Limerick in the Mid West of Ireland, home of world-famous Munster Rugby, offers heaps of history, brilliant places to take the kids, and a genuinely family-friendly welcome. There’s nature, culture, delicious food, and a whole host of unique activities and places to visit to keep everyone busy, whatever the weather.
In our guide to Limerick for families, we’ve picked some of our favourite things to do with the family around Limerick city and county, whether you’re planning a weekend break, looking to fill a rainy day, exploring in the sunshine, or just trying something new.
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Family-Friendly Things to Do in Limerick
Horrible Histories fans will love King John’s Castle, a 13th-century castle on King’s Island in the heart of medieval Limerick City overlooking the River Shannon. Explore 800 years of history brought to life in the imaginative historical exhibition, excavated pre-Norman houses, fortifications, siege mines, and the battlement walks. Kids can dress up, open drawers, crawl through tunnels and more.
Enjoy a browse around Limerick Milk Market and sample the culinary delights of Ireland — Irish cheeses, fish, seaweeds, sausages, jams, chutneys, breads and juice. The world-famous food market runs Saturday mornings, with an outdoor café atmosphere and live music at other times during the week, plus monthly fairs for art, antiques, vinyl and garden lovers.
Make your way to the countryside and visit Adare, said to be Ireland’s prettiest village. Stop by Adare Heritage Centre, where you’ll find a reconstruction of Adare’s unique past from the arrival of the Normans to the ancient Abbeys of the Middle Ages, told through imagery and storyboards. Guided tours of Desmond Castle run through the high season. Browse crafts and enjoy food at the local cafés and restaurants.
Lough Gur is a magical, mysterious place rich in folklore, archaeology and history dating back to the Stone Age. The Heritage Centre offers a fascinating interpretation of the sites associated with Lough Gur, with interactive touchscreen exhibitions, guided and audio tours, and outdoor acoustic guides. For children there’s an activity sheet, dressing up, an archaeology dig, and a neolithic pot-building activity.
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Free Things to Do in Limerick
With dogs and puppies, cats and kittens, goats, pot-bellied pigs, donkeys, ponies, chickens and rabbits to see, the Limerick Animal Welfare Field of Dreams Sanctuary in Kilfinane is as good as any pet farm. You’re welcome to walk a dog, pet a cat, or take a stroll along the gravel walkways with beautiful views across the Ballyhoura Hills. If you’d like to bring treats for the animals, please drop them to reception so staff can distribute them, as some animals are on special diets.
Head to People’s Park in Limerick City, the city’s main park, which houses a children’s playground, the Limerick City Gallery of Art, a bandstand and plenty of flowers and trees to enjoy.
Bring the kids to one of the libraries in Limerick. Most have children’s sections where kids can settle in with a great selection of books, games and puzzles, and some offer weekly story times.
Here are some fun playgrounds in Limerick that we can recommend, including at People’s Park, Mungret and Loughill.
The Great Southern Greenway Limerick is a 39km off-road walking and cycling route along an old railway line, connecting the market towns of Rathkeale, Newcastle West and Abbeyfeale in West Limerick. Along the way you’ll spot Norman castles, medieval ruins, old workhouses, famine graveyards, deserted railway stations, a viaduct and some genuinely breathtaking scenery.
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Outdoor Activities in Limerick
Clancy’s Strand sits on the banks of the River Shannon, near Thomond Bridge. You’ll find a long boardwalk with great views of King John’s Castle and the Curragower Falls, plus a look at the historic Limerick Treaty Stone, where the Treaty of Limerick was signed in 1691, marking the surrender of the city to William of Orange. Along this walk you’ll see where the Abbey River diverges from the Shannon, creating the island that King John’s Castle sits on. Legend has it the Abbey River was carved out by Viking invaders whose ships couldn’t get past the Curragower Falls.
Curragh Chase is a fantastic outdoor amenity with two children’s playgrounds, plus flat trails for walking or cycling into the forest and a lake with swans. There’s plenty of outdoor space for all age groups, a permanent orienteering course laid out through the park, and picnic tables and BBQ stands near the main car park. Don’t miss the pet cemetery on your visit. A small parking fee applies.
Twenty miles west of Limerick City, along the south bank of the Shannon Estuary, you’ll discover a unique nature walk at Ireland’s first designated sanctuary for butterflies, the Butterfly Sanctuary at Aughinish. Grasses, herbs and wild flowers grow in abundance, giving a colourful display in summer, though the area is worth a visit all year round.
There are several fairy trails to visit around Limerick, each with its own local fairies. In the village of Athea, behind the Giant’s Garden, you’ll find a trail home to ten fairies, each with their own fairy door, ending at a Fairy Post Box where you can post a message to the fairies. There’s also a worry tree called “Croga,” said to take away worries when you place your hand on the plaque attached to it. Elsewhere, there are Fairy Woods in Castleconnell, a Fairy Trail at Woodlands House Hotel in Adare (ask at reception for a map and fairy dust), an enchanted Fairy Garden on Mill Road in Corbally, and a Fairy Trail at Lough Gur, home to Fer Fí, King of the Fairies.
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Family-Friendly Museums & Galleries in Limerick
At The Hunt Museum you can discover a diverse collection of antiquities and art, including ancient artefacts from around the world, Irish prehistoric, Bronze Age and medieval collections, and decorative art, alongside works from Pablo Picasso, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Roderic O’Conor, Jack B. Yeats, Robert Fagan and Henry Moore. There’s a regular schedule of child-friendly activities and events, and young visitors can explore the collection through age-appropriate Discovery Trails or an Arts & Crafts class — ask at reception for details.
Discover the history of Limerick and its people at the Limerick Museum. The story of the city and county is told through varied collections, from Stone Age axes and medieval coins to medals presented to veterans of the 1916 Rising. Among the more unusual items are Ireton’s Cat, a mummified cat found on Nicholas Street in the 1890s; a fragment of one of the largest meteorites ever to fall in Ireland, in 1813; and two World War II gas masks. Limerick Museum is located in the Old Franciscan Monastery on Henry Street.
The Limerick City Gallery of Art, housed in the Carnegie Building on the grounds of People’s Park, is one of the leading contemporary art galleries in Ireland and home to an important collection of Irish 18th- to 21st-century art. There’s also a café looking onto the park at the rear of the gallery.
The People’s Museum, housed in a beautifully restored Georgian townhouse at No. 2 Pery Square, showcases an eclectic collection cared for by Limerick Civic Trust, alongside visiting artefacts. Tours and seasonal events run throughout the year, so it’s worth checking before you plan a visit.
The Foynes Flying Boat Museum is the only aviation museum in Ireland and the only dedicated flying boat museum in the world. It preserves the history of aviation and the golden age of passenger travel, when Foynes was at the centre of the aviation world between 1937 and 1945. Try flying the B314 on the flight simulators for a real treat.
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Rainy Day Activities in Limerick
For swimming and splashing time, Limerick has a choice of leisure centres with pools, learner pools and kids’ pools open for public swim sessions — well worth checking timetables before you go.
For bookshop browsing, head to O’Mahony’s Booksellers or Quay Books, a favourite small independent bookstore, or one of the Eason branches around the city.
For indoor soft play and family fun, Limerick has a good spread of options including soft play centres, an indoor trampoline park, bowling, karting and escape rooms scattered across the city — great for filling a wet afternoon.
Catch a movie at one of Limerick’s cinemas, and keep an eye on The Belltable Arts Centre, which occasionally screens family films too.
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Family-Friendly Hotels & Accommodation in Limerick
Fitzgeralds Woodlands House Hotel offers comfortable family rooms, a kids’ club, a mini pet farm and a magical fairy trail, plus outdoor space to let energy out.
Maldron Hotel Limerick has large family rooms, a kid-friendly leisure centre with toddler pool, a dedicated kids’ menu, and a handy location for local attractions.
Limerick Strand Hotel offers spacious family rooms with flexible bedding options, a good level of in-room comfort, and central city views.
Clayton Hotel Limerick has family rooms, kids’ menus, a swimming pool, and a team well used to helping families with any extra requirements.
Castletroy Park Hotel offers spacious family rooms or suites with kitchenette facilities and flexible bedding, smart TVs, children’s menus, and a special afternoon tea option for little ones celebrating a birthday or occasion (best booked in advance).
Check out more of our favourite family-friendly hotels and accommodation in Ireland — from luxury breaks and hotels with kids’ clubs to self-catering choices and family camping and glamping.
Family-Friendly Restaurants in Limerick
There are many good restaurants in Limerick to choose from — here are a few recommended by parents.
- Brew Bros. is a family-run gourmet burger restaurant in Castletroy, with a “kids’ corner” including a blackboard wall to keep little ones entertained while grown-ups relax.
- At La Cucina (Castletroy and Henry Street), husband-and-wife team Bruno and Lorraine serve authentic Italian food with a great children’s menu, including fresh pizza and pasta daily, plus a takeaway service.
- The Cornstore on Thomas Street has a nice children’s menu with dishes like mini hake fillet and mini steak.
- Milano, at Harvey’s Quay and The Crescent, offers a Piccolo kids’ menu with dough balls, pizza, pasta or salad, dessert and a bambinoccino.
- Copper & Spice at Mill Bar, Annacotty, is a parent favourite for its unusual combination of Indian and Thai cuisine, with accessible facilities.
- Timmy Macs Bistro at Fitzgeralds Woodlands Hotel has a lovely cottage garden setting, and a children’s menu with options like fruit skewers and chicken with mash, veg and gravy.
- Hamptons at The Savoy Hotel has a fun “young adults” menu with dishes like duck spring rolls and BBQ ribs.
Things to Do in Limerick for Older Kids and Teens
Enjoy bowling, escape rooms or UV bowling around the city — great options for a group of tweens or teens.
Ever played footgolf? It’s exactly as it sounds — a game played on a golf course with a football. A round takes around an hour and suits all ages and fitness levels, with courses at Rathbane Golf Course and Corbally Road.
Kilfinane Outdoor Education Centre offers Teen Adventure Programmes for 13 to 17-year-olds, with activities such as canoeing river trips, hillwalking and mountaineering, rock climbing and abseiling, and raft building.
Karting, roller skating (including Munster’s only roller disco) and skate parks are also on the list for older kids — Castletroy Park has a great skate park along with 1.2km of pedestrian pathways and a circular cycle route, while Mount Kennett Skate Park at Steamboat Quay is an outdoor concrete skate park overlooking the River Shannon.
Need a retail blitz? Limerick city centre has plenty of shops to choose from, and the Crescent Shopping Centre nearby adds even more choice.
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Don’t Miss!
The Munster Experience at Thomond Park Museum is the place to discover the history of Munster Rugby and Thomond Park Stadium, from the junior and senior clubs across Munster’s six counties to the Heineken Cup trophies and medals won. See visitors’ signatures, including the New Zealand All Blacks and Australian Wallabies, and head to the interactive game zone to try your hand at throwing a line-out with authentic Munster match balls.
The Full Stadium Tour takes you to places usually only accessible to players and officials, including a seat in the home dressing room and a walk down the tunnel, giving you a real sense of how Munster players feel on big match days.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best free things to do in Limerick with kids?
People’s Park, Limerick’s libraries, local playgrounds and a walk or cycle along the Great Southern Greenway are all great no-cost options for a family day out in Limerick.
Is Limerick a good base for a family weekend away?
Yes — Limerick city and county combine castles, museums, parks and countryside within easy reach of each other, making it a good pick for a family weekend, whether you’re after history, the outdoors or simply a change of scene.
What can we do in Limerick on a rainy day?
Limerick has a good spread of indoor options for wet days, including soft play centres, bowling, karting, escape rooms and cinemas, as well as bookshops for a quieter afternoon.
Are there activities in Limerick suited to older kids and teens?
Yes — footgolf, karting, roller skating, skate parks and adventure programmes through Kilfinane Outdoor Education Centre all give older kids and teens something more active to get stuck into.
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