Breaking up the Dublin to Dingle Drive with Kids

Thanks to all of you for the helpful suggestions. Staying around Cork is a great idea and I appreciate the tip about the road being good (this will be our first day driving, so easy roads are a good thing). Kinvarra is the site of the themed dinner. Not usually our thing, but thought we'd try some new things that might entertain our daughter. Any recommendations on where to stay our last night within 10-15 minutes of Dublin airport? I prefer to not stay at a sterile airport hotel for our last night, but, given our need to be at the airport relatively early the next morning, I would like to be fairly close. We will have already been in Dublin for two days to start the trip, so a smaller town north of Dublin would be great.

I'd be more inclined to suggest Cork for the overnight, with a stopoff in Cashel on the way, Cork is the second city in Ireland (or as the locals will tell you 'the real capital boi') so there will be more to do there. There is an excellent road between Dublin and Cork. You're doing the right thing of course on the way back, going up through County Clare, don't rush through it. I'm not sure about kid friendly activities, but she will be treated like a little princess wherever she goes

If you do the drive north out of Dingle take the ferry and avoid the drive around through Limerick. I had never done a car ferry but it's easy and straightforward and keeps you out of the city and on the coast for that great drive, especially if you want to see the Cliffs of Moher. The cliffs are pretty amazing and they have a large information center with exhibits and stuff that would be pretty kid friendly. This may be heresy but I found Galway completely skippable. I know it's supposed to be a stop but I found it to be a frustrating city to drive in without a single street sign anywhere and not that exciting once you figured out where you were. Maybe I just had an atypical bad experience there but if you approach by car be ready for navigational challenges. Did I mention there are no street signs? As you approach Dublin Trim has an interesting castle can decent grounds if your child would enjoy that. You need to take the tour to get inside the castle - worth it if you're there - but there are plenty of wall and older outbuildings to investigate without taking the tour. The grounds of Muckross House is an amazing park south of Killarney if you're coming from the Cork area and as I think entrance to the park is free. The tour of the house costs money and it's kind of interesting but it's stuffy and not really a kid thing anyway. Doesn't Kinvarra have the have the theme dinners in the castle? Some people really report liking it if that is your thing or you think might be fun to do as a family. Hope that helps,
=Tod

How about a visit to a donkey sanctuary?
It's in Co. Clare, outside of Liscarroll, a beautiful farm where they care for abused and abandoned donkeys. They rescue and treat them, and give them a home for the rest of their lives. The farm overlooks the ruins of a 12th century castle, too. It was one of the highlights of our trip, and I have recommended it to many people. You can find more information here: http://www.thedonkeysanctuary.ie/visit

Dublin itself isn't really far from the airport timewise if you take the Dublin Airporter bus. If you choose a place near the airport bus line you could drop the car at the airport, buy a roundtrip ticket and bus into the city and then back in the morning. Now if you're not going to have any time to see the city then it doesn't make any sense to spend the cost of staying in Dublin for no real reason other than to do it. The city area right near the airport is called Swords which I got to know driving around looking for a gas station before I turned the car in. (At the roundabout into the airport take the Swords exit instead.) It is s neer area with large malls and business parks mostly from what I saw. But beyond that I don't have an airport hotel recommendation. I didn't do the castle dinner - not my thing either - but some people seem to really like it and I thought it might be something that might entertain your daughter. We saw some of the castle by going up to the artist's co-op upstairs - they charge to tour it but had been to Trim the day before. =Tod

second the motion on not going to Galway. Head back towards Dublin and maybe check-out Newgrange on any website to see if that might be worth touring. One reminder that people might not realize is that you go through U.S. customs while in the Dublin airport. This means you need to plan extra time in the Dublin airport to clear customs at the beginning of your flight.

If your flight home isn't too early, you might consider staying in Drogheda which is about 20 miles or so north of the airport.The drive from Drogheda to the airport is on a good fast road, not little country lanes..... We stayed there at the D Hotel last April. Drogheda is near New Grange - if you want to see New Grange which is well worth a visit, get there early morning so you can get on the first or second tour. (Access is only by tour and they don't take reservations.) Trim Castle, a couple of ruined abbeys, and the Hill of Tara are also in that area.......If you are visiting Cashel, be sure to also stop at nearby Hore Abbey. It's a lovely ruin and you can great pictures of the Rock of Cashel from the Abbey. If you want another stop in that area, we really enjoyed visiting Birr Gardens, a huge estate north of Cashel. Lots of space where you child can run around and really good ice cream right outside the entrance......Considering other "kid friendly," you might want to consider the jaunting cars/ return by boat through the lakes tour in Kilarney, if you are going that way.

You also go through US customs when leaving Ireland through Shannon Airport.

The two big ruined monastic settlements are Glendalough and Clonmacnoise. See which one is more on your way and use it as a stop. You don't need to see both but I think the kids would enjoy it.

We just returned from our trip, and I wanted to mention the Evergreen B&B in Swords. The owners are very hospitable, and it is only 10 minutes north of the airport.