jannie4130

Will be spending one week in Spain and then flying to Dublin. Will be traveling with our college age son who just spent last year in Valencia. Our itinerary now has us spending 2 nights Dublin, then a train to Cork for 1 night, then getting a rental car and have 2 nights booked in Killarney. The next day we drop him at Shannon airport to fly to London and at that point we are supposed to return rental car. I don't know how far we will have traveled during the time we had the car and our 2 nights in Killarney. Want to spend the last night with him close to Shannon airport. But then what? Keep the car or take the bus around a bit to see other more western/northern spots? We are thinking of spending our day in Dublin taking the day tour to Belfast to do the Giants causeway and black taxi tour. Our son would miss Dublin but I don't feel too sorry for him - he has been traveling a lot and will just have to come back to Dublin. Maybe husband and I should just take bus from Shannon back to dublin and enjoy Dublin for our last 3 days. Any ideas? We will be there in 2 weeks. Thanks for any help!! Janet (we like everything and try to budget pretty heavily)

Ozarksbill

Close to departure! IMO there is much to see in Dublin plus area north to Knowth-Newgrange and south to Glendalough. That said, also lovely west country (Our visit was arr. Dublin and lv. Shannon). Might skip Cork, certainly leaving time for Ring of Kerry, etc. We went around by bus. But Belfast, Giants Causeway another whole distance away.

Tony2phones

Spend your last night together in Ennis http://www.visitennis.com/ drop the car at Shannon and bus up to Galway where you have trip options for the Burren and Cliffs, Connemara or Aran Isles and you also have the train or express bus option back over to Dublin.

jannie4130

Wow! What quick responses - thank you so much!I had heard that Ennis might be a great last night place to stay together and close to Shannon airport. I see that the bus system seems pretty good to keep exploring - I think I might be ready to drop off the car at that point. Again, it is hard to know what we will have already explored with car - we are sort of locked into Cork and Killarney for those nights. Distances seem short but I have heard roads go slow and we like to stop a lot and just enjoy a leisurely pace. Any ideas for a nice B&B in Ennis for night before Shannon airport. None of our reserved places so far are B&Bs. And any recommendations for a place in Dublin with easy airport access that won't break the budget for our last night. Thanks so much for your responses!

Tony2phones

We use Grey Gables in Ennis just a couple of minutes off O'Connell St and the town centre, can't really help with Dublin but we have used the Premier Inn Swords which has a shuttle to the airport and bus into the city stops just outside.

tower

Just don't short change Dublin. It usually gets poor press on here, but I've always liked it, as well as all of Ireland, north and South. See the cliffs and Galway and vicinity and out to the Connemara Peninsula. Drp car and take that train that Tony recommends back to Dublin.

A good place to stay in Dublin is my favorite Staunton's on the Green...across from the Green and easy short stroll into the heart of the city.

stu

flpab

Another vote for Dublin.

irishface

Another Dublin vote!

jaja

Just outside of Ennis is Eden Hill House, a lovely B&B on a working farm.
http://edenhill.clareireland.net/

jannie4130

I appreciate all the help! My idea was to head back to Dublin also since we might do that tour of Belfast during one of our Dublin days at the front end of trip. Any recommendations on that tour - Wild Rover tours was suggested. It will take up the entire day so really missing a day in Dublin in the beginning. I will definitely take up your previous suggestions. I suppose this decision will depend on how much we see in the previous days with our son. Would love any Dublin suggestions also - must sees, food, etc. Again, we are really budget travelers but love to explore new areas.

Tony2phones

The way to see Antrim coast and Glens is to go from Belfast. Might even be able to fly into Belfast from Spain and start there rather than Dublin. If flights are booked you can get the Belfast bus from Dublin Airport on arrival, Then a Day in Dublin the Train to Killarney last night together in Limerick/Bunratty/Ennis then other sights on your own.