Hello all! First post on here, grew up watching Rick Steves and I have traveled internationally once. It's now my turn to plan in my fiance and I's first international trip together for our honeymoon in October 2024. Reading through the tips on here, we feel a bit more prepared instead of going in head first, but still would love anyone's input on an itinerary or places to stay that wouldn't break the bank. We're both in the service industry but have been trying to save up for Ireland for a time, and we can't wait!
We would love to stay away from tourist traps and admire the festivals and nature parks Ireland has. We haven't set in stone where we'd like to fly into or out of yet, and are pretty flexible with where we can go. Our main thing is just enjoying each other's company and having a lovely trip for all the memories! We're big foodies (I've been thinking about finding him a cooking class) and we love folklore and live music.
Thanks for all your help!
Posted by
Bend, Oregon
2324 posts
How exciting! I’m sure you’ll have a wonderful time.
A little more info might help with itinerary suggestions:
1) How many nights do you expect to be in Ireland?
2) Are you planning to rent a car or use public transportation?
3) What is your nightly budget for hotels? Or total trip budget (excluding airfare)?
Posted by
OP
3 posts
Haha, that would be helpful to include! We're aiming for around 7-10 days, including travel time. We're not quite sure if we want to stay more towards Northern Ireland (the Halloween/Samhain Festival seems like an unforgettable experience) or roadtrip east to west. Dingle has been catching my eye lately.
We're likely renting a car, though wouldn't be opposed to public transportation if the need arises.
Ideally for lodging, we wouldn't spend over $50-70 per night, though we know getting closer to festival season and bigger cities that may need some wiggle room. We'd love to spend more time/expenses on experiences and food. Mainly food.
Posted by
Chicago
505 posts
For me Ireland is among the most romantic countries of the 23 I have visited. You chose wisely to go there on a honeymoon.
Festivals: Think about going to the Fleadh Cheoil in August, Ireland's top music festival. It moves from town to town by the year, including Northern Ireland once. In 2024, the Fleadh will be in Wexford in the southeast of the Republic: https://fleadhcheoil.ie/
Also, the Galway International Arts Festival in July is highly recommended: https://www.giaf.ie/
A great park in the northwest of Ireland is Glenveagh: https://www.nationalparks.ie/glenveagh/
I've walked two 100-mile-long trails, the Dingle Way (https://www.dingleway.com/) and Wicklow Way (https://www.wicklowway.com/). I've also climbed Crough Patrick (https://westporttourism.com/croagh-patrick/), which took 2.5 hours to climb. Both are excellent for hiking, especially Dingle with stunning views of Dingle Bay on the south coast and the Atlantic Ocean on the north coast.
Finally, take a trip to one of the Aran Islands, where there is a ton of authentic culture. (https://www.aranislandferries.com/). I've been there twice.
Posted by
Salem, Oregon, USA
2355 posts
Welcome to the forum! You've updated that you have 7-10 days including travel time, which really means you have 6-9 nights, correct? You lose a day going over and you'll be jet lagged on arrival day. Perhaps consider this RS tour itinerary as a starting point, but possibly skip Dublin (it's just more expensive) https://www.ricksteves.com/tours/ireland/heart-ireland
I'm sorry to say but you're probably going to have a hard time finding hotel rooms on that budget, especially in Dublin, unless you stay in a hostel or find an inexpensive apartment rental or AirBnB (though some of these will have minimum stay requirements). You might want to start with airfares first as this will eat up a major part of your budget. Depending on your departure airport, some airlines have good prices to Shannon versus Dublin, and that could help you decide where to focus your time. Car rentals (and fuel) are going to be a big chunk of your budget as well. Once you nail down the prices for those two big items, then you can move on to planning within the remainder of your budget.
I loved Ireland and they'll be toasting your honeymoon celebration in the pubs for sure. Best of luck and congratulations!
Posted by
OP
3 posts
Thank you all for your kind words and help so far!
I think both of us after looking at some pricing in the bigger cities, we're both quite a bit more inclined to check out smaller places and less urban locations. Both of us are homebodies anyways! After doing some research on my end, Dingle and the various walkways nearby have started to pique my interest. That, and potentially taking a ferry over to the Aran Islands sounds like just the unplug from the hustle and bustle of our city lives that'd we'd need! Looking forward to drinking a nice pint of Guinness or a lovely pot of tea in a cozy pub or B&B. Starting to plan all this has made it quite a bit more real, and so very exciting :)
Posted by
284 posts
Look into flying in and out of Shannon instead of Dublin. I am tracking fares there now for September and it seems generally about $150 RT cheaper from Denver. Plus you will be closer to the Dingle Way.
Posted by
Vermont, USA
697 posts
My husband and I went to Ireland for 9 days about 20 years ago. It was one of the best vacations we’ve ever had.
We rented a car, brought a guidebook, and just drove, stopping wherever we felt like it — no itinerary. Lots of gorgeous hikes and wanders.
We stayed at B&Bs and would call ahead in the morning for that night’s reservation. I don’t know if this is still possible given how much tourism has spiked lately; maybe you need reservations more than a day in advance now. But do check out B&Bs — they can be very cost effective, especially since breakfast is included.
We wound up staying entirely on the west coast because it was so lovely. I remember that Galway had a great bar/music scene, but again, that was a long time ago.
Have fun planning, and have a wonderful vacation!
Posted by
Phoenix🌵
2743 posts
Congratulations Kylie and welcome to the forum. Have you thought about visiting less touristy places to save money? It’s been 30+ years since a friend and I went horseback riding and touring in Ireland. I’m sure things have changed a lot since then. Dingle now is very popular. You might look at Skibbereen and Cobh on the south coast and Bandon slightly inland or look even farther inland. There may be less expensive but just as charming places to visit.