by foot or bicycle, all within easy distance of the town.

Take in some great Kinsale scenic walks such as the Scilly Walk which can start at Charles Fort and goes right back into Kinsale town which takes in a lovely water side walk with views over Kinsale Harbour from Charles Fort. Equally views over Kinsale Harbour and further can be found up at James Fort. Sandycove also offers some great water side views.

Kinsale towns offers a number of interesting tours which you can take and hear the history and maritime activity of olden times, there is also a tourist train which you can take from the town up to Charles Fort if you prefer.