wsugrad13

My fiance and I are getting married in March 2013 and waiting until late May for our honeymoon, as I'm still in grad school. It's his first time overseas and I have been several times with school and family, but not since 2002. This is both of our first trips to England and Ireland. We both like good food, beer, and history and would also like to see some amazing scenery. I've put together a tentative itinerary from reading others' posts and I'm open to any comments. I am afraid we might be a little too ambitious, but I'd like to get as much in as possible, since I have no idea if we will ever get this chance again. Also, we plan on renting a car to drive to all these destinations. Thanks so much for all your help!
Day 1 - Arrive in London early morning
Day 2 - sight see in London
Day 3 - Sight see in London
Day 4 - Windsor Castle and Stonehenge
Day 5 - Bath
Day 6 - Cotswolds
Day 7 - this is where it gets crazy. I really want to go to Snowdonia in Wales, but I'm not sure if this is feasible? Also not sure how long the trip would take by car?
Day 8 - take ferry from Holyhead to Dublin
Day 9 - see Dublin
Day 10 - Kilkenny
Day 11 - Kilarney
Day 12 - ROK Kerry
Day 13 - Waterford and Blarney
Day 14 - somehow get back to the US (drive back to Dublin?)

janisj

Sorry - but IMO this isn't a honeymoon, it is a trek. Is the actual itinerary possible - yes. But one night stand after one night stand after one night stand, w/ no time being anywhere except 2.5 days in London, part of which will probably be jet lagged. You will mostly just be moving from place to place and moving on the next morning. I wouldn't enjoy this at all.

In parts of Ireland you are going to average maybe 35MPH.

Hope you are talking two different cars - one after leaving London and dropping it in Wales, and another after leaving Dublin.

Dickie_Gr

The journey from Bath to Holyhead is pretty straightforward.

Basically, M5,M6, M56, A55. About 4 hours drive.

However, will not fit into your itinerary. Just too much travelling.

Car hire drop off fees may also be an issue.

Others will help but one possible could be Days 1 to 4 London. Day 5 Windsor Castle and overnight in Bath. Day 6 drive to say Conway 2 nights there. Ferry over to Dublin and spend the second week travelling around the west coast. Fly back from Dublin.

It could be possible to hire a car in London, leave it Holyhead, pay as a foot passenger to Dublin and hire a second car in Dublin.

Be warned that taking a car onto Irish Sea ferries is insanely expensive. Usually over £300 and I doubt you could drop off the original car in Dublin.

Alternatively, 4 days in London with a day trip to Windsor.

Train to Liverpool, hire a car and spend time in North Wales, say 3 days.

Then Ryanair to Dublin, hire a car here for a week and fly back from Dublin.

janisj

Not to just be a downer . . . Consider flying from the UK to Cork or Shannon, spend your whole week on the west coast and fly back to the States from Shannon. That would make a week in Ireland work (w/o Dublin and crossing the whole country twice)

Havana128

Day trip Windsor and Stonehenge, train from Paddington to Bath, hire car there, drive to Cardiff, detouring into The Cotswolds, 2-3 hours to Snowdonia, fly Cardiff -Dublin, leaving the car at Cardiff airport. I can't see how you could take a British hire car and drop it in Dublin put perhaps there is way, at huge expense. Still a bit of a route march. Personally I would lose Dublin and fly to Galway or Cork or Waterford.

janisj

Havana: "Personally I would lose Dublin and fly to Galway or Cork or Waterford."

They ain't going to fly into Galway . . . unless they charter a private plane.

And not likely into Waterford either - only if coming from Luton or B'ham or Manchester.

Havana128

True but with a very small amount of imagination one could envisage flying to Shannon or driving to Manchester.