6 Ways to Maximise Your Westport Summer
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6 Ways to Maximise Your Westport Summer

Are you planning your first visit to Westport? It may surprise you to hear that we are not as rural as you think. In fact, Westport has been an Irish summer holiday favourite since the 70s, and as a result, the summer months are becoming our busiest season. To help you with your travel planning, we’ve put together six tips to maximise your trip and ensure everything runs smoothly.

The Octagan Westport
Sit and watch the world go by outside The Wyatt Hotel


1. RESERVE TRANSPORT AHEAD OF TIME

When planning a trip to Westport, keep in mind there are three ways to get here. You can fly to Knock Ireland West Airport, take the train directly from Dublin, and then, of course, you can always drive.

We highly recommend booking a reservation ahead of time if you are taking the train. There are on average five trains per day with weekend trains often selling out. So book today!

If you are driving try to avoid peak times which are Friday evenings from 4 pm. There can often be some traffic delays.

For more details on how to get here,see this blog post.

2. BOOK YOUR ACCOMMODATION IN ADVANCE

Since the pandemic Irish folk is staying closer to home, avoiding airport queues, and exploring what's on our doorstep a lot more. This means accommodation is filling up faster than usual. So to avoid disappointment and stress, book your accommodation as far in advance as you can. Remember, cancellation policies are now shorter than they were in the past so book now and cancel later if you have to.

Top tip, if the place you want to stay is already booked out, phone the hotel and ask to be placed on their cancellation list. Some properties often don't list all of their availability on online booking agents such as Booking.com

For a list of Westport accommodations, check out this page.

Family Room at The Castlecourt Hotel

3. BOOK YOUR CAMPSITE AHEAD OF TIME

For those of you looking to embrace your wild side, Westport has an incredible campsite on the grounds of Westport House Estate just a short stroll from the town centre. However, because the camping season is short-lived, the campsite tends to book up, especially on bank holiday weekends.

A word of caution, if you have an RV and plan on parking around town or at the harbour you will be moved on. To avoid this, we advise on booking ahead into the RV park at Westport House. They also do glamping!

To book direct,check out this page.

Family Glamping at Westport House Estate

4. VISIT ON A WEEKDAY

We promise weekday activities are just as fun as weekend activities! So if your travel dates are flexible, consider visiting Westport during the week to beat the crowds. Also, all the major attractions, restaurants, and popular tours are open and running during the week, so you don’t need to worry about missing anything if visiting mid-week.

Top Tip, most hotels are offering amazing mid-week summer rates so shop around and book direct with the hotel.


5. DON’T FORGET TO PACK YOUR RAIN GEAR

They don't call it The Wild Atlantic Way for nothing! No matter what the weather you're going to love it here as long as you pack the right gear. So we'd like to remind people to pack warm layers and rain gear (coats and umbrellas), even in the summer months. Don’t let the wet weather stop your adventures - such as a camping trip on Clare Island, Exploring Clew Bay, Climbing Croagh Patrick, and cycling the great western greenway. If you need some tips on what to do if it rains – checks out 'Six things to do on a Rainy Day'.

Hiking in the mist. Image thanks to @mountain.mikes_adventure on IG

6. PLAN YOUR FOOD ADVENTURE

Westport is well known for its top-quality restaurants serving up the best of our local fair. The most popular (Sage, Port Mor, The Towers, Arnos Bistro to name but a few) can often fill up weeks in advance. So, book online or over the phone to grab secure your spot.

Top Tip, if you fancy being more flexible hotel restaurants are often overlooked and have more dining availability. Trust us, their menus can be just as exciting and tasty!

Coveys Gastrobar at The Plaza Hotel