Ireland 5 day itinerary honeymoon HELP!

Hi Sarah - congratulations on your marriage! Just checking - in visiting several places, especially in western Ireland, I presume you're planning on renting a right-hand drive car, rather than using the Bus Éireann bus or other means of transport?

You have time to see the Cliffs of Moher on Day 5 if you have an evening flight out of Shannon. The drive from Dingle to the Cliffs, via the Killimer-Tarbert ferry across the Shannon River (instead of going around Limerick), will take you about 3.5 hours. So, if you leave Dingle at 8:00 am you should be at the Cliffs by noon. Shannon Airport is only an hour or so away from there, and you need maybe an hour before flying out for security (since you are going to Edinburgh, not the US). It's doable if your flight is late enough.

Cyn- Yes, We are renting a car but we're not having the rental car in the big cities (ie Dublin, Edinburgh, London)-- good question!
Nancy- That was very encouraging since my husband is an early morning man (5:30am) and when it comes to seeing it all I will sacrifice my mornings : ) The ferry idea is interesting, I will have to explore that more rather than go through Limerick.

The ferry is fun. Just a 20-min crossing, can't remember what it cost, to be honest. I use www.viamichelin..com for routing and other information. Add about 25% to their driving time estimates, though, especially in the west.

Sarah - you'll be traveling faster with a car than we did by bicycle in 2011 (and we used that great ferry, too). If time and your interests allow, if you make it to visit the Cliffs of Moher, also see a bit of the Burren just to the east - a truly unique place with interesting terrain and plant life, plus some historic, Neolithic sights. Just even do a brief drive-by, if you won't have time for a longer visit to the Burren.

Sarah, you are packing an awful lot in just five days. Remember the weather in Ireland, especially the west, is very variable. It could be perfect or it could rain all day. Remember roads in Ireland are often very narrow and in bad weather driving could take longer than it appears on the map. My advice is to either spend a couple more days in Ireland or stick to just one of the coasts. Dublin, the Wicklow Mountains and The Valley of the Boyne on the east coast would easily take five days. You could fly into Shannon and do The Cliffs of Moher and stay in Doolin for the best Traditional music in Ireland. Then go to Dingle. Be sure to do the Slea Head Loop Drive with a stop at the Blasket Island Centre, Gallarus Oratory, Riasc Monastery, and other sites. Be sure to take a day trip to Great Blasket Island. On the way there be on the look out for Fungi the dolphin.

Happy Traveling,
Steve

Nancy-- I'm glad it's 20 minutes, that makes it absolutely worthwhile!! Thanks for the website tip and adding 25% to our driving time in the west...I really don't trust the internet or GPS to say what actual driving conditions are.

Cyn-- Bicycle sounds amazing though!! I don't know if I would be brave doing that knowing the weather conditions of the isles : )) I looked into the Burren and honestly Rick's DVD discouraged us from going there, it seemed a bit barren...the Barren Burren... but maybe a drive-by : )

Cashelguy 59-- That's what I'm really worried about and why I posted to get everyone's true thoughts. Yes, weather can be tricky. I was spoiled on my last visit to England and had the most perfect weather in July. I really have to remember to be realistic. I've written out a plan to get a better idea and it looks like 6 full days including travel:
Day 1- arrive shannon airport and settle in Doolin; Day 2 Cliffs of Moher and Travel to Dingle; Day 3 Dingle Peninsula and travel to kilkenny; Day 4 rock of cashel and travel to Dublin; Day 5- Side trips out of Dublin (mainly just Bru na Boinne) and explore Dublin late afternoon/night +/- night flight to Edinburgh or Day 6- Explore Dublin in morning and Flight to Edinburgh afternoon.

PS All of you are amazing!

Looks good to me! And while, yes, it could rain, you just have to not let that stop you. The rain in Ireland is usually more like sprinkly mist, not a downpour. Just consider it part of the Ireland experience. If your flight comes in in the morning, you could see Bunratty Castle just six miles away from the airport. You would also have plenty of time to see the Cliffs on the way to Doolin. Since they are on the west coast, the Cliffs will have the sun on them in the afternoon. That might be a better time to see them than in the morning on your way back south.

Nancy gave great advice. We really liked the Bunratty Folk Park and it is a chance to get around and have some fresh air after the flight. Also to stop at the Cliffs especially if it is a nice day. You also have to keep in mind if you are going to stay in a B&B you probably won't be able to check in early. Also recommend having lunch before getting to Doolin. Have been there about four times and each time it is so much more crowded. It is a very, very tiny village and when we went there last October, we couldn't get out of the car park at lunch as two tour buses were unloading with about fifty people trying to get into the restaurants. In Dingle, highly recommend Celli Breach B&B, spelling is not correct but it is the best. They have a lovely balcony on second floor where you can make tea in your own room and watch over the water. Enjoy.

Hi Sarah-taking a walking tour of the Burren with a local guide really makes the seemingly-barren-at-first area come alive. It's really a wondrous place, with sub-alpine plants growing right next to orchids due to the climate. You'll learn how crops could be grown on such otherwise bleak land, and get a bit of history, too. We signed up for a tour with Tony Kirby (whom I understand Rick Steves is recommending in his next guidebook edition) out of the Burren Center in Kilfenora, but Rick has also recommended another experienced person for years. It was well worth our time and the small cost to learn about this unique place.

You don't mention when you're going, but the Burren in the late spring is magical. There are thousands of amazing tiny wildflowers growing in the cracks in the limestone. The Burren center is a good orientation, and I really enjoyed a trip to the Burren perfumery (and my male companion also enjoyed it, since they have a wonderful garden there).

With the amount of time you have, I would probably stick to either the West Coast or the East Coast, but only you can determine what's most important to you.

As Gail mentioned, it's best to eat lunch before you get to Doolin. If you go to Bunratty, there is a little shopping center right across the road where they had a nice cafeteria the last time I was there. We got our rental car, drove to Bunratty (a nice, short practice in driving on the other side of the road), then got lunch, and walked around. Doolin is only maybe 90 minutes away, so no hurry (and you pass the Cliffs on the way). And being out in the sun and fresh air will help you adjust to the time difference.