Heading off for a few nights under the stars with the family can be a real adventure. We asked Mykidstime parents to tell us their favourite places to camp or take the caravan – here are the best campsites in Ireland, all recommended by parents.

Camping in Ireland offers lots of scope for an exciting trip. As nothing is ever too far away, you can really make the most of a trip, no matter how short. Take a night or two away and see more of your own county or one nearby. With these parent picks, you’ll know there’s plenty on site to keep the kids entertained. Start planning your next trip now!

The caravan and camping park at Lough Key is open annually from Easter to September. It has 51 landscaped, secluded pitches with electricity points and three large areas for tent space.

There is a recreational block with an indoor space for games or dining. The building has a renovated shower block with bathrooms and a small cooking area and also includes a laundry room.

Lough Key offers a range of activities for families to enjoy including zip-lines, tree canopy walk, wheel-0, jeep safari, boda borg and has a lakeside cafe too.

The award-winning campsite at Nore Valley Park is open from March to October annually. The campsite is supervised at all times and they have a strict no socialising after midnight policy, making if truly family friendly. There are free showers and hot water and a high standard of cleanliness throughout the site.

Guests will have free access to the open farm and children are encouraged to come along and help out with feeding the animals. There are many activities to participate in during you stay.

For those who want to stay on-site but have no tent or caravan of their own, Nore Valley Park has a number of lovely wooden lodges and spacious mobile homes available to rent, which can be booked in advance.

Slieve Aughty Centre in Co. Galway offers eco camping, glamping & lodges for families to enjoy a break away surrounded by nature. The site offers toilet, shower and kitchen facilities, playground, outdoor pizza oven and enchanted woodland to explore.

Glamping options include bed linen and towels with a choice of accommodation in a cosy glamping cabin, playhouse or tipi! You can book on a B&B or full board basis, or bring along and pitch your own tent too.

The 30 acre site incorporates an equestrian centre, The Three Towers Eco guest house, restaurant & café and has a host of activities on-site for everyone to enjoy.

Morriscastle Strand Holiday Park is idyllically located in Ireland’s Ancient East alongside the 20km Blue Flag beach of Morriscastle and only 30 minutes drive from Rosslare International Ferry Port.

Facilities include two well-maintained & updated toilet/shower blocks with disabled access, laundry, campers kitchen/wash-up areas, playgrounds, tennis & basketball courts, astro football pitch, games room, shop, take-away, coffee dock, ice cream parlour, clubhouse, free WiFi hotspot and tourist information centre. Throughout July and August there are organised events & daily activities as well as a KidsKamp.

Trabolgan Holiday Village caravan park & campsite is located on over 5 acres of peaceful woodland and open meadow, where your family will enjoy full access to all Trabolgan Holiday Village facilities.

On-site facilities at Trabolgan include; an indoor subtropical pool paradise, a fitness suite with spa bath, sauna and steam room, an 18 hole par 3 cliff top golf course, indoor and outdoor children’s play area’s, 9 hole fun crazy golf, a bird of prey educational centre, a pottery studio, a range of adventure sport activities from go karts to zip wire, combat laser to bungee trampolines, archery to climbing and a whole lot more. And if that’s not enough, there are live entertainment shows and character meet and greets with Peppa Pig and other familiar characters!

As a family you will never be short of things to do in River Valley Holiday Park in Redcross Co. Wicklow. You can enjoy many of the on-site park activities whether it’s tennis, crazy golf, airsoft shooting, archery, pedal go karts or remote controlled boats. Or the kids can head along to the kids clubs which encourage friendship and are tailored to suit children of all ages with many fun activities.

Off-site there are lots of adventures in store such as Clara Lara, Wicklow Gaol, and for the more adventurous trekking over the Wicklow Mountains. Holidays will never seem to be long enough!

Woodlands Park is an award winning family friendly caravan park & campsite located in Tralee, Co. Kerry. With a playground, GAA pitch, basketball court, fairy trail and games room, the kids will be very happy campers!

All guests get discounted entry into the Aqua Dome, located beside the campsite and you can walk to Tralee town centre in just 10 minutes. Woodlands Park caters for caravans, campervans and tents of all sizes and are ideally located to explore Dingle, Killarney & the Ring of Kerry. The park is family run and offers a fun, secure safe holiday for all to enjoy.

Clifden Eco Beach Campsite nestles amongst the sand dunes on the western fringe of Connemara, Co. Galway, on the Wild Atlantic Way. It boasts breathtaking panoramic Atlantic seascape views from its own private sandy beach. The location comes with all the attractions of ‘wild camping’ combined with the safety and comforts that would be expected from a small, family-run holiday park.

The park offers 1km of coastline with crystal clear bathing water, which provides the perfect water-trail discovery for all kinds of watersport activities. The campsite operates on a sustainable, environmental and ethical basis, with a zero-carbon footprint, and are proud to be a gold-certified member of Ecotourism Ireland.

The campsite is set in the grounds of Westport House Estate is just a 15 minute stroll from Westport town. The facilities are spotless and safe and include access to free hot showers, disabled showers and toilets, recycling, waste water removal, picnic areas, washing up facilitiess, WiFi, playground, sandpit and farmyard activities. You will also get discounted rates for all the activities at Westport House and Pirate Adventure Park.

For those who wish to enjoy hassle free camping, you can hire ready pitched bell tents with 2 double and 2 single airbeds, a kitchen box, bin and interior light. The bell tents can sleep up to 6 people. There is a midnight curfew and security on-site to give you total peace of mind. The campsite is open from March to September.

Hidden Valley Holiday Park offers both camping and accommodation for short break holidays.

Fully serviced sites are offered for those camping, and the park offers both self-catering log cabins and glamping accommodation too.

This popular family park offers endless activities such as laser tag, adventure golf, boating lake, archery, water balls, bungee trampolines, rock climbing wall, playgrounds and more.

Day visitors are welcome, and the park also caters for birthdays, team building, scouts and school tours.

Garretstown House Holiday Park is located in the grounds of the 18th century manor house and provides a family run, fully serviced, safe, secure environment for the perfect camping or mobile home holiday.

On-site you will find playground and play room facilities, crazy golf and tennis for kids to enjoy and an adult lounge and snooker room. During high season there is a kids club with loads of activities to enjoy.

Nearby you can enjoy 2 blue flag beaches with watersports at both and it is ideally located for exploring Kinsale and the beautiful Cork countryside.

On the shores of Lough Derg, the Lakeside Holiday Park offers a range of camping areas and hardstands for tents, motor homes, caravans and tourers. You can choose from a woodland or lake view pitch and facilities include a shower and toilet block, campers kitchen, laundry service, freezer packs and electricity hook ups.

Visitors can enjoy many water based activities on the lake and nearby you will find golf, pitch and putt, cafés, restaurants, bike rental and scenic walks and tours.

The award winning, family run Mannix Point Camping & Caravan Park is situated just 500 metres from the waterfront and surrounded by mountains, hills and the spectacular countryside of Co. Kerry. There is plenty to keep the whole family amused both locally and further afield on the beautiful ring of Kerry and the Wild Atlantic Way.

Hygiene and cleanliness are high on the agenda and all visitors can enjoy hot clean showers, access to laundry facilities, a well equipped campers kitchen, electricity, water and an indoor campers sitting room with a turf fire to relax, enjoy and make friends. Well behaved dogs are welcome too.

The Wolohan family have been welcoming campers to their site for over 70 years. Overlooking Silver Strand beach in Wickow the 22 acre site is set in rural farmland with spectacular views.

On-site facilities include 2 toilet blocks, hot water, laundry, electrical hook ups, washing facilities and a camping accessories shop. All pitches are grass and offer parking beside your pitch and dogs are welcome but must be kept on a lead.

Set between the Knockalla mountains and Ballymastocker Bay the Knockalla Caravan Park and Campsite offers the perfect location for a family friendly break in Co. Donegal. There are loads of activities close by including beautiful beaches, golf, horse-riding, bike hire, swimming and the Glenveagh National Park.

Those who wish to camp have a large grassy area to choose a pitch from and for caravans, camper vans and tourers there are 2 hardstand options available. Visitors have access to a large playground, toilet & shower facilities, a campers kitchen, indoor eating area, water points, waste disposal and electricity hook up.