Using various information, we have made an plan for a 7 night trip in Ireland. We have ideas for some of our days and are VERY flexible travelers. We have never been to Europe at all and are just looking to have a great time and not be too pressured. We work in the tourism/outdoor industry in US and would LIKE to finally be tourists ourselves. Any ideas for our days and revisions are welcome. Thanks for your help! Arrive Dublin early on Monday Monday: Drive to Kilkenny overnight there (we have heard there is a beautiful route?) Tuesday: Drive to Kinsale Cork: overnight (or skip stay and visit?) Wednesday: Drive to Killarney: stay there or in Dingle (much is closed then)- see the National Park one day and the penninsula Thursday: Stay night in same hotel/BB Friday: Stay in Galway or Doolin? The Burren? Saturday: Drive to Dubin- cheaper to keep rental than return and bus/cab in to place in CCenter we think? Sunday: Dublin
Monday: Fly home around midday
Posted by
Downingtown, USA
2448 posts
Do you have flights booked? If not, would suggest you fly into Dublin and home from Shannon or vice versa. If you are locked into flights already, you do not need a car in Dublin at all.
Posted by
Bloomington, IL, USA
9371 posts
The route that you speak of, through the Wicklow Mountains, will not be particularly beautiful in November. It is likely to be a combination of rainy/overcast/foggy, and the trees will be bare. I would suggest seeing Glendalough on the way south, though. Just don't expect great scenery on the drive. Are you planning on going to Kinsale or Cork or both? Not too far (and kind of on your way) is the Rock of Cashel, Cahir (with its castle in the river), and Blarney. I would suggest then spending the night in Kinsale. You can drive north from Dingle or Killarney via the Tarbert-Killimer ferry or through the Shannon tunnel east of there. Either would save a bit of driving time versus going around through Limerick. Then you could see the Cliffs of Moher and the Burren (and Doolin, if you want). Galway is a nice city, but it's better as a jumping off point for Connemara, and you won't have time for that. Next time! It will not be cheaper to keep your rental than to take the bus to the city center of Dublin when you consider the cost of parking a car you aren't using (after driving it through traffic and looking for a place to park it). If you can't do an open jaw itinerary as Gail suggested, I would suggest dropping the car on your way back into Dublin.
Posted by
OP
New Orleans, Louisiana
2 posts
Thanks for your prompt replies! We are trying to figure it all out... It should be an exciting trip!
Posted by
San Francisco
124 posts
Way too much driving, that will eat up all your time. Skip Cork and add a second night in Galway. I'd stay in Killarney over Dingle. Tue , drive to Killarney - 2 nights, Thur drive to Galway - 2 nights
Posted by
Wetumpka, Al, US
5 posts
We stayed in Dublin for 8 nights the end of August and into September. We did not rent a car and bought a hop-on-hop-off bus ticket for three days so we could check out Dublin. For day trips to other parts of Ireland we booked through a tour group. They did the driving and we got to check out the scenery and use the free wi-fi to check in back home. Three day trips for us was enough without being over stressed. We got to visit Belfast, Carrick A Rede Island, Giant's Causeway on one day trip, Blarney, Cobh and Cork for our second. Cliffs of Moher, Kinvara, The Burren, Doolin and Bunratty Castle finished out our third day trip. Trips left between 7:30-8:30am and returned to Dublin in time for a late dinner. Our tour group was great, and a plus was the pickup point was right around the corner from where we were staying. What we saved on rental car fees I did make up with shopping at the woolen mills! We ended our last day trip on a Tuesday since we were flying back on Thursday. That gave us plenty of time to rest, relax and box up all my goodies to ship home. Since we only traveled with backpacks it gave us time to repack everything to make sure we wouldn't run out of space.
Love Dublin!