Belfast
 

We will be in Wicklow County for 6 nights and then we will do doing a road trip for 6 nights. Any suggestions on a route we should do starting in Wicklow and ending flying out of Dublin, I was told to skip Belfast or is that a good day trip from Wicklow that is a tour that is being offered to us.

Basically, what are the must see places to see and stay.

Thanks.

A lot of posters on this board love the coast in Northern Ireland, so I suspect opinion will be divided on whether you should skip Northern Ireland altogether or not.

But one thing for sure, no way is Belfast a good day trip from Wicklow. Its' too far and logistically difficult to get to, and if you went all that way to only see Belfast without visiting the Antrim coastline it would be a bit of a wasted day IMO.

Hope you get some ideas for itineraries - if not try a search of previous posts, some might have good suggestions.

Jane

I do love the coast in Northern Ireland, but I am not a fan of Belfast. You could take the car, stop to Carrickfergus and see the castle, then go up to Bushmills, visit the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge, Giant Causeway, Dunluce Castle, Bushmill Factory, then drive to Londonderry.There are many things to see in that area.

Sorry, I think I didn't understand well. You gave 6 days including Willow? Then forget about Londonderry. You can leave in a morning, stop to Carrickfergus, then drive until the area near Giant Causeway (I slept in a B&B called Lagavara Farm, but there are many others). Please, do book a room. In Ireland it is usually very easy to find a place to sleep even when you didn't book before, but in Northern Ireland it can get difficult. Next morning, go to the rope bridge, and then take the bus and go to Giant Causeway. I suggest you to spend 2 nights in that area. Day trips from Wicklow to Antrim coast can't be done (at least you wouldn't get to see much).

NO! Not a good day trip to Belfast like littlejane says.
We motored from Dublin airport to our first night stop otherside Belfast in Ballymoney. It took us the best part of a day ( OK we did stop off for an hours shopping) and Ballmoney is still quite a bit further along but the road is a freeway and devoid of anything interesting.
Northern Ireland as a destination is fabulous as cri80 has described the attractions - but you have to stay in the area.
Find Ballmoney on the map & you will see how close to them all we were.

If you drive down southwards you can visit Medieval Kilkenny,
(superb walking tour from the visitors centre), The Rock of Cashel is a must, maybe visiting Tipperary and driving through the magnificent Glen of Aherlow. I wouldn't necessarily do this as a day trip but rather as an extentsion of your holiday by spending a night or two in any of those towns and then venturing further afield from there.
Even down near Rosslare we stopped in the quaintest little fishing village of Kilmore Quay with it's thatched roof cottages.

Wardarlenadan - You should read the replies to the poster MBD_Rogers who posed this question:" Is it possible to get around ONLY on trains & buses" Unforunately he didn't put IRELAND into his heading so maybe you missed it.
There are excellent suggestions not using a car only public transport. We were not aware of these options in May and wish we had been!

Oh yes, tod, Rosslare Harbour, Saltee Islands, Kilmore Quay, Dunmore East, they are all lovely places!