Waterville sits on the Kerry Way, and the village has marked walks of its own. These are self-guided trails, so you need your own map, good boots and a weather check before you set out. Kerry Way: Waterville to Caherdaniel The coastal stage is 12.5 km with 320 m of ascent and takes about 4 hours 15 minutes. It is graded Moderate. The route crosses the Currane River and climbs past Loher Stone Fort on an old green road to the saddle between Farraniaragh and Beenarourke.

Waterville has a compact set of sights in and around the village: two statues on the promenade, a cable-station exhibition, ancient stone monuments and viewpoints over Ballinskelligs Bay. Most are free and outdoors. The seafront promenade A bronze statue of Charlie Chaplin stands on the promenade. The Chaplin family first holidayed in Waterville in 1959 and returned for more than ten years. The sculptor was Alan Ryan Hall. Nearby is a statue of Mick O’Dwyer, the Waterville man who managed Kerry to eight All-Ireland titles.

Waterville suits a quiet couples break: a seafront promenade, a dark-sky reserve overhead, good dinners and some of the best coastal driving on the Ring of Kerry. Plan around the Atlantic weather and book restaurants ahead. Where to stay Butler Arms Hotel stands on the seafront. It opened in 1884 and reopened in April 2026 under new ownership as a four-star hotel. The Chaplin family stayed here and were given the owner’s suite after they were nearly turned away.

Waterville works as a base on the Skellig Coast. From the village, Portmagee is about 35 minutes away, Derrynane about 25 minutes and Cahersiveen about 30 minutes (all estimates). That makes three days of varied sightseeing without changing hotels. A three-day pattern Day 1: Waterville itself. Walk the seafront promenade and see the Charlie Chaplin and Mick O’Dwyer statues. Spend the day on one of Waterville Golf Links, a boat day on Lough Currane or the Tech Amergin exhibition on the cable station.

Families staying in Waterville have a handful of easy days out: a marine centre in the village, a fairy trail and gardens, a Blue Flag beach and a boat cruise past the Skelligs. Most are within 15 to 45 minutes of the village by car. Sea Synergy Marine Awareness Centre The centre in Waterville has a touch pool, shore workshops and snorkelling led by a marine biologist. It is a useful rainy-day stop, and it also takes bookings for Skellig Michael trips.

Waterville is a good base for day trips because the Skellig Ring, Valentia Island, Derrynane and Cahersiveen are all within about 25 to 40 minutes by car. Drive times here are estimates, and the roads are narrow in places. The Skellig Ring and Valentia Island The Skellig Ring loop is about 50 km including Valentia and takes about 1.5 hours of driving. With stops, allow 3 hours for the loop, or about 5 hours if you add Valentia properly.

The best-known tours near Waterville go to the Skellig Islands, and the rest of the list is a country house, a mountain viewpoint and a brewery. Waterville village itself is not a departure point for the Skellig boats. Skellig Michael landing tours Skellig Michael is a UNESCO World Heritage Site 11.5 km out in the Atlantic. You can only land with a permit-holding boat operator licensed by the OPW, and 15 were listed for 2026.

Waterville (An Coireán) sits on a narrow strip of land between Lough Currane and Ballinskelligs Bay, on the Ring of Kerry in County Kerry. The N70 runs through the village, and the Skellig Ring starts a few minutes away. Golf, lake fishing, dark skies and a good local brewery are the main reasons to stay a few days. Golf at Waterville Golf Links The links is a par 72 course designed by Eddie Hackett, which opened in 1973.