need advice for trip in June...

SB · Newbie

need advice for trip in June...

SB · Newbie

Oops...I also need a rental car! What are the better ones to check out?

Michele Erdvig · Host

SB,

Welcome to my forum. Is it June 1 when you are arriving in Ireland? How long will you have? Do you depart from Dublin?

I suggest you go to my Getting Started page first. Then take a look at Castle Hotels and Lodgings. That will jump-start things.

Have you read any books about Ireland yet? Do you have any idea of what you want to do and see? There is a wealth of natural beauty all over Ireland but most people usually don't have the time to see everything. Generally, you have to pick and choose carefully to plan a good itinerary.

Beach Cove B&B in Ballinskelligs?

Michele

nodan7 · Newbie

Hello, Michele,
An acquaintance (Tina Williams) is a friend of your mother. She has raved about you!
Plse help...we arrive in Dublin and after two days we plan to rent a car and see the countryside. We thought the Dingle Peninsula and Doolin area sound lovely. We will have 5 days to do the counrtyside. Is this enough? At the end, we need to fly to London from any airport in Ireland (we have not yet booked that flight)
When leaving Dublin should we head toward Doolin or Dingle? Which route has more to see and which route will be less tedious for first time visitors? Where do you suggest we stop along the way?
Are we stretching ourselves too much? Do you have a different itinerary to recommend?
Thank you sooo very much!
Michelle (with two l's)

Michele Erdvig · Host

Michelle,

Welcome to my forum. I'm glad to hear that Tina has sent you here for help with your trip. I have known her for decades (since her kids were babies!). I still see her on occasion when I am in Florida.

What airport do you need to fly into in London? The reason I ask is that from Kerry Airport there are only flights to Stanstead and Luton. If you are okay with either of them, then Kerry Airport would probably work out best for your departure.

With such a short amount of time I suggest you drive directly from Dublin to Doolin. It should take you about 4 hours, perhaps a little more. The midlands of Ireland are not the "scenic" bit. It is the coast that gets the rave reviews. However, if you take the M4 & N6 toward Galway you can make a couple of good sightseeing stops. Perhaps Belvedere House & Gardens (south of Mullingar) and Clonmacnoise Monastic site (south of Athlone). That will add to your drive time but make for a nice day.

If you spent two days in Doolin you could take the ferry to the Aran Islands on one day. That would give you two days in Doolin, two in Dingle and one in Killarney (not far from Kerry Airport). There is a car ferry that crosses the Shannon River on your way south that will be a convience.

Five days is never enough time in Ireland. But it will give you a little taste of the country. If you like it perhaps you can return again later.

So, what do you think?

Michele

nodan7 · Newbie

Dear Michele,
Thank your for your quick reply.
To begin, we do not yet have a reservation for London so I don't know that it matters which airport we will fly into thus it doesn't matter at this time where we fly from when leaving Ireland.
We would GREATLY appreciate your comments and input on this plan as a possible alternative to your itinerary. Which do you prefer (your original itinerary or something like this?) and which do you think is better for first timers to Ireland? Please be as honest as you can...we will not be insulted if our ideas get canned.)
After two nights in Dublin (we will be back in Dublin after a cruise so we will have another two nights then),
Day 1...Leave Dublin. Drive to Kilkenny or Rock of Cashal, Sleep in Kilkenny or near Rock of Cashal
Day 2...Drive to Dingle and sleep there.
Day 3...Do the Dingle region and sleep same as Day 2
Day 4...Drive to Doolin, do Aran Island (visit the smallest of the three islands...heard it is more 'authentic' than the other)
Day 5...Tour and sleep same as Day 4
Day 6...Fly to London (some of the flights seem to be later in the day.) Where would we fly from to get to London?

Are we covering too much territory? Would we be better off just staying in one region over the other? Would you suggest a completely different itinerary for first timers?

Thank you sooo much. Michelle

Michele Erdvig · Host

Michele,

That will work too. I suggest using the AA Distance Calculator. Get mileage and divide it by 35 for more accurate drive times.

If you do that itinerary you should depart from Shannon Airport.

Michele

SB · Newbie

Thank you so much for your help and reply...I have been without acess to my computer for a week. Your website is a wonderful blessing. I can't wait to report back to you and the others when I return from my trip. I have decided to kind of wing it instead of having a set

itinerary ...should be fun. I would love any heads up on car rental stuff. I will need one for four of the seven days. I did check with my credit card and they cover some portion, although I forgot the word they used...any advice on that?

SB · Newbie

Thank you so much for your help and reply...I have been without access to my computer for a week. Your website is a wonderful blessing. I can't wait to report back to you and the others when I return from my trip. I have decided to kind of wing it instead of having a set itinerary ...should be fun. I would love any heads up on car rental stuff. I will need one for four of the seven days. I did check with my credit card and they cover some portion, although I forgot the word they used...any advice on that?

nodan7 · Newbie

Hello, again,
We are still undecided about the start of our roadtrip. I would appreciate your input.
We plan to drive toward Dingle. We wouldike to take the route through the Rock of Cashal. Do you redcommend spending that first night in Kilkenny then the next day driving to Dingle (might want to stop at muckross house or other scenic places) Or should we go from Rock of Cashal and spend that first night in Kinsale and the next day make it to Dingle?

Also, if we are leaving from Shannon on a 10 am flight, do you recommend that we sleep in Doolin (will be there from the night before) or sleep in Shannon near the airport..allowing us to drop off the car the night before our flight?

Thank you sooo much for your input.

Michele Erdvig · Host

SB,

Be sure to look at my Car Rental page and the post about Car Rentals on my forum.

Once you digest the info, let us know if you have any other questions.

Michele

Michele Erdvig · Host

Michelle,

If you want to see the Rock of Cashel then I suggest skipping Kilkenny. Also on the route just south of Cashel is Cahir Castle, which is one of Ireland's best. Is Blarney Castle on your radar? I ask because if you want to go to Kinsale you will be passing right by it.

My personal opinion is to skip Kinsale becaust you won't have time to do it justice ayway. Take in Cashel and Cahir and proceed to Killarney. It will be a long driving day but you will be breaking it up with sightseeing. That will position you to see Muckross and other Killarney area attractions the next morning before proceeding to Dingle.

Remember, your time is short. You can't see everything. Instead choose the most important and cut out the others. It will make for a better trip.

Michele

nodan7 · Newbie

Hello,
are you suggesting that we stay in kilkenny on our first night or make it to killarney the first night?

Michele Erdvig · Host

Michelle,

I personally would stay in Killarney if I was trying to make it to Dingle the next day. On your first driving day - since you want to visit the SW and west - you will have a long driving day. If you break it into smaller chunks you will not get to everything on your list.

As for the 10 am flight out of Shannon I would stay in Bunratty. If you stay in Doolin it will be a drive of 1 to 1 1/2 hours to the airport.

Michele

maggiemac · Newbie

can anyone tell me if i can get a express bus from dublin centre to sligo. i need a early bus as we are going for the day trip. we travel by train last time but we fancy seeing more of the countryside this time

Michele Erdvig · Host

Maggie,

Welcome to my forum. When you say "express" bus I assume you mean a bus that makes no stops between Sligo and Dublin? If that is the case I would say there is not. Bus Eireann takes about 4 hours each way: http://www.buseireann.ie/pdf/1264591286-23.pdf

The train would be more efficient.

Michele