Ireland in 7 days

There's no way you could easily fit Belfast into the rest of your plan. I think it looks fine the way it is.

Darin,

I think you could do Belfast, but I'd rather do the ROK and Killarney Nat Park. One other point to keep in mind is that to fit in Belfast you would have to not only skip the ROK but also spend only one night in Dingle, which would really limit your ability to enjoy Dingle. There's no way you can drive from Kenmare to Dingle and drive the Slea Head peninsula in one day. So you'd have to skip that, which is the number one reason to go to Dingle.

You're better off seeing Belfast when you can combine it with other parts of the North as well.

Thanks for your input. I have talked the other couple (my brother) out of Belfast. I am trying to book accommodations now, using primarily Rick's suggestions in his book. Having a hard time getting a few on the west coast to email back - I may have to call.

Since there aren't too many nice B&B's in Dublin, I splurged on The Schoolhouse. They have a deal now which includes full breakfast if you prepay, 208 euros for two nights. I didn't think that was too bad.

Thanks again.

I'm not sure why you didn't find many nice B&Bs in Dublin - there are lots and lots. The price you got isn't bad, though most B&Bs and guesthouses include breakfast whether you prepay or not.

Question: Is it safe to leave luggage in the car? We plan to stop at Powerscourt and Glendalough on our way to Kilkenny, Rock of Cashel on our way to Kenmare, and then ROK with luggage in the car.

Also, if we are traveling with golf clubs, should we take them out of the minivan each night, or just leave them in the backseat?

Leaving luggage in the car is the same as in the US (or most places) safety wise. I'd possibly do it in my driveway but not in a motel car park... You live in tourist country so I assume you're familiar with the issues.

Most cars don't get broken into, but some do, those with visible valuables (e.g. golf clubs) are probably more likely to be victimised and if someone does take your luggage mid trip it's a massive pain.

I found that many B&Bs on the west coast are small operations and can take a while to get back to you. I also think there's a bit of a cultural difference where we tend to book earlier than they might typically.

So: I wouldn't worry that you won't be able to find a good B&B in each location. You still have plenty of time. If it would ease your mind, you can give them a ring to try to make a reservation. But I don't think it's necessary. There are lots of great B&Bs in each stop on your itinerary, and you still have time to book your rooms.