Curracloe, Wexford – An Essential Travel Guide for 2025

Curracloe is a tiny village in south Wexford, 8km from Wexford Town. The village itself is nothing special but its incredible beach was the filming location for the Spielberg epic Saving Private Ryan. The area has just two hotels, Hotel Curracloe and the Ravenport Resort, with campsites like the Curracloe Holiday Park being equally popular. The coastline here is sublime but is there more to to this village than its picture-perfect beach?

Find out below!

Public Transport: This area is not easily accessed via public transport. Luckily Wexford Town, a 15 minute drive away, is well connected to all major cities via Wexford Train Station. From there you can catch Bus Eireann’s Route 379 bus to Curracloe. A very limited schedule means this is only an option on Mondays and Saturdays

This small village doesn’t have many options for a hot meal, so the best option is to head to one of the hotels. Hotel Curracloe serve classic Irish mains in a no frills environment. The menu is vast but prices are a little expensive, with a buttermilk chicken burger costing €18.00.

Alternatively, the modern Ravenport Resort provides casual dining in a pleasant setting at its Willow Restaurant. They offer all of the Irish staples, with a delicious feather blade of beef setting you back €25.00. It’s expensive but we found it to be just about worth the price.

Hot Beverages: Park at the main beach carpark and you definitely won’t miss the striking Coffee Break Beach Café. This surf-shack styled building serves coffee, ice-cream, sandwiches and a variety of lovely pastries. With a lack of nearby competitors they could be forgiven for using lesser quality ingredients but this certainly isn’t the case. Their brews are delicious!

Alcohol: Furlongs Bar and Lounge in the middle of the village is certainly prettier on the outside than within, but don’t let the dated interior deter you from their tasty Guinness and cheap prices. The Tavern Bar at Hotel Curracloe is a charming traditional pub and a great place to shoot pool or watch sports events. They have a large beer garden for when the Irish weather permits, and serve wholesome grub provided by friendly staff.

The Raven Point Nature Reserve Loop is a tranquil 8km stroll through plant and animal rich forest, before returning via the gorgeous sandy beach. The 1 hour 30 minute walk is not strenuous thanks to the great surface underneath you. Although the full route takes you across the beach, many other parts of the trail are wheelchair accessible.

While wandering through the sand dunes and pine forest keep an eye out for the birdlife. This is actually part of the Wexford Wildfowl Reserve, with cormorants, grey plover and sanderling just some of the rare species you can spot.

Raven Point Nature Reserve Loop Visitor’s Information

This strand (often called Ballinesker Beach) proves that you don’t need to travel abroad to find white sandy beaches with glistening waters.

A towering system of sand dunes makes for the perfect playing spot for children. Families and day-trippers can kick back on the softest sands in the country before taking a plunge in the blue flag waters. The beach stretches for an astounding 11km so it never gets overcrowded, even on the hottest days.

Wexford sees more sunny days than any other county and there is no better place to enjoy its good weather than this movie-quality strand. In the height of summer this is the closest thing to a foreign holiday vibe that you can get in Ireland.

Raven Point makes for a scenic walk at any time of the year, but during the summer months the area becomes a particularly family-friendly place to visit. Laughter fills the beach as children roll down the gigantic sand dunes and play with beach toys purchased in a nearby shop. On hot days an electric atmosphere slaps you in the face as you cross the boardwalk which hides this sandy paradise.

The abundance of nearby campsites draws young families hoping for harmless seaside fun, but the sheer size of the strand means couples can easily find somewhere tranquil to lie too.

A 15-minute drive takes you to the Irish National Heritage Park, a 35-acre site showcasing Irish settlements from various historical periods. For €18 (€9 for children) you get your admission and access to three excellent guided tours throughout the day. The highlight of the visit is the falconry centre which plays host to stunning birds of prey shows. There is a pleasant café on site and the park is very accessible, with mobility scooters available for hire.

Although disappointing to see the price hiked from €14 to €18, The Irish National Heritage Park is certainly a fun day out for the family.

The number one reason to visit is for a paddle at Curracloe Beach. The combination of the best white sands in the country and blue flag water quality mean it is little wonder that the car park here fills up on busy days.

The presence of a lifeguard during the summer months means parents can rest easy while their children play in the water. The sea doesn’t suddenly drop off like in other places along this coast, making it extremely safe for swimming, and there are toilet facilities nearby. Beach wheelchairs are available from the Surf Shack free of charge.

20 minutes away by car you will find Johnstown Castle. For €17 (€8 for children) you get a guided tour of this awesome 19th century castle along with access to the grounds. The tour is admittedly boring (especially for children) with the exception of the underground servant tunnel, but the gardens are undeniably charming. Stunning peacocks wander the grounds and you can feed them, with bags of food available for €2 at reception.

Impressively, the gardens and the castle tour are fully accessible, but no dogs are allowed anywhere on the grounds.

South Wexford is a notoriously good fishing haunt, especially in Spring and Autumn. You will spot local anglers trying their luck from the shore throughout the year. Bring your fishing gear and have a go at catching some bass and flounder in the Spring, or dogfish and whiting in the Autumn.

The North Slob, a 7 minute drive south, is home to the Wexford Wildfowl Reserve. The area is home to over 250 species of birds, some of which are extremely rare elsewhere like the Greenland white-fronted goose. The Wildfowl Reserve has various viewing spots to watch the birds, the best of which is a tall observation tower that comes equipped with binoculars to use for free. There is also a great visitor centre, fully equipped with toilets and informative exhibits and signage.

Entry is free, making this unique park a must-see attraction when in Wexford.