Driving from Belfast to Dublin

Last year we flew into Dublin and left from Larne (near Belfast)by ferry. There is plenty to see in the remainder of Ireland without that section. My sister met us in Dublin, she had come from Scotland via Larne, driving to Dublin. She said that drive was mostly on divided highway and not as scenic as teh rest of our trip. There may be scenic spots off the main road, I am not sure, though I was in Newtonards nearly 40 years ago and recall it as being quite pleasant with a lot of lakes, etc, but relatively flat.

I drove from Belfast to Dublin a couple of years ago. I took the coastal route because I love the sea and also to stop at the St. Patrick center. The center was worth the trip even though it was very small. I also took a side jog to the "mountains" of which the locals are very proud. Since I have lived in the Rockies, I had to catch their perspective to appreciate how they feel, but that is part of what traveling is all about, right? I was by myself on this trip, so I talked to lots of locals and got a lot so great advice on where to eat, etc. I even was directed to a restaurant which served vegan food! Wow! In the countryside of Ireland, even. Fantastic.

Yes the drive from Belfast is mostly highway and not very scenic. You could take a more scenic route, it'll take longer and you probably wont see anything more spectacular than you have seen the previous 3 weeks.

Will you be renting a car? If so, check the one-way dropoff terms and conditions. There will more than likely be a fee in dropping the car off in Belfast.

Thank you all very much for sharing your knowledge. This is exactly what we were looking for. And thanks for the reminder about the extra drop fee. There is one, but it looks like we make up for it by saving a day and getting a cheaper flight from Belfast.

We really appreciate your help.