We would say there is no bad time of year to come to our beautiful peninsula, but of course, we are super biased. Let’s be real, everyone has a different set of priorities when it comes to weekends away, summer vacation or family holidays. So each of you may need to visit Dingle at a different time. A time that best suits your priorities and your passions.
The good news is that the Dingle Peninsula has everything. Whether you are a foodie, musician or outdoor enthusiastic, Dingle will share your passion. And knowing what you are into will help us tell you the best possible time to visit us here at Stay Dingle! So how would you categorise yourself?
If you live for the beats, and always have a set of headphones attached to your ears, you will want to visit Dingle at the end of November. This is the point in the Dingle calendar where an event known as Other Voices, brings our town to life mid-winter. Other Voices has been running since 2003, and started out as a made for TV show, but has since staged or birthed internationally renowned musicians. Names, you may recognise, include Snow Patrol, Hozier and Jose Gonsalez amongst others.
Most of the performances are filmed in St. James Church, with a capacity of only 80. Yet, you can catch most of the shows on the live streams from Main Street as you soak up the atmosphere. Not to mention the unofficial gigs that are hosted in our numerous pubs around the town. While it may be virtually impossible to get tickets for the inner-circle of this event, we still maintain it is the best time of the year for musicians and music-lovers alike to come and discover the town.
We have already covered that food is one of the many reasons Dingle should not be missed. But in order to truly capitalise on the food factor on your visit to our quaint peninsula, there are a few things you should be aware of.
Dingle is a town that thrives from tourism, which means we are lucky to have some amazing restaurants. Yet it also means that some of our best restaurants are only open during the peak season. If you had your heart set on going to Out of the Blue or Land to Sea you will need to come in summer.
The Dingle Food festival is held on the first weekend of October every year. It boasts cooking demos, workshops and tasting menus, and most importantly wine and whiskey to wash it all down. Our favourite part of the festival, as foodies ourselves, is the taste trail. Participants buy a book of 9 tickets for around €20. Each ticket entitles the holder to a taster of food or drink at almost 70 venues across the peninsula. Its great value and there is a lot to choose from.
Dingle, and especially its food industry has strong sustainability scores, with the majority of produce being sourced locally at cafes and restaurants. So do not be surprised if something is off the menu because it is not in season. If you have a particular dish that you are craving, you would be best to check its season so that you can avoid disappointment.
These all indicate that the best time of year to visit for foodies is October, during the food festival and right before some of the best places close for the season.
If you are an avid surfer, you need to visit us from Autumn onwards. We would say late September or early October is your best bet since the water is still at a comfortable climate. The ocean temperature really drops in December and it becomes a little too much for us to handle. Yet if you have a high threshold for cold water or a really thick wetsuit, you may still love it.The waves will start to tail off after Easter, so if you are a competent surfer, do not leave it any later in the year to visit. The waves in summer are really only suitable for beginners.
No matter what time of year you decide to surf in the Peninsula, it is best to prepare yourself with a 5-mm wetsuit, booties and a hood. The Atlantic Ocean is a beautiful place to play, but it is cold. We certainly never see anyone surfing here in just a rash-vest.
If you crave the outdoors and are partial to a long ramble or good hike, you will want to come to Dingle when the weather is at its fairest. We discuss Dingle weather in detail on our Dingle page, but in summary, mid-summer is the best time for outdoor weather on our fair peninsula.
Come hike Mount Brandon, or wander the Dingle Way (part of the Wild Atlantic Way) in July or August. You will get the best views of the Blasket Islands from the top of Mount Brandon at this time of year. This is also the best time of year to get a glimpse of large sea mammals while you are trekking Slea Head point. Just make sure you always bring plenty of drinking water with you, and fuel up at our cafes before you set off. The bonus of coming in midsummer is you get to see our quaint Dingle Bay and harbour in its best sunshine light.
For any social butterflies out there, Dingle will feel like home to you 365 days a year. The natives to this small town do not fall short of the Irish stereotype where they welcome you in for tea with open arms. Even in the low season, there is always someone to talk to in the local pub and service from a friend at any local cafe.
This is a place that easily feels like home to many, but especially anyone that is a people-person. To get your highest fix of social events and gatherings come at the height of summer in July or August. This is when tourists from all over the world descend on our peninsula and you will have a new shortage of new friends.
The best time of year for cyclists is definitely the end of April where every year (with 2020 as the exception) Dingle is host to Ride Dingle. This is a huge biking event with two possible course options, 55km that takes you around the Slea Head Loop and 120km that extends this to include Conor Pass. We cover this and other cycle routes in our blog on the best way to see Dingle. Cyclists find April a great time of year to visit whether or not they participate in Ride Dingle since the weather is favourable and the roads are not yet filled with tourists. In summer, as the tourist season has come to its peak, the challenge for cyclists becomes avoiding tour busses.
The time of year you should visit us, really depends on how avid a runner you are. If you are a dedicated marathon runner, for example you should come in September where each year we hold the Dingle full and half marathon. It is a truly unique experience due both to the epic scenic views you run through and the warm atmosphere that it generates in Dingle. The vibe is almost electric for this event but do not expect to get a PB, since the course is unsurprisingly hilly.
Alternatively, if you prefer to run shorter distances, visit our peninsula in June or July and take part in any of the following events:
This is an all beach-course, so prepare yourself to run on the sand.
A beautiful course that takes you through Killarney national park.
This quite literally takes you around the Kerryhead loop with views of Mount Brandon and Tralee Bay.
Up until 2019, there was an International Film Festival held in Dingle annually in March. This would have been the ideal time of year to visit Dingle for film lovers but sadly the festival had to close its doors due to lack of funding. Yet, it is movies that you are into, Dingle has something special that not a lot of places can offer you.
The Dingle Peninsula boasts home to the scenery of these movies:
Lucky for you the scenery can be seen all year round, so there is never a bad time to come and visit our shores for movie enthusiasts. However, we recommend May where the weather is mild and tourist levels are low. You could even visit on May the 4th….May the fourth be with you!
We hope the above has given you a better idea of when is the right time for you to visit us in Dingle. No matter what month you choose, know that you are always welcome. See you soon!
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