Overwhelmed planning first Irish trip

@ kcoyne123 - Don't worry! You can do this, and in fact much of the "work" (high-level planning) has already been done for you and is available for free just a few clicks away. So relax, pour yourself a cup of Bailey's or your choice of refreshment, and follow along...

You've got about 10 full days. That's a little on the short side (but not as short as many try to do Ireland in) so you'll need to make some choices and tradeoffs, but it's certainly doable. I would begin this way: 1. Check out Rick's suggested itinerary ideas (see below), then using that as a starting point, get (if you don't already have it) the latest Rick Steves Ireland guidebook.

1) On this here website, look at the navigation panel at upper-left. Click Explore Europe > under "Countries" click "Ireland" > in the main (center) section scroll down and click "Plan" to expand the Plan section > click "Ireland: Recommended Itinerary". Viola, there's your starting point (direct link here).

You can follow Rick's recommendations closely or loosely, it's your trip so make your own choices. Note that some (many) folks regard Rick's suggested itineraries are pretty aggressive (fast-moving), and some folks prefer to slow down a bit (you probably shouldn't go faster than he suggests, the suggested pace is for folks willing to get up early each day to try to maximize their time in Europe). You may make different choices about where to go, but the suggested itineraries make a great first draft/rough plan that you can customize.

2) About the guidebook: Guidebooks are cheap in the scheme of your trip, it'll not only save you the cost of the book many, many times over, more importantly it'll give you a MUCH better trip. Use the book for planning and bring it with you for day-to-day use - it's money very well spent.

I'll add just a few tips from personal experience and learned from wise, experienced travelers here:

You have days planned in Dublin at both the beginning and end of your trip. You will make better use of your time if you don't do that (be in Dublin) twice. Since you have to be there at the end of your trip - the night before your flight home (so you don't miss your flight), when you arrive in Dublin, don't stay; push straight on to Galway. Flights almost always arrive in the morning or around mid-day. You're going to be jetlagged and tired from the flight so on your arrival day you won't be at 100% (for some, pretty wiped out). Don't expect too much of yourself on arrival day, but don't completely waste it either: use it to push on all the way to your actual destination, without stopping to rest up after the flight. So get on a bus direct to Galway (there's also a train, but I think the bus is a better, more efficient and convenient choice). It's super easy, comfy, relaxing and to me a no-brainer. Get off the bus in Galway, check into your B&B, go walk around the pleasant town in the fresh air, and try hard to stay awake until after dinner. Sleep deeply, and wake up with a smile - your Ireland trip actually starts that next (first) morning. END your trip in Dublin, because, well, you have to. Pushing on to Galway after your flight effectively buys you an extra day.

Ireland is awesome, you and your family will have a great time. Hope this helps get you started.

Not knowing anything about what your family’s common interests might be, a good starter itinerary is going to Galway for a couple nights and then driving to Limerick and then to the Dingle peninsula for two more nights. On the return to Dublin, you could base yourselves in Kinsale or Cobh and daytrip into Cork.

Visit Dublin for the final 3-4 nights. From Dublin, you could take a train & daytrip to Bru na Boinne (Newgrange) and perhaps Slane Castle.

Have great trip!

You are aware, I presume, that both Bus Eireann and JJ Kavanagh run buses direct from Waterford to Dublin Airport, including overnight services for people with very early flights.

I think you have done a fine job of planning your route and not being too rushed (you have avoided a lot of one night stops). I do agree with David about heading on to Galway upon arrival. The bus is easy from the airport and pretty convenient for arrival in Galway.

Otherwise, I say lock it in and start enjoying!

Your itinerary looks pretty solid overall, especially splitting time between cities and more remote areas - that'll give everyone a nice mix of experiences! Having done lots of Ireland road trips, I can tell ya that renting a car is def worth it for those rural areas, especially Connemara and around Killarney.

Just a heads up tho - driving in Ireland can be... interesting at first lol. The narrow roads and driving on the left take some getting used to. But dont stress too much! Most visitors get comfortable after a day or two. Pro tip - start your driving in Connemara where its quieter rather than trying to navigate city traffic right away.

If anyones nervous about the driving part, check out Tripiamo before you go. Their Ireland driving guides helped me tons with getting confident about driving there. The online guides teach all the fundamentals such as local driving culture, road rules, signs, and even driving on the "opposite side of the road"

For the tours vs flexibility question - honestly with Irish weather being what it is, having your own car gives you way more options. If it's pouring at the Cliffs of Moher, you can easily switch plans and explore some cool indoor spots instead. Plus you can stop whenever you spot a random castle or cute pub along the way!

And try not to stress too much about the planning - sometimes the unplanned moments end up being the best part of the trip