I am planning a 25th Anniversary trip to Scotland and Ireland. We fly in on October 23 and leave Nov.2nd. I know that's a lot to cover in that short time but, it's all the time we have. We are huge Outlander fans so Outlander stops are a must. My husband has always wanted to go to Ireland and so have I . I may not ever get him back over there so we have to spend some time in Ireland. I am thinking 7 days in Scotland maybe 8 and then 3 or 4 days in Ireland. PLEASE help me with must sees and things we need to do. We are from Louisiana and I know it's gonna be cold. This is the only time my husband can be off since we have to plan around his job and kids sports.
Posted by
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, USA
14818 posts
Do you have your flights yet? Where are you flying in to and out of?
Will you be renting a car for Scotland?
Will staying in Dublin be OK for your Ireland experience?
Sorry for all the questions but it will help folks help you.
Posted by
Bellingham, WA
463 posts
Sounds like you'll be in Ireland on 10/31. Probably a great day to visit Newgrange. Can be done as an organized day tour from Dublin. I agree with the previous poster, who suggested staying in Dublin if it's only 3-4 days. If you're able to fly into Edinburgh (or Glasgow, I guess) and out of Dublin, that will save you some travel time.
Posted by
Camano Island, WA, usa
1526 posts
A lot of people on this forum have used Rabbie's Tours for Scotland "Outlander" sites. If you are going this year 2024; they have some on sale now. If you are still interested in going to Ireland; you should consider a short flight from Scotland. Otherwise, you can take a bus from Glasgow and take a Ferry to Ireland which would take a chunk out of a Day. Some sites in Scotland do close in October or have fewer days or hours being open. Be sure to verify this. Also, you can book accommodations thru Rabbie's if you are taking their longer tours. Friends of mine stayed in a condo/apt in Edinburgh for a week (a better rate) and took day tours with Rabbie's and others. They didn't need to rent a car. She took some beautiful photos! I imagine you could do something similar if you stayed in Dublin. It shouldn't be freezing, but it may be rainy and windy. Look at www.visitscotland.org it is a good gateway site with lots of info. P.S. If you plan to sample at a distillery or brewery ... take a tour...do not drive yourself...there is no mercy for DUI! A lot of the tours are small group. I usually prefer driving, too...but you are going to have shorter daylight hours because you are at a latitude that is similar to Canada. You might appreciate someone else driving you home in the dark after a day of touring. Or maybe if you like slow travel, go to a nice resort and dine well! If you stay at B&Bs; some host a dinner meal.
Posted by
OP
2 posts
We are flying from Louisiana. We do plan on renting a car. I had suggested a tour with a driver or group but, Kendall says NO, he wants to drive himself so we can do whatever we want. Thanks for all the advice so far!!
Posted by
1607 posts
If you haven't bought your flight tickets yet fly into Ireland and out of Scotland or vice versa. That will minimize backtracking. Be honest about how many days you actually have on the ground. Do you leave on the 23rd - therefore making your arrival day the 24th? What time do you leave on the 2nd? Is it a full day or a partial day.
I have neither read nor watched the Outlander series but I know it's very popular. So popular Visit Scotland has a couple of websites on the filming locations. Maybe start there for planning your Scotland time. Filming locations, https://www.visitscotland.com/things-to-do/attractions/tv-film/outlander. Itinerary suggestion, https://www.visitscotland.com/things-to-do/attractions/tv-film/outlander/itinerary.
For Ireland look into a guide book or some travel videos to see what interests you. Do you like cities? Museums? Hiking? If cities you might base yourself in Dublin or Galway. If the rural areas interest you look into flying in Shannon Airport. And if you are coming from Scotland, see if you can fly into Cork Airport or Kerry Airport. That will put you on the west side of Ireland where most of the "must see" sites like the Ring of Kerry and Dingle Peninsula are located. If you return to the US directly from Ireland bear in mind you will pre-clear US immigration and customs in Ireland. That means you really must be at the airport 3 hours ahead of your departure time.
Finally be aware that driving in Ireland and Scotland takes longer than what Google maps might tell you. Especially in the rural areas you will not drive the posted speed limit. Many of the roads are only one lane in each direction or 1-1/2 lanes total. They may not have shoulders and may be bounded by rock walls and hedges.