If you’re looking for some unique ideas to keep the kids entertained on both rainy and sunny days, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve compiled a list of attractions and activities around Offaly that families can enjoy together before school term starts again.
Here are just some of the wonderful things to do:
1. Play indoors
Playtown Tullamore is a miniature town play experience featuring everything from an airport and motorway to a pet hospital and supermarket. It will get children’s imaginations going, as they can be anyone they dream of being – doctors, chefs, pilots and more.
Above Playtown Tullamore, children can also explore The I.C.E Rooms, which are two creative rooms based on the educational principles of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math). These rooms are packed full of Lego, K’nex, Magformers, Meccano and more.
Also on-site at Playtown Tullamore is a café and snack station, offering hot and cold food, and a gift shop. Note that Playtown Tullamore will be closed from 14th-21st July inclusive.
To book a play or party experience at Playtown Tullamore, visit playtowntullamore.ie/book-online/
2. Cruise to Clonmacnoise
Going on a river cruise can be a memorable experience for families. Adults can sit back and relax while the kids are mesmerised by the sights they see as the boat sails along the water!
Departing from Athlone Castle, Viking Tours offers a cruise on the River Shannon that travels to the famous 6th-century monastery of Clonmacnoise, which is located near Shannonbridge. During this voyage, there is live commentary on local history, monastic life, and the surrounding flora and fauna, making it perfect for outdoor enthusiasts and history buffs.
If you want to stop off and explore Clonmacnoise, passengers get approximately 90 minutes at the site before getting a Viking Tours bus transfer back to Athlone, which is included in your ticket. For anyone wishing to stay aboard the vessel, it immediately returns to Athlone after disembarking the passengers visiting Clonmacnoise.
To book tickets, visit vikingtoursireland.ie
3. Water and walkways
The Meelick Weir and Walkway on the River Shannon is definitely a must-visit this summer! Based near Lusmagh, the weir was built in the 1840s as part of the Shannon Navigation and it was damaged in a storm in 2009. However, it has since been restored as a 300-metre walkway across the Shannon, with gorgeous views of the river and rural countryside.
A fun way to explore Meelick Weir and Walkway is by cruise. Board the River Queen by Silverline Cruises at Banagher Marina and you can enjoy a 90-minute return river cruise to Meelick Weir and Victoria Lock.
Check Silverline Cruises Facebook page for sailing dates and times and for booking information: facebook.com/silverlinecruisers
4. Hop on the Local Link Bus!
Your first thoughts might be why would I want to spend the day on a bus with the kids, but hear us out! TFI Local Link Laois Offaly co-ordinates rural bus transport services across Laois and Offaly, with 67 services and approximately 400 trips a week. Tickets are very affordable and there are regular day services available, so it’s ideal for families.
Plan a little mystery bus tour and choose from one of many Local Link routes, whether you want to go from Birr to Portlaoise, Banagher to Tullamore, or vice versa. You could plan to stop off at certain destinations to visit attractions such as Birr Castle Demesne and Banagher Marina, or for a pit stop at a cafe or restaurant you always wanted to try.
By the end of the day, the kids will be tired after all the fun, so you’ll hopefully enjoy a stress-free journey home!
Check out timetables here: locallinklaoisoffaly.ie/regular-services
5. Farm life
Have children who are obsessed with farming and machinery? Step back in time at the Auld Haggert Outside Farm Museum in Horseleap, which is approximately a six-minute drive from Kilbeggan.
The farm museum has up to 100 farm machinery on display, including vintage vehicles and horse-drawn apparatus. Not only will the kids be fascinated by the machines, but it’s also an opportunity to teach them about the farming practices and tools of the past.
You can email jameslaragy@gmail.com or call (086) 129 0906 to book.
6. Pitch perfect
Get the kids involved with golfing this summer and you might just have another Shane Lowry in the making! Erry Pitch and Putt in Clara is a great place to start honing their skills.
On a clear day, the course also has breathtaking views of the nearby Clara Raised Bog and Nature Reserve and the Slieve Bloom mountains in the distance. Adults with a love of golfing will also enjoy playing a round on this course.
Follow on Facebook: facebook.com/errypitchandputt
7. Garden glory
SOLAS Eco Garden Centre in Portarlington, approximately half-an-hour outside Tullamore, not only offers a wide range of gardening goods for those with green fingers, but it also provides a great day out for all ages.
On every last Saturday of the month, the garden centre has a Farmer’s Market, with over 15 stalls selling tasty local produce, while there’s also a Vintage and Craft Market on every first Sunday of the month. Not only this, but SOLAS Eco Garden Centre regularly hosts special events, for example, pop-up cinemas and dog shows, and upcoming events include a Car Boot Sale on Sunday, 11th August and the Vintage Bike and Car Display on Sunday, 18th August. Keep an eye out on the website for updates.
There’s also a gorgeous food court and café, with everything from pizza and sandwiches to ice-cream and pancakes.
For more information, visit ecogardenshop.ie
8. Milking it!
Quench that thirst and intake some of those all-important vitamins by getting a bottle of milk at Boora Bainne Milk Company! Located near Lough Boora Discovery Park, Boora Bainne offers visitors fresh milk daily through their milk refill machines.
Not only are you getting milk fresh from the cows, but you can choose from different flavours too including strawberry and chocolate – or just keep it plain. Simply go up to the milk vending machine and fill a reusable glass bottle with the flavour of your choice. It’s a great opportunity to teach kids about the importance of dairy and where it comes from, and how reusing bottles can be better for the environment.
Milk from the machine is priced at €1.50 per litre and the reusable glass bottles are €3 each.
Check out the website for more information: boorabainne.com