I’ve traveled to 86 countries and Ireland is the best place I’ve visited to bring a toddler on vacation

• My family recently visited Ireland to celebrate my son’s third birthday.
• It’s the perfect country to visit with a toddler.
• The public transportation system is wonderful, and it just feels magical.

Many families dream of , which includes buses, trams, ferries, boats, and trains that little ones will love riding. If you want to extend your overland trip, you can take ferries from the west coast of Ireland to France, England, Wales, and the Isle of Man to avoid the hassle of flying. You might even see a dolphin or a whale in the Irish Sea if you’re lucky.

Seals also haul out on the beaches and rocks along the coast, so it’s fun to try to spot them. My son loved visiting the Seal Rescue Center in County Wexford, where we saw baby seals being nursed back to health. The abundance of countryside means that there is wildlife everywhere, including seabirds, deer, and otters.

It’s not hard to get food for even the pickiest eaters

It also means that there are plenty of farms, so it’s easy to find fresh local produce wherever you go. While my toddler is a picky eater, the basics in Ireland, like bread, butter, and meat, are all delicious, and he loved the sandwiches and stews.

As sustainability is also important there, many towns and cities have zero-waste stores and discounts for people who bring their own coffee cups. Much like any parent with a young child, I’m trying to leave a better world for him, which was much easier to do in Ireland than most places I’ve visited.

There’s just something magical about the country

While these are all reasons enough to visit Ireland with a toddler, perhaps the best incentive is the mythology behind this emerald isle. From fairies to leprechauns, there is a tale to capture the imagination of every child. The books about mermaids were a particular hit with mine.

Museums, visitor centers, and gift shops often sell storybooks, postcards, toys, and trinkets that bring these legends to life in a way that children can bring home with them. There are so many waterfalls, toadstools, coves, and fairy pools to discover all around the country that even as an adult, I believe the stories to be true.