I need help planning my solo dream vacation to Ireland :)

Date: 1:20 AM, 02/17/11

I need help planning my solo dream vacation to Ireland :)

tony2phones · Guru

Your possible dates and duration might help as would any must see places features or events. Would you like to stay in one place or experience the many different faces of Ireland. would you want to drive yourself, take small tours or rely on public transport? the more you tell us the more we can help. Another thing to consider is which Airport you would use for arrival and which for departure, many prefer to come into Dublin and out from Shannon or vice/versa.

Sambailey · Member

Cindy - I'm taking my first (and I'm sure not my last), solo Ireland dream trip April 22 this year. I'm 51 and pretty independent, so I'm renting a car @ Cork Airport and I've chosen to rent a self catering cottage in Ballycotton. The cost for 7 nights is costing me around $470 US. This is about 1 hr. drive from Cork, depending on traffic, from what I hear. I'm looking for solitude, as well as daily adventure. I plan to visit the larger villages in the "Irish Riviera" portion of Ireland. I've also been in touch with a whale watching company, that launches from several places in this same area. Hope to get my first up-close encounter with a whale on this trip as well! If interested, they advised contacting them when you arrive, to see what their schedule is like. I was told they do not take people out, unless there is at LEAST an 80% chance of a sighting. On the pub scene - I would say it depends on how much excitement you are looking for. Ballycotton has 3 pubs within walking distance of my cottage, which works great for this older party gal! HA! Good luck with your planning!

stewh · Guru

Hi Cindy
Sambailey and Tony have certainly started you on the right track. You have to browse some guidebooks and particularly this forum to help give you an idea of 'the lay of the land'. Figure out what the questions are and you will have an easier time finding the answers. There are at least as many ways to experience Ireland as there are travel styles. Over a number of visits we have developed a style that now includes more 'self-catering' and less 'serviced accommodation' but that is purely a personal preference. Spending a week in a location allows us to feel at home and gives us a touring base for an area (I now have favourite Pubs in many parts of Ireland). Personally, I would recommend having a car in Ireland. My last bit of general advice would be to limit your scope to a particular area - last year we were in the Southwest, Co's Cork and Kerry and a week in Clare. This year we'll be centered in Clare, Galway (Connemara) and Mayo. A couple of trips ago we spent our time in Co's Roscommon, Sligo and Donegal. Good planning will pay off and you'll have a great trip.

Stewart

Michele Erdvig · Host

Cindy,

Welcome to my forum. Let the planning begin. biggrin

Go to your local library and check out books about Ireland.
Start a list of places and things that appeal.
Read my Getting Started page and my articles Plan Your Trip to Ireland in Ten Easy Steps and How Much Does a Trip to Ireland Cost?

All those things will help you begin. And as Tony pointed out it is good for us to know various things about your trip and your preferences. We are here to help once you have some more specific questions you want to ask about.

Michele