Day 1: Hotel - Dublin

Kelseamarie · Newbie

24 Day trip to Republic of Ireland Advice Please

Michele Erdvig · Host

Kelseamarie,

Welcome to my forum. It looks like perhaps part of your trip is a pre-packaged fly/drive/voucher package? Or perhaps some of it came from a tour or something? Can you change anything or do you have to spend each night as outlined above?

What are your interests? What is on your "must see" list for Ireland? Have you read a guidebook and chosen certain things you want to do?

There are a few things I am wondering about. Why 2 nights in Waterford? Is there something there you especially want to see? What is attracting you to Rathkeale? I see that the second half of your trip is not filled in yet. Any reason for that?

Day 22 & 23 confuse me. It says "check into the Castle Hotel for your next two nights." Yet you are staying at the Park Inn on day 23. That is a contradiction. Why change hotels?

I think it is great that you have 23 days in Ireland. Some of your overnight stays are pretty close to each other. You might want to refine that.

Let us know more and we will be happy to help you tweak your itinerary, if that is possible and not set in stone.

Michele

Kelseamarie · Newbie

Hi Michele,

Some of it came from advice from a travel agent but i found it not to my likeing so I just kept some things that I though might work well and decided to do the planning myself. Nothing is set in stone I can change anything all suggestions are welcome.

As for interest Im really into my heratige. I love art and history. I also like would like to explore towns of the beating track and maybe just relax for a couple days. As for a must see list - I want to see the towns/citys of dublin, Killkenny, Dingle, and Doolin. I also what to see Galway bay, the Rock of Cashel, gotta kiss the blarney stone, I wanna spend time on the dingle pennsula, stay in a castle, and go horse back riding at some point. I know its not a very big list I really flexible in the possiblity of anything. I want to experience as much as possible. I have research all kinds of things to do I just thought I would get other advice. Im thinking about getting a heritage pass.

I chose two night in waterford for a possible day trip to wexford. Nothing attracted me to Rathkeale. I just thought it was to far to travel from Dingle to Clifden. So I chose a random place on the way. The second part isnt filled in yet because im not sure what to do yet still coming up with Ideas.

Day 22 and 23 it is a typo only stayin at the Castle Hotel one night and the going to Shannon and staying at the Park Inn. I want to drop my car the day before I fly home that way I dont have to pay for an extra day that is the reason for changing hotels and it give me a chance to spend a day in Shannon.

How would you suggest refining my stays. I dont wanna to have to long of drives from each place. Would it be better to base myself in some places for a couple more days a just do day trips.

Please tweak away any suggested changes are welcome.

Thanks Kelsea

wojazz3 · Guru

Hi Kelsea

The hope is that you are not locked in to all of those places. I think that Michele can give lots of first hand advice on where to stay. I agree that there are a number of stays that are very close to each other. For instance, I wouldn't stay in Waterford. I would spend the whole time in Kilkenny and make day trips from there. You can easily make a day trip to Hook Head or any number of places in the Kilkenny area. If I was going to leave Kilkenny, I would not go to Waterford but perhaps Dunmore East (at Michele's suggestion years ago) and enjoy the coast from there.

I'm not sure, as a 1st time visitor to Ireland, that I would want my 1st experience driving to be in Dublin City center. Get your car at the airport and just use the airport buses to get you there. Very convenient usually (depending on where you are staying). Dublin is very difficult to drive through and the M50, though busy, is relatively easy to navigate.

I actually kind of like the overnight near Glendalough but I would have chosen Laragh. An early visit to Glendalough before the tour buses arrive is magical. Even in shoulder season it can be crowded during the day.

Dingle to Rathkeale doesn't make much sense to me. It's less than 2 hours from Dingle and doen't make you next day's drive much easier. I would consider re-ordering the stops in that section and maybe plan a day/night out to the aran islands.

As a village, Doolin does not have a lot to offer though it is a good jumping off point. It's main attraction is the three music bars in town. If you want to hear any of the music, stake your claim to a table early because again, these places get very crowded and usually the room noise is more than the music. Limited amplification of the music can be found. At Gus O'Connor's the mics pic up room noise at least as well as the music.

I would pay the extra day car rental and not stay at the Park Inn. There is nothing near there to do that I know of. It is literally at the airport. You can walk to the terminal. You would spend your last night eating over priced hotel food and hanging out in your room. There is nothing that you can walk to from there.

My thoughts and I know Michele has a lot to add.

Wellsley · Guru

Hi Kelsea,

This is what we had planned and just got back from in May.

http://ireland.activeboard.com/t41403231/im-new-to-the-forum-and-have-many-questions/

We picked out the things we wanted to see in Dublin and spent 2 days there. If there was anymore we had wanted to see , 2 days wouldn't have been enough. Do some research and make a list of what you want to see in Dublin to see if 2 days is really enough.

If I had that much time to spend in Ireland I would try to pick places where I could stay longer and make day trips from. Just my two cents.

Here is my trip report.

http://ireland.activeboard.com/t43155446/back-from-ireland-with-alot-of-experiences/

Frank

-- Edited by Wellsley on Tuesday 19th of July 2011 05:44:29 PM

Michele Erdvig · Host

Kelsea,

Take the advice of wojazz3 (Bill). He knows what he is talking about!

I perfer staying in Glendalough too for just the same reasons as Bill mentioned. It can be a zoo there during opening hours for the visitors center. The locals know to go after the center has closed or before it opens in the morning. That is when you will feel the magic of the place instead of fighting with crowds of tourists.

I'm not the keen on the Irish National Heritage Park. Okay for schoolchildren but that's about it. Since there is much to do in and around Kilkenny, why not spend 3 or 4 days there? You can easily do Cashel, Waterford and parts of Wexford as day trips. There is some wonderful countryside around Kilkenny.

I would prefer Adare over Rathkeale. Even though some brand Adare as "touristy" I have spent a week self-catering in Adare and it does have its charms especially when the tourists depart for the day.

Clifden and Galway are pretty close. You could certainly stay a few days in Galway and do day trips to Connemara and Aran Islands. I would rather proceed to Westport and maybe even spend a night or two on Achill Island. I love staying at The Bervie guesthouse right on the beach.

Check some of the pages of my website for more info especially Lodgings. My Blog has good articles about many aspects of traveling to and in Ireland.

Michele

Kelseamarie · Newbie

Hey Guys,

Thank you for all the help so far. I quickly put together a new towns and days list. Please look at it and tell my what you think.

Dublin 3 nights
Laragh 1 night
Kilkenny 3 nights
Kinsale 2
Killarney 2
Waterville 1
Dingle 2
Adare 1
Galway 3 nights
Doolin 2 nights
Achill Islands 2 night
Bunratty 2 nights

Ok now I have a couple questions. Should I stay 2 nights in doolin or just 1? and if i get rid of 1 night in Doolin where should I put it instead. The drive from Achill Island to Bunratty is over three hours is that too far to drive and still beable to see things on the way? Is there anything else you might suggest changing? Well Im working on my must see at and around these place Ill soon have that posted for your advice as well.

Thanks Kelsea

Michele Erdvig · Host

Kelsea,

It is shaping up. I think it makes more sense to go from Galway to Achill or Westport, then Doolin. If you only purpose for staying in Doolin is to see the Cliffs of Moher and Burren, you can probably get away with one night there. If you want to do and see more in the area 2 nights would be good.

Are you using vouchers for accommodations?

Michele

Kelseamarie · Newbie

Michele,

I wasn't sure how exactly to arrange Galway, Achill and Doolin. I will take your advice and go in that order. I think Ill keep 2 nights in Doolin. No I will not be using vouchers I want to per book everything in advance so I have one less thing to worry about. Im just starting to look into accomidations for my new list of places and days so if you have any suggestings on budget frienly places to stay please let me know. I am glad i found your site its very helpful. Thank you.

Kelsea

Michele Erdvig · Host

Kelsea,

That is good news about the vouchers. They restrict where you can stay. For your two nights in Bunratty I suggest you stay at the same place. The cost of turning in the car early is outweighed by the freedom of doing what you want on your last day. Besides, let's say you rent the car at 9 am and on your next to last day you return it at 5 pm. They will still charge you for a full day's rental anyway.

Don't forget to look at my Lodgings page for lots of good places to stay. Or in my book for even more.

Michele

wojazz3 · Guru

Kelsea:

Another quick thought. You might want to consider trading that last night in Galway for a night on the Aran Islands. An overnight trip is much more enjoyable than the day trip as the bulk of the travelers scurry back to the "mainland" at about 4pm leaving a quiet island, and a bit of a time travel feel. Inishmore more is has probably got the greatest tourism infrastructure with enough B&Bs, restaurants and pubs to keep you busy and the others are more quiet.

You can catch a boat or a plane out there. If the weather is a bit iffy, the seas can be pretty rough and hard on a tender stomach (like mine). The boat trip is about 45 minutes as I remember, the plane ride is about 10 but with a lot of prep including a weigh in with bags.

From there, catching an early plane/boat back, you will have plenty of time to get to Westport/Achill and enjoy a nice trip through Connemara while you are at it. Heading to Westport through Connemara, I like to take the R335 instead of the N59. The trip takes you over Doo Lough Pass and right by the base of Croagh Patrick. It's a little longer but well worth the drive. There is a spot at Doo Lough with a couple of boats tied up that has been the subjuct in countless photos (mine included) that could have been taken anytime in the last 40-50 years.

Hope this helps.

Day 1: Hotel - Dublin

Day 2: Hotel - Dublin

Day 3: Lettermore - Rathdrum

Day 4: Castlefield B and B - Kilkenney

Day 5: Castlefield B and B - Kilkenny

Day 6: Dunroven - Waterford City

Day 7: Dunroven - Waterford City

Day 17: Bay View B and B - Clifden