Please sign in to post.

First Trip to Ireland-Help!

Posted by on

Hello,

My husband and I are going to Ireland for a wedding in late August of this year (2026) and are struggling to make the best out of our trip. We will have 5 days after the wedding (not including our final day, which will just be the journey home to the states). We have already decided on (and booked, non-refundable) 2 nights in Galway straight from the wedding venue in Cavan. Our original plan was to spend two nights in Doolin and then head back to Dublin for the final day to be prepared to fly out of Dublin on our last day. But, now we are thinking it might make more sense to just go back to Dublin from Galway and just spend our final three days in Dublin and doing day trips to places like the Wicklow Mountains national forest and Howth Cliffs. We have been told Galway is great time, which is why we booked that straight away, but really want to enjoy the natural beauty of the country without spending too much time in the rental car and bouncing around from hotel to hotel. We also realize we are visiting during peak visitor season, which is making everything much more expensive.

We have not ever done a trip like this, and are working a bit outside of our means for this trip, so we really want to make sure we are making the most out of our time, but are a bit lost.

Can anyone provide some guidance on what we should do with these final days so that we are exploring some natural beauty without being stuck in the car for too long?

Posted by
552 posts

You'll find most of Ireland's dramatic natural beauty in the West, so after your two nights in Galway take the ferry directly from downtown to one of the three the Aran Islands, where you'll hear Irish spoken, for a night or two. Lots to explore, especially on Inishmore (e.g., Dun Aengus ring fort).

Alternatively, drive the Connemara loop west out of Galway and spend the night in lively Clifden and/or in the seaside village of Roundstone. And be sure to drive through the gorgeous and peaceful north-south Inagh Valley (on R344) along the way. Assuming you can drop the car in Galway, take the train back to Dublin.

And in lieu of hotels, book rooms in traditional Irish B&Bs. They're less expensive and much more personal, since you'll be staying in Irish homes and meeting the families. But reserve them now, as competition is heavy. I'd be glad to make some suggestions if you opt for B&Bs over hotels.

https://www.aranislandferries.com/#indseo

https://www.irishrail.ie/en-ie

Posted by
8422 posts

We are going to Ireland in September, and I've booked all our accommodations. If it helps you decide, charming BnBs are much less expensive than Dublin accommodations. Unfortunately, at least for us, the Doolin and Galway accommodations were more expensive than other inns along the coastline of Ireland, but still less expensive than Dublin.

If you do really want to stay in/near Dublin, consider Derwent Lodge just outside of Dublin, and a 10 minute bus ride to city center. It is also 10 minutes from Howth.

https://derwentlodgebandb.com/

You are going to want to book accommodations quickly. Especially near Doolin and Galway where I struggled to find places with an opening. If you decide on what cities you plan to visit, I'm happy to share the places I've booked, most around 110-150 euro.

Posted by
1926 posts

If I understand correctly, you have two nights remaining to be booked. If David's suggestion of the Aran Islands fits within your timeline, it's a fine suggestion. If you need to be closer to the Dublin airport on your last night, I suggest stopping off in Athlone and spending your last night (or two, if you didn't stay in Athlone) in Howth or Malahide or at the place suggested in the other comment that has access to Dublin and Howth.

Posted by
8422 posts

Sincere apologies David. Was just trying to be helpful. I'm in the process of planning two trips. For one the currency is indeed the GBP. For the other trip, the currency is the euro and the GBP depending on where we are in the trip.

Posted by
552 posts

Celebratory pints will be raised all over the Republic this fine evening in the knowledge that the Euro yet reigns. But boy do I miss the punt!

Add Reply

Please do not reply to violations of our Community Guidelines.