Carlow’s location with easy access from key motorways and only an hour from Dublin makes it the ideal location for a break away.
Family Activities
Rathwood
Visit Rathwood for some shopping and family fun with its much loved Express Train, plus Maze of Ireland, Playground and Deer Park.
The DOME Carlow
The DOME Family Entertainment Centre is Carlow's only bowling venue and located next to the Talbot Hotel Carlow. A great day out for all the family with children's play centre, Laser tag, games arcade and kids party venue.
Shopping
Arboretum Home & Garden Heaven
Offering a complete lifestyle experience with a kitchen store, garden café, home & gift shop, furniture area, fashion department and a qualified team of plant experts all under one roof, Arboretum Home & Garden Heaven is the perfect place to shop till you drop.
Carlow’s popular Fairgreen Shopping Centre with leading high street store names such as New Look, River Island, Next, Vero Moda and JD Sports and is ideal if you are in need of a spot of retail therapy. Carlow is also home to small individual boutiques and vintage shops for those looking for something a little different.
Historic Attractions
Huntington Castle
Huntington Castle is set on over 160 acres of gardens, woodland and farmland. It offers a fantastic woodland playground, as well as a charming tearoom and gift shop. The gardens are well worth a visit and were mainly laid out in the 17th century by the Esmondes who built the Castle in 1625.
St. Mullins Heritage Centre
The former Church of Ireland Church, originally built in 1811, now houses the St. Mullins Heritage Centre, situated beside the famous monastic ruins and cemetery. St. Mullins Heritage Centre offers all aspects of local history including publications, church records, maps, old photographs and artefacts are housed here and provide a fascinating account of village and rural life over the centuries.
Outdoor Activities
Altamont Gardens
Altamont Gardens are an enchanting blend of formal and informal gardens with riverside walks covering over 40 acres (16 hectares) and are often recognised as one of the most beautiful gardens on the island of Ireland.
Delta Sensory Gardens
Voted by Tripadvisor as the number one thing to do in Carlow and described as "An Oasis of Peace and Tranquility", Delta sensory gardens are set on a 2.5 acre site with 16 interconnecting gardens which have so much to offer the visitor during all 4 seasons.
Borris House and Woodlands
Borris House is the ancestral home of the MacMorrough Kavanaghs, Kings of Leinster and is one of the most scenic and historic Irish garden houses located in the stunning area of Carlow’s Barrow valley.
Ducketts Grove
Duckett’s Grove Walled Gardens surround the ruins of a 19th century great house in County Carlow and brim with historical varieties of roses, peonies, perennials and flowering shrubs.
Food & Drink
Visitors can soak up the atmosphere in Carlow’s popular Tullow Street with its many bars and restaurants.
