mssherib,

You can see Ireland by public transportation and do day trips from strategic areas. Much will depend on time of year because many tours cut back in the off-season. However, the best way to see Ireland will always be by driving yourself in a car.

Let us know if you have other questions as you proceed with your plans.

Michele

mssherib,

Take a look at the different tours and also train service. Go to my Transport page for public transportation links. You will find that most rail travel hubs out of Dublin and back. Buses fill in some of the blank spaces. But having a car will always be the best way of seeing Ireland. Have you looked into any of the organized tours such as CIE or Paddywaggon?

Do you have a particular month in mind?

You can stay as long as you want at B&Bs. In fact if you are spending more than 2 days at a B&B or hotel they should give you a price break.

Some good bases for using tours and public transport are Dublin, Galway, Limerick and Killarney. However, as I said before, some of those bases cut back at certain times of year and then they are not great for day tours.

Michele

Thank you for including the Northern Province of Ulster into your trip. I hope you will enjoy your time there, we always do.

mssherib,

A car is really the best way to see Ireland. Rent an automatic to make it easier. You will get used to driving on the left and it is especially useful to have a navigator. There are locals who can be hired - they are called taxis!

Michele

mssherib,

The taxis will do whatever you want. There are Black Taxi tours of Belfast. Glad you like my sense of humor!

Michele

mssherib,

Are you actually flying into Belfast? Will you end in Belfast? The reason I ask is when renting a car there is a pricey drop-off fee if you rent in Northern Ireland and drop off in the Republic of Ireland (or vice versa). Just thought you would want to check on that.

The Antrim Coast is very beautiful. Some other things to do in the area:

Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge
Dunluce Castle
Dark Hedges
Torr Road Scenic Drive
Various beaches and coves along the way

There are many different cliffs in Ireland. Perhaps the ones you have read about are Sieve League in Donegal or Loop Head in Clare.

Once you know where else you will be, we will be able to pinpoint other castles for you to visit.

Michele

mssherib,

Since you are flying into and out of Belfast the car will not be a problem. You can get distant views (and photos) of the bridge from a viewpoint just off the main coast road. But if you want more close-up photos you can hike about a mile to the bridge and snap your pics. Tell the ticket takers that you will not be crossing the bridge but just want a couple of photos, and they may give you free admission to the headland that leads to the bridge.

Last spring I found a fabulous B&B outside Bushmills: Causeway Lodge. It really is first-class. Oh, they were not charging the rate on their website. I think that is a top rate for high season and I was there at a different time. 

Going from Belfast International Airport to either Ballycastle or Bushmills on arrival is fine. However, I would take the inland quicker route and save the slow coast road for when you are rested. Plan on 2 days there. One to get acclimized and the other to drive the coast.

Michele

mssherib,

I am slightly confused now. Are you just toying with the idea of Scotland right now? Would it be at the beginning of your trip, middle or end? Hard to know what to say unless that is a known.

I would not do Belleek and Enniskillen as a day trip from Bushmills. It is too far.

Michele

Hopefully your spell check will have recovered before you leave   Edinburgh is a wonderful city and I can recommend Stirling Castle and one of the Vault's walks as possible things to do.  Glasgow has never really rocked my boat despite it being City of culture 21yrs ago. Just a personal taste and it does have lots of followers in the tourist brigade.

Belleek is best done from Donegal or Sligo rather than Bushmills or my usual Antrim haunt Portrush.  But then it would depend on how you are narrowing down your itinerary presumably starting with 4 days in Gods 2nd country? (Scotland)

Hi Again.
My traveling companion and I have been discussing our trip and have decided we would like to stay in B&B's in towns or very close by (don't want to be driving at night) if we are going to spend 3 or 4 nights in several areas. With that in mind, would Cushendall be better than Ballycastle? We want to enjoy the local pubs! Also, if we go to Ireland in May would we need reservations everywhere or can you find places at the last minute? (Scotlland is currently on hold!)

Hi again,
Hope I can get these questions out there without too much confusion. Here I go
1. Thinking of doing a kind of figure 8 across Ireland. We want to see some central areas as well as coastal areas. If seeing some cliffs in NI & West could we skip the Cliffs of Moher?
2. Would staying in Kenmare for 5 nights allow us to see Dingle Penn, ring of Kerry, Beara Penn, Sheepshead and Mizen Head?
3. We would then travel to Killarney, Macroom, on to Cork and Midleton for distillary and stay some where in the area for 1 or 2 nights? Is there enough to keep us ther for that amount of time?
4 Then on to Kilkenney for how many nights?
5 Checking flights and may fly into Dublin rather than Belfast, but go to NI first and on around and back to Dublin. Thoughts on this idea?
Oh, and about money, is it difficult to chang from Euros to Pounds and back. Should we change from US $ to pounds and back to $ or from $ to pounds to Euros? ANy help on this woul also be greatly appreciated.