pendraggon87

So I have already been to Dublin. I plan on spending one day there to visit a friend, but other than that I want to go hiking, see the cliffs, visit the countryside, see some castles and a distillery, etc. Does anyone have suggestions for both a sample itinerary or at least sites that should be seen, and that are feasible to hit in my time frame. I would love public transportation but I could rent a car if needed (I don't really drive manual).

jamikins

Where are you flying into and out of? I assume into Dublin based on the above - is that where you are flying home from as well?

pendraggon87

I will be flying from NYC. Either LGA, JFK or EWR.

I will most likely fly home from Dublin, unless I can find a reasonable flight home from Shannon or a different airport. (usually round trip is cheaper than two one way tickets)

Tony2phones

You can buy Open Jaw return tickets in one out another. Using public transport and tours then Galway and Killarney along with Dublin might be the key spots as they have a selection of day tours operating

hotelie1970

Kilkenny is also a good city to base out of for walks, historic sites and Smithwick's Brewery Tour. Consider Doolin for hiking the Cliffs of Mohr, the Burren and a boat trip to the Aran Islands.

Padhraicin

If the weather is good and if you get to Westport or Newport - you could rent bicycles and cycle the Great Western Greenway http://www.greenway.ie/
I did it recently and would highly recommend it - Best part was Newport to Mulranny. It is easy to cycle and if you continue on to Achill and feel you have cycled too far the hire company will arrange pick-up and get you back.

Other options would be looking at some of the waymarked trails
http://www.irishtrails.ie

I would suggest walks in - Kerry; Connemara; or the Burren in County Clare

Donna82

Galway is a great city with good public transport links from Dublin, you've got the city (which is pretty small and very friendly !) great bars and then the rugged landscape of Connemeara and the coast just outside of it, I'm Irish and love weekends there!
Kerry and Cork ( to the bottom of the country) are also beautiful and have some of the most amazing scenery in the country, try Kinsale in Cork or Dingle in Kerry ( an extra hours drive from Tralee)
Or if you want to stay closer to Dublin Wicklow is pretty!

Donna82

If its a castle your after Kimg Johns Norman castle in Trim Co.Meath might be an option, direct buses from Dublin and takes less than an hour, set in lovely a heritage town. With lots of history..
http://www.heritageireland.ie/en/mid...st/TrimCastle/

longhorn55

You don't have to be able to drive a manual transmission car to drive in Ireland--they have automatics on offer too. True, they cost more to rent, but we found it was worth it to be able to go to all the places that are difficult, if not impossible, to reach by public transportation.

We did a hiking-heavy 8-day tour of Ireland a couple of years ago. I found some great hikes by reading Lonely Planet Ireland, Rough Guide Ireland, Lonely Planet Hiking in Ireland and the Shannon Region Trails website.

Two hikes we enjoyed near Dublin were the Short Spinc Trail at Glendalough NP and the Cliff Walk in Howth, which can be reached via DART from Dublin. Our favorite overall hike was the Caher Valley Loop in the Burren (starting in Fanore).

Tony2phones

The rejuvenated path from Doolin to Lisconnor including the Cliffs of Moher has been officially opened, by all accounts a great job and wonderful hike but needs a head for heights. http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic...nty_Clare.html