Things to Do in Wexford: The Ultimate Local's Handbook

Wexford, the Sunny Southeast, runs from Hook Head - the oldest working lighthouse in the world, with 115 steps to climb - to the 7km film-set beach at Curracloe, where Spielberg shot Saving Private Ryan. Add Victorian Johnstown Castle, with gardens, three lakes and peacocks, for an easy day or two.

The best things to do in Wexford run from the oldest working lighthouse in the world at Hook Head to a 7km film-set beach at Curracloe, by way of a Norman abbey, a Viking heritage park and a famine ship moored on the Barrow. It is a county built for a long, unhurried weekend.

Wexford has been catching boats since the Vikings founded the town around 800 AD, and the place still wears that maritime past on its sleeve. The tourism boards call it the Sunny Southeast, and the light here genuinely does feel a notch brighter than the rest of Leinster. Here is where to point yourself.

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Wexford's Must-See Attractions

Hook Lighthouse

Hook Lighthouse has guided ships into Waterford Harbour for more than 800 years, which makes it one of the oldest operational lighthouses anywhere. Climb the 115 steps of the medieval tower and you get the full sweep of the Celtic Sea, with monks' fire-beacon history baked into the walls. The café at the base does a proper seafood chowder, so time your visit around lunch and book the tower tour ahead in summer.

Irish National Heritage Park

This open-air museum near Ferrycarrig walks you through 9,000 years of Irish life across 35 acres, from a Mesolithic camp to a working Viking boatyard and an early Christian monastery. It is hands-on and good with kids, with costumed guides bringing the dwellings to life. Tours can sell out, so check the day's times before you set off.

Johnstown Castle

A Victorian Gothic Revival pile set in ornamented gardens, with three lakes, peacocks on the lawns and rhododendrons that go off like fireworks in late spring. The estate also houses the Irish Agricultural Museum and the Famine exhibition, so there is plenty under cover if the Sunny Southeast lets you down. Easy to fold a couple of hours in here on the way out of Wexford town.

Curracloe Beach

Seven kilometres of pale sand backed by dunes, and yes, this is where Steven Spielberg shot the D-Day landing scenes for Saving Private Ryan. On a clear day it is one of the finest strands on the east coast, with lifeguards on duty through the summer. Bring a windbreak and walk to the quieter northern end if the car park is full.

Wexford Opera House

The National Opera House, opened in 2008, is a striking purpose-built venue tucked behind the narrow streets off the quay. Even outside festival season it runs a full programme and offers backstage tours, so you can see the engineering behind one of Ireland's best concert halls. Worth a look if you are in town and the weather has turned.

Wells House & Gardens

A Victorian manor near Ballyedmond with woodland walks, a fairy trail for younger kids and a craft courtyard with a decent café. House tours run through the afternoon and the grounds are a good rainy-day fallback, with falconry displays and an adventure playground on busier weekends. It is an easy stop on the road between Wexford town and Gorey.

Lesser-Known Corners

Tintern Abbey

Founded around 1200 by William Marshal after he survived a storm at sea, this Cistercian abbey sits in woodland on the Hook Peninsula, with circular trails of roughly 3km to 5km looping past the old walled garden and down to the estuary. It is run by the OPW and quiet most of the year. Autumn, when the trees turn, is the time to go.

Tacumshane Windmill

A thatched-cap windmill built in 1846 near Broadway, and one of the few intact windmills of its kind left standing in Ireland. It is small, free to admire and a genuine curiosity rather than a full day out. Pair it with a drive down to the Saltee Islands viewpoint at Kilmore Quay.

Wexford Wildfowl Reserve

On the North Slob, the mudflats just outside Wexford town, this reserve hosts huge winter flocks, including a big share of the world's Greenland white-fronted geese. There is an observation tower and hides, and entry is free. Bring binoculars and go early on a winter morning for the best of it.

Dunbrody Famine Ship

Moored at the quayside in New Ross, the Dunbrody is a full-scale reproduction of an 1840s emigrant vessel, with costumed guides playing passengers who tell you exactly what the crossing to America was like. It is sobering and very well done. The ship runs tours hourly, seven days a week outside Christmas, and sits right beside the Kennedy heritage sites if you want to make a morning of it.

Forth Mountain

Just west of Wexford town, Forth Mountain is a low quartzite ridge of around 780 acres, topping out near 237 metres, with marked trails and a final scramble to views back over the harbour and the Slaney. It was a hideout during the 1798 rebellion, so there is history under the gorse as well as a decent leg-stretch. Good boots and a clear day are all you need.

Wexford Town and St Iberius Church

The town itself rewards an aimless wander. The Bull Ring, the old Norse street pattern and the narrow main street are worth an hour on foot, and the 18th-century St Iberius Church on Main Street, with its galleried interior, runs volunteer-led tours and occasional bell-ringing. Duck into the Sky and the Ground on South Main Street for a pint of locally brewed YellowBelly and trad music midweek.

Make a Day of It Nearby

Wexford pairs well with a hop over the county line. Gorey, in the north of the county, is the natural base for the coast around Courtown and a string of family attractions, and we have a full guide to things to do in Gorey if you are headed that way.

If you would rather build a bigger Leinster road trip, our Leinster things-to-do guide stitches the surrounding counties together, from the Wicklow mountains to the medieval streets of Kilkenny. New Ross, with the Dunbrody and the Kennedy Homestead, makes a natural half-day if you are crossing into Kilkenny anyway.

Two Wexford Tours Worth Booking

If you would rather have someone else handle the logistics, two Wexford experiences stand out at opposite ends of the spectrum.

For something out on the water, the Dunmore East Sea Safari to Hook Lighthouse runs you across the harbour mouth to the headland by boat, with the lighthouse and the coast seen from the sea rather than the road. It is a good way to take in the Hook without driving the narrow peninsula yourself.

For a gentler, weather-proof option, the Skip the Line: Hook Lighthouse Entrance Ticket and Guided Tour gets you up the tower with a guide and a ticket that saves queuing at the door. It is the easy way to do the 800-year-old lighthouse if you would rather stay on dry land.

Getting There

Wexford town is about two hours from Dublin by car on the M11 and N11, or roughly two and a half hours by Irish Rail from Connolly on the Rosslare line, which hugs the coast for the last stretch. Rosslare Europort, in the south of the county, takes ferries from Wales and France. A car makes the rural attractions far easier, but the town itself is walkable once you are in.

What's On in Wexford

The county's headline event is the Wexford Festival Opera, running every October and November since 1951 and drawing audiences from across Europe to the National Opera House. Around the same window, the Wexford Spiegeltent Festival takes over the quayfront with music, comedy and cabaret in a travelling mirror tent.

Through the warmer months you will find the maritime and food festivals in the town and the long-running Strawberry Festival up in Enniscorthy in early summer. Dates shift year to year, so check the official festival pages before you build a weekend around one.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Wexford best known for?

Wexford is known for its Viking and Norman heritage, the 800-year-old Hook Lighthouse, the long beaches of the Sunny Southeast, and the Wexford Festival Opera, which has run every autumn since 1951.

Is Wexford worth visiting for a weekend?

Yes. A weekend comfortably covers Hook Lighthouse and Tintern Abbey on day one and the Irish National Heritage Park, Johnstown Castle and Curracloe Beach on day two, with Wexford town as a base.

What is there to do in Wexford with kids?

The Irish National Heritage Park, Curracloe Beach, the Dunbrody Famine Ship in New Ross and the family attractions around Courtown near Gorey all work well with children.

When is the best time to visit Wexford?

Late spring and summer give you the beaches and gardens at their best, while October and November bring the Opera and Spiegeltent festivals to Wexford town.

This guide contains affiliate links. If you book through them we may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you.

Sources and official information: Hook Lighthouse & Heritage Centre, Irish National Heritage Park, and the OPW listing for Tintern Abbey.

Where to stay in Wexford

Making a night of it? Browse hotels, guesthouses and places to stay in Wexford:

See places to stay in Wexford on Expedia

Swim safety right now

19 Wexford beaches are monitored by the EPA through the bathing season. No bathing restrictions are in place right now. See live water-quality status for every Wexford beach →

Heritage sites in Wexford

Wexford has 3,978 recorded archaeological monuments, and 6 are set up to visit. See the historic sites in Wexford worth visiting →

Walking trails in Wexford

Wexford has 83 waymarked walking trails on the national register, graded and mapped. See the walking trails in Wexford worth lacing up for →

Nature reserves in Wexford

Wexford has 3 nature reserves open to the public. See the wild places worth visiting in Wexford →

Historic buildings in Wexford

Wexford has 2,842 recorded NIAH buildings, 41 of them rated of National or International importance, from Georgian houses and churches to bridges and mills. See the historic buildings in Wexford worth seeking out →

Top things to do in Wexford

Carne, Beach is a level sandy beach adjacent to Carne Pier which faces east towards the Irish Sea.

Curracloe Beach Facilities, Purpose built for surfers, kayakers, paddleboarders and swimmers, Curracloe Beach Facilities is a fully accessible, state of the art amenity available to all users.

Kilmurry Nursery and Garden, Award winning nursery, just minutes from the heart of Gorey town in County Wexford.

Secret Valley Wildlife Park, Home to 40 species and over 200 animals.

Springmount Garden Centre, This award winning garden centre was established as a family business.

West Gate Heritage Tower, This ancient toll gate once guarded the western entrance of Wexford Town.

Ballyhealy Beach, It’s perfect for walking, swimming, and even surfing thanks to its onshore breezes.

Ferns Cathedral, A cathedral was built here in the 13th century probably by John Saint John, the first English bishop of Ferns, d.

What's on

The Mental Health Series at the National Opera House
Wed 8 July · National Opera House

Wells Food Fest 2026
Sun 12 July · Wells House & Gardens · Free

Johnstown Castle Garden Fair
Sun 12 July · Johnstown Castle Estate, Museum & Gardens

Soleil Theatre Productions with Alba Technique presents SPOONS
Tue 21 July · National Opera House

Art in the Open
Sat 25 July · Wexford · Festival · Free

Rí Rá Festival of Children's Arts presents The Fabulous Tale of BasarKus
Sat 25 July · National Opera House

Events & attractions: Fáilte Ireland Open Data (failteireland.ie), CC BY 4.0.