March 2013 itinerary ideas/help... :)

Maggie117 · Guru

March 2013 itinerary ideas/help... :)

tony2phones · Guru

I do have a concern with Adare as a base without a car. especially for a full week. You will be limited to the only bus route through the village and the Bus Eireann timetable. There is a reason that most of the villa's trade is as part of various fly drive packages.

http://www.buseireann.ie/pdf/1308580331-13.pdf

You can do the Early Banquet from Adare by bus.

Are you planning on Killarney national park from Adare? if so I would suggest fitting in an overnight to give a good range of tour options and a different feel to Adare. Yes you can get scenery as good and possibly better but you would need to get off the tour bus routes.

Galway for 3 days is fine, but do try and get about rather than staying in the City. lovely place but little more than a big town. Public transport can get you to Athenry to the east, Clifden to the west and the Burren to the south.

Kinsale lives on a reputation for gourmet grub but you will pay over the top for food which makes the plate look empty. Good food is available at more reasonable rates just as anywhere else in Ireland. One night would be more than enough for my taste. I prefer Cobh the other side of the river, far more genuine atmosphere.

Just trying to be honest. smile

-- Edited by tony2phones on Friday 2nd of March 2012 10:42:55 AM

Maggie117 · Guru

Hi Tony, Honesty is the best policy. ;)! In Adare...we seriously won't be doing much and are fine with that. We want the opposite of the Green Blur while in Adare! On nice days we'd like to hit the local park and take strolls through town. On St. Patty's Day we may (may) take a bus to Limerick for their events.

Mom and I talked today and want to do the early Banquet. We thought about doing one night in Bunratty though as we never had a chance to go through their Folk Park the last time we were in Bunratty (I think that's what it's called...25 acres of recreated stuff) and really want to experience that too.

We can forgo Killarney all together...I just didn't know if it was worth 1 night or not. We drove through it when we did the ROK but chose not to stop b/c it didn't look quite touristy, but their National Park is stunning. (That is Killarney and not Kilkenny right?) I confuse those two.

I forgot to mention in Galway we are thinking of taking a day trip to Aran Islands (Inishmore...the largest one). We've been to the Burren twice, and Connemara (is that the same as Clifden). We've never been to Athenry and will look into it.

We fell in love with Kinsale and their medieval windy roads and that's what's drawing us back. The harbor and forts and history are so appealing to us...it's just one of those things! And I agree with the food all over Ireland is wonderful! We've been to Cobh and adore it as well, but Kinsale just hits us different... :)

-- Edited by Maggie117 on Friday 2nd of March 2012 05:34:15 PM

Michele Erdvig · Host

Maggie,

I, too, would skip Killarney National Park on this trip. It is too far from Adare for a day trip by bus. Agree with Tony to do the early banquet at Bunratty from Adare. Maybe bus there and taxi back?

You might want to do a day trip when in Galway. How about the Aran Islands or Connemara? There are tours that do both. The tourist office in Galway can book them for you, as can your hotel or B&B.

I wouldn't do Kinsale unless you can have two nights there. It will take time to get there. Then you would have a day for seeing the town and your tours.

I think you should fly into Shannon, if possible.

Michele

Maggie117 · Guru

Hi Michele, I forgot to add that we want to do The Aran Islands from Galway and we'll forgo The National Park. If we want to do the Banquet and see the park in Bunratty should we still just take a bus out there or spend the night? I suppose we could take an early bus to explore the park before the banquet....yeah that should work fine right?

We talked about Kinsale and will do 2 nights there.

So, now it looks like

Galway 4 nights - Day trip to Aran Islands.

Adare 7 nights - Day trip to Bunratty

Kinsale 2 nights - eat and window shop... hopefully harbor cruises will be open, and night walking tour.

This is 13 nights plus the 1 night for overnight flight to Ireland. We wanted 14 full nights...where can we add a night??? So these three places work well together??? Any other place we can add the other night???

Michele Erdvig · Host

Maggie,

On the day you do the banquet just go earlier in the day and you can take in Bunratty Castle & Folk Park. In fact, they may have a combo ticket that will save money. Send them an email. I would budget about three hours or more for the folk park and castle, especially if you like to take your time. The castle does close in the afternoon to prepare for the banquet, so see it first. The park stays open longer.

Since you will forgo Killarney on this trip, it will give you an extra day for Kinsale. If you want to be right in town try Desmond House.

Michele

tony2phones · Guru

Who is St Patty? Some woman just been canonised that only Americans know about?

Anyway. How about having the "spare" night over on Inishmore. The islands are a totally different place once the day trippers have gone back to the mainland.

Michele Erdvig · Host

http://www.facebook.com/cooleswan

Chocolate "Paddy's" anyone?

Maggie117 · Guru

Yum! I'll take a Chocolate Paddy!!!

Tony, St. Patrick's Day...sorry to confuse you!!! LOL!!! You read our minds...we actually considered a night on Inishmore...hmm...maybe we'll do it!!! AH!!! Love this part of the trip!!!

Thanks Michele on the Bunratty tips...that puts my mind at ease knowing we can easily do it as a day trip. Love it!!!

As far as Kinsale I'll check out the Desmond House. Last time we stayed at Tierney's Guest House. It was right in the smack of things and surprisingly nice...I googled Kinsale on your site and I believe Bit had mentioned it as a good place so we went with it. It doesn't have a central sitting area and the rooms were small...but the location and breakfast were fine and it was really clean.

I already miss leaving Ireland and I'm not even there yet...

Maggie117 · Guru

So this is what we have right now...

Adare - 7 nights
Galway - 4 nights
Inishmore - 1 night
Kinsale - 2 nights

Ideally we'll land in Shannon. What makes sense to try first? Adare accomodatins are the only ones I've made so far. Should we do Galway and Inishmore first and then head south? Or vise-versa? Thanks!

Michele Erdvig · Host

Are you going to spend your last night near Shannon or elsewhere? What time is your flight?

Maggie117 · Guru

I haven't purchased flight tickets yet. I was going to purchase them around where we'll be going 1st, 2nd, 3rd... Isn't Galway the closest? Maybe that should be our last place?

Michele Erdvig · Host

Adare is the closest to Shannon, then Galway. Kinsale is not nearby.

tony2phones · Guru

Galway, Cork, (Limerick) and Shannon Airport are all on the same bus route.

http://www.buseireann.ie/pdf/1315559683-53.pdf

You would have to get from Kinsale to Cork on a regional service.

http://www.buseireann.ie/pdf/1275643159-249.pdf

http://www.buseireann.ie/pdf/1308906508-252.pdf

Maggie117 · Guru

So maybe do Galway, Aran Islands, Kinsale and Adare.

OR, Galway (day trip to Aran Islands) Kinsale, Adare and final night in Bunratty.

I just don't know how hectic it will be lugging luggage out to the Islands??? and if it will be to timely for one night...though I do love the idea of spending an evening there...

tony2phones · Guru

If you have 3nights booked in a Galway accommodation, spend 2 nights, then the one on Aran, last night at the Galway accom. I am sure that most places would let you leave your baggage whilst you had the night over on the Island.

Maggie117 · Guru

We don't have anything booked at this moment and are planning on 4 nights in Galway. But based on what you're saying we can do our 4 nights in Galway and ask the hotel to hold our luggage...But still wondering if staying the last night in Bunratty would be a better idea and forgo an overnight on the Islands...???

Michele Erdvig · Host

Maggie,

Whether you spend your last night in Bunratty depends on how early your flight is.

Michele

Maggie117 · Guru

Michele

Okay. Mom and I talked today and are hoping to do Galway first, then Inis Mor, then Kinsale and end our trip in Adare and from there we'll take a cab to Shannon... We decided a day trip to Bunratty (from Adare) would be just perfect based on the timing recommendations you provided us. :)

Maggie

Michele Erdvig · Host

Maggie,

That is a much better plan.

Michele