Westport is a small town on the west coast of Ireland, in County Mayo, and the list of things to do in Westport is longer than you’d expect for a place this size. It sits under Croagh Patrick, has a Georgian street plan you don’t see anywhere else in the country, and some of the best pubs and trad music in the west.

We spent about two weeks driving Ireland on our last trip, working our way down the coast in shoulder season, and the west of the country is where a lot of the good stuff lives. Towns like this are exactly why you don’t want to rush Ireland.

So this is the list, from the famous climbs and the Greenway everyone talks about down to the ones I’d actually steer you toward instead. I’ll cover where to stay, a tight two-day plan if you’re short on time, how to get there, and the best time of year to go.

A Quick Bit About Westport

I know you’re not here for a history lesson, so I’ll keep this quick. Westport is one of the only fully planned towns in Ireland. An architect named James Wyatt laid it out in the late 1700s, which is why the streets feel so deliberate compared to most Irish towns that just grew where they grew.

The center of it all is The Mall, a tree-lined promenade that runs along both sides of the Carrowbeg River. There’s a stone bridge or two, the Octagon square at the top of the hill, and rows of Georgian shopfronts in different colors. It’s a tidy, walkable place, and you can cross the whole town center on foot in about ten minutes.

It sits at the head of Clew Bay in County Mayo, with Croagh Patrick rising up just to the west. Around 6,000 people live here, so it’s small, but there’s a lot of pubs, food, and outdoor stuff packed into it.

Westport has won Ireland’s Tidiest Town award more than once, and it shows. The place is well kept, which makes it an easy base for a few days while you tick off the bay, the mountain, and the Greenway.

Where To Stay in Westport

Westport is small enough that where you stay really comes down to one question: do you want to walk home from the pub, or do you want to wake up looking at the water? Both are good. They’re just different trips.

If it’s your first time, stay in the town center. The pubs, the restaurants, and The Mall are all within that ten-minute walk, so you can have a few pints of an evening and stroll back without thinking about a taxi or a car.

In the town center

This is where a lot of people base themselves, and it’s the easy call. You’ve got hotels right on the action like the Wyatt Hotel on the Octagon and the Castlecourt, plus a good run of B&Bs and guesthouses on the streets just off the center.

If you want the highest-rated central pick, check availability on Booking.com for The Roost, a 50-metre stroll from the center.

Book the town center early in summer and over a public holiday weekend. Westport fills up fast when the weather’s good and the festival calendar gets busy, so the central rooms go first.

Out at Westport Quay

The Quay is the old harbor area, about a mile and a half west of town toward Clew Bay. It’s quieter, it’s on the water, and a few of the bigger hotels and some self-catering places sit out here with proper bay views.

The trade-off is the walk. It’s roughly 25 minutes on foot back into town, or a short drive, so if you want a pint in town every night the center is handier. If you want sunsets over the bay and a calmer base, the Quay wins.

Camping and self-catering

If you’re driving Ireland and looking to keep costs down, Westport has options. There’s camping and glamping out on the Westport House estate, and plenty of self-catering houses and apartments if you want a kitchen and a bit more room for a few nights.

Whatever you pick, two or three nights here is the sweet spot. That’s enough to do the Greenway, Croagh Patrick or Clew Bay, and still have a couple of slow evenings in the pubs without rushing any of it.

Where to Stay in Westport

• Adare House
• Plougastel House B&B
• Riverbank Studios

10 Best Things To Do in Westport, Ireland

Westport packs a lot into a small footprint. Some of the best things to do are right in the town center, and some are a short drive out into Clew Bay and the mountains. Here’s the list, from the famous ones everyone does to the ones I’d point you toward instead.

1. Tour Westport House and Its Grounds

Westport House is the big Georgian mansion that the whole town basically grew up around. It was built by the Browne family on the site of an old castle belonging to Grace O’Malley, the 16th-century pirate queen of Mayo, so the history here goes back a long way.

You can tour the house itself, but the grounds are the real draw. There’s a lake, woodland walks, and an adventure park with a pirate theme that keeps families busy for hours. It’s an easy half-day, and it sits right on the edge of town.

2. Wander the Georgian Town Center and Bridge Street

The town center is a thing to do in its own right. Walk The Mall along the river, head up to the Octagon, and then work your way down Bridge Street, which is the main run of pubs, shops, and food.

The whole thing is so tidy and deliberate because it was planned that way back in the 1700s. You can cross it in ten minutes, but you’ll want longer, because half the fun is ducking into the shopfronts and stopping for a pint along the way.

3. Hear Live Trad Music at Matt Molloy’s

Matt Molloy’s on Bridge Street is owned by Matt Molloy, the flute player from The Chieftains, and it’s one of the best-known trad pubs in the whole country. The session usually kicks off in the back room later in the evening.

Get there early if you want a seat, because it fills up fast and the back room is small. This is the pub people travel to Westport for, and it earns the reputation.

4. Cycle the Great Western Greenway

The Great Western Greenway is a 26-mile cycling and walking trail that follows the old Westport to Achill railway line. There’s no traffic on it, the gradients are gentle, and it runs right along the edge of Clew Bay for a lot of the way.

You don’t have to do the whole thing. Plenty of people ride the Westport to Newport stretch, which is about 7.5 miles, then turn around or get a shuttle back. There are bike rental shops in town that will sort you out and arrange the pickup, or you can book a Greenway bike rental on GetYourGuide ahead of time.

5. Take a Boat Trip Across Clew Bay

Clew Bay is the wide, island-dotted bay that Westport sits at the head of. The local claim is that there’s an island for every day of the year, 365 of them, and whether the number’s exact or not, it’s a lot of drumlin islands scattered across the water.

Boat trips run out of Westport Quay in the season, and it’s the best way to actually see the bay rather than just look at it from the shore. On a clear day you get Croagh Patrick rising up behind you the whole time.

6. Climb Croagh Patrick

Croagh Patrick is the cone-shaped mountain west of town, and climbing it is the thing a lot of people come to Westport to do. It’s 764 meters, it’s a pilgrimage site, and St Patrick is said to have fasted up there for 40 days.

Plan on three to four hours up and back. The top section is loose scree and it’s a real slog, so wear proper boots and bring a layer, because the weather turns fast up there. The view back over the islands of Clew Bay is the payoff.

If you want to avoid the crowds, skip Reek Sunday, the last Sunday in July, when thousands of pilgrims climb it, some of them barefoot.

7. Walk or Swim at Old Head and Bertra Beach

You don’t have to go far from Westport for a good beach. Bertra is a long sand spit out toward Croagh Patrick, with shallow water and a Blue Flag, so it’s a safe spot for a swim if the weather plays along.

Old Head, a bit further out near Louisburgh, is the other one worth the short drive. It’s a sheltered cove with woodland behind it, good for a walk and a dip. Both are an easy 20 to 30 minutes from town by car.

8. Eat Your Way Along the Westport Food Trail

For a town of 6,000 people, Westport eats well. There’s a self-guided food trail that links up the local producers, cafés, and restaurants, and it’s a good excuse to work through the best of it over a couple of days.

You’ll find proper coffee, bakeries, seafood fresh off Clew Bay, and a run of restaurants on and around Bridge Street. Don’t overthink it. Follow your nose, eat the seafood, and you won’t go far wrong.

9. Grab a Drink Down at Westport Quay

The Quay is the old harbor, about a mile and a half west of the center, and it’s a good spot for a slower evening. A few bars and restaurants sit right on the water, so you can get a pint with the bay in front of you instead of a busy street.

It’s a 25-minute walk or a short drive from town. Time it for the evening and you’ll get the sunset going down over Clew Bay, which is reason enough to make the trip out.

10. Drive Out to Achill Island (via Newport)

If you’ve got a spare day, Achill is the big one. It’s the largest island off the Irish coast, connected to the mainland by a road bridge, so you can drive straight onto it. The run out takes you through Newport and along the N59.

Once you’re on the island, Keem Bay is the headline stop, a horseshoe beach at the end of a cliff road that’s worth the drive on its own. Give the whole trip a full day so you’re not rushing the best parts.

More Things to Do Around Ireland

• 20 Best Things To Do in Dingle, Ireland
• 15 Fun Things To Do in Killarney, Ireland
• Best Things To Do In Cork (City & Day Trips)
• The Best Things to Do in Kenmare, Ireland

A Perfect 2 Days in Westport Itinerary

Two days is the right amount of time for Westport, and it lets you fit in most of the things to do in Westport without rushing. You get one day in and around the town and one day out in the bay and the mountains, and you’re not pushing either. Here’s how I’d split it.

Day 1: The Town, Westport House, and a Trad Session

Start slow with a coffee on Bridge Street, then walk The Mall along the river and up to the Octagon. The center is small, so you’re not covering much ground, but it’s a nice way to get your bearings before the day fills up.

Spend the afternoon at Westport House. The grounds, the lake, and the woodland walks are an easy half-day, and it’s right on the edge of town so you can stroll back in.

In the evening, eat your way around Bridge Street, then get to Matt Molloy’s early for the session. The back room is small and it fills up, so a seat is worth showing up for. That’s day one done, and you never needed the car.

Day 2: Croagh Patrick or the Greenway, Then the Quay

Day two is the outdoor day, and you’ve got a choice to make based on how you’re feeling. If you want the big effort, climb Croagh Patrick first thing, before the cloud rolls in, and plan on three to four hours up and back.

If a mountain isn’t your idea of a holiday, swap it for the Greenway. Rent a bike in town, ride the Westport to Newport stretch along Clew Bay, and get a shuttle back. It’s flat, traffic-free, and you’ll be done by lunch with energy to spare.

Either way, end the day out at Westport Quay. Get a pint with the water in front of you and time it for the sunset going down over the bay. It’s the calm finish the day earns, and a good last look at Clew Bay before you move on.

Got a third day? Use it for the drive out to Achill, or the beaches at Bertra and Old Head. But two days covers the best of Westport without leaving you feeling like you skipped anything.

How To Get to Westport

Westport sits over on the far west coast in County Mayo, so it’s a bit of a haul from Dublin, but it’s an easy one. You can drive, take the train straight there, or fly into a small airport an hour up the road. Here’s how each one works.

By car

Driving is the way to do it if you want to actually see the west of Ireland, and it’s what I’d recommend for a first trip. From Dublin it’s about 250km and roughly 3.5 hours, mostly highway across the middle of the country before you pick up the N5 into Mayo.

From Galway you’re looking at about 1.5 hours up the N84 or the coast road, and Shannon Airport is around 2.5 hours south. Having a car also means you can do Croagh Patrick, the beaches, and the run out to Achill without relying on anyone else’s timetable. If you’re flying in and need wheels, compare car hire deals on Discover Cars before you land.

By train

Westport is one of the few west-coast towns with a direct train, which makes it easy if you’re not driving. Irish Rail runs from Dublin Heuston straight to Westport station, and the trip takes around 3.5 hours with a handful of departures a day.

The station is a short walk or quick taxi from the town center, and once you’re in Westport you can cover the whole place on foot. Book ahead online and the fares are a lot cheaper than buying on the day.

By plane

The closest airport is Ireland West Airport Knock, about an hour’s drive away, with flights from the UK and a few European cities. It’s small, but if a route works for you it drops you right into Mayo.

Coming from further afield, you’ll likely fly into Dublin or Shannon instead, then drive or take the train across. From Dublin Airport you can grab a rental car or connect to the Heuston train, and you’ll be in Westport by mid-afternoon.

Where to Stay Elsewhere in Ireland

• Where to Stay in County Cork: Cork City vs West Cork
• Where To Stay in Killarney: Best Areas and Accommodations
• Where to Stay in Doolin: Best Areas & Hotels

Best Time To Visit Westport

The honest answer is late spring or early autumn. You get longer days, the bay and the Greenway at their best, and you dodge the worst of both the crowds and the weather. We drove the west coast in shoulder season, and that’s the window I’d point you toward.

Ireland’s weather does what it wants year round, so don’t plan a trip around sunshine. Pack a rain layer whenever you come and treat any dry, clear day as a bonus. That goes double if you want to climb Croagh Patrick, where the cloud can sit on the summit even in July.

Summer (June to August)

Summer is peak season, and it’s peak for a reason. The days are long, the festival calendar is busy, and the town is at its liveliest. It’s the best shot you’ll get at warm, settled weather for the beaches and the boat trips out across Clew Bay.

The trade-off is everyone else has the same idea. Town-center rooms book out, prices climb, and the pubs and Croagh Patrick get busy, so reserve your accommodation well ahead if you’re coming in July or August.

Spring and autumn (the shoulder season)

This is the sweet spot. April, May, September, and October give you decent daylight, thinner crowds, and easier rooms, without the place feeling shut down. The countryside is at its greenest in spring and the light goes gold in autumn.

You’ll still get rain, and the odd attraction runs shorter hours, but the Greenway and the bay are just as good with half the people on them. If you can travel outside the school holidays, this is when I’d come.

Winter (November to March)

Winter is quiet and cheap, and the pubs are warm, but you’re trading a lot for it. The days are short, the weather off the Atlantic can be rough, and some boat trips and seasonal spots close up until spring.

That said, the pubs and the trad music run all year, and a fire and a pint of an evening is hard to beat when it’s blowing a gale outside. Come for the town and the sessions in winter, not for the beaches and the bay.

Plan around the festival calendar too. Westport fills up over summer weekends, public holidays, and big events, so if your dates are fixed, book early. If they’re flexible, a midweek stay in shoulder season is the easiest run at it.

More Ireland Itineraries & Road Trips

• Wild Atlantic Way Itinerary – Ireland’s Most Epic Road Trip
• 5 Day Ireland Itinerary: Dublin, Cork & the West Coast
• 14 Days in Ireland: The Ultimate 2-Week Itinerary

Frequently Asked Questions About Westport

Final Thoughts on Visiting Westport

Westport is a town of about 6,000 people and it has no business being this good. The Georgian center is small enough to cross on foot, but you’ve got one of the best trad pubs in the country on Bridge Street and a 26-mile Greenway running out of town. With Clew Bay and Croagh Patrick on the doorstep, that’s a strong few days.

The west of Ireland is where the good stuff lives, and Westport is one of the easiest places to base yourself for it. Most of the things to do in Westport sit within a ten-minute walk or a short drive, so stay central, give it two or three nights, and you can do the mountain, the bay, and the Greenway without backtracking or rushing any of it.

If I had to pick, I’d come in shoulder season, ride the Greenway one day and climb Croagh Patrick the next, and finish both evenings in the pubs on Bridge Street. That’s Westport at its best, and it’s worth the drive across the country to get there.