What is the best Cliffs of Moher tour from Dublin?

A small group or private day tour with a Burren and Galway stop. We recommend full day private driver tours over coach tours: the coaches arrive between 11am and 2pm, which is when the cliffs are most crowded. A private driver lets you arrive at 9:30am for the empty viewing platforms and finish in Doolin for an early seafood dinner before driving back.

How much does a Cliffs of Moher tour cost?

Coach day tours from Dublin run USD 65 to 110 per person. Small group tours run USD 130 to 200. A private driver day tour for two to four people runs USD 600 to 900 total. For our American readers we recommend the private option: the cost difference per couple is modest and the day is twice as good.

Is the Cliffs of Moher worth visiting?

Yes. The Cliffs of Moher are Ireland's single most photographed natural landmark and one of three sights (with the Ring of Kerry and Trinity College's Long Room) that we tell every first-time American visitor to see. The trick is timing: arrive early or late, walk the Doolin path away from the visitor centre, and you get the cliffs largely to yourself.

How long do you need at the Cliffs of Moher?

Two hours minimum at the cliffs themselves, plus drive time. If you walk the Doolin cliff trail (8 km one way, the most scenic stretch) allow four to five hours. A full Dublin day tour runs 12 to 13 hours door to door. From Galway, plan five to six hours total.

Can you walk along the Cliffs of Moher?

Yes. The Doolin to Cliffs of Moher coastal walk is the cliff walk I would choose in Ireland. 8 km one way, mostly flat, follows the cliff edge with no barriers in places (do not bring small children near the edge). Most luxury travelers walk the first 3 to 4 km from the visitor centre toward Hag's Head and turn back.

What is the best hotel near the Cliffs of Moher?

Gregans Castle Hotel in the Burren, 25 minutes north of the cliffs. Hidden Ireland member, exceptional restaurant, 20 rooms only. The other option is Dromoland Castle, 45 minutes east, which combines the Cliffs of Moher day with the Doonbeg and Lahinch golf courses.

The Wild Atlantic Way

Last reviewed 15 February 2025 by the editors of The Ireland Edit

The Cliffs of Moher: A Luxury Visitor's Guide

The Cliffs of Moher are Ireland's most photographed natural landmark, and the reason most American visitors put County Clare on the map. Here is how we recommend doing them: which tour to book, when to arrive, where to walk, and where to base if you want to stay nearby.

The places we recommend to friends.

The Quick Answer

The Cliffs of Moher are a 14 kilometre stretch of 214 metre sea cliffs in County Clare, about 90 minutes south of Galway and 3 hours west of Dublin. The best version of the visit is a private day from Galway, or two nights at Gregans Castle in the Burren. Arrive before 10am or after 4pm to miss the coaches, and pair the cliffs with the Doolin walk.

Height: 214 metres (702 feet) at the highest point
Best arrival window: before 10am or after 4pm, off-peak in shoulder season
Drive time from Dublin: 3 hours. From Galway: 90 minutes
Best base for a 2 night stay: Gregans Castle in the Burren

Why the Cliffs of Moher Are Worth the Drive

The Cliffs of Moher rise 214 metres above the Atlantic at their highest point and run for 14 kilometres along the Clare coast. They are three times the height of the Cliffs of Dover and longer than any continuous cliff face you will see on a normal American road trip. They are also a UNESCO Global Geopark, a Special Protection Area for seabirds, and home to puffins between April and August.

Most American visitors arrive on a coach day tour from Dublin, spend 90 minutes on the official viewing platforms, and leave thinking the cliffs were crowded and the day was long. They were not wrong. The trick is to do it differently: arrive earlier, walk further, base closer.

How To Visit

The Three Ways We Recommend

Private Driver Day Tour from Dublin

Our Top Pick for Couples

A private guide and Mercedes V Class from Dublin door, west across the country with a Burren and Galway stop on the return. 12 to 13 hours door to door. The only way to actually beat the coach crowds and finish in Doolin for an early seafood dinner. Budget USD 850 to 1,100 for a couple including driver, fuel and entry tickets.

The Ireland Edit Take

Ask your driver to skip the official car park on arrival and use the Hag's Head approach instead. You walk in from the south, hit the cliff edge before the visitor centre opens to coaches, and circle back for the platforms after 4pm.

Small Group Day Tour from Galway

Best Value Half Day

A 6 to 7 hour small group tour out of Galway city. The drive is short enough that the day still has shape, and you get a Burren stop on the way. Galway based tours arrive earlier than the Dublin coaches, which is the whole game. USD 130 to 200 per person.

The Ireland Edit Take

Stay at the G Hotel or the Glenlo Abbey the night before in Galway, take a 9am pickup, and you are at the cliffs by 10:30am ahead of the Dublin coach wave. Lunch in Doolin on the way back, back in Galway by 4pm.

Two Night Burren Base at Gregans Castle

The Editor's Choice

Drive west from Dublin or fly into Shannon. Two nights at Gregans Castle Hotel in the heart of the Burren. Cliffs of Moher on day one, a Doolin boat cruise plus the Aran Islands ferry on day two. The Burren itself is a UNESCO Global Geopark and a serious counterweight to the cliffs. This is how we suggest most of our American readers do it.

The Ireland Edit Take

Book the Corkscrew Suite at Gregans for the Galway Bay view. Dinner in the dining room is one of the quiet great meals in the west of Ireland. Three months minimum lead time for May, June and September stays.

When to Arrive

Before 10am: The viewing platforms are largely empty. O'Brien's Tower opens at 9am. This is the photographer's window.
11am to 3pm: Avoid if possible. Every coach tour from Dublin, Limerick and Galway converges in this window.
After 4pm: The coaches leave. The light starts to soften toward gold. Bring a layer, the wind picks up.
Best months: May, June, September. Long days, mild weather, puffins still in residence through July.

Our Recommendation

Do not coach in from Dublin if you can help it

First trip, 7 days: Build the cliffs into a private driver day from the County Clare leg of the canonical week, based at Dromoland.
First trip, 10 days: Two nights at Gregans Castle. The Burren itself earns the detour.
Dublin only, 4 days: Private driver day tour. Coach tours are a long, crowded day for a thinner experience.
Photographers: September sunset from Hag's Head, walking south from the visitor centre.

See our 7-day itinerary for the route we build around the cliffs, and the best time to visit Ireland for month-by-month notes.

See the 7-day itinerary →Explore the Wild Atlantic Way →