Advice to dingle or not to dingle?

Know that I am probably the only person on this forum that thinks Dingle is No Big Deal. Granted, I live where I can be wowed by CA coastal drives, and have done coastal drives in Oregon and Washington. IMHO Shea Head and Dingle Bay can’t hold a candle to those locations. Dingle itself was very crowded and touristy to us, and we were there early spring off- season. If you have to do two big travel days to get there and back, it doesn’t sound relaxing at all. Hopefully someone on the forum can advise you about a relaxing spot closer to Dublin. Or perhaps you could book a day trip with a tour company so that transportation was easier. Good luck.

Well Nat Geo once rated it as one of the most beautiful drives in the world. Taking a day trip from Dingle out to the Blaskets by boat would be well worth it. There's another thread on it. One of my families favorite life days. Been to the California and Oregon coasts......gorgeous as well..... unfortunately populated with many Californians who make you feel like you are there to steal something. The Irish folk worlds different and insanely welcoming and friendly. DIngle itself can be busy and tourist filled _ it also is pretty, welcoming and quaint.

The drive out from Dingle to Dunquin is awesome and the stops along the way wonderful. Little home based bakeries, book store/bakery, Celtic Ruins etc just amazing. To each their own but we loved it and it's well worth the time and effort.

Seriously recommend doing it. If you choose to stay in the east. Doing a tour of the Wicklow mountains and the monastic ruins at Glendalough is spectacular and can be a fantastic day out....accessible by your or car. It is one of Ireland's gems.

Seriously though try to go to Dingle and especially if you can take a boat out to see the Blaskets ....One of Ireland's magical jewels.

Absolutely LOVE Dingle but in the off season. Also with infinitely more time to explore the entire West Coast than you have. 48 hours doesn't do it justice.

You don't have the time and will spend far too much in travel.

Go to Glendalough from Dublin one day. It's gorgeous as are the Wicklow Mountains. On the following day take the 2 hour bus or train ride to Belfast. See the Titanic Museum, St George's Market, the Gaol and then ride back to Dublin.
That way you can say you saw two countries instead of one.

I'd vote for seeing Dingle Town and the peninsula. But, have you considered Connemara, an even more beautiful region? You can take the train from Dublin (Heuston Station) to Ennis or Galway. It takes only two and a half to three hours with no change of trains to Galway and only one to Ennis.

Irish Rail is at: [http://www.irishrail.ie/][1]

Greetings from Ireland,
Its true, 48 hours might be a little short to enjoy the beauty of Dingle, but it is doable.
Wicklow is lovely, I was there yesterday in beautiful Glendalough.
The Dingle peninsula is simply mesmerising though, I find it so beautiful moved there a few years ago from the North.
One post here suggested that "Shea Head (My note: its actually called Slea Head) and Dingle Bay can’t hold a candle" to coastal drives in California, Oregon and Washington.
I've honestly never in my life heard such an opinion from anyone else who's ever been there. Rick Steves raves about the Dingle Peninsula drive as does tens of thousands of his readers (and loads of other international visitors). So, with respect, I'd politely disagree with that viewpoint with vim and vigour.
I winter each year in the west coast USA, and its certainly wonderfully beautiful, but the Dingle Peninsula and Slea Head are equally so and are unique in many ways.
I'm confident you will not pass 6th century Celtic-Christian beehive huts or abandoned famine cottages on the roadside as you cruise along the Santa Barbara highway.
Le meas/with respect
Stephen McPhilemy
Rick Steves Ireland tour-guide,

Thank you to all of you for writing in response to my question. I actually decided to go to dingle and I must say it was the greatest decision of my trip! It does not hold a candle to anything else I’ve ever experienced. Beautiful beautiful mountains and water and history and people and music… Did a lot of the things that were recommended in the Rick Steves book including the archaeological tour of the loop, the pub crawl of music, horseback riding, and great Blasket island. Unforgettable and a highlight of my trip had a full 48 hours here and packed it in with a lot and it was great

Thanks for getting back to us and glad you enjoyed Dingle. I will be there myself in a few weeks! We would love a full trip report on your trip!
Slainte,
Tammy