Ireland in August

Not if you rent a car.

Thank you. My husband would prefer not to drive. Any suggestions? Rail, bus, private driver?

You could take the train from Dublin to Killarney and then do tours for Ring of Kerry and Dingle Peninsula. But each one takes a day. I'm not sure if you could get a late train back to Dublin (assuming your flight home is from there) or if you would have time to take one Saturday morning before your flight. You could always do one night in Dublin, then head to Killarney and have your last night in Dublin.

Thank you. That sounds great. Any suggestions where to stay in Kilarney?

There are many, many B&Bs and hotels in Killarney. You can see a list, with contact information, at www.discoverireland.com.

What is your budget per night? I absolutely love the Killarney Royal hotel. It's a family run boutique hotel, a bit pricey, but with lovely, quaint rooms, well appointed. The staff is great, and don't miss afternoon tea--they make the best scones I have had in all of Ireland and England!

I am so sad! The Killarney Royal Hotel is booked for the nights I need. Does anyone have another suggestion for me?

Hi, I really like The International hotel. It's a best western but has character and a perfect location in the town. The pub is one of the oldest in Killarney. It depends on if you want to be in town or out a bit.

Thank you. I checked it out and looks wonderful!

We stayed at the Fairview (in Killarney) and LOVED it. http://www.killarneyfairview.com/ In my humble opinion, I'd skip the Ring of Kerry and just do the Dingle Peninsula as you could easily spend 3 days there without exhausting yourself. In Dingle, this is a great place to stay:
http://www.greenmount-house.com/ Have a great trip!

Thank you. Several people have recommended Dingle rather than the Ring of Kerry.

Hi Kathleen,
Dingle is a much smaller town than Killarney, it's right on the water and it's lovely! You can rent a bike and cycle out around the ring (I didn't because my husband wouldn't consider it....) There's a lot of pubs and restaurants. The main differences would be Killarney is lakes and mountains and Dingle is a fishing village and coastline (and less tourists!) Have a great trip! Fingers crossed you have sun....

Hi, was thinking it might be more effort than it's worth to get to Dingle without s car. You'd need the train and bus whereas Killarney is just the train.

Thank you so much. That information is really important in my decision making process

Kathleen, On one of my trips to Ireland I was on a tour group. We stayed in Killarney, but did not do the Ring of Kerry due to time constraints. The Irish tour guide said since we only had time for one day tour, we would do Dingle, he preferred it. It was beautiful, for sure. But, I was glad we stayed in Killarney to experience the town and Muckross House on the lake. That was too picturesque to miss. If you don't want to bother with both, you could certainly pick one. It just boils down to your personal preference. Look at some pictures and decide which area is "quintessential Ireland" for you. Also, I don't remember if you said when you are going. I was on that tour in the month of February, and neither place was too touristy. Hope that helps, Jessica