Please sign in to post.

First time trip advice

Posted by (Colorado) on

Hello all,

I'm a 45 year old single man flying in at the end of June to Ireland for my first time and coming alone. I land around 11am on the 29th of June and leave the afternoon of July 7th. I'm coming solo, so looking to have a rough plan of things to do, but leaving myself time to wander and experience things. I'm someone who doesn't feel the need to jam everyday full of stuff, just to say I've done it. I enjoy the outdoors, sports, music, and history as a rough guide to interests.

As it's my first time, I'm hoping to get some feedback and input on my plans, if they are doable, or too much.

For my trip, here's my general plan:

Day 1: Land in Dublin and explore the city.

Day 2: Pick up rental car and head west, allowing for detours along the way. I got a lot of feedback last time about Connemara and I'm interested in Diamond Hill. I'm thinking of staying on that area for the evening and doing the hike the next morning. Is it realistic to get here and then head to Galway/Doolin the next day? I know that driving can take longer than Google says it will.

Day 3: Visit Connemara and then head down through Galway and stay in Doolin.

Day 4. See the Cliffs of Moher and drive through the Burren. Torn between staying again to see the Aran Islands or heading south again to the Kerry area to stay in Killarney or Kenmare. Can the Cliffs and Burren be done in one day without rushing? I also imagine I'll be able to see the Cliffs from a ferry to the Aran Islands. Should I cut anything off this part of the trip?

Day 5: Ring of Kerry drive, spending the day meandering along the drive and stay the night in the area. I know Kerry also has a Dark Sky Reserve which sounds interesting. Has anyone done the Dark Sky tour and was it worth it? I've also heard that Cliffs of Moher are good, but that seeing Kerry can be better.

6: Head east again, see the Rock of Cashel and maybe stay in Waterford.

7: Drive through Kilkenny back to Dublin and plan to go to the Hurling semifinals that are happening that first weekend of July.

8: Day in Dublin.

9: Dublin in the morning and then fly home at 3pm.

I'd much rather have time to enjoy things than rush around to check things off a list, so I'm open to any other suggestions or feedback. Does this look reasonable or should I pare it down to allow more time in certain areas?

Thank you for reading and I appreciate any input.

Posted by
921 posts

Regarding your first few days: this may not be a super popular option for others (and please ignore if not for you), but I would suggest picking up your car at the airport when you land in Dublin, and do the easy drive to Galway the same day. When visiting Connemara and Arran Islands, just stay in Galway, and do them as very easy day trips from there. If going to Arran Islands from Galway, I say look into flying there with Arran Air. Then drive down south as you have planned and go through Burren with a stop at the Cliffs of Moher. When going back to Dublin, drop your car off and head into town for the duration of your stay.
You note wanting a leisurely trip, but the beginning part of your trip is a lot of moving hotel rooms and backtracking in general.

Posted by
2 posts

Thank you for the input and suggestions. I'll definitely look into those options.

Posted by
1 posts

Sounds like a great itinerary - our recent trip (ended two days ago) was very similar but in the clockwise direction. Currently some parking and access to Cliffs of Mor are closed - not sure how long that will persist. But in truth, our family prefers both the Kerry Cliffs (small crowds, and usually no bus loads), which are just as stunning, but in compact form, and the cliffs on the south side of Inis Mor - the biggest of the Aran Islands - with their shear drops and no barriers to the view, the Dun Aengus fortress, and the Wormhole. Highly recommend renting an e-bike for the day or two on Inis Mor, which greatly facilitates seeing the entire island. We did so this time and had a great time. On our prior visit we rented regular peddle bikes, saw less of the island, and were fairly exhausted at the end of the day. Recommend Aran Bike Hire - the team is fast and friendly. Mike - the owner - is in constant motion (managing multiple businesses on the island, including other bike hires), friendly, and very fair.

Also highly recommend Port Aran House for lodging, up the hill from the ferry pier in Lower Kilronan. Kevin and Sokha are delightful, and manage a newly renovated BnB. The view from the deck is incredible.

Add Reply

Please do not reply to violations of our Community Guidelines.