9 Day Driving itinerary suggestions

cmattox22 · Member

9 Day Driving itinerary suggestions

Michele Erdvig · Host

cmattox,

Welcome to my forum. I'm glad you found you way here for help with planning your trip to Ireland.

Mid-April is a lovely time and the scenery will be blooming for you. It is best to book Dublin ahead of time but otherwise you are probably okay with "winging it". You might want to get a jump start on your trip by saving Dublin for last. Plan on driving a short distance on your first day - 2 hours or less.

My sightseeing page may help you decide on places to go and my book is full of good advice with complete descriptions. Some places to consider are Glendalough & Powerscourt in Co. Wicklow, Co. Kerry (one of Ireland's most scenic counties) and Co. Clare. Kinsale, ROK and Dingle will be very scenic too.

Have you received a free map from Tourism Ireland yet? Go to my Getting Started page for more info on ordering. Once you have the map you can plan out a route. Consider some two- night stays and sprinkle in a couple of one-night stays to get from place to place for a good plan that won't run you ragged. Plot out your main interests on the map and then just connect the dots.

Feel free to post your proposed itinerary here and we will be happy to comment on it.

Michele

wojazz3 · Guru

Hi cmattox:

So here's a shot at it.

I agree with Michele that saving Dublin for the end is a good idea. You'll have to spend your last night near Dublin anyway so you might as well group two nights together.

Since you have 7 nights (not including Dublin), I would suggest breaking up the nights with 3 two night stays and one 1 night stay.

My choice (based on what you told us) would probably be 2 Kilkenny, 1 Kinsale, 2 Kenmare and 2 Dingle.

Kilkenny is just about the maximum distance away to drive on a jet lagged, addled mind so it makes a good first night stop. If you wanted to break up the drive, possibly stop at Glendalough on the way down.

From there, sounth to Kinsale, then over to Kenmare, and up to Dingle. The drive from Dingle to Dublin will be a haul but the roads move pretty well these days with many more by passes than in days gone by.

Bill

Michele Erdvig · Host

cmattox,

Good plan from Bill. Be sure to take a look at my Lodgings page for some good accommodations in those areas.

Michele

Maggie117 · Guru

Hi. I drove both the Ring of Kerry and Dingle Loop and if I had to do it again I would skip the Ring (but it makes good bragging rights)!

I think Kinsale is a wonderful town which you may enjoy. We stayed right in the "downtown" area and could walk everywhere.

Kenmare was also a great town. The main part of Kenmare consist of a triangle of a one-way street with shops and restaurants.

If you do decide to do Dublin first, I would suggest getting a taxi to Dublin and picking your car up on your way south (west) after Dublin...

Monty · Senior Member

If you have done the Slea Head drive in Dingle, I agree that you can indeed skip what is sometimes a mess getting around the ROK. To each his own, but I think there is so much else to see in Ireland other than places that are meshed with a series of tour buses most days. I like the more out of the way routes myself. I also think that unfortunately, if you did not get to see Cliffs of Moher years ago, that the experience from the top is now much different than before. With "improvements" have come things that have made it much less special than it used to be when the area was more natural. What I would like to do is see Cliffs from below in a boat -- that sounds like a wonderful treat! smile

Michele Erdvig · Host

The ROK should not be too busy in April. But during the summer it can be chock a block with traffic including tour buses. It does have some wonderful scenery but is more subtle than Dingle. In many cases you must go off the main route to find hidden treasures. The Skellig Ring, Valentia Island and Fogher Cliffs, Ballinskelligs, Abbey Island, etc. are just off the main route. For those who really want to explore the ring it is probably best to have an overnight or two in either Waterville or Cahirciveen. But most people don't have the time for that.

Michele

cmattox22 · Member

Thanks so much for your suggestions. We're going to get a map and start plotting it out and I'm sure we'll be back with more questions. In the meantime keep the suggestions coming if you have them! Thanks

Michele Erdvig · Host

cmattox,

Always happy to help. Let us know if you have more questions.

Michele

cmattox22 · Member

We are sitting in Borders right now doing some research. Thank you so much for your suggestions. It gives us a good place to start looking. It brought up a few questions--

1) About how long would it take us to drive from Dingle to Dublin?

2) If we follow the itinerary that was suggested...that would give us one full day in Dublin (and a few hours on the previous day depending on how long it takes to drive from Dingle) We would be staying 2 nights but we leave at like 10 in the morning to fly out.

3) The itinerary would have us missing the Cliffs of Moher and Burren... do you think that is something we can't miss or is it okay to bypass that this trip and hope to be back?

I'm sure I will have more questions but that is all for now. Thanks!!!!

cmattox22 · Member

Forgot to finish the question for #2.... is that enough time in Dublin? We would probably want to go to a pub or something the first night. Then spend a full day sightseeing around Dublin (maybe the hop on/off bus??) and then fly out the next morning.

Michele Erdvig · Host

cmattox,

In nine days you can't possible see it all. There are always trade-offs when the time is short. You could rework your itinerary in many different ways. Just sit down with a map and your calendar and see what I mean. For instance you might skip Kinsale in favor of the Cliffs of Moher. You could skip Kilkenny and spend a night in Cashel instead. There are many, many ways to approach your trip.

Only you can decide what is most important to fit in. You might list your "must sees" in order of importance, decide what fits into 9 days and then cross off the ones on the bottom that are less important.

Drive time from Dingle to Dublin 6 to 7 hours, depending on route.

With one full day in Dublin you can hit the high points but not do an in-depth tour. I suggest the HOHO bus tour to optimize your time there.

Michele

cmattox22 · Member

Hi everyone! I'm back! I can't believe is almost here!!! So excited. We have our lodging booked and car rental booked and have a tentative idea of what we want to do when.

I have a question about Killarney National park and Gap of Dunloe. Is Gap of Dunloe a part of Killarney National Park? I read that we drive to Kate Kearney Cottage and park. Then take a horse buggy to Gap of Dunloe and then take a boat back. That is a little confusing to me. Can anyone help clarify?

Also, here is our itinerary.... let me know if you have any tips/suggestions...are we doing too much, etc.

Day 1- Arrive in Dublin (8:40 am)

Pick up Rental Car (Dan Dooley Rental)

Drive to Glendalough (stay a few hours)

·Go to VisitorsCenter - walk around lakes, see waterfall.

Drive to Kilkenny

Stay the night at: Newlands Country House

Day 2- Spend the morning in Kilkenny

·St. Canices Cathedral (climb tower for great view)

·High St. (

Main St

.)

Afternoon at Waterford Factory in Waterford (leave around 1:30 togo to Waterford? Looks like its about 1 hr from Kilkenny)

·Waterford Factory Tour- 45 min long. 9-4:15 10 Euros each

Stay the night at: Newlands Country House

^{Day 3}- Drive to Kinsale

·Stop on BlarneyCastle on the way

Spend day in Kinsale

·Wander around, shops, harbor

Stay the night at: Olde Bakery

Day 4- Spend the day at KillarneyNational Park

·Muckross House (Visitor Centre)

·Walk around MuckrossLake

·Ladies View (breathtaking overview)

·Torc Waterfall

·Gap of Dunloe- from Kate Kearney Cottage (by horse or horse carriage) and then back by boat?

Drive to Kenmare

Stay the night at: Watersedge

-- Edited by cmattox22 on Thursday 1st of April 2010 04:30:01 PM

cmattox22 · Member

Cont...

Continued....

DAY 5- Spend day driving around Ring of Kerry
Stay the night at: Watersedge

Day 6-- Drive to Dingle
Explore town of Dingle and Dingle Harbor
Stay the night at: Emlagh Lodge

Day 7- Drive Dingle Peninsula
    Slea Head Drive- Slea Head, Blasket Islands
    Connor Pass- Depart from Slea Head at Feothanagh, driving east through Connor Pass then down to picture-postcard fishing villages of Cloghane and Brandon

Stay the night at: Emlagh Lodge

Day 8- Drive to Dublin (all day)
Stay the night at: Best Western Premier Academy Plaza Hotel

Day 9- Tour Dublin (hop on/off bus)
    St. Patricks Cathedral
    Christ Church Cathedral
    Trinity College
    Temple Bar area
    OConnell Street
Stay the night at: Best Western Premier Academy Plaza Hotel

Day 10- Fly home

Michele Erdvig · Host

cmattox,

The Gap of Dunloe is not officially part of Killarney National Park. I suggest this site to clarify things. It takes one entire day to properly do the gap. You will not have the time.

These are the problems I see in your itinerary:

Day 2: No sense going to Waterford if you were planning on seeing the Waterford Crystal Factory. It is closed down and locked up. No Waterford Crystal tours. They are in the process of building a new center but it is not slated to open till this summer. If you have my book I have a lot of suggestions for interesting things to see and do in the Kilkenny area. A couple of suggestions are Cashel and Kells. But there are plenty of other options to replace Waterford.

Day 4: This does not make sense to me. You are driving from Kinsale to Killarney, then backtracking and overnighting in Kenmare? It would make more sense to see the Killarney area attractions on Day 6 when you drive to Dingle. You will not have time for the complete Gap of Dunloe Tour.

Otherwise, I think it is doable.

Michele

cmattox22 · Member

Michele- Thanks so much for your comments. I will check it all out! Thanks!

Michele Erdvig · Host

cmattox,

Hope it helps with your trip. You will have to tell us what you decided after your trip is over.

Michele

cmattox22 · Member

Michelle- How far is it from kenmare to Killarney? To fit in the Gap of Dunloe what do you think of this itinerary?

Day 4- Drive from Kinsale- tour Ring of Kerry- stay in Kenmare

Day 5- Gap of Dunloe tour- stay in Kenmare

Day 6- Killarney National Park- drive to Dingle

Or do you suggest more time just in the town of Kenmare?

Michele Erdvig · Host

cmattox,

I realize that the ROK gets all the publicity and everyone feels they must see it and cross it off their list. But there is another peninsula that may fit into your schedule better. The Beara Peninsula is equally as scenic as the ROK and more remote because the tour buses don't go there. If you are planning on taking the coastal route through west Cork that will take time too. Get an early start!

Depending on the route you take, from Kenmare to Killarney takes about 40 minutes to one hour.

I think you should let the weather determine your Gap of Dunloe trip. You will be outdoors all day.

What you have proposed sounds better with the exception of attempting to do the ROK on Day 4. The ROK takes most of the day from Kenmare or Killarney, never mind Kinsale.

Michele

cmattox22 · Member

Okay... I will look into it more. Thanks!

Itallian Chauffeur · Moderator

Many people (MYSELF INCLUDED) think that the very best 'bits' of the ROK is the stretch from Kenmare, through Killarney, up to Killorglin. Since you will pass that way automatically, traveling from Kinsale to Dingle via Kenmare and Killarney, you can still say that you saw the ROK Highlights, and save the 5-8 hour drive for something different, like Healy Pass on the bearra, or the Gap of Dunloe Tour.

It's really up to you, though.

Healey Pass

Bob

cmattox22 · Member

Thanks Bob!

Also, we will be trying to blog while on our trip. If you guys want to follow it you can at

www.adventuresofrichard.blogspot.com

Michele Erdvig · Host

cmattox,

Thanks for the link. We will follow along. You are pretty close to departure. Wanted to wish you Bon Voyage! Hope your trip is fantastic.

Michele