My mom and I are travelling in Ireland at the end of may, and we are planning on taking the ferry out of Doolin to the Aran Islands...

I have heard they are wonderful, but we don't know what to do while we are there.

also, we have heard that you can get stranded if there is bad weather and the ferry to Doolin closes. has this ever happened to anyone?

Also, less specifically: We are driving across the country in a week, with stops in ennis, killarney, dingle, cork, kilkenny, and 2 nights in dublin. Although we are clearly not locals, we would prefer not to stand out as tourists. Any suggestions of things that we should absolutely do or not do?

I've only been to Inish Mor, which is the largest of the Aran Islands. I loved it. We walked the whole way around the island (you can rent bicycles or take a mini-bus either!). We walked up to Dun Aonghus which is really beautiful. There are some nice beaches on the island too. We stayed at a B&B (I wouldn't recommend it) and had a nice evening in the local pub.

We didn't get stranded due to bad weather, but I've heard of it happening. I hope others will be able to help with info on the smaller islands.

We took the ferry from Rossaveal to Inishmor. Then we took a pony cart to the fort- it was a beautiful sunny day and we loved it! The views were incredible. I was amazed at all the rock walls and the fort itself... (what is the name of that fort??? I am having a braincloud.)

After our ride, we had a pint or two at the American Bar and bought Aran sweaters for all our family members as Christmas presents. They shipped them home for us which was great.

We took ferry and stayed overnight at a B and B on Inishmoor and really enjoyed the whole experience. Our B and B(blank now on the name) was close to the dock and village so we could walk there. It was next to a ruined church we could see out of our window.

We took the small van tour of the island and had plenty of time to climb to the fort, have a beverage and do a bit of shopping in a couple of small shops at the beginning of the trail up to the fort.

Stay overnight if you can--hardly any other tourists did. We were there the beginning of May.

The ferry from Doolin to the Aran Islands is weather dependant and you could get stuck there for a day or two. You could more likely get back to Galway or flying to Inverin is a possibility, but you would have to get back to your car. With so little time in Ireland and a VERY full schedule, I'd skip the Aran Islands. The Arans are best enjoyed at a slow pace.

There is very little you can do to not stand out as a tourist. Don't wear a bright green "Kiss me I'm Irish" sweatshirt or floral spandex. There are lots of cutoms too numerous to mention here that would probably make it obvious. I also imagine you have an accent that will give you away.

Bill

I spent the day on Inishmor at the end of May last year. I took the ferry from Rossaveal. Fortunately the weather was perfect that day, sunny, blue sky, but I have been told that the ferry does not run in bad weather.

For the day I was there I rented a bicycle and cycled from the ferry dock to Dun Aengus fort. It was a spectacular day, one of the best of my 2 weeks in Ireland last year. I cycled up to Dun Aengus on the "high" road and came back to the ferry dock on the "low" road. If you are active I highly recommend the bicycle rental. It was a great way to see this beautiful place.

Enjoy the Craic during your travels!

We took the Doolin Ferry to Inisheer the summer before last, and had a great time. The island is much smaller, of course, but it does have three pubs, and is easy to get around in a day. It's only about a 20 minute boat ride. We took a pony cart ride, and our daughters rode rented bikes around the island. The pony cart drivers are locals, mostly ex-fisherman, with stories to tell. They speak Irish to one another, and are very charming. We had a nice lunch at O'Flaherty's.