Seven amazing family days out for the August Bank Holiday

Dinosaurs will once again roam the land as the creative team at the 4-star Newpark Hotel has created a new prehistoric habitat called ‘Jurassic Newpark’. 

This roar-tastic day out will take you on an interactive walk-through experience with life-sized robotic dinosaurs that move and roar including Tyrannosaurus Rex, Triceratops, Stegosaurus, Brachiosaurus, Velociraptor, and dinosaur eggs. 

For this dino-mite experience, a range of passes are available, with a group pass for four costing €35. 

Tickets also include access to the hotel’s Wildlife Farm, Fairy Trail and Adventure Trail. Hotel residents have complimentary access.

Dunmore Adventure, Dunmore East

If you go down to Waterford today you’re in for a big surprise… an amazing family day out! 

Think kayaking, paddleboarding, archery, climbing, exploring caves… you can even live out your Total Wipeout fantasy at Wibit Wipeout Aquapark. 

Activities are suitable for kids from the age of 7, with both land and water options available. 

There’s even a guided boat tour of the Waterford and Wexford Coastline, where you may encounter dolphins and seals. We can already see the TikTok. 

The one-hour seafari trip is priced at €35 per adult and €30 for under 18s. Activities are individually priced. 

Durrow Scarecrow Festival, Laois

Did you know there was All Ireland Scarecrow Championship?  

This festival in Co Laois looks like lots of fun with slime workshops, laser wars, bouncy castles, cooking classes for kids and much much more. 

A ticket to the Scarecrow Village for a family of four (2 Adults and 2 Children) costs €22, and entry to the Fun’Ky zone (with play areas, Europe’s biggest inflatable slide, giant jenga, a scarecrow maze and more) costs €1 per child and €2 per adult. 

The all-Ireland Scarecrow Championship award ceremony will take place on Sunday from 4.30pm to 5.30pm in the Scarecrow Village. 

The Flying Alpaca Farm, Kilkee 

Few animals are as Insta-friendly as the alpaca, and this interactive farm & B&B in Kilkee, Co Clare has plenty of them. 

There’s Patapouf (the grumpy one), Makana (the bold one) and Gladys (the little one). The Meet and Greet experience is €10 per adult (12+), €5 per child (under 2’s come free), where you’ll get to feed and cuddle these fluffy giants, and of course, get a few selfies. 

And there’s an alpaca walk, suitable for all the family (children from 8 – 11 will share the lead with an adult), priced at €15 per person. 

While you are there, there are also Italian cooking and soap-making classes on offer. 

Pirate Adventure Park, Westport 

Few theme parks come with the idyllic setting of the Pirate Adventure Park at Westport Estate. 

Set amongst lush parklands on the banks of Clew Bay and the Atlantic Ocean with Croagh Patrick towering in the background, there will be lots of opportunities for scenic snaps. 

And if you’re looking for Reel or TikTok opportunities, you’ll be spoiled for choice between the Pirates Plunge, Ferris Wheel and the Swan Pedal boats. 

A variety of family ticket passes are available. A one-day pass for a family of four (2 Adults, 2 Children) costs €70.

Lavender Farm, Gorey

Instagram and TikToks from this lavender farm in Gorey, Co Wexford have made us purple with envy (see what we did there?). We want to smell it for ourselves. 

It’s open Tuesday to Sunday, 10.30am – 5pm throughout the summer months.  

Payment for parking (€6 per car) is in place of an individual admission fee.

And a bonus one for the diary

If you’re a planner, get this one in the diary for autumn. Tickets for Pumpkin Picking at Joe’s Farm in Killeagh, East Cork will go on sale on August 2 at 10am. 

For the fourth year in a row, Joe and Sandra Burns have transformed a portion of their family farm into an American-style pumpkin patch. 

It will be open to visitors from Saturday, October 8 – Sat, October 29 on Saturday and Sundays only. 

Tickets are priced at €16.35 for ‘pickers’ (a child or adult who collects vegetables around the farm and gets a pumpkin at the end) and €5.45 for non-pickers (visit the farm but do not partake in vegetable picking or receive a pumpkin).