Region

County Wexford

Base in Wexford town or Gorey for 2 nights; use a car for Hook Head and the beaches.

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Open Southeast Ireland Plan a trip

Key facts · Ireland

Best months: Apr–May, Sep
Visa: Depends on your passport
Currency: Euro (EUR)
Language: English everywhere
Plugs: G · 230 V
Time zone: GMT in winter

Month by month hereIn detail ↓

Rules in force · 10Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window…

Europe ↗Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window, counted across all 29 Schengen states together — not per country; the Entry/Exit System now logs each crossing, so an overstay is detected automatically.
Europe ↗On the first Schengen entry since EES began, non-EU travellers give four fingerprints and a face photo at the border instead of a passport stamp; there is nothing to apply for or pay in advance.
Britain and Ireland ↗Neither the UK nor Ireland is part of Schengen: days spent here do not count towards the 90/180-day Schengen limit, and a Schengen visa does not admit you to either country.
Britain and Ireland ↗The island of Ireland runs on two currencies: euro in the Republic, pound sterling in Northern Ireland and Great Britain. Carry a card that pays in both without fees.
Britain and Ireland ↗Both islands drive on the left. Speed limits are in miles per hour in the UK (including Northern Ireland) and in kilometres per hour in the Republic of Ireland.
Ireland ↗Ireland is in the EU but not in the Schengen area; it sets its own entry rules and a Schengen visa is not valid for Ireland. Check Irish immigration for your passport.
Ireland ↗Ireland and the UK form the Common Travel Area, with no routine checks on the land border. Visitors who are not Irish or British must still meet UK rules (including the UK ETA where it applies) to enter Northern Ireland.
Ireland ↗Driving is on the left; rural roads are narrow with hedges and few passing places.
Southeast Ireland ↗Heritage Ireland sites here include Jerpoint Abbey, Tintern and the JFK Arboretum; a one-year Heritage Card costs about €40 adult (2026 estimate).
Southeast Ireland ↗No railway links Wexford and Waterford since 2010; you change via Dublin or go by bus.

County Wexford is the low, sandy corner of southeast Ireland: long beaches, a ferry port at Rosslare, and 1798 rebellion history around Enniscorthy. Trains and buses cover the Dublin–Rosslare spine (Gorey, Enniscorthy, Wexford, Rosslare); everything else — Hook Head, the Saltee Islands, the beaches — needs a car or a taxi. Two nights is enough for the heritage sites; add a third for beaches and the Hook.

Sleep

Which bed, for how many nights, and what to do from it

Where to sleep

7 places in this region

Sleep base

WexfordCity guide
Largest choice of food and pubs; central for the heritage park and beaches.
Best May–Sep
JFMAMJJASOND
Open Wexford →
GoreyCity guide
North of the county on the train line; good for Courtown and the Dublin road.
Best May–Sep
JFMAMJJASOND
Open Gorey →

Day trip

EnniscorthyCity guide
Vinegar Hill and the 1798 centre; a half-day from Wexford.
Best May–Sep
JFMAMJJASOND
Open Enniscorthy →
RosslareCity guide
Ferry port and beach; useful as a last night before a morning sailing.
Best May–Sep
JFMAMJJASOND
Open Rosslare →
New RossCity guide
Famine ship and the Kennedy homestead; west of the county.
Best May–Sep
JFMAMJJASOND
Open New Ross →
Kilmore QuayCity guide
Boat trips to Great Saltee; seafood harbour.
Best May–Sep
JFMAMJJASOND
Open Kilmore Quay →
Fethard-on-SeaCity guide
Tintern Abbey and the Hook Peninsula.
Best May–Sep
JFMAMJJASOND
Open Fethard-on-Sea →

Night sequences

2 nights: Wexford town 2 nights: heritage park, beaches, Enniscorthy as a half-day
3 nights: Wexford 2 + Gorey or Rosslare 1, with a car day on the Hook Peninsula

Beaches and the Hook Peninsula have limited public transport — without a car you will miss most of them.
Ferry days at Rosslare can be busy; allow extra time if you are catching a sailing.

Day-trips door to door

To	From	Door-to-door p50	Last return	Note
Enniscorthy	Wexford	30 min	check	Train or bus; Vinegar Hill and the 1798 centre are the draw.
New Ross	Wexford	45 min	check	Bus or car; Famine ship and the Kennedy Arboretum.
Kilmore Quay	Wexford	40 min	check	Car is easiest; Saltee boat trips run in season, weather permitting.
Hook Head	Wexford	60 min	check	Car only in practice; lighthouse and the peninsula loop.

Bags between cities

No luggage forwarding in the county; carry bags between bases or leave them in the car.

When and how

Months, arrival and passes

Seasons at a glance

From each city's month table

Pick a month to see where to go.

Only good-now countries

Country	JJan	FFeb	MMar	AApr	MMay	JJun	JJul	AAug	SSep	OOct	NNov	DDec
Wexford	×	×	ok	ok	go	go	go	go	go	ok	×	×
Gorey	×	×	ok	ok	go	go	go	go	go	ok	×	×
Enniscorthy	×	×	ok	ok	go	go	go	go	go	ok	×	×
Rosslare	×	×	ok	ok	go	go	go	go	go	ok	×	×
New Ross	×	×	ok	ok	go	go	go	go	go	ok	×	×
Kilmore Quay	×	×	ok	ok	go	go	go	go	go	ok	×	×
Fethard-on-Sea	×	×	ok	ok	go	go	go	go	go	ok	×	×
Southeast Ireland (country-wide)	ok	ok	ok	go	go	ok	ok	ok	go	ok	ok	ok

Go: the good monthsFair: workable, mixedPoor: heat, rain or hazeAvoid: storms, floods, closuresno data yet

Computed from each country’s own data; hover a country name for the source. Advisory countries are left out.

Climate strip

Month by month

Zone	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
County Wexfordsoutheast coast	cool	cool	ok	best	best	ok	ok	ok	best	ok	cool	cool

best: dry, mildok: workablecool: jacket, grey

County Wexford: Mild and the driest corner of Ireland; sea breezes keep summer cooler than inland. Rain is possible year-round — pack a waterproof.

May to September is the beach and walking window; strawberries ripen early here, from late May.

Get in

Door-to-door p50, 2026 estimate

From	To	How	p50	Note
Dublin	Gorey / Enniscorthy / Wexford / Rosslare	Train (about five a day) or hourly bus from the airport and city centre	~2 h 30 to Wexford by train	The train runs down the coast via Bray and Arklow; buses run hourly.
Rosslare Europort	Wexford town	Ferry from Pembroke or Fishguard (about 4 h), then bus, train or taxi	~20 min to Wexford	Summer ferries also run from Cherbourg, Roscoff and Bilbao; check the sailing before booking a bed.
Waterford	New Ross / Wexford	Cross-country bus via New Ross	check	Useful if you are linking the southeast without returning to Dublin.

Regional passes

Verdict first

Train (Irish Rail)

buy

Best for the Dublin–Rosslare spine; book online for the cheapest fares.

Bus (Expressway / Wexford Bus)

buy

Hourly from Dublin Airport and city centre; often the simplest option.

Car hire

buy

Worth it for Hook Head, Kilmore Quay and the beaches; book ahead in summer.

Eat and move on

Regional food

Where and when it works

Dish	Where	Timing / trap
Strawberries	Roadside stands and farms countywide	A county specialty, ripening from late May; buy at the gate.
Seafood	Wexford town and Kilmore Quay	Wexford has the widest choice of restaurants; book ahead on summer weekends.
Bar and hotel food	Beach resorts and villages	Outside Wexford and Gorey this is often the only option; check kitchen hours.

Go next

Southeast Ireland

Region hub

Plan the wider southeast from here.

County Carlow

planned

Road via Enniscorthy and the N80

Pasture, stud farms and the Wicklow Way's southern end.

County Kilkenny

planned

Road via New Ross or Enniscorthy

Kilkenny city for medieval streets and the castle.

County Waterford

planned

Bus or road via New Ross

Waterford city for Viking and Georgian heritage.

Wexford

Train or bus

The county town: food, pubs and the heritage park.

Open Southeast Ireland Up to Southeast Ireland

Deep dive

Photos, reading and every source

Sources

officialDiscover Ireland — Wexford
officialIrish Rail
officialRosslare Europort
officialWexford County Council
secondaryWikivoyage: County Wexford, revision 5324495 (CC BY-SA 4.0)