Please sign in to post.

Contemplating a more Northern itinerary for first time visit and need some advice

I'm visiting Ireland for the first time with my husband in mid August. The first two days we will be in Belfast for his work. Originally I had planned on 2 nights in Dublin, followed by a trip going south to Cork, Kerry and the Dingle Peninsula before returning for our final night in Dublin. Instead, now I'm thinking we should leave Belfast and head north for one night at Bushmill's and explore the Giant's Causeway. That will leave me with 3 nights, 4 days on the road before heading back to Dublin for our last 2 nights. (We are flying in and out of Dublin.)

Please advise: Where, in that limited time, would you recommend we visit? I'd love some epic scenery, the ability to walk on some trails and places where we can have a back up in case the weather is miserable. I would prefer, if possible, to have 2 consecutive nights in one place.

Also, should I skip Bushmills/Causeway and head directly out west?
Donegal, Sligo, Galway, Killary, they all sound wonderful, and that is part of my problem here. I'm open to all suggestions.

Many thanks in advance!

Posted by
317 posts

Greetings from Ireland.
Id avoid Bushmills as an overnight, there is very little going on there each evening (or anytime) and maybe stay in Portrush, which is a few miles away and marginally more lively in the evenings and has beautiful and epic beach walks and along the sand-dunes.
Then Derry would be a good option if you liked history, its also my home-town so Im passionate about it, but you could also stop here for a half-day visit and move on over to Donegal and checkin somewhere nice, out in the bluestack mountains maybe and do a lot of liking, or over near Glenveagh national park, simply glorious. Maybe drive home to Dublin via Sligo and WB Yeats country.
Oh. Forgot to mention. The Glens of Antrim are also beautiful and only an hour or more from Belfast.
Let me know if you have any other questions
Le meas/with respect
Stephen McPhilemy
Rick Steves Ireland Tour-Guide
Dingle and Derry

Posted by
317 posts

In my previous post I meant to type 'hiking' not 'liking', though in Donegal you'll most likely do a lot of 'liking' also.
Slainte
Stephen

Posted by
1862 posts

We've had the pleasure of several trips to Ireland. The highlights, IMHO, are Connemara and the Beara Peninsula, the Ring of Kerry, and the Dingle Peninsula. The Burren is an interesting place to stop between Dingle and Connemara. We went to Donegal on our most recent trip - it was also scenic, but the west and southwest is more scenic for a first trip.

A few lovely places to stay: Tahila Cove near Kenmare, Castlewood in Dingle, and Ballynahinch Castle Hotel near Roundstone in Connemara.