9 Awesome Things To Do in Beautiful County Mayo Ireland
This Irish county is often overlooked by many travelers.
But there are so many things to do in County Mayo — for all types of travelers.
I’m going to talk about 9 places in the county that I’ve personally experienced.
However, I’m going to mention some other sites and destinations in County Mayo that I have yet to visit, but are on my list — because, really, this county has a lot to offer.
And I’ve barely scratched the surface.
Are you ready?
As usual we’ll begin with the where.
Where is County Mayo?
County Mayo is in western Ireland and sits just north of County Galway.
It’s Ireland’s 3rd largest county in terms of land mass but ranks 15th in population with just 130,507 residents.
Mayo actually has the most coastline of any of the Irish counties.
So for those who love the sea, this is the destination for you.
The county varies geologically from east to west with the west having poor soil and having large areas covered in Atlantic blanket bog.
The eastern piece of County Mayo is made up of limestone so agriculture is better in this area.
I haven’t spent any time in eastern Mayo so, I’ll be honest, I have no idea what it looks like.
I can tell you that the western part of this county is stunning!
So what are some of the best things to do in County Mayo?
Here’s my list of 9 amazing experiences.
9 Awesome Things to do in County Mayo
Gaze at Aasleagh Falls
You are forgiven if you think these falls are in County Galway as they sit just across the border.
I thought they were in County Galway until I looked closely at a map a few years back.
Aasleagh Falls are beautiful especially when they are rushing with a lot of water.
Located near Killary Fjord and just north of the hamlet of Leenane (Leenaun), this waterfall makes a great stop along your journey from County Galway and the Connemara area to County Mayo.
You don’t need to spend much time here, although you can walk some of the trails around the falls if you are up to it and the weather cooperates.
But even a quick stop along your drive to admire Aasleagh Falls and take a few photos is enough to experience one of the best things to do in County Mayo.
Drive through the Doo Lough Valley
If you’ve been reading this blog, then you know that the Doo Lough Valley is one of my favorite places in Ireland.
So not only is it one of the best things to do in County Mayo but it’s one of the best things to see in Ireland.
Period.
This valley is hauntingly beautiful.
And it has a tragic story from the time of the Great Famine when people died.
That’s why I say it’s hauntingly beautiful — because of the horrible events that took place in such a naturally gorgeous location.
Events that could have been prevented.
The Doo Lough Valley is a must for your time in this part of Ireland.
I always recommend driving from County Galway into County Mayo on this route (or vice versa)— if the weather is decent.
Don’t miss this incredible spot in County Mayo.
Walk on Silver Strand and Explore the Lost Valley
OMG!
Another of my absolute favorite destinations in County Mayo is Silver Strand.
Like the Doo Lough Valley, not only is this one of the best things to do in County Mayo but it is one of the best things to do in all of Ireland.
My Irish friend took me here on my first visit to Ireland in 2007.
I didn’t know such gorgeous beaches existed in Ireland.
Silver Strand definitely awed me.
It was my first and it remains a favorite of the beaches in Ireland.
Tucked down a wee rural road in southern Mayo, Silver Strand is worth the side trip.
Better yet, find a place to stay nearby and enjoy a couple of nights in this under visited and stunning part of County Mayo.
Here you’ll also see Mweelrea, the highest point in the county.
And while I didn’t make it to the Lost Valley, I met some of the family that own this piece of land.
What is the Lost Valley?
It’s a diverse landscape and seascape with woodlands, lakes, waterfalls, and sandy beaches.
You’ll get views of Killary Fjord and Mweelrea in the distance.
The Lost Valley also offers a unique window into the cultural heritage of the West of Ireland with one of the best memorials to The Great Famine.
You’ll get to visit the ruined famine village and see the many potato ridges that have been undisturbed and unattended to for almost 2 centuries.
The Lost Valley is now an active working farm owned by the Bourke Family so visitors can experience life on the farm.
You may get to feed a lamb, see a sheep dog doing its job or witness sheep shearing in season and on request.
Silver Strand and the Lost Valley are an incredible two-fer in County Mayo.
Wander Around Westport — and Stay a Night or Two
No visit to County Mayo is complete without spending some time in Westport.
Westport is not the county town nor is it the largest town.
Castlebar holds both of those titles.
But Westport is accessible, charming and a lot of fun.
It’s considered a Georgian town with Georgian architecture.
There are good restaurants, fun pubs and the location on the shores of Clew Bay is superb.
Plus this location lends itself to getting to Silver Strand and the Lost Valley (see above), hiking Croagh Patrick (see below) and visiting Achill Island (see below below).
I’ve been to Westport twice — once on that first visit in 2007 then I took my parents in 2010.
On both visits I had a fabulous time — delicious food at a few different restaurants including Sage in the heart of town and Cronin’s Sheebeen along the quay by the water.
And, of course, I had some fun at the pubs!
Don’t miss a couple of nights in Westport as it’s one of the best places in County Mayo.
Hike Croagh Patrick
I alluded to this in the above section on Westport.
Let me first explain that Croagh Patrick is actually a mountain.
Called Cruach Phádraig in Irish, this means “Patrick’s Stack” — meaning St Patrick, Ireland’s patron saint.
Croagh Patrick, nicknamed the Reek, is 764m (2,507 ft) and an important pilgrimage site for those who want to honor St Patrick.
It’s said that St Patrick prayed and fasted for 40 days in the year 441 on the summit of this peak.
So now, on the last Sunday of July, called Reek Sunday, pilgrims climb to the summit where masses take place.
Some pilgrims carry on the tradition of hiking it barefoot — which I cannot imagine as it’s a rocky trail!
Of course, you can hike it any day or at most any time of year.
The main route from the village of Murrisk where there is a car park (pay) is 7km one way.
It’s definitely steep and quite rocky especially as you reach the higher section which has a lot of loose scree.
But the views to Clew Bay are stunning!
Well, as long as you have good weather.
Once at the summit — which is large and flat enough to walk around — you’ll see the chapel.
And you’ll have more views to Clew Bay and beyond.
This is a popular trail so it’s not one of those quiet hikes, so be warned.
But for outdoor enthusiasts making the climb up Croagh Patrick is one of the best things to do in County Mayo for sure.
Croagh Patrick is located just 8km from Westport.
Explore Achill Island
A short trip to this island in 2010 was not enough.
Achill Island is actually Ireland’s largest island.
It’s connected to the mainland by a bridge, so it kind of feels a bit less like an island than the Aran Islands or an island like Cape Clear in County Cork.
However, Achill is loaded with natural beauty — including some amazing beaches — as well as some historical sites and ruins.
My time here was short with my parents and we only saw a very small fraction of this island.
But we did visit Keem Bay which is gorgeous!
I highly recommend some time here.
One of the sites on this not to be missed piece of County Mayo is Carrickkildavnet Castle.
This is the tower house built by the O’Malley family which eventually became the home of Gráinne Ní Mháille, also known as Gráinne O’Malley or Grace O’Malley.
Gráinne Ní Mháille was born in 1530 and was known as the pirate queen.
There are lots of stories and legends around her, most of which portray her as one bad ass leader — which I, of course, love.
Regardless, she did exist and was a leader of the people of the area.
And she seemed to be pretty tough.
Other points of interest on Achill include Slievemore mountain, Croaghaun (the 3rd highest sea cliffs in Europe), the Deserted Village near Dugort and the villages of Keel and Dooagh.
Exploring Achill Island is definitely one of the best things to do in County Mayo.
Drink in the Beauty of Ballycroy National Park and the Dark Sky Park
This is the newest of Ireland’s national parks and the least visited.
Located in northwest County Mayo, Ballycroy is comprised of Atlantic blanket bog and some mountains.
In fact Ballycroy has one of the last intact active blanket bog systems in Ireland and Western Europe.
See, a great reason to visit this off the tourist track destination!
And why it’s one of the coolest things to do in County Mayo.
Because I only drove through parts of this park in 2017, I must admit I don’t have a lot of personal experience with Ballycroy.
However I did stop in the park to take a short walk out part of the Claggan Mountain Coastal Trail which is a boardwalk over the bogland.
It’s beautiful!
In 2017 an area called Wild Nephin was added to Ballycroy.
The hope is to let this area get back to its natural state over time.
Beside the Claggan Mountain Coastal Trail, which is an easy walk, there are other hikes in the park many of which are more suited for experienced walkers with good orienteering skills.
But there are 3 loop walks that begin near the town of Letterkeen that are well marked and suitable for walkers with less experience.
These trails range from moderate to difficult in level and from 6km to 12km in length.
One interesting bit of information — that I learned a couple of years ago — is that Ballycroy and some of the surrounding areas are now a part of Mayo Dark Sky Park which is Ireland’s first International Dark Sky Park.
These dark sky parks are so unique in that there is no light pollution so you can really see the night time skies — stars, planets, the Milky Way and meteor showers.
Amazing, huh?!
I am ready to get back to County Mayo to explore this national park for sure.
Drive the North Mayo Coast and Gaze Upon Downpatrick Head
When I hit the North Mayo Coast on my drive from Clifden in County Galway to Ballycastle in North County Mayo my jaw dropped.
It’s gorgeous!
And not many folks travel to it — which is unfortunate.
Or maybe fortunate, depending on how you look at it.
This piece of County Mayo might be the best part.
There aren’t a lot of towns here.
It’s a craggy, cliff-lined coastline with views out to the sea.
There is the famous sea stack, Downpatrick Head, which I didn’t have time to see.
Epic fail there.
In my defense, I only spent one night in Ballycastle at a charming B&B with a welcoming host (I got tea and treats upon arrival), sheep all around and views out to the sea.
My time here was quite limited.
But I will tell you that this piece of County Mayo left me speechless.
Exploring the North Mayo Coast is one of the things to do in County Mayo that might take you by surprise.
I know it caught me off guard with its beauty.
I was not expecting the awesomeness of it!
This is a drive worth making and there is one very special place you’ll want to visit (see below).
Don’t just spend one night passing through like I did.
Spend a couple of nights as the North Mayo Coast will not disappoint.
You can drive along the coast, find some beaches — check out Ballycastle Beach — and look for ruins of abbeys and castle towers.
There is plenty to keep you busy in this spectacular part of County Mayo.
Tour the Céide Fields
This is THE site to visit in North Mayo.
What are the Céide Fields?
Well, beside being the absolute best thing to do in County Mayo, this historic site contains the oldest known stone-walled fields in the world where the ancient people farmed in the earliest known organized farming community.
These walled fields date back — are you ready for this — 6000 years.
Yup.
You read that correctly.
The Céide Fields are one of the most historically significant sites on the planet.
Yup.
You read that right too.
And not many folks know about it.
Now, not only is this site historically significant, but it has an incredible location up high on the hills so it has amazing views of the North Mayo Coast and out to the sea.
The land has changed a lot over 6000 years.
Today this land is covered in the blanket bog that is so prevalent in this piece of County Mayo.
But 6000 years ago this was fertile land where the people grew crops and raised animals.
It’s all rather mind boggling.
Do spend time in the award-winning Visitor Center.
It’s über impressive.
Whatever you do, don’t miss the Céide Fields.
Other Amazing Destinations in County Mayo:
Cong — heritage town with abbey
Newport — harbor town also on Clew Bay
Ashford Castle — gorgeous castle you can stay in near Cong, but it will cost you
Clare Island — a ferry ride from Louisburgh, mountainous island and the home of Gráinne Ní Mháille
Great Western Greenway — a rail trail that is 42km running from Westport to Achill Island
Inishturk Island — uninhabited island for nature lovers
Mullet Peninsula — the northwestern part of County Mayo with natural beauty and historical sites
Murrisk Abbey — ruins of Augustinian abbey near Westport
Moyne Abbey — ruins of Franciscan abbey near Ballina in North Mayo
Who’s Ready to Go to County Mayo?
I know you just raised your hand.
So did I!
This is such a gorgeous, special, intriguing part of Ireland — and one that just doesn’t see as many travelers.
Personally, I would spend an entire month here — one week in 4 different parts of it.
There is so much to experience — from castles to bogland to abbeys to beautiful beaches to charming towns to a stunning coastline to ancient sites.
County Mayo has it all.
Please note that Wander Your Way does not recommend travel at this time due to the current global health situation with the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, many destinations and attractions found on this website will not be operating although some places have opened. Please stay up to date using official sources like the WHO and CDC. I do plan to continue to write about incredible destinations and to offer tips on travel to Europe, so that you will find some solace in these posts — so you dream about travel and learn about travel. This way when we can all travel again, you’ll be ready to go! For now, stay home (or close to home) and stay safe!
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This looks like a beautiful area of Ireland to explore – adding it to my list!
County Mayo is stunning!
I was in Ireland but I sure regret not visiting this place, it looks so beautiful, I love the beaches and nature around. I will make sure that next time I will visit this county too
There is a lot to Ireland.
The more I see and read about Ireland the more stunned I am of its beauty! I would really like to do a road trip along the Mayo Coast as the coastline and beaches are incredible. Will definitely save this for one I do get the chance to visit one day!
County Mayo is stunning — and not as visited as other pieces of Ireland. It’s pretty special. And yes, Ireland has incredible natural beauty.
Ireland has always been in my bucket list. ever since I watched the movie PS: I love You. lol. This is a great tip and information. I will save this for my future travel references. Thank You
So much to see in a country that is not all that big.
So many amazing things to see – thanks for such an informative post! I love Ireland but have only seen Dublin. Obviously I need to go back for more!
To me, the real Ireland lies outside of Dublin. So yes, go back to Ireland and explore!