S/SW 1 week - Hub of the Wheel Tour??

KevinLF · Newbie

S/SW 1 week - Hub of the Wheel Tour??

CowboyCraic · Guru

Dia Duit Kevin,

Welcome to the Forum. Since you are flying in and out of Shannon, I would suggest that you look to staying in one region. I will assume that you are flying out on the seventh day?

With that in mind, you are probably best off to choose two B&Bs & basing out of them for your stay, as most self-catering cottages are let from Saturday to Saturday. Most B&Bs will offer some kind of discount for your son, given his age if he is sharing a room with you.

What time frame in April are you looking at for traveling? That will better enable us to suggest lodging. I will do some checking, as well, for any self-catering facilities that might offer short break stays (2-3 nights) along the west coast.

This will be a wonderful trip for your family. Keep in mind that 2 hours is as long as any of you are probably going to want to stay in a vehicle. 3 hours might be okay with frequent stops to stretch and explore.

We look forward to helping you plan a memorable trip.

Slan Agus Beannacht,

Bit Devine

KevinLF · Newbie

Bit, Thanks for your prompt response. We arrive 4/15 in the early morning, and out on the 22nd (also early). I agree, 2-3 hours in the car is max. I originally thought self-catering because Grandma only agreed to come if, on the days she wasn't feeling up to touring, we would go without her.

With any luck, there'll even be a half day in there somewhere for all of us to do nothing.

Kevin

Michele Erdvig · Host

Kevin,

Welcome to the forum. I see that Bit has started you off on the right foot. Take a look at my new self-catering page for some tips: http://www.irelandyes.com/selfcatering.html As she said, most rentals go from Sat to Sat. However, some will do mid-week breaks. You might want to consider Killarney as it will have something for everyone and is a good spot for day trips. Some other spots would be Kenmare or the coast of Clare.

My "Links" page lists some self-catering websites you can look at. Try to rent a 4-star one.

Michele

CowboyCraic · Guru

Kevin,

Ouch, You are flying in on Easter Sunday. That is a tough one. I do agree with your Mother that there might be a day when she doesn't want to go along. Self catering is an ideal way to accomodate.

I would suggest that you contact Courtyard Irish Holiday Cottages. It is the perfect base for exploring both Dingle and Killarney. I would suggest that you email them and explain what dates you want to book, ie: Sunday through Friday, which would give you 5 nights there. They offer short break rates. Myra & Derry are delightful and they go out of their way to make things special whilst you are there. They even offer FREE donkey & pony rides for the children. The flowers should be starting to bloom so the courtyard will be a wonderful way for all of you to decompress after a day of sightseeing.

Your 7 year-old would love the aquarium in Dingle. You could use one day to explore the Dingle Peninsula, one day to explore Killarney and one to explore the area around Tralee. Monday is a Holiday (Easter Monday} so you might not find a lot of things open. You could use that day to kick back at the cottage and get your wind, maybe use that day to explore Tralee. That would leave you a day to drive the Ring of Kerry, should you wish.

On Friday, head for Bunratty and lodge there your last two nights. Enroute to Bunratty, you can detour slightly to visit the Rock of Cashel. You can do Bunratty Folk Park on Saturday, finishing off with either the Medieval banquet or by spending the evening in at the Corn Barn. Both the Banquet & the Corn Barn give you a night of merry entertainment at Bunratty Folk Park. I would suggest Ashgrove House. They have a triple room and offer a discount rate for children under twelve. It is close to the airport and Bunratty Castle.

There you go, a starting point, at least. Have a wonderful adventure!

Slan Agus Beannacht,

Bit Devine

Irrover · Veteran Member

Bit

Actually Easter is the week before (the 8th)

CowboyCraic · Guru

Rover,

I must have been looking at a calendar for some other year or century! You are so right! Thanks for keeping me straight.

Slan Go Foill,

Bit Devine

-- Edited by CowboyCraic at 22:00, 2007-01-15

shashie50 · Veteran Member

Kevin.

If you are spending several days at a B&B, I think most would not mind having Grandma spend the day. On our last trip, my husband decided to stay in and read while the rest of us slogged around ruins in the rain. We let our hostess know his plans, and she didn't bother him, except to offer tea or coffee. He spent part of the day in the room and part in the sitting room. If you ask in advance, they might even provide a lunch -- most B&B owners are friendly and accommodating.

Have a wonderful time!

Marsha

Michele Erdvig · Host

Marsha,

Good tip! You are right that most B&Bs and guesthouses will accommodate a person who wishes to remain behind for the day. I find that especially those with a sitting room dedicated to guest use only would be amenable to that.

Michele