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.