Are you planning a trip to Ireland and looking for fun Wexford activities? Keep scrolling to check out the coolest things to do in Wexford for families!
This list of things to do in Wexford for families was written by family travel expert Marcie Cheung and contains affiliate links. If you purchase something from one of my affiliate links, I may earn a small commission that goes back into maintaining this blog.
County Wexford is Ireland’s most southeastern county. It benefits from its long coastline, medieval history, and its thriving main town of Wexford.
Plus, it’s less than a two-hour drive from Dublin.
If you’re venturing on a family road trip around Ireland, there are plenty of things to do in Wexford with kids!
County Wexford might be off the main tourist trail, but it offers everything the rest of Ireland does. You’ll find medieval castles, wildlife parks, open-air museums, forts, petting zoos, beaches, and more.
Here are all the best family activities in Wexford for kids of all ages, whatever the weather!
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17 Wonderful Things To Do in Wexford With Kids
Hook Lighthouse
Starting strong, one of the best things to do in Wexford with kids is visiting Hook Lighthouse in Churchtown. Not only is it a striking black and white striped tower but at 800 years old, it’s the world’s oldest operational lighthouse!
As you’d expect, there are sensational views out to sea and across the River Barrow from this headland. There’s a really cute onsite shop and café as well as old pieces of machinery on display.
Make a whole afternoon out of the trip by stopping at bays (St. Patrick’s Bay, Boyce’s Bay, and Sandeel Beach) on the way.
Irish National Heritage Park
Wexford Town is known for its golf clubs and National Opera House, which are not ideal places for most kids.
But if you drive to the outskirts looking for family things to do in Wexford Town, you’ll be rewarded! The Irish National Heritage Park is a treat.
This open-air museum sits on almost 32 acres. You can travel through 9000 years of Ireland’s history from the Stone Age, to the Vikings, and beyond. Costumed guides will take you and your family on free tours through stone circles, wooden huts, early churches, and more.
Duncannon Fort
Located strategically on the River Barrow near the coast, Duncannon Fort is a star-shaped fort built in the 16th century to defend the area during the Spanish Armada.
More recently, it was used for army training during WWI.
You can explore the fort via a guided tour which lasts around an hour. This is because the buildings are a little worse for wear with crumbling rocks and plant life growing in the walls, but that’s part of the fun.
Curracloe Beach
One of the best free things to do in Wexford is to visit one of its many beaches. Curracloe Beach offers seven miles (or 11 km) of fine, white sand surrounded by grassy dunes.
It’s undoubtedly one of the best beaches in County Wexford and the most cinematic!
Spielberg shot the D-Day landing scenes in Saving Private Ryan on Curracloe Beach. It appeared again on screen for the Oscar-nominated Saoirse Ronan movie Brooklyn.
As well as being a beautiful beach, it has handy amenities like cafés and large car parks which make a beach day with young kids much easier.
Secret Valley Wildlife Park
As the only wildlife park or zoo in southwest Ireland, Secret Valley Wildlife Park in Coolnacon is one of the top things to see in Wexford.
It’s not a large zoo at 14 acres. But with 40 different species and over 200 animals, there’s enough to occupy you and your kids for a few hours.
Check their website for animal feeding times. You can also ride ponies here, too!
Johnstown Castle & Gardens
Originally built by an English family escaping Norman rule in the 12th century, Johnstown Castle is an incredibly well-preserved estate.
With turrets and narrow windows, it looks like something ripped from a King Arthur storybook!
But there’s so much more to do at Johnstown Castle that makes it one of the top things to do in County Wexford. Check out their onsite museum about rural Irish farm life over the centuries with huge farm vehicles on display.
If you visit on a sunny day, take a walk around the lakes in the estate. There’s also the Johnstown Castle Playground for young kids.
Dunbrody Famine Ship Experience
The Irish potato famine in the mid-19th century caused around two million people to emigrate to the United States.
On your trip, you can visit a replica of the sailboats used to transport immigrants from ports in Ireland to Ellis Island in NYC. Dunbrody Famine Ship Experience in New Ross might be one of the more unusual things to do in Wexford, but educational as well as fun!
On deck, you can join tours from costumed guides. There’s a modern café and exhibition center here too.
Wells House & Gardens
Ireland is full of beautiful old manor houses and visiting one or two should definitely be on your list of Wexford things to do.
Wells House & Gardens in Ballyedmond is one of the best for families because they’ve seriously thought of loads of things to do for kids.
They have a small animal farm where your kids can meet pygmy goats, rabbits, guinea pigs, budgies, meerkats, ferrets, and more. Stroll down one of the two 1.2km/one-mile woodland walks with fun tree sculptures, fairy houses, and even a 20 ft/6 m-tall dragon!
Of course, you can also take tours of the 19th-century Tudor Revival house if you have older kids.
Tintern Abbey
Another great road trip stop for older kids is Tintern, a 13th-century Cistercian Abbey. It’s partially in ruins but you can take tours and there is a tea room.
Plus, it’s next door to Tintern Woods. You’ll find wooden statues of medieval knights, fairy doors, and a river you can stroll along. If you’re visiting in late April or early May, you might find a blanket of bluebells!
Stop by Tintern Church to see cool Celtic carvings and crosses on old tombstones.
Seal Rescue Ireland Visitor Center
This really is one of the best things to do in Wexford, Ireland as a family. Seal Rescue Ireland cares for orphaned, sick, starving, and injured Common and Gray seal pups found along the entire Irish coastline.
When you join an enrichment tour, you can help feed and bathe the pups and learn all about these cute creatures.
It’s the only facility of its kind in Ireland, so it’s pretty special!
The Kennedy Homestead
Did you know that John J. Kenedy’s great-grandfather Patrick Kennedy was from Duganstown in County Wexford? Well, he was!
Even more incredible is that his home is still standing. It’s now a museum on Irish-American history and JFK-related memorabilia. The farm next door is run by descendants of Patrick Kennedy.
Kia Ora Mini Farm
Run by a New Zealand couple, Kia Ora Mini Farm is a family fun center. It’s one of the best things to do in Wexford for kids younger than 10.
This farm offers a mix of both animal and machinery-related activities. Your kids will enjoy meeting the llamas, pigs, highland cows, emus, and mini horses.
But they can also operate stationery diggers and drive go-carts!
There’s plenty to do on the Kia Ora Mini Farm both indoors and out, so you can still visit even if it’s raining.
Ferns Castle
Dating back to the 13th century, Ferns Castle is a partly ruined castle. But there is still plenty to see, including fireplaces and a fully intact tower!
There are lots of informational plaques dotted around the grounds but stop by the visitor center too. There’s a huge tapestry that shows what the town of Ferns would have looked like before the Norman Invasion in the 12th century.
The National 1798 Rebellion Center
Too many museums say that they’re child-friendly when they’re really not, but the National 1798 Rebellion Center in Enniscorthy is different.
They’ve tried to incorporate interactive displays, games, and quizzes as well as musical instruments into an exhibit on a specific event in Irish history.
You can buy combo tickets for Enniscorthy Castle and the local Vinegar Hill Battlefield too.
Colclough Walled Garden
Just a stone’s throw from Tintern Abbey, Colclough Walled Garden is an impeccably manicured formal garden. It dates back to the 1800s and was recently restored to its former Georgian-era glory.
You’ll find a brightly-colored ornamental garden as well as a kitchen garden with lots of local fruits and vegetables.
Its 2.5 acres are open year-round, although there’s more to see in spring and summer!
Wexford Lavender Farm
Another beautiful place to visit in summer with your kids is the Wexford Lavender Farm in Coolnagloose. It’s free year-round, you only need to pay for parking!
Pre-booking a space in the parking lot is recommended during the peak lavender months of June, July, and August.
There are plenty of other things for kids to do on this farm too. There’s a kids’ playground, a café in a converted stable, a quad barrel train ride, a wooden maze, and lots of little woodland walks.
Pirates Cove Adventure Center
One of the more classic kids activities in Wexford is the Pirates Cove Adventure Center. It’s mostly a waterpark, so it’s only open in summer when Ireland’s temperatures are warm enough!
At the center, you can go swimming, go-carting, mini-golfing, enjoy amusement park rides, and navigate amphibious vehicles. All with a pirate theme, of course!
Things To Do in Wexford With Kids FAQs
Is Wexford Town worth visiting?
Wexford Town is definitely worth visiting! It’s a bustling and cultural coastal town in the southeast of Ireland in County Wexford and there are plenty of things to do.
It’s known for its Viking heritage, being the homeplace of the National Opera House, and many important religious buildings like Selskar Abbey.
What are some short facts about Wexford for kids?
Patrick Kennedy, the great-grandfather of 35th President John F Kennedy, was born in New Ross, County Wexford. Wexford was founded by Vikings in 800 AD.
Plus, County Wexford is the sunniest county in Ireland!
Does Wexford have a beach?
County Wexford is on Ireland’s southeast coast so it has literally dozens of beaches. Some of the best beaches in Wexford are Curracloe Beach, Baginbun Beach, and Duncannon Beach.
Things To Do in Wexford With Kids Wrap-Up
Although it’s off the main tourist trail, there are lots of things to do in Wexford with kids that make it worth visiting on a family road trip.
In dry weather, some of the best places to go in Wexford are the windswept beaches. There are also castles, gardens, and parks.
And in wet weather, there are fun museums and manor houses to visit too.
Don’t miss out on all the cool activities to do in Wexford, which are just as fun as the most touristed places in Ireland!
Looking for more Ireland travel resources? Check out 21 Most Spectacular Hidden Gems in Ireland, Ireland in Summer: Tips + Things to Do, How To Plan a Trip to Ireland: Step-by-Step Guide, 12 Best Day Trips From Dublin by Train, and 10 Best Dublin Hotels for Families Worth Booking.
