Day 1: NYC to Dublin
Day 2: Dublin
Day 3: Dublin
Day 3: Galway
Day 4: Galway - aran islands
Day 5: Cliffs of moher/Ring of Kerry/kilarney
Day 6: Ring of Kerry/Kenmare
Day 7: Shannon back to NYC
Or does anyone have alternative suggestions for this amount of time? Thank you!
Overall, you really are looking like you have just 5 actual days on the ground outside of your Day 1 & Day 7 travel days from/to the U.S. Are you renting a car once you leave Dublin, or taking train from Dublin to Galway and only renting the car for when you plan to do Days 5, 6 & 7?
I think your Day 5 & 6 are too much. You don't seem to take into account that while Google Maps might be telling you a trip is a certain amount of time, you really want to be adding about 25% onto that estimated time. Driving from Point A to Point B in some parts of Ireland can take longer than you think if you aren't used to their roads, and you don't seem to be giving yourself much time to actually stop, get out of the car and enjoy whatever it is you just drove all that way to see before you need to get onto your next stop.
Have an alternate plan for Aran Islands in the event you can't get out there. Ferry service can often be canceled even during sunny weather due to choppy seas - and be flexible if you do manage to get out there. Ferry service can be canceled for these same reasons and you might find yourself, unexpectedly, needing to stay overnight until service resumes.
I just traveled to Ireland in April with a similar itinerary:
Day 1: Dublin;
Day 2: Dublin;
Day 3: Dublin to Galway (stopping at Trim Castle and Athenry)
Day 4: Cliffs of Moher, Limerick, Dingle
Day 5: Dingle
Day 6: Killarney, Cobh, Enniskerry
We opted for Dingle rather than the Ring of Kerry. We also flew in and out of Dublin.
Day 4 was long for us - got to the Cliffs around 10am, Limerick around 1pm, and didn't arrive in Dingle until 6pm. Also, Day 6 was long, with lots of travel to get back to the east coast (in order to catch our flight the next afternoon out of Dublin).
Day 5 looks like it may be too much. Driving from the cliffs and doing the entire drive of the Ring of Kerry seems like a lot, never mind adding Killarney too. Depending on when you land, perhaps stay two nights in Dublin and give yourself another night in or around Kerry.
Thanks both! Really appreciate the thoughts.
