rppboston

I'm planning a 9-day trip to Ireland in March (just like everyone else it seems!) and I've planned a pretty ambitious itinerary. I was hoping people might have suggestions about whether it's too ambitious.

Here it is:

Fri 3/9: arrive; tour Dublin
Sat 3/10: Dublin
Sun 3/11: drive to Belfast; tour Belfast
Mon 3/12: drive Belfast-Galway, with stops along Antrim Coast for Giant's Causeway etc.
Tue 3/13: Galway
Wed 3/14: drive Galway-Kenmare, touring Burren/Cliffs of Moher in between
Thu 3/15: Ring of Kerry; stay in Kenmare (or possibly drive a couple hours and stay somewhere closer to Dublin)
Fri 3/16: drive to Dublin, doing whatever is possible along the way
Sat 3/17: Dublin, with an early flight out the next morning

Any suggestions are most appreciated!

IrishEyes

If you knew most of your time would be spent driving in the car, would you change your itinerary? It is exhausting me just reading it!

JOHNOD

I agree with IrishEyes, alot of time on the road. Since you seem to want to spend most of your time in the west you could have flown into Dublin and out of Shannon to save on backtracking. I would also save Belfast for another time. Belfast to Galway by way of the Giants causeway will be a very long day and it will get darker earlier than you think. What ever map you look at or route planner you use count on the drive being longer than you think. Have fun

Itallian_Chauffer

Go to www.aaroadwatch.ie

and plug each day's itinerary into the routeplanner. I would ignore THEIR driving time numbers, though. Divide total miles driven by 30 to get a more accurrate assessment, then add in times for stops, meals and etc.
I would think Monday's drive would be very nearly impossible unless you only want to see the sites as they pass by the moving window ...

Bob

chip

too ambitious...would help to know a little about your priorities/interests.
also, if you do not already have hotel in dublin, that could be an issue...being the weekend and St. Patrick's Day.

still ambitious,but suggest...

Dublin (hop on/off bus tour, Kilmainham jail, book of kells)

Belfast or outside of? (could stop at Hill of Tara and Downpatrick on way north)

stay near Antrim coast (giant'causeway, dunluce castle, bushmills)

Westport (could make quick stops at Drumcliff or Carrowmore on way south)

Westport(Croagh Patrick, doo lough valley)

Doolin or Bunratty (cliffs of moher/burren)

Kilkenny or Cashel (rock of cashel, cahir castle, jerpoint abbey)

Dublin (glendalough on way)

Dublin (St. Patrick's Day!)

yesiree100

Yep, waaay too much. You can cover that much ground, but you will not get to stop the car for most of the trip. Go north or go south, but don't try to do both on this trip.

rppboston

Thanks to everyone for the advice. I'm thinking we'll cut out the North and instead go directly from Dublin to Galway and do the southern swing from there.

Thanks again!

JTMSLP

THANK YOU Itallian C. I am so excited you posted the AA website. I am much more confident in planning my trip now. Just wanted to thank you for posting the site!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Honeymoon here I come!

bluesmusic

Our 9 day itinerary
4/19 Arrive Dublin 8am - Hop-on/Hop-off Bus, Book of Kells
4/20 Dublin Hop-on/Hop-off Bus
4/21 Rent car to Cashel,Blarney (stay out of Cork)
4/22 N-71 to Drombeg Stone Circle, Skibbereen, Overnight Kenmare
4/23 ROK overnight Dingle
4/24 Dingle to Doolin Cliffs of Mohr
4/25, 4/26 2 day window to take ferry to Aran Islands, Burren
4/27 Doolin to Shannon
4/28 Back To Chicago