Travelers to Kenmare will most likely arrive in Ireland at the closest international airport, Cork Airport (IATA code ORK), located 60 miles to the east of Kenmare. It is the second-largest international airport in the Republic of Ireland, and served 2.3 million passengers in 2017. It is an Aer Lingus Regional mini-hub for the British Isles, and is a popular destination for budget airline Ryanair.

Driving directions from Cork Airport: Take Avenue 2000 to the roundabout and keep left onto the N27 motorway. After about two miles, turn left onto the N40 freeway. After five miles, the N40 changes signage and becomes the N22. Proceed for 36 miles and turn left onto the R569 motorway. After about fifteen miles, you will reach two roundabouts; this signals that you have arrived in Kenmare. You will bypass the first roundabout and keep right at the second roundabout to turn onto Shelbourne Street, which becomes Henry Street. Henry Street eventually intersects with Main Street, Kenmare`s `high street`.

Bus Eireann offers two buses on weekdays (9 a.m., 12:30 p.m.) from Cork Airport`s arrivals hall to Kenmare by way of Cork Bus Station at Parnell Place, where you will change buses, and in Glenflesk, where you will change buses yet again. There will be a roughly 25-30 minute gap between being dropped off by one bus and being picked up by another. Kenmare`s buses pick up and drop off on Main Street, near Tom Crean Fish & Wine. Tickets cost roughly €20 before taxes and fees. To buy your ticket, visit www.buseireann.ie.

The closest railway station to Kenmare is located in Killarney, about 20 miles to the north, and approximately 40 minutes away by car via the N22 and R569 motorways. Expect to pay about €40-€60 for a taxi if you are arriving in the Ring of Kerry area via the train station at Killarney.

Kenmare`s bus pick-up and drop-off point is located right on Main Street, in front of Tom Crean Fish & Wine near the roundabout. Taxi dispatch offices are located on Main Street, and many hotels and similar accommodations are within a mile`s walk from Main Street.

Taxis can be hailed off the street in Kenmare, although you may not readily encounter one. All three major taxi companies in town are available via telephone and online: Kenmare Coach and Cab (www.kenmarecoachandcab.com, +353 87 248 0800), Smart Cabs Kenmare (www.smartcabskenmare.com, +353 87 356 0011), and Kenmare Taxi Service (www.drivekenmare.com, +353 87 614 7222).

Taxis offer day tours of the Ring of Kerry, which basically consist of a hired car arriving at your hotel and then driving you to whichever destinations you like on the Ring of Kerry, bringing you back to your accommodations at the end of the day. The driver will sit and wait while you visit attractions and will take you to specific restaurants for meals if you request them. This service costs roughly €200 to €300 when all is said and done, which entitles you to eight hours of the driver`s time.

TripMasters recommends that you rent a car for a trip to Kenmare, as it involves visiting sights on the famed Ring of Kerry, a loop which takes approximately three-and-a-half hours to drive. Hired taxis are available for people who wish to explore the Ring of Kerry at their own pace, but having your own transportation ensures you can call all the shots on your vacation and truly move at your own pace.

If you choose to rent a car during the booking process, you will pick it up at the arrivals hall at Cork Airport and not in Kenmare. The closest car rental company to the town of Kenmare is located in Killarney. It is not possible to rent a car in Kenmare.

Parking is plentiful in Kenmare and is free of charge. There is a two-hour limit for parking on the street between the hours of 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Outside of these hours, you can park for a longer length of time. Castles, forts, and other attractions on the Ring of Kerry usually have small parking lots for visitors that are first-come, first-served.

The currency of Ireland is the euro (€). U.S. dollars are not accepted. Please be sure to have the correct currency on hand or be prepared to exchange your dollars for euros upon arrival. ATMs can be found at Cork Airport and at many banks and businesses throughout Kenmare. Every town except the smallest of towns on the Ring of Kerry should have at least one ATM.

The legal drinking age in the Republic of Ireland is 18. Public houses (`licensed premises`), bars, nightclubs, some restaurants, and corner shops (`off-licenses`) can sell alcohol legally. Public houses close at an early hour, usually 11:30 p.m. (12:30 a.m. on weekends). A handful of bars serve until 2:30 a.m. They are called `late bars` and only a few are licensed to serve after the mandated public house last call time. In smaller villages, you will find (perhaps randomly) that some pubs and bars perform `lock-ins` from time to time, allowing patrons to drink past last call as long as nobody else is admitted. This practice is illegal, mind you, but you may encounter it if you`re out in the evenings in one of the towns on the Ring of Kerry. Use your best judgment.

If you are renting a car, do not drive after consuming alcohol. A blood alcohol content level of 0.05 is considered the legal limit; penalties can range from fines to jail time, and a mandatory court appearance is in the cards. At the very least, you will be barred from driving for the duration of your trip in the Republic of Ireland. Save yourself the potential trouble and heartache.

Kenmare is known the world over for its intricate lace designs, and tourists can buy lacework made locally at the shop located in the Kenmare Heritage Centre located on The Square. The Kenmare Lace and Design Centre takes up an entire floor of space at the Heritage Centre, and you can get a good education on what it takes to make the beautiful Kenmare lace available for sale. For more information, call +353 87 234 6998 or visit www.kenmarelace.ie.

Other shops in the vicinity of Kenmare that are well-recommended include two wool knitwear shops, Quill`s Woollen Market (+353 64 663 2277; 1 Main Street, Kenmare; www.irishgiftsandsweaters.com) and The Weavers (+353 64 664 1603; N71 motorway, Bonane; www.theweaversshop.ie); a French-inspired chocolatier, Lorge Chocolatier (+353 64 667 9994; N71 motorway, Bonane; www.lorge.ie); and an organic soap store, Kenmare Soap Shop (+353 87 918 6641; 31 Henry Street, Kenmare; www.kenmaresoap.com).

Kenmare has one bicycle rental shop, Finnegans Cycles (www.finneganscycles.com, +353 64 664 1083). Rentals begin at €15 per day and €85 per week before taxes and fees. There are many bike routes to explore, such as the northern route which leads to Killarney National Park, and a 29-mile stretch of the Ring of Kerry that borders Kenmare Bay.