Dublin/Belfast

Are you just basing yourself in Dublin and Belfast?

DUBLIN
Time to explore Dublin
Day trips from Dublin - Newgrange (Mary Gibbon's tours are highly recommended)
Day trip to Glendalogh and Powerscourt Gardens (several companies do this).
Day trip to Kilkenny - 90 minutes on the train

BELFAST
Time to explore the city - black cab tour? Titanic exhibition
Day trip to Ulster Folk Museum at Cultra - easily done by bus or train from Belfast - information here.
Day trip to Giant's Causeway

When is the trip?

Dublin:
Long Room at Trinity College and Book of Kells
Farmleigh House
St Stephen’s Green
Have a pint at The Confession Box pub

Belfast:
Titanic Museum
St George’s Market
Mourne’s Seafood by Kelly Cellar’s pub
Ulster Museum
Crumlin Road Goal
Giant’s Causeway

The trip is the first week of August - so very last minute. The thinking behind basing in those two places is mostly because transportation seems a bit overwhelming to plan if we travel more places. But totally open to a suggestion! Thanks for the ideas so far.

We visited Belfast and Dublin last year for a week. Here's my trip report, in case you find it helpful. https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/countryside-castles-and-celts-croatia-and-ireland-trip-report-part-2-ireland

It might be too late but for sure but try to.get tickets to see Kilmainhaim.Gaol in Dublin.

You have gotten some good recommendations.

I second the idea of pre-booking the Kilmainham Gaol. On my first two trips to Dublin, I didn't and couldn't get in. For my third, I pre-booked. Well worth it.

I'm also going to suggest a Black Cab tour in Belfast. Numerous companies offer this.

I'd also get your hotel reservations done ASAP. Both cities are busy this summer.

The train between Dublin and Belfast is easy. If you're going to or from the Dublin Airport there is direct service to Belfast.

Yes definitely get accommodation booked asasp. The first week of August will be peak holiday time and many places will already be fully booked.

I don't think we were able to take the train right from Dublin airport to Belfast. We would have had to take a bus to a train station first. So, we took Aircoach (bus). If you choose this option, buy your ticket in advance, because you might not get on, otherwise, if it's busy.

We could have taken the train from Belfast back into Dublin (city, not airport), but the bus station was very close to our hotel in Belfast, so we took the bus back, too. (Because I hadn't booked round-trip tickets when I booked with Aircoach, I had to book with Translink to return, but if you book with Aircoach to start with, you can book round trip.)

https://www.rome2rio.com/s/Dublin-Airport-DUB/Belfast-Central-Station

This is all assuming you are flying in and out of Dublin, and heading straight to Belfast from the airport.

you can do the giants causeway via public transport i will post below how to do just that

We just got back from a 7 day trip to Dublin. I would highly recommend taking DART to Howth, a cute little coastal village recommended by several locals. It was only about a 30 minute trip 9trains are about every 30 minutes). There is a coastal path with beautiful scenery. Lots of restaurants, pubs, and ice cream shops. Howth Castle is closed to the public, but you can walk the grounds. Well worth the trip!

Tickets to Kilmainham Gaol were sold out weeks in advance, but several locals told us that they release any canceled tickets for the day each morning. We were able to get tickets for a Sunday afternoon when we checked the website at 10am. You cannot get tickets on site, so must book ahead. It is right next to the Modern Art Museum, which is one of 4 free museums in Dublin.

If you are interested in distillery tours, we enjoyed Jameson and Teeling. The Guinness tour was pretty touristy, but we liked the add-on for a ‘stoutie’ where we had the chance to sit and talk with other visitors.