As any parent who has embarked on an umpteenth reading of Sleeping Beauty knows, children are endlessly captivated by old-fashioned fairy tales. Thus the impulse to turn any bowl into a crown, or use any stick as a scepter. With a family trip to an authentic castle, you can bring their land of make-believe to life—and give it some historical weight, too.
Of course, most of the world's great castles, especially those you can actually spend a night in, are in Europe. (For a sampling, including a U.S. entry—no, not the one Walt built in Anaheim—click here.) An overseas vacation with the kids may seem overwhelming, but Ireland's Ashford Castle, which is located in the village of Cong, is an easy place to start. Built as a defensive fortress in 1228 by the de Burgo clan, and owned by the beer-brewing Guinness family through the early 20th century, the castle has operated as a luxury hotel since 1939, catering to as many movie stars as families.
From first sight, the Ashford lives up to every storybook notion of what a castle should be, with an imposing Gothic structure and an ivy-strewn stone facade that looks out over 350 acres of countryside. Inside, the 83 guest rooms have an old-world elegance, while the common areas play up the castle's past: A suit of armor guards the entryway, family crests hang on the stone walls, and gilt-framed portraits of former residents watch over tourists. Then there's the medieval-looking Dungeon Bar, which hosts rousing nightly sing-alongs.
Kids may recognize the drawbridges and dungeons, but chances are they've never heard of falconry, an ancient sport of kings. The Ashford is renowned for its falconry school (the first in Ireland), and children delight in watching the hawks take off from adults' long leather gloves to grab bits of meat. Other activities are similarly old-world—archery, fly-fishing, horseback riding, golf. The food, on the other hand, is stuck in neither time nor stereotype: Rather than the overboiled potatoes you might expect, the Ashford presents Irish fare with a modern twist. You'll find poached local cod with organic vegetables on the kids' menu, and Galway oysters for parents.
You could easily spend a week on the Ashford's grounds, but it's well worth renting a car and exploring the surrounding area too. Since the roads go through every town, you don't get anywhere quickly, but that's just fine. Heading west, you'll hit the Connemara region, a bucolic landscape of streams, sheep, and stone cottages. Even when it's pouring (which is often), the area is breathtaking. And of course, at the end of the day, your castle awaits.
About two hours from the Shannon airport. From $288 for a double in low season (January 1 to March 31; November 1 to December 22) to $1,400 for a one-bedroom suite in high season (May 15 to September 30), ashford.ie or (353) 94-954-6003. Click here for an image gallery from Cookie's trip to Ashford Castle
