My in-Laws are coming to visit us (my husband, myself, and our almost 4 year old son) for a couple of weeks in the UK. The first week will be visiting our home town and the general area. The second week we are hoping to do a road trip either in the southwest of Ireland or the southwest of Germany.

According to the weather sites either location will probably be about 50 degrees but I wonder if one of them will feel more spring-like. I know we will only be about a week into Spring but I was hoping to see more green, maybe some wildflowers, and a lot less brown!

My in laws wanted to spend a few days in the Lakes District as well. Would a road trip through Ireland feel too similar to a few days in the Lakes? I am sure they have their differences, but will it just start to feel like another green rolling hill and castle ruin after a while?

One more thing -- we really want to do a road trip through Austria and/or Switzerland in the summer. Should we do Ireland now and then just add Bavaria into the later trip?

Thanks in advance for any help! I normally love planning trips but planning for other people is a whole new ballgame. We're all trying to be so nice and accommodating that no one wants to make a decision. I just need help narrowing down this first big decision.

Hello, I have never been to Ireland, but late winter, early spring travel in Germany, could bring you snow as well as closed for the season areas. I would then go for Ireland and save Germany for your summer adventure.

The climate in Ireland, England and Germany is similar, besides that it Germany it is less rainy.

In April, we have springtime in Germany, with flowers and green. In April, winter and summer are fighting. The result is that weather changes quickly: Warm sunshine in the morning and a rain shower in the afternoon (or the other way round). Expect temperatures between 12° and 20° Celsius. No snow (except in the mountains).

PAplumber -- I was really worried about seasonal closures. But, since traveller1959 mentioned that there would only be snow in the mountains and we aren't venturing that far south maybe we'll be okay . . .

Honestly, the more research I do the more I really want to go to Germany. Maybe we should just do it and cross our fingers . . .

Thanks for the help!

The weather in Germany is more continental than Ireland's--colder in the winter, warmer in the summer. Spring might be much more variable. Ireland is safer in terms of temperatures, but it might have more rain.