The Cliffs of Moher make up a 5 mile stretch of rugged cliffs and coastline along Western Ireland. The jagged coast goes in and out giving you amazing views looking in any direction. The Cliffs of Moher are one of the most visited places in Ireland and yet we would still highly recommend visiting! Here is our complete guide to visiting the Cliffs of Moher with everything you need to know about tickets, parking and what to bring with you!
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We visited the Cliffs of Moher in November and although it was chilly we had such an amazing experience! We were there with only a handful of other people which allowed us to take as many pictures as we wanted and walk the pathways without large crowds! If you can try visiting during an off peak time of year to avoid the summer rush!
Getting to the Cliffs of Moher
The Cliffs of Moher are located on the western coast of Ireland. The Cliffs of Moher Visitors Centre is in Lislarken North and close to Doolin to the north and Liscannor to the southeast.
Driving from Dublin it’s just over 3 hours and from Galway it’s about an hour and a half. Technically you could do it in a day trip from Dublin if you leave early in the morning, spend a few hours at the cliffs and then drive back that afternoon. But it would be a lot of driving for one day and wouldn’t give you any time to stop along the way! We would recommend spending at least one night near the cliffs so you can make some stops on the drive as well as spend more time exploring the Cliffs of Moher.
- We stayed in Doolin and really enjoyed it! It’s a small town with a few pubs in the town area and plenty of accommodation options close by.
If you’re driving you will see the visitor parking lot on one side and the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Centre on the opposite side. Read below for more information about paying for parking!
There is also a Cliffs of Moher Shuttle Bus that operates in June, July and August. It brings people back and forth between Ennistymon, Liscannor, Lisbonvarna and Doolin. You have your choice of 8 departure times per day so if you’re visiting during the summer months this is a good option if you don’t want to drive. Shuttle Bus tickets for an adult costs the same 8 Euros ($9 USD) as parking does in the Cliffs of Moher parking lot.
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Tickets for the Cliffs of Moher
To access the Cliffs of Moher is free and therefore does not require a ticket. In order to park in the main parking lot as well as have access to the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Centre you must buy a ticket. You can buy tickets online or at the parking lot entrance. If you’re visiting in off peak hours (before 11 AM or after 4 PM) the price online is less expensive so plan ahead.
Tickets (again for the parking lot and Visitor Centre) cost 8 Euros or $9 USD for an adult and free for children under 16. The Visitor Centre has bathrooms as well as the Cliffs of Moher Exhibition and a cafe with views of the cliffs.
- One way to save money that many people do is to have only one person drive in the car to park while having the others jump out early and walk to the Visitor Centre. The problem with that is if you want to enter the Visitor Centre or use the bathroom you might get asked to show your ticket.
- We walked into the Visitor Centre to use the bathrooms and weren’t asked to show anything but that’s not to say that tickets are never checked.
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What to See
The Cliffs of Moher go on for 5 miles so there is quite a lot to see! From the Visitors Centre you can continue in either direction (North or South). The Main Platform is only a few minutes walk from the Visitors Centre and gives you views looking south as well as looking north towards O’Brien’s Tower.
How far you want to walk (in either direction) depends on how long you’re planning to stay at the Cliffs of Moher. You could easily spend hours and hours walking around and enjoying this amazing place! We would recommend to give yourself at least 2 hours so you don’t have to rush.
From the main platform going south (walking to the left) the path goes up and down a little. We walked about 30 minutes and you can get some amazing views looking at the cliff you were just standing at. You can also see a smaller rock island close to O’Brien’s Tower.
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O’Brien’s Tower, built in 1835, stands north of the Visitor Centre. There is a large viewing platform looking south to the nearby cliffs. Tickets to climb to the top of O’Brien’s Tower cost 4 Euros for an adult ($4 USD) or free for children under 16. From the top you can get amazing views from a different perspective!
We also walked about 45 minutes north (to the right) from O’Brien’s Tower. Use these time frames as approximates because it really depends on how fast you’re going and how many times you’re stopping. It’s such a beautiful place we had a hard time not taking a million pictures! We loved just taking our time and getting different views of the cliffs from various spots!
- The pathways get narrow in certain places. It’s a single person dirt pathway in some sections so on a crowded day it could take some maneuvering to pass big groups.
- They do a good job though of making the pathways as secure as possible and you’ll see a lot of signs discouraging people from walking too close to the edge.
Things To Bring With You to the Cliffs of Moher
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1. Rain Jacket
No matter what time of year you are visiting you definitely want to bring a rain jacket! You are in Ireland so there is always the possibility of a rain shower. We found it was also quite windy up on the cliffs especially at the highest point near O’Brien’s Tower. A rain jacket also helped protect us from the wind!
2. Hiking shoes or good walking shoes
Because rain is likely the pathways can get really muddy. When we visited the paths were really muddy with large puddles that we had to walk through in certain points. I wore hiking shoes and Dave really likes these trail runners so we both weren’t too worried about our feet getting dirty or wet.
3. Fleece or warm layer
The wind at the Cliffs of Moher can make it significantly cooler so bring a fleece or something warm to wear while you’re exploring the area. You don’t want to have to cut your visit short because you’re cold! I wear this fleece all the time and love how warm and soft the inside is. Dave loves this Patagonia fleece because it’s a little thinner and therefore packs up smaller.
Thank you Nicki, for sharing with us this beautiful visiting guide to the cliffs of Moher. Myself and a few friend have been planning this trip for a while now and after reading your blog we have the complete confidence to make this trip happen. Highly appreciate you concentrating even on the minutest travel detail such as getting there, the tickets, places to see, etc.
Thank you so much! I’m so glad it was helpful for you! Wishing you and your friend the best time in Ireland!