josie23

My sister is getting married outside Ennis in October. I am planning on flying into Shannon and staying around the area. I will be there about 5 days before the wedding and have 1 day after it.

It will be my first trip to Ireland, and I think I will have a rental car. Any suggestions for things to do.

I am thinking of keeping my base the same for the week and just taking day trips around the area. Will that give me plenty to see or should I start out a bit away from Ennis and make my way back as the wedding date approaches? I don't want to move every day, but every other day would probably be ok.

Thanks for all your help

beach_dweller

josie,

oh, the possibilities!

As you correctly point out, you could spend you six days making day trips out from Ennis (that would give you a chance to really know that area); see the Burren, the Cliffs of Moher, dawdle in County Clare, which I found to be very nice (if not as dramatic as County Kerry).

On the other hand, you could see a little more by starting with a second base (perhaps 3 days in either the Kenmare, Dingle, or Connemara area) and working your way in. That's what I would prefer for a first visit. We split our first visit (a week), roughly 1/2 in Kenmare, 1/4 in Dingle, and 1/4 in County Clare (cutting Dingle a little short due to running north away from a nasty storm).

bob_brown

I have only a handful of suggestions.
In Ennis, don't stay at the Queen's Hotel. Some of the rooms when I was there were over a rock music bar. The music shook the floor into the early morning.

Allow time for the Cliffs of Moher.
I am still resentful at Insight Tours for allowing only 40 minutes at the cliffs. That was about enough time to take one good look. I thought the cliffs are worth more than that. After all, I had flown across the Atlantic to see this wonder of nature, paid a large chunk of change to the tour company, and then got told I had 40 minutes.
GRRRRRRRRRR


If you drive the Ring of Kerry and/or the Dingle Peninsula, I suggest approaching counter clockwise. If you see a tour bus coming, seek a pullout.
The road is narrow and those buses are BIG.

We had once incident where some bonehead got his car wedged in between the rocks and the bus. Neither could move until 4 guys on the bus got off and moved the car over by picking it up.

Budman

The busses on Dingle go clockwise, and that's the recommend way to travel that Peninsula with the narrow roads around Slea Head (go with the flow).

On Kerry, the busses travel counter-clockwise. If you leave Kenmare early enough, you will be around the bottom around Valentia Island before the busses arrive. They don't go into the Portmagee area.

NEDSIRELAND

"outside Ennis" doesn't tell us much. If the wedding is going to be held in a village somewhere in west Clare it may be a good idea to book a B&B there and make that your 'base.' Otherwise, I suggest a hotel or B&B in Ennis. Yes, a hotel, because most B&B's won't have a single room (I get the impression you are travelling 'solo') and their P/PS rate is for a minimum of 2-people. I don't know what kind of 'deal' manager Paul Madden will make you in October, but I heartily recommend the Temple Gate Hotel.

I agree with Bob Brown on his advice concerning the Queen's Hotel; reception told me they had 3-night clubs on the property when I checked in there. I had the room on Abbey Street just over Cruise's Pub; there was the expected closing-time commotion outside but it didn't last very long.

Ennis is a good base to visit Lahinch, the Cliffs of Moher, Doolin & the Burren, Galway; you could even daytrip to parts of Connemara.

josie23

She is getting married at Newtown Castle, near Ballyvaughn, and the reception and recommended hotel is in Ennis.

I don't plan on staying at the recommended hotel because of the $$$ associated with it. I am not traveling alone so B&B or Self-catering should be ok.

Thanks for all the suggestions so far, Cliffs, bunratty, burren are on my to do list.