Home Swap in Galway with Kids: The Family Travel Guide You Actually Need

My daughter was three the first time we tried a home swap in Galway, and I'll be honest—I almost chickened out. The idea of staying in a stranger's home with a toddler who had recently discovered the joy of drawing on walls felt like a recipe for disaster. But here's what actually happened: we ended up in a cozy terraced house in Salthill with a garden full of fairy doors, a kitchen stocked with Irish butter, and neighbors who brought over homemade brown bread on our second morning.

That trip changed everything I thought I knew about traveling with children.

A colorful terraced house in Salthill with a small garden featuring whimsical fairy doors among the

Why Galway Is Perfect for a Family Home Swap

Galway isn't like other Irish cities. It's smaller, more walkable, and has this infectious energy that somehow works for both adults craving traditional music sessions and kids who need to run around every forty-five minutes. The city center is essentially car-free, which means you can let older kids walk slightly ahead without your heart stopping every three seconds.

But here's the thing about Galway with children—hotels here are expensive. We're talking €180-250 ($195-270 USD) per night for a family room during summer, and most of them are tiny. You'll be tripping over suitcases, bribing kids to be quiet at 7 PM because the walls are paper-thin, and eating overpriced breakfast buffets where everything tastes vaguely institutional.

A home swap solves every single one of these problems.

You get space. Real space. A kitchen where you can make pasta at 5 PM when everyone's hangry. A washing machine—parents of small children, you know why this matters. A garden, maybe. A neighborhood where your kids become temporary locals instead of tourists.

And the cost? Zero accommodation fees. Just the SwappaHome membership and whatever flights you'd pay anyway.

The Best Galway Neighborhoods for Home Exchange with Children

Not all Galway neighborhoods are created equal when you're traveling with kids. I've stayed in three different areas over the years, and each has its own personality.

Salthill: The Family-Friendly Classic

Salthill is where Irish families have been coming for generations. It's a 25-minute walk from the city center along the promenade—a walk that's become legendary in our family because my kids insist on touching the water at Blackrock diving tower every single time.

The homes here tend to be older, with character. Victorian terraces, 1950s bungalows, the occasional modern build. What you'll find on SwappaHome are usually 2-3 bedroom houses with gardens, perfect for families who need outdoor space.

Practical stuff: There's a playground at Salthill Park that my kids rated "actually good" (high praise from the under-10 crowd). The beach is pebbly but swimmable in summer—water temperature hovers around 15-17°C (59-63°F), which Irish kids seem immune to but mine needed bribery to enter. Leisureland has a swimming pool and mini-golf for rainy days, and there's a Centra convenience store open late for emergency milk runs.

Children playing on the rocky shore at Salthill beach with the Galway Bay waters stretching to the h

The Claddagh: History Meets Convenience

The Claddagh is technically part of the city but feels like its own village. It's where the famous Claddagh ring originated, and the homes here are a mix of traditional cottages and newer apartments. You're a 10-minute walk to Shop Street, which means you can duck back for naps without losing half your day.

I stayed here with a friend and her two kids last autumn. Her home swap was a renovated fisherman's cottage with thick stone walls and a wood-burning stove. The kids were obsessed with the stove—we had to set a "no touching" rule immediately—but it made the place feel like something from a storybook.

The Spanish Arch is right there, which sounds like a tourist trap but is actually just a nice spot to sit and watch boats. There's a small playground at the Claddagh Basin, and you're close to the Saturday market at St. Nicholas' Church where kids can pick their own pastries.

Knocknacarra: Suburban Space

If you need a car anyway and want maximum space, Knocknacarra is your answer. It's a suburb about 15 minutes west of the city, and the homes here are newer, bigger, and often have driveways and back gardens that could host a small football match.

This is where you'll find families with trampolines in the garden. Seriously. I've seen at least four trampoline-equipped homes on SwappaHome in this area. For kids who need to burn energy, that's gold.

The trade-off is you're not walking anywhere. But you're close to Barna Woods for family hikes and Silver Strand beach, which is quieter than Salthill and has actual sand.

How to Find the Perfect Galway Home Swap for Your Family

Searching for a home swap when you have kids is different than searching as a couple. You're not just looking for a nice place—you're looking for a functional place.

Here's what I filter for on SwappaHome when I'm planning a family trip:

Bedrooms that work: Two bedrooms minimum, but think about the configuration. Do your kids share? Do they need to be on the same floor as you? Some older Galway houses have stairs that would make a mountain goat nervous.

Kitchen essentials: I always message hosts to ask about high chairs, booster seats, and whether there's a microwave. Irish homes almost always have kettles and toasters, but microwaves are hit-or-miss—and when you need to heat up leftovers at 5:30 PM, you really need them.

Outdoor space: Even a small patio changes everything. Kids can play outside while you drink tea and pretend you're relaxing.

Washing machine access: Non-negotiable with small children. Just trust me.

Proximity to a playground: I use Google Maps to check before I message any host. If there's no playground within a 10-minute walk, I think carefully about whether the other features make up for it.

A bright, modern Irish kitchen with a wooden table set for breakfast, childrens drawings on the frid

The Message That Gets Responses

When you're reaching out to potential hosts on SwappaHome, be specific about your family. I've found that hosts are much more likely to respond positively when they know exactly who's coming.

I usually write something like: "Hi! I'm Maya, traveling with my husband and two kids (ages 7 and 4). We're looking for a home base to explore Galway for 10 days in July. Your place looks perfect because of the garden—our kids need outdoor time! We're tidy guests, always leave homes cleaner than we found them, and our kids are past the wall-drawing phase (mostly). Would love to chat about dates."

The "mostly" usually gets a laugh. Honesty works.

What to Actually Do in Galway with Kids

Okay, you've got your home swap sorted. Now what?

Galway is one of those places where the best family activities aren't necessarily the ones in guidebooks. Yes, you can do the Galway Atlantaquaria—€12.75/$14 for adults, €8.50/$9 for kids—and you should, the touch pools are excellent. But the real magic is in the everyday stuff.

The Galway Market Experience

The Saturday market at St. Nicholas' Church is chaos in the best way. Get there by 10 AM before it gets too crowded, and let your kids pick one thing each. My daughter always chooses the same stall—a woman selling handmade chocolates who lets kids sample before buying. My son gravitates toward the guy selling wooden swords, which I've learned to accept as inevitable.

Budget about €20-30 ($22-33) for market snacks and treasures. The crepes are overpriced but delicious. The cheese samples are free and plentiful.

Rainy Day Survival

It will rain. This is Ireland. Accept it, plan for it, embrace it.

The Galway City Museum is free and has enough interactive stuff to keep kids engaged for 90 minutes. The top floor has a room where they can try on medieval helmets, which is basically the only thing my kids remember from our cultural education attempts.

Leisureland in Salthill has the swimming pool I mentioned, plus a soft play area that costs about €8 ($9) per child. It's not fancy, but it works.

Charlie Byrne's Bookshop is a labyrinth of used books where kids can get lost (in a good way) while you browse. They have a children's section in the back, and the staff are genuinely patient with small people.

A cozy corner of Charlie Byrnes Bookshop with towering shelves of colorful used books, warm lampligh

Day Trips That Actually Work with Kids

The Aran Islands sound romantic until you imagine a 40-minute ferry with a seasick child. I've done it. Once. We survived, but I wouldn't call it relaxing.

If you want to do the islands, Inis Mór is the most family-friendly. You can rent bikes with child seats or a family bike trailer from Aran Bike Hire—around €20/$22 per adult bike, €10/$11 for kids. The seals at Kilmurvey Beach are worth the trip, and kids love the drama of Dún Aonghasa, the cliff-top fort. Though you'll need to hold hands tightly near the edges.

Connemara is easier with small children. Drive to Clifden (about an hour), stop at the Connemara Heritage and History Centre where kids can meet farm animals, and have fish and chips at Lowry's Bar. The Sky Road loop outside Clifden is stunning and doesn't require anyone to walk more than they want to.

The Burren is doable if your kids are interested in rocks and weird landscapes. Mine were fascinated for exactly 45 minutes, which was enough time to see the Poulnabrone Dolmen and scramble around the limestone pavement. Pack snacks—there's nowhere to buy food nearby.

The Real Advantages of Home Swapping in Galway with Children

I've been dancing around this, but let me be direct about why home exchange makes family travel to Galway specifically better.

You Eat Better

Irish restaurant culture has improved dramatically, but eating out with kids in Galway is still expensive. A family dinner at a mid-range restaurant runs €70-100 ($76-108). Do that every night for a week and you've spent €500+ ($540+) on food alone.

With a home swap, you have a kitchen. You can buy gorgeous Irish ingredients—the butter, the cheese, the soda bread, the smoked salmon—and make simple meals that actually taste better than most restaurant food. My kids' favorite Galway meal ever was scrambled eggs with local eggs and buttered toast, eaten in our pajamas at 7 AM while watching rain hit the garden windows.

The SuperValu in Salthill has everything you need. Budget €50-70 ($54-76) for a week's worth of groceries.

You Sleep Better

Hotel rooms with kids are an exercise in tension. Everyone's on top of each other, you're whispering after 8 PM, and someone always ends up sleeping in a bathroom to get away from the snoring.

A home swap gives you separate rooms. Doors that close. The ability to watch TV at normal volume after bedtime. This isn't a luxury—it's survival.

You Live Better

There's something about staying in a real home that changes how kids experience a place. They're not guests in a sterile hotel—they're temporary residents. They have "their" room, "their" spot on the couch, "their" favorite mug.

My kids still talk about the house in Salthill with the fairy garden. They remember the books on the shelves, the board games in the cupboard, the cat next door who visited every morning. They don't remember any hotel we've ever stayed in.

Two children playing a board game at a wooden coffee table in a cozy Irish living room, evening ligh

Practical Stuff: Getting to Galway and Getting Around

Flights and Transport

Shannon Airport is the closest major airport, about 90 minutes from Galway by car or bus. Dublin Airport is about 3 hours away but often has cheaper flights.

The Bus Éireann service from both airports to Galway is reliable and costs about €20 ($22) for adults, €10 ($11) for kids. If you're not planning day trips, you don't need a car in Galway itself.

If you are planning day trips to Connemara or the Burren, rent a car. Budget €40-60 ($43-65) per day for a family-sized vehicle. Book early in summer—they sell out.

The Weather Reality

Galway weather is... unpredictable. I've had sunny days in February and rain for a solid week in July. Pack layers, waterproof jackets for everyone, and shoes that can handle puddles.

The upside? Galway is built for it. Every café has space for wet coats, every attraction assumes you'll arrive damp. Nobody judges you for ducking into a pub at 3 PM because it's lashing rain outside.

Money and Costs

Ireland uses the Euro. Card payments are accepted almost everywhere, but bring some cash for markets and smaller shops.

A realistic daily budget for a family of four in Galway, assuming you're home swapping:

• Groceries: €15-20 ($16-22)
• One meal out or takeaway: €40-50 ($43-54)
• Activities/entrance fees: €20-40 ($22-43)
• Transport (if driving): €10-15 ($11-16) for fuel
• Miscellaneous: €10-20 ($11-22)

Total: €95-145 ($103-157) per day, versus €280-400 ($303-433) if you're paying for a hotel and eating every meal out.

What to Know Before Your First Galway Home Swap with Kids

If this is your first home exchange, especially with children, here's what I wish someone had told me:

Be upfront about your kids' ages and habits. Hosts deserve to know if your toddler is still in the "touching everything" phase. Most are understanding—they have kids too—but surprises aren't fair to anyone.

Ask about childproofing. Some homes have stair gates and socket covers already. Others don't. Know what you're walking into.

Bring a few comfort items. A favorite stuffed animal, a familiar bedtime book, maybe their own pillowcase. Home swaps are exciting, but kids also need anchors.

Leave the home better than you found it. This is home swap gospel, but it matters even more when you're traveling with kids. Wipe down surfaces, run the dishwasher, take out the trash. Your reputation on SwappaHome depends on it.

Get your own travel insurance. SwappaHome connects you with hosts, but it's a platform, not a protection service. If something goes wrong—a medical emergency, a cancelled flight, accidental damage—you need your own coverage. I use World Nomads for family trips, but shop around for what works for you.

The Moment That Made Me a Home Swap Convert

On our third night in that Salthill house, my daughter couldn't sleep. She was overtired, overstimulated, and doing that thing where kids cry about everything and nothing at once. In a hotel, this would have been a disaster—paper walls, no space to escape, everyone miserable.

Instead, I carried her downstairs to the living room. We sat on the host's worn leather couch, wrapped in a blanket that smelled faintly of lavender, and I read to her from a book I found on the shelf—an old copy of "The Selfish Giant" with illustrations that must have been from the 1970s. The rain was tapping against the windows. The radiator was clicking. And slowly, she calmed down.

She fell asleep in my arms, and I sat there for another hour, just listening to the house settle. It felt like home. Not our home, but a home nonetheless.

That's what home swapping gives you. Not just free accommodation, not just more space, but the feeling of belonging somewhere, even temporarily. For kids, that feeling is everything.

If you're considering a home swap in Galway with kids, I'd say just do it. Sign up for SwappaHome, start browsing Galway listings, and send a few messages. The worst that happens is you have an adventure. The best that happens is you find your own Salthill house, your own fairy garden, your own worn leather couch.

And maybe, years later, your kids will still be talking about it too.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is home swapping in Galway safe for families with children?

Home swapping in Galway is generally very safe for families. SwappaHome's review system helps you choose verified hosts with positive track records. Always read reviews carefully, communicate openly about your children's needs, and ask hosts specific questions about childproofing before booking. Most Irish hosts are welcoming and family-friendly.

How much can I save with a home swap in Galway versus hotels?

A family of four can save €1,200-1,750 ($1,300-1,900) on a week-long trip by home swapping instead of booking hotels. Galway family hotel rooms average €180-250 per night, while home swapping costs only SwappaHome credits—one credit per night regardless of property size or location.

What's the best time of year for a Galway home swap with kids?

June through August offers the warmest weather and longest days, but July and August are peak season with higher demand. Late May and early September provide milder weather, fewer crowds, and more home swap availability. School holidays mean more family homes become available as Irish families travel too.

Do I need a car for a family home swap in Galway?

You don't need a car if staying in Salthill or the Claddagh—both are walkable to the city center and beaches. However, for day trips to Connemara, the Aran Islands ferry, or the Burren, renting a car for €40-60 per day gives you flexibility. Many families rent for just 2-3 days during their stay.

What should I ask a Galway host before confirming a home swap with children?

Ask about bedroom configurations and bed sizes, availability of high chairs or booster seats, stair gates and childproofing, garden access and safety, nearest playground location, washing machine access, and any house rules about children. Good hosts appreciate detailed questions—it shows you'll be respectful guests.