One of the best things about being based in Mullingar is how much of Ireland sits within an easy drive. You’re in the middle of the country, the roads are quiet compared to the coasts, and the Midlands hides some of the most rewarding day trips on the island — lakes, ancient monastic sites, greenways and country estates, most of them under an hour away. With your own car you can leave when you like, stop where you fancy, and skip the timetables entirely.
Whether you’re visiting Westmeath for a few days or you live here and want to make more of the weekends, here are the best day trips you can do from Mullingar by car.
1. Belvedere House and Gardens
The headline attraction, and only about 5km south of Mullingar on the N52 along the shore of Lough Ennell. Belvedere is an 18th-century villa set in 160 acres of lakeside parkland, with woodland trails, a Victorian walled garden, and the famous “Jealous Wall” — a huge folly built by the first Earl of Belvedere purely to block the view of his estranged brother’s house next door. It’s a ten-minute drive from the town centre and parking on the estate is free.
Worth knowing before you go: the interior of the house is currently closed for conservation work and is expected to reopen later in 2026, but the gardens, parkland, visitor centre and café all remain open. Frame the visit around the grounds — the lakeshore walks and play areas make it an easy half-day for families, and you can be back in Mullingar for lunch.
2. The three lakes — Lough Ennell, Lough Owel and Lough Derravaragh
Mullingar has three great lakes on its doorstep, and a car makes it easy to hop between them in a single day. Lough Ennell, just south of town, has a designated bathing area at Lilliput with a sandy swimming spot, picnic tables and the Lilliput Adventure Centre running kayaking and paddleboarding in season — the local name is said to have inspired Gulliver’s Travels. Lough Owel, north-west of town off the N4, is a quieter spot popular with anglers and swimmers. Lough Derravaragh, a little further north, carries the legend of the Children of Lir and rewards a slow drive around its shores.
All three are within twenty minutes or so of Mullingar, so a lakes day is very doable — bring a picnic and check seasonal water-quality notices before swimming.
3. Fore Valley and the Seven Wonders of Fore
About a 25-minute drive north-east of Mullingar, near Castlepollard, the Fore Valley is one of Westmeath’s hidden gems. The ruins of a 7th-century monastery founded by St Feichín sit in a broad green valley, and the site is famous locally for its “Seven Wonders” — folk legends including the monastery built on a bog, the water that flows uphill, and the tree that won’t burn. It’s free to visit, uncrowded, and a lovely stretch of the legs after the drive. Combine it with a stop at nearby Tullynally Castle gardens if they’re open.
4. Athlone and the River Shannon
Head west for about 40 minutes and you reach Athlone, straddling the River Shannon on the Westmeath–Roscommon border. Athlone Castle is a well-restored 13th-century fortress with an interactive visitor centre, and right beside it is Sean’s Bar — which holds a claim to being the oldest pub in Ireland. From here you can take a river cruise up to Clonmacnoise, the great early-Christian monastic site, or just enjoy a wander around the “Left Bank” quarter and a proper lunch. It makes for a full, satisfying day out.
5. The Royal Canal Greenway
If you’d rather stretch your legs than sightsee, the Royal Canal Greenway runs 130km of level towpath from Maynooth through Mullingar and on into County Longford. You don’t need to walk or cycle the whole thing — the beauty of having a car is that you can drive to a quiet trailhead, do a scenic stretch, and drive back. Bring bikes if you have them; there are cafés and picnic spots dotted along the route, making it easy to plan a relaxed half-day at your own pace.
Making the most of it with your own car
What ties all of these together is flexibility. Public transport in the Midlands is limited, and most of these spots — the Fore Valley, the quieter lakeshores, the greenway trailheads — simply aren’t reachable without a car. Having your own vehicle means you set the pace: an early start at Belvedere, a picnic by the lake, and home before the evening.
If you’re visiting Westmeath and need a vehicle for a few days, or you’re local and want something bigger for a group outing, our Mullingar car hire office is a handy local base. We’re a local office rather than a national chain, so hire is flexible and there are no airport queues to deal with. For a larger group heading off together, take a look at our 9-seater hire — one vehicle keeps everyone together for the day.
Check availability and opening hours on our Mullingar location page, or call the team directly to arrange your hire across Westmeath and the Midlands.