Hi, <BR> <BR>I'm going to Ireland for my honeymoon! <BR> <BR>Here's our 1 week itinerary: <BR> <BR>Day 1: fly in to Shannon, drive north of Galway to stay at the Ballynahinch Castle for one or two nights. <BR>Day 2: Tour Galway City, maybe stay in Galway or in Ballynahinch again. <BR>Day 3: Drive down pass Cliffs of Moher to Killarney and stay the night there. <BR>Day 4: Visit the Muckross House in Killarney and drive to Cork and look around and spend the night in Cork <BR>Day 5: Drive to Dublin and spend our last two nights there. <BR> <BR>Here are my questions: <BR>1. Where should I stay in Galway / Killarney / Cork / Dublin? <BR>2. Is there anywhere I should stop along the way? Good sightseeing places? I read that unless you have a lot of time (which we don't) we should skip the drive around the Ring of Kerry. Would you all agree? <BR>3. I was also told that there are more interesting things to see if you are pressed for time than Blarney Castle and Waterford Crystal Factory. Agree? <BR>4. I obviously want to see a lot in a week but not feel rushed about it so I'm looking for advice on where to spend my time in the above locations. <BR>5. HELP PLEASE! <BR> <BR>THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!! <BR> <BR>Megan

Eire is a lovely place for a honeymoon. Your itinerary is fine except for Dublin. Do you have to go to Dublin? I can never take more than a week vacation, so I try to stay in one area on my trips. Why not stay on the western side. It's your honeymoon, you will be exhausted from the whole wedding planning, doing, day etc. Stay put. Relax. <BR>I would eliminate the Ring of Kerry but only because it would take up a whole day and you only have a week. <BR>I am one of the few on this board who loved Blarney Castle. <BR>Whatever you do, just relax and enjoy. Ireland is beautiful and so are the people.

Hi Megan: <BR>I agree about Dublin. Save that for another trip. <BR>In Galway, I stayed at Glenlo Abbey Hotel. Elegant and wonderful. Perfect for a Honeymoon! <BR>I also am glad I went to Waterford and Blarney Castle. You will gain insight and appreciation for the work that goes in to Waterford crystal. Why not stay there for one night? They have wonderful walking tours and Waterford has amazing history. Blarney Castle just for the fun of it and have your picture taken! <BR>The Ring of Kerry is spectacular but I would also save that for another visit. <BR>Whatever you decide have a wonderful time and congratulations!

Hi Megan, As people have said doing fewe things is better...that way you can always go back to see what you missed. If your honeymoon is in the summer you will want to see the country side. While in Galway you might want to drive to the Connemara region and stop in Clifden and then see Kylemore Abbey. We left Galway in the morning after a great Irish breakfast. Clifden is about 50 mi. away, but the road is very small. We then went to the Abbey and were able to get back into Galway for dinner. The Quays pub is great and McSwiggans served very good food. Killarney is nice. We stayed at a wonderful b&b called Applecroft House. The rooms were very nice and the breakfasts were great. Muckross House was a pleasant tour. On your way to Killarney you may want to stop for awhile in Adare. The thatched roof cottages are picture perfect. We loved Dingle and you might want to see that area and cut short Dublin. Dublin is nice but the scenery in the country side is enchanting.

I just returned from Ireland 2 weeks ago...drove 850 miles in 7 days and tried to see too much...Whoever 'herself' is....I am abosllutely agreeing with her..Ring of Fire ..although nice ..the time to see it.the 'juice was not worth the squeeze'...Blarney Castle was good..but may not be in peak season..Bunratty was worth the time...and I ditto Dingle...and may also add Kinsale to it...and if yer on your honeymoon ya may not be able to see that much anyway...)

Hi Megan, <BR> <BR>You'll need to allow about twice as much travel time as you think you need. Even though the towns are close, it takes much longer to get there than you think. The roads are soooooooooo narrow and there's so much to look at, you'll be stopping every few miles to look at something or take a picture of something. <BR> <BR>Don't try to do too much or you'll miss the whole ambiance of Ireland. I'm another vote for Blarney but hey, I'm a tourist! I don't want to miss anything. <BR> <BR>You'll have a great trip! <BR>Sandy

I was in Ireland in January and am another one of those tourists who really enjoyed the Blarney Castle and the Waterford Crystal Factory. I bought a beautiful Waterford vase on sale in Blarney ($135 vs. the $385 price tag I had seen back here in California). I gained an even greater appreciation for the vase after seeing the craftsmanship that goes into making the crystal. And Blarney Castle was a beautiful setting. Just be prepared for quite a hike up to the top. Make sure to wear tennis shoes for the steep stair climbing.

We just returned from an 8 day trip. My favorite town was Kinsale -- a picturesque seaside town with lots of little shops, restaurants and a lovely walk along one side of the harbor. Instead of staying in busy Kilarney we stayed in Kenmare, half an hour away. Its a great little town. We stayed at an elegant place, Shelburne Lodge. It was only $110 per couple. Have a great time!