Why Wexford is your next stop for a girly weekend getaway
Wexford has always been known as a cute seaside town, a perfect holiday destination for families – and it is! Full of family-friendly restaurants, activity centres and historical and cultural sites with kid-appropriate activities and tours, it’s a great spot to bring the whole family too.
But it’s also a totally underrated girls getaway destination too!
Full of gorgeous boutiques along main street, stunning wine bars and one of Ireland’s most glam spas just a few miles out of town, it’s a great call for your next weekend of fun with your girl gang. Check out our top recommendations in Ireland’s south east for a glam and girly getaway!
Food and drink
Wexford’s restaurant scene – now that it’s reopened – is varied and utterly delicious. Wit a particularly robust Mediterranean selection of restaurants, you’ll never go hungry with the wide variety of high quality menus full of locally sourced ingredients.
Some of our top picks include Frank’s Place and Greenacres for a fancy meal out with an insane wine selection as well as beautiful food in the town’s buzzing centre. Or if you’re looking for small plates and a teeny, adorable set up, Donna Marina’s tapas spot is the place for you – you should definitely try their cocktails whilst there. Be sure to book ahead for Donna Marina as there are just short of ten tables available! Crust Pizza is a wonderful pizzeria with a small but well-selected menu and lovely atmosphere, while La Cote is an upscale fish restaurant with top notch service and a complex and gorgeous menu. Sky & the Ground is local’s favourite pub with a quirky interior and The Crown Bar is a hip spot with lots of cocktails live music and is the place to be on a Saturday night.
Shop til you drop!
Wexford’s main street spans the length of the centre of town and is just a street or two back form its beautiful quays. Packed with all the usual high street favourites, it also offers up an array or gorgeous and stylish boutiques for all your browsing needs.
We love Empress, Si Jolie, No. 58, The Loft and Frock for all our clothing needs, while Shoe Style International has a jaw-dropping range of gorgeously crafted and trendy shoes. The boutique owners are all so friendly and welcoming and will be only delighted to help you play dress up and find your perfect piece.
Get into nature
If you’re looking for something a little more in touch with nature and your active side – or just a few Instagrammable spots – then Wexford is definitely the spot for your gang. Try out Johnstown Castle or Tintern Abbey a few miles outside of town for stunning scenery, countryside walks and beautiful walled gardens. Johnstown Castle is the manicured grounds of an old castle that are particularly stunning in autumn when the leaves turn and summer when the gardens are in full bloom.
Check out the beach and forest out in Curracloe for a long, uninterrupted beach walk and a walk the forest trail to Raven Point to see all the way back into town from the tip of the land. Gorgeous views await on a nice day.
If you’re feeling more adventurous, Wexford has many activity centres that cater to groups, such as the Surf Shack in Curracloe itself which offers many water activities including surfing and supping or else try Shielbaggan Activity Centre who provide water and land-based adventures from canoeing to rock climbing to orienteering.
Explore the town
The town itself has lots to offer too in terms of history and culture. The home of Ireland’s National Opera House, it’s the location of Wexford Opera Festival every year at the end of October. If opera isn’t your thing, the don’t worry, there’s many amazing performances all over town that cater to every taste. The Spiegeltent, which is erected on the quays for the festival each year hosts everything from Prohibition Parties to Des Bishop to The Coronas. It’s a really atmospheric time around the town with parties and exhibitions and shows happening left right and centre. Stick around for the fireworks night, but be sure to book ahead if you’re planning on visiting town at that time as it gets very busy!
Be sure to check out Wexford’s gorgeous quays in the harbour and walk them around sunset for peak Instagrammability. St. Iberius Church, Selskar Abbey and the Friary are all beautiful locations too.
Treat yourself with a spa day
Is there a better time to unwind than on a girl’s holiday? We think not! Pop on the cucumber slices and spend the day relaxing in some of Wexford top spa facilities, like White’s Hotel’s Tranquility spa in the town’s centre.
Or if you’re feeling like making a day of it, check out the luxurious and glam Kelly’s Hotel Sea Spa out in Rosslare, which is all about the healing sea waters, heat and steam experiences. This, blended with therapeutic lighting and textured surrounds, will help service the body, mind and soul with their wide range of treatments and packages.
