Rental car vs. Guided Day Trips

You hint you like to do things on your schedule and not be dependent on another’s schedule, so I vote for a rental car. I haven’t been to Newgrange, but you could spend an entire day in Glendalough. Most tours would probably give you a couple hours. The Monastic City is good for an hour, then there’s the walk to the nearby waterfall. Very nice scenery.

Thank you. Very helpful guidance. Just the nudge that I needed.

The guided tours are wonderful and comfortably arranged and are excellent options. That being said personally would go with a rental car every time. So much flexibility. Newgrange is awesome and nearby you can at your pace visit Knowth - the Battle of the Boyne battlefield (excellent) or just down the road a ways Tara.

Near Glendalogh there is the gorgeous Wicklow Gap....also Sallys Gap and a number of excellent restaurants and pubs within a short drive.

Tours are well done and eliminate hassles....but the flexibility of a car is so worth it. Just avoid driving IN Dublin - that is a nightmare.

Terrific information. I really appreciate your input as I have been struggling with this decision. The tours seem easier in some ways but less efficient and too cookie cutter. Many thanks.

We agree with your preference for flexibility and autonomy; just returned from 3 weeks in Ireland. After Dublin, we traveled by rental car. That said, while in Dublin we took the Mary Gibbons day trip to Newgrange and Tara. It was highly enjoyable and educational, and it was nice not to be driving. If interested, you can put her name in the Search field above and get thoughts from others who have done the same.

We had the same concerns regarding day trips. After doing some research, we decided to take the Mary Gibbons tour to Newgrange and the Hill of Tara and highly recommend it. Mary's brother was our guide. He's a former researcher at the Museum of Archeology and provided excellent information on the history of the Boyne Valley. By taking the Mary Gibbons tour you are guaranteed access to Newgrange. Tickets sell out during peak periods. Because the Glendalough/Wicklow/Powerscourt tours do not leave much time for any of those locations, we decided to do those areas on our own. We rented a car from the Conn's Ireland Hertz location on the South Circular Road. It gives you easy access to the roads that take you south of Dublin. You really don't want to drive in Dublin.

Thank you rca. Good advice about the driving vs. tours and for the tour operator recommendation. I will definitely look into.

Thank you kclyons. I think we will follow your advice and do the Mary Gibbons tour and the rental car. Good to mix it up especially if the guides are so good.

Piling on with kclyons: Mary's brother (Phelan I believe) was our guide as well. Perfect blend of scholarship, humor and Irish charm. (As I recall, he said he does it just one day a week; might be worth an inquiry if you book.)