The Ring of Kerry is 179 kilometres of road around the Iveragh Peninsula, mostly on the N70. The standard advice is that it takes a full day. The locals' advice is that you should give it more than that, drive it the right way around, and stop in places the coach buses cannot reach.
Drive it counterclockwise
The big tour coaches all go clockwise, starting in Killarney and heading west toward Killorglin. If you go the opposite direction, you will not be stuck behind them on the narrow stretches. You will meet them coming the other way for a few seconds at a time, then have the road to yourself.
Stop in Sneem before lunch
Sneem is a tiny village with a knot of multicoloured houses around two squares. It has a strong reputation among Irish people as the prettiest village in Kerry. Coffee at the South Square cafe, then on.
Take the Skellig Ring
About halfway around, near Cahersiveen, the road branches off into the Skellig Ring. This is the smaller loop that takes you past Skellig Michael (the island Star Wars filmed on) and through Portmagee and Valentia Island. The coaches cannot fit on these roads, so it is much quieter, and the views down to the Atlantic are arguably better than the main Ring.
Lunch at Kells Bay or in Waterville
Kells Bay Gardens does proper lunches with the sub-tropical garden visible through the windows. Waterville, on the coast, has the Smuggler's Inn, where Charlie Chaplin used to come on summer holidays.
Stop at Moll's Gap and Ladies View on the way back
The drive back to Killarney through the mountains is the best part of the whole loop. Moll's Gap and Ladies View, both on the way down, give you the long view back over the Lakes of Killarney from the high ground. Come in late afternoon and the light will be on the water.
One thing to skip
The Kerry Bog Village is on the standard tour route and it is a tourist trap built around a recreated peat-cutting village. Skip it. The same money spent on a coffee and a book at the Eagle's Nest gives you a better afternoon.
If you only have half a day
Drive from Killarney to Kenmare via Moll's Gap, have lunch in Kenmare, drive back via Sneem and the Black Valley. That is about three hours of driving, two hours of stops, and you see the best of the inland section without doing the full coast.