Bridegrl06

Hi All,
So, I'm beginning to plan a trip to Ireland with my husband for this coming Spring/Summer and have NO IDEA where to begin! I know that we want to fly into Dublin, out of Shannon, and travel by car inbetween. I'm thinking 10 nights, mostly B&Bs, but maybe 1-2 nights in a castle(s). And that's it. I've done searches online, but there is just too much info for me to handle! Does anyone have any good itiniaries? We want to see the sites, Ring of Kerry, Cork, so on and so forth, but really don't know much about anything. We'd like to stay in the $4,000 range. Thoughts? Advice? Words of Widsom?!

MonicaRichards

You can read my trip report at http://www.markandmonica.com/Travel/Ireland.htm for an idea of what we liked (and didn't). There are links and pictures that should help you plan too.

MonicaRichards

Oh, and I'd skip Cork if I were you. Maybe two days in Dublin, then do a shortened version of the loop we did (go straight to Kinsale and don't stay near Waterford overnight).

chatham

Bridgegrl06,

You'll get very good advice here, but there are two other web-sites that are very good.

http://www.irelandyes.com/

http://www.irelandexpert.com/

Good Luck, Joan

Nuttela

I second missing Cork unless you have some time to visit. We passed through it on our way to Killarney to Kilkenny. We saw the butter museum there which was cool, but other than that we did not see anything else that could interest our personal tastes. (Also it was a long ride from Killarney, so we may have just been tired too.) We did enjoy the way the city is laid out with the river splitting the two sides of the city.

We enjoyed the Ring of Kerry tour and we extended it by adding the island of Valentia. It did take us all day though. We left at 10 AM and were back to the hotel by 7 PM. If you have the days available where you don't have anything planned I would make the trip. My husband and I still believe that was our favorite part of the trip. The photos reflect that also.

Enjoy planning...I would just keep a running list of things that people have said and what you’re interested in. Also get a good driving map of Ireland and look at what you are interested in and see what areas they are in. That helps when planning on what locations to stay. I am a more visual person and I noticed seeing it on the map gave me better perspective.

Good luck

sandyatlanta

Two nights in Dublin is a good idea...it's easy to get around on foot and see everything. Stay somewhere south of the river. The Morgan is a great hotel in Temple Bar if you like nightlife.
I agree, skip Cork. Kinsale is not to be missed. We spent a night there and it has remained one of my favorite places. Be sure you have a road atlas - not just a tourist map. It takes much longer to drive places than it looks on a map, but that's part of the fun!

pjdscott

It sounds like a great idea but you're in danger of trying to cover too much ground in 10 days! For an example of how long it takes to drive around Munster, please visit my illustrated tour and/or click on my travel links:

http://www.hidden-dublin.com/tours/munster_index.html

There is also a Leinster tour on my site (Tours index) which you could do first, ie., go from Dublin directly south.

If you did these two itineraries as suggested, that alone would take you 10 days, and you would not have even seen Dublin!

Peter

Momof3sons

Bridegrl,

I know that planning can get overwhelming. Do your best to try and narrow down the types of things that you and your husband like to see and do. You also need to figure out how you like to travel (ie. our family just spent 4 days and 5 nights in Ireland this summer and managed to see and experience alot with the long summer days. Others would want a much slower pace).

I am currently working on a trip report on this site http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35054801 and have just finished the Ireland portion of our trip. You may be able to get some ideas of likes/dislikes and time needed to go certain places. The only day that we felt rushed on this trip was the day that we went to Dingle and drove the Slea Head drive. By the way, Dingle was definitely our favorite between the Dingle Peninsula and Ring of Kerry.

The many posters here on fodors are an invaluable source of information and are great at giving food, accomodation, etc. recommendations.

Good Luck!

Erin74

I just spent two weeks in Ireland this Spring. You can read my trip report here:

http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...p;tid=35017694

Give yourself a couple of days in Dublin to really do it justice. Be sure to see Kilmainhaim Gaol and Trinity College, of course.

As others have said, I'd suggest skipping Cork. You might consider spending time near Killarney instead. While the actual city of Killarney isn't exciting, the lakes surrounding are magnificent and there are many beautiful sights to be seen in the area, including Ross Castle and Muckross House.

I'd also highly recommend considering the Dingle Peninsula instead of the Ring of Kerry. Dingle is just so amazingly beautiful.

We didn't stop in Kilkenny, we chose to go to Glendalough instead and really liked the scenery there. However, lots of folks do seem to enjoy Kilkenny and that might be a good stop for you in between Dulbin and Killarney.

Best of luck with the planning!

Melissa5

Bridegrl06, I felt the same way when I started planning our first family trip to Ireland. We had a wonderfully memorable trip to Ireland last summer.

Select one guidebook for Ireland and read it cover to cover. It really will help you focus your thoughts. Select the book that seems most readable to you. Use a highlighter while you read.

I second the suggestion to check out www.IrelandYes.com. That's Michele Erdvig's site and her Best Little Guide to Ireland was my favorite guidebook...I also bought Fodors and well...I have a shelf-ful of Ireland guidebooks!

It sounds like you are off to a good start, thinking of flying into Dublin and out of Shannon. We did it in reverse, since as a newbie in Ireland it is easier to begin your driving in Shannon, instead of near big-city Dublin. But your idea is fine too.

The best thing to do is to get your guidebook and read it. Next, make a list of your top 3 favorite things to see...places you just fell in love with when you read about them. (Read people's trip reports too!)

Hopefully your top 3 favorite places will be geographically possible in a 10-day trip! If not you'll have to take out the one that is out of the way. Next, you string together your favorite 2 or 3 places with stops in between (if necessary).

What about the places that didn't fit in? You won't miss them once you step foot in Ireland, I promise! They will become like pale ghosts, compared to the beautiful experiences that you see all around you.

For example I had to leave out the Rock of Cashel...gasp! It was so hard to let go of it. I felt like it was a mortal sin to leave it out. But our itinerary fit much better without it. One of my priorities was to see the Belfast area where my Irish Grandmother came from, so of course I had to build our itinerary around that. That was one of my top 3 priorities.

And guess what? I'll see the Rock of Cashel on my next trip to Ireland someday! I'm determined to get back.

chip

My advice would be to go to the library and check out some different guide books or hang out at your local barnes & noble and go thru a couple. Then go to the local used book store and buy your favorites.

Other suggetions:
I enjoy staying at B&B's in small towns within walking distance of pubs/dining so once you check in at night you don't have to drive.
Dingle and Kenmare are my favorites (good B&B's in town, music, pubs, dining, shopping, strolling, local sites)

My must see sites (for Dublin to Shannon):
Kilmainham Jail,
Glendalough,
Rock of Cashel,
Beara Peninsula/Healy Pass, ROK/section between Kenmare and Killarney including Ladies view/Molls gap/and National Park,
Ross Castle,
Dingle/Slea head,
Cliffs of Moher,
Pubs and music

For Dublin to Shannon in 10 days, I would suggest:

2 -Dublin (Kilmainham Jail, Trinity College/Book of Kells, music and/or literary pub crawls, hop on/off bus tour)

1 -Kilkenny (on the way stop and Glendalough and Jerpoint Abbey, also enjoyed Kilkenny Castle)

1- Kinsale (on way stop at Rock of Cashel and Cahir Castle, Charles Fort, "ghost" tour)

3- Kenmare (on way to Kenmare from Kinsale explore the coast, one day Beara Peninsula/Healy Pass and Garnish Island, one day Gap of Dunloe, then on way to Dingle visit Muckross House and/or Ross Castle)

2- Dingle (Slea Head drive on full day)

1 -Bunratty (take Kilimer/Tarbert Ferry across the Shannon, up coast to Cliffs of Moher, then last night in Bunratty...do banquet of folk night at Bunratty)

IrishEyes

If you have only been looking online then I agree with Chip that you should read a couple of guidebooks. When you actually sit down and do that, various sightseeing things and areas will start appealing to you. Note them down, get out your map and see which ones fit your route. Some will be too far afield to include in your trip. Cut them out.

You can use this trip planner to help with drive times keeping in mind that you will average under 40 mph: http://www.aaroadwatch.ie/routes/ Add time to what that website says.

Not all hotels that have "castle" in their name are real castles. Once you narrow them down ask here and people will tell you which are genuine castles.

Most itineraries that I see online are too hectic. Plan your own and see Ireland on your own terms.

GBC

Yet another vote for the website irelandyes.com. Michelle provides excellent, unbiased advice. We have used her ideas, along with Rick Steves, and stayed at her places with very happy experiences.

You can also contact her directly for assistance.

daydreamer19

I returned form Ireland on Sept 1 after a 13 day trip-very close to Chip's plan:
2 nights Dublin
2 nights Kilkenny
1 night Kinsale
2 nights Kenmare
2 nights Dingle
2 nights Doolin ( to see the cliffs)
1 night at Shannon airport/Bunratty banquet
I could have left off 1 night in Kilkenny and 1 in Doolin. I agree, look at a few guide books!