Clueless and running out of time...
 

My husband and I fly into Dublin July 2nd at 2:00pm and fly out of Dublin and back to Boston July 6th at 2:30pm. My husband wants me to get our itinerary done, but I can't seem to make decisions and I think it is because I am running out of time and I want to make it a great trip. We actually leave for a European tour on June 2nd and decided that we would do Ireland alone. Now I am having a hard time deciding what to do. Neither of us have ever been, so I really don't know what to expect. What I do know is that I thought it would be neat to stay in a castle (not the super nice fake castle hotels) :), visit the Wicklow mountains/hills, see Dublin (I don't have a clue where to stay or what to visit) but we plan on seeing the Riverdance show while in Dublin, if possible. I don't know what else we should do or where to stay. We don't really like super tourist areas and prefer the beauty of nature. We don't mind renting a car and we would like to spend some time along the coastline. Any advice on where to visit, where to stay, etc. would be greatly appreciated.

For starters, you really aren't going to have much time in Ireland. Only three full days and two partial (on one of which you're likely to be jet-lagged). As has been mentioned many times on this board, while Ireland may look like a small country, there's so much to see in each area and getting around is slow.

My inclination would be to suggest that you stay in or near Dublin and do a couple of day trips. Or perhaps spend the first two nights in Dublin, go somewhere else (maybe Wicklow?) for the next two and then back to Dublin the morning of the 6th.

Our last trip was to the west. So I'm sure there are others who can give you far better advice about that area of Ireland. But, basically, I'd advise you not to try to cram too much into the small amount of time you have. Pick an area and take the time to enjoy it rather than trying to cover too much ground and not really seeing any of it!

Hi,

You will get many nice suggestions for a 4-night itinerary that meets your wishes if you re-post your question with "Ireland" in the title. Something like "Suggestions for four days in Ireland?" That will get lots of attention.

I just noticed you said you were arriving in Europe June 2nd. I misread it the first time. So scratch the jetlag part! But I still say your time is very limited.

Hi... and welcome to the Europe forum (a "place" that some of "us" treat like a second home)...

...and I realize that you are also clueless about how best to use this forum - - so this is offered, sincerely... in the spirit of helpfulness.

Although you are not the first, or only person to post a message with a "desperation" header like this... it's a common custom here... and courtesy... to include info about your destination(s) in your message header.

Would you please re-post... and mention <b>Dublin</b> in your message header?

If everyone put this kind of message header on their questions, as you have...

...it would be a bit like walking into the library, and seeing shelf after shelf filled with rows and rows of volumes... and on the spine of each one of them, you would see &quot;Must read&quot;.

So, please, <b><i>do</i></b> re-post...

Best wishes,

Rex

Check out Castle Leslie.com. Very authentic, not cheap, great food and in a wonderful little town, Glaslough. It's not fancy, but definitely authentic and worth a night. A few hours drive out of Dublin in Co. Monaghan

One year I spent 3 weeks on the east coast. Stayed in Dublin a few nights and trained down to Wicklow, stayed at Hunter's Hotel fpr 6 nights. Took trips around Wicklow which is a beautiful county. Next I trained to Carlingford, County Louth. Well, the train went as far as Dundalk and we took a taxi to Carlingford. We stayed 7 nights there and loved it. We could take a bus over to Northern Ireland and back. Just a darling small medival village with the usual wonderful Irish people. We went back and stayed a few days at Malahide near the airport. I do very slow travel, sure did enjoy the east coast. Good luck, Joan

go west, young (wo)man!

definitely spend some time in Dublin but you can get to the west coast in 2 hours by train. it's wild and rugged - simply beautiful. Galway is fun and exciting and County Galway and Mayo are superb. I did a bike tour there 6 (eep!) years ago on the west coast and can't believe I haven't gone back yet.

although I suppose you cannot go wrong anywhere in Ireland.

There is a lovely coastal village just south of Dublin in Wicklow called Greystones that might suit your plans. The village itself is great and would make a nice jumping off point for a day tour of the Wicklow Mts. Have fun

Thanks for the advice. I reposted my original message. I apologize if I offended anyone with the way I initially posted. I have never posted a message before and I didn't realize that it needed to be clearer. It won't happen again.

cttork, No need to apologize, we were all first time posters at one time. Rex is trying to be helpful and he is. Also, I find him to be one of the kindest poster on this forum. Please keep posting and you'll get a lot of good advice. My Best, Joan