I am looking to take my son to Ireland in the summer of 2011, June or July. We would like to see some castles, rural homes and some traditional Irish cities. Where would be a good start point. We would have about 7-9 days. Any other information would be great.
thank you
Posted by
CA, USA
333 posts
Western Ireland is fun and the above suggestions are great.
It doesn't get suggested much on here but Co Donegal is a lovely place for rural scenery and is off the beaten path so you won't see very many US based tourists around.
Posted by
OP
deerfield beach, fl, usa
6 posts
I should have also asked what the weather is like that time of year. And how is the dollar doing even though it is a ways off.
Posted by
Boston, MA, United States
1806 posts
For a 7-9 day trip, fly open jaw (ex. into Dublin and out of Shannon) if you hope to see parts of both the East and West. If you must fly in/out of same city, stick close to that area or you will be wasting time traveling back to where you started.
You can see most of Dublin's highlights in about 2 full day/2 nights. Galway in 1 full day. Cork in 2 days. Scenic Ireland is really outside of the cities, but it is fun to spend some time in the city for a wider variety of music, pubs, restaurants and lodging at all price points.
In my opinion, Western Ireland is more scenic and offers a good mix of what you would like to see over the course of a short trip. If you are driving, you can also base yourself out of 1 or 2 towns and take day trips rather than constantly changing locations every night. Example: stay in Galway area and you can take day trips to Cliffs of Moher, Aran Islands, Burren, Connemara, etc.
You don't mention how old your son is...it helps if you specify an age range so people can make suggestions for activities your son may enjoy. Is he a toddler, pre-teen or old enough to legally drink a pint of beer with you at a pub in Ireland? I would not suggest you take him surfing if he's 6, but if he is 17 I would.
Posted by
OP
deerfield beach, fl, usa
6 posts
Thank you for the information. My son will be 18 this august. So we will definitely hit some pubs. I've heard that there are some castles you can spend the night in. Do you know anything about this.
Thank you
Scott
Posted by
Boston, MA, United States
1806 posts
Overnight castle stays aren't cheap, but they are amazing locations so certainly worth a splurge. If you have a tight budget, you could also consider just stopping by and having a meal in the castle hotel restaurant and then walking the grounds.
Ballynahinch Castle in the Connemara region or Ashford Castle in Cong are both gorgeous 4 & 5 star luxury hotels, but there are many other castle hotels across Ireland. Ashford has some really great activities on their grounds - including golf, fishing, clay shooting, archery, horseback riding and falconry that a teen boy would love.
Tyson's suggestion of County Donegal is also a good one if you want a more off the beaten tourist path experience than say a place like The Ring of Kerry in the height of summer. If I had 7-9 days and was heading north towards Co. Donegal, I'd cross over into Northern Ireland and hit Derry as my "city", and get over to the Antrim Coast/Giant's Causeway. It's really amazing to see life both in the Republic of Ireland and in Northern Ireland.
It is impossible to predict Irish weather...even in June or July. It can feel like 4 seasons in 1 day. I have worn fleece jackets in July and been absolutely freezing, and I've also seen it get up in the mid to high 70s (probably cold to you by Florida standards) and the Irish are running to the parks of Dublin to sunbathe. Pack layers - long sleeve & short sleeve shirts, a fleece, a raincoat...don't bother with shorts...you won't need them.