Administrative heart of County Kerry, Tralee is famed for the Rose of Tralee Festival each August, when parades, live music and fireworks fill the streets. Kerry County Museum lets visitors walk reconstructed medieval lanes and view Antarctic explorer Tom Crean's gear, while Siamsa Tíre theatre preserves Irish folk-dance heritage. Tralee Bay Wetlands offers kayaking past reed beds and nesting herons, and 20 minutes west the Connor Pass threads between vertiginous cliffs on Europe's highest coastal road. With the Wild Atlantic Way, Dingle Peninsula and Ring of Kerry on its doorstep, Tralee makes an ideal base for southwest Irish adventure.