Top Tips Before You Visit Donegal!
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So you’ve made the decision – you’re coming to Donegal in 2026! Great news. Now, to prepare. What to pack, info to have… Don’t worry – we got you.
– Where do we start – where do we stop? We’ve got cliffs, castles, islands, walks, beaches, culture and lots more! Take a surf around our website for some inspiration or check out our 26 Things to do in Donegal list!

– Dia duit (hello)
– Go raibh maith agat (thank you)
– Slán go fóill (see you later)
Follow some of our favourite Gaeilgeoir accounts for daily tips!
Gaeilgeoir Guides
James Donegal Irish
Caitlín NíDhónaill
Caitlín Nic Aoidh
Shaun With a Fada

– Fanad Lighthouse – Ireland’s most picturesque lighthouse? We think so!
– Sliabh Liag – taller than those cliffs in Clare. Fact.
– Malin Head – Ireland’s most northerly point – so good they even filmed Star Wars there!
– Ferry schedules (Tory, Arranmore, Gola) – Many of Donegal’s islands are still populated and great to visit – visit with care and leave with stories!
– Parking at popular trailheads – please park responsibly and be mindful of other vehicle users and emergency service access requirements.
– Opening times for visitor centres – check relevant social media channels for latest opening times.

– Layers, waterproofs, walking shoes – you may end up walking a lot. Keep your feet comfortable. There’s also a chance it might rain, so you know, pack accordingly.
– A good camera (trust us) – we’re kinda known for being scenic – whether it’s your “good camera” or simply your phone, have it at the ready – there’s a picture around every corner in Donegal!

– Independent cafés – what’s nicer than a cosy local café serving up your favourite beverage and treat after a long walk or a dip in the sea?
– Craft studios – Donegal’s talented crafters are in locations all across the county creating beautiful handmade items to treat yourself or a loved one to.
– Makers markets – Craft and maker’s markets pop up occasionally at venues throughout the county. Keep an eye on social media channels for updates.
– Farm shops – the next best thing to digging it out of the ground yourself. A bit cleaner though and no gloves required!

– Leave no trace – please bring your rubbish home with you if a bin is not available.
– Respect wildlife – they live here – we’re just visiting – let the wildlife stay wild.
– Stay on marked trails – paths are there for a reason – stick with them – shortcuts damage landscapes.
Pick at least 5 things from the 26-in-’26 list.- Or pick all 26 – you can just keep coming back. And don’t worry, we’ll find another 26 things for you to do after you’re done with the first lot!

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– Where do we start – where do we stop? We’ve got cliffs, castles, islands, walks, beaches, culture and lots more! Take a surf around our website for some inspiration or check out our 26 Things to do in Donegal list!' _flexible_blocks_0_wysiwyg_content_block => 'field_689616ad94b56' flexible_blocks_1_small_image => '6623' _flexible_blocks_1_small_image => 'field_689618ccaa4b9' flexible_blocks_2_wysiwyg_content_block => '✔ Learn a cúpla focal (a few Irish phrases)
– Dia duit (hello) – Go raibh maith agat (thank you) – Slán go fóill (see you later) Follow some of our favourite Gaeilgeoir accounts for daily tips! Gaeilgeoir Guides James Donegal Irish Caitlín NíDhónaill Caitlín Nic Aoidh Shaun With a Fada' _flexible_blocks_2_wysiwyg_content_block => 'field_689616ad94b56' _flexible_blocks_layout_meta => array ( 'disabled' => array ( ), 'renamed' => array ( ), ) flexible_blocks => array ( 0 => 'wysiwyg_content_block', 1 => 'small_image_block', 2 => 'wysiwyg_content_block', 3 => 'small_image_block', 4 => 'wysiwyg_content_block', 5 => 'large_image_block', 6 => 'wysiwyg_content_block', 7 => 'small_image_block', 8 => 'wysiwyg_content_block', 9 => 'small_image_block', 10 => 'wysiwyg_content_block', 11 => 'small_image_block', 12 => 'wysiwyg_content_block', 13 => 'large_image_block', 14 => 'wysiwyg_content_block', 15 => 'small_image_block', 16 => 'full_row_cta_button', ) _flexible_blocks => 'field_67b4a7e16553e' navbar_choice => 'navy' _navbar_choice => 'field_68d53a2a6fd70' _hero_blocks_layout_meta => array ( 'disabled' => array ( ), 'renamed' => array ( ), ) hero_blocks => array ( 0 => 'hero_image_with_title_&_cta', ) _hero_blocks => 'field_68a5949ef19bd' ae_post_template => 'global' site-sidebar-layout => 'default' ast-site-content-layout => 'default' site-content-style => 'default' site-sidebar-style => 'default' theme-transparent-header-meta => 'default' _yoast_wpseo_primary_category => '192' _yoast_wpseo_content_score => '60' _yoast_wpseo_estimated-reading-time-minutes => '1' _yoast_wpseo_focuskw => 'Ramelton\'s Dave Gallaher Honoured' _yoast_wpseo_metadesc => 'So you\'ve made the decision - you\'re coming to Donegal in 2026! Here\'s our top tips to prepare for your trip!' _yoast_wpseo_linkdex => '44' _elementor_version => '3.33.2' _elementor_pro_version => '3.33.1' _elementor_page_settings => array ( ) flexible_blocks_4_wysiwyg_content_block => '✔ Plan your Wild Atlantic Way stops
– Fanad Lighthouse – Ireland’s most picturesque lighthouse? We think so! – Sliabh Liag – taller than those cliffs in Clare. Fact. – Malin Head – Ireland\'s most northerly point - so good they even filmed Star Wars there!' _flexible_blocks_4_wysiwyg_content_block => 'field_689616ad94b56' _dp_original => '6615' _elementor_template_type => 'wp-post' _edit_lock => '1784031155:3' _edit_last => '3' flexible_blocks_3_small_image => '6624' _flexible_blocks_3_small_image => 'field_689618ccaa4b9' flexible_blocks_5_image => '6003' _flexible_blocks_5_image => 'field_67b5d881612c2' flexible_blocks_5_location_tag_name => 'Fanad Lighthouse - Teach Solais Fhánada' _flexible_blocks_5_location_tag_name => 'field_696de466b9f36' flexible_blocks_5_location_eircode => 'https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=Fanad Lighthouse' _flexible_blocks_5_location_eircode => 'field_696de46fb9f37' flexible_blocks_6_wysiwyg_content_block => '✔ Check transport & access
– Ferry schedules (Tory, Arranmore, Gola) – Many of Donegal’s islands are still populated and great to visit – visit with care and leave with stories! – Parking at popular trailheads – please park responsibly and be mindful of other vehicle users and emergency service access requirements. – Opening times for visitor centres - check relevant social media channels for latest opening times.' _flexible_blocks_6_wysiwyg_content_block => 'field_689616ad94b56' flexible_blocks_7_small_image => '5700' _flexible_blocks_7_small_image => 'field_689618ccaa4b9' flexible_blocks_8_wysiwyg_content_block => '✔ Pack smart
– Layers, waterproofs, walking shoes – you may end up walking a lot. Keep your feet comfortable. There’s also a chance it might rain, so you know, pack accordingly. – A good camera (trust us) – we’re kinda known for being scenic – whether it’s your “good camera” or simply your phone, have it at the ready – there’s a picture around every corner in Donegal!' _flexible_blocks_8_wysiwyg_content_block => 'field_689616ad94b56' flexible_blocks_9_small_image => '6625' _flexible_blocks_9_small_image => 'field_689618ccaa4b9' flexible_blocks_10_wysiwyg_content_block => '✔ Support local
– Independent cafés – what’s nicer than a cosy local café serving up your favourite beverage and treat after a long walk or a dip in the sea? – Craft studios – Donegal’s talented crafters are in locations all across the county creating beautiful handmade items to treat yourself or a loved one to. – Makers markets – Craft and maker’s markets pop up occasionally at venues throughout the county. Keep an eye on social media channels for updates. – Farm shops – the next best thing to digging it out of the ground yourself. A bit cleaner though and no gloves required!' _flexible_blocks_10_wysiwyg_content_block => 'field_689616ad94b56' flexible_blocks_11_small_image => '6626' _flexible_blocks_11_small_image => 'field_689618ccaa4b9' flexible_blocks_12_wysiwyg_content_block => '✔ Consider sustainability
– Leave no trace – please bring your rubbish home with you if a bin is not available. – Respect wildlife – they live here – we’re just visiting – let the wildlife stay wild. – Stay on marked trails – paths are there for a reason – stick with them – shortcuts damage landscapes.' _flexible_blocks_12_wysiwyg_content_block => 'field_689616ad94b56' flexible_blocks_13_image => '6635' _flexible_blocks_13_image => 'field_67b5d881612c2' flexible_blocks_13_location_tag_name => 'An Earagail' _flexible_blocks_13_location_tag_name => 'field_696de466b9f36' flexible_blocks_13_location_eircode => 'https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=Errigal Mountain' _flexible_blocks_13_location_eircode => 'field_696de46fb9f37' flexible_blocks_14_wysiwyg_content_block => '✔ Build your bucket list
Pick at least 5 things from the 26-in-’26 list.- Or pick all 26 - you can just keep coming back. And don\'t worry, we\'ll find another 26 things for you to do after you\'re done with the first lot!' _flexible_blocks_14_wysiwyg_content_block => 'field_689616ad94b56' flexible_blocks_15_small_image => '6629' _flexible_blocks_15_small_image => 'field_689618ccaa4b9' flexible_blocks_16_cta_button_text => 'Back to Latest News' _flexible_blocks_16_cta_button_text => 'field_696b99c80078a' flexible_blocks_16_cta_button_url => '/latest-news/' _flexible_blocks_16_cta_button_url => 'field_696b99db0078b' hero_blocks_0_image => '6625' _hero_blocks_0_image => 'field_68a595f0cbd3a' hero_blocks_0_title => 'Top Tips Before You Visit Donegal!' _hero_blocks_0_title => 'field_68a59615cbd3b' hero_blocks_0_show_call_to_action => 'hide' _hero_blocks_0_show_call_to_action => 'field_68da95701dd0b' show_default_flexible_blocks_for_api_pages => 'yes' _show_default_flexible_blocks_for_api_pages => 'field_69aae1ccb591d' flexible_blocks_1_small_image_caption => '' _flexible_blocks_1_small_image_caption => 'field_6a1837500e214' flexible_blocks_3_small_image_caption => '' _flexible_blocks_3_small_image_caption => 'field_6a1837500e214' flexible_blocks_7_small_image_caption => '' _flexible_blocks_7_small_image_caption => 'field_6a1837500e214' flexible_blocks_9_small_image_caption => '' _flexible_blocks_9_small_image_caption => 'field_6a1837500e214' flexible_blocks_11_small_image_caption => '' _flexible_blocks_11_small_image_caption => 'field_6a1837500e214' flexible_blocks_15_small_image_caption => '' _flexible_blocks_15_small_image_caption => 'field_6a1837500e214' astra-migrate-meta-layouts => 'set' _elementor_page_assets => array ( )