murphdog73

Hi,

My fiancee and I are going to Ireland for our honeymoon, the first week in June. Our itinerary had 3 nights scheduled in Killarney, but the more I read, the more I see that it is overly touristy. We have a high tolerance for tourists but it is our honeymoon. We're also considering staying in Kenmare or Killorglin or Dingle instead--does anyone have advice? We'd like to see the Ring of Kerry and Killarney National Park and Dingle, which is why Killarney seemed the most logical choice.

Also, any advice of a good B & B in one of these towns that accepts Town & Country vouchers?

Thanks so much!

Curt

We really liked Kenmare as a base for that area, a nice small town.

DavidD

murph,

There is something to be said for all three: Killarney, Kenmare, and Dingle. But when all is said and done, I'd suggest that you base yourself in Dingle town for at least two of the three days, rather than using Killarney as a base. Reserve one night in Killarney. The town is hyper-touristy, with little on offer, but features the undeniably attractive Killarney National Park which offers much to see and do.

The Dingle region - Slea Head in particular - is one of Ireland's true touristic highlights. The scenery is stunning, and offers a good many historic attractions. A good travel guide, such as Fodor's and The Rough Guide, will provide you with a solid introduction to this fascinating region. Consider, too, Rick Steves' guide to Ireland, as it offers a highly detailed section on Dingle and its environs.

The Ring of Kerry is often dismissed as overrated or over-touristy. While I'd agree with the latter, the Ring is justifiably popular, and it's well worth your time, but only with clear skies in the forecast. Still, a couple days for Dingle and one for Killarney would be my recommendation.

Best of luck.

wojazz3

Hi murphdog:

Well, Kenmare is just about my favorite town in Ireland. You are right, Killarney will be getting pretty crowded in June. It's a beautiful area, but the town itself get's a rap for being tourist central. It's pretty well deserved. Killorglin is the most centrally located to the area but I know very little about the town. I've only passed through.

Not knowing the rest of your itinerary, I think, judging from what you want to do, staying in Dingle all three nights wouldn't work. I'm not sure where you are coming from and where you are going after, but it might be possible to spend one night in Dingle and two in Kenmare. It would save the driving back and forth. Personally, I'd rather do two days each, but if you aren't coming from too far away to Dingle, you could have plenty of time. If you're hauling a lot of bags, it makes it a bit less fun.

If you want to include the rest of your itinerary, it might help.

Bill

murphdog73

Ok, here's the rest of our itinerary, if it helps:

2 nights: Ennis
3 nights: (Kerry TBD)
3 nights: Kilkenny
2 nights: Dublin

Thanks again!

wojazz3

Murph:

I'd take a night out of Kilkenny and add it to Dingle. Thus, two in Dingle, Kenmare and Kilkenny. I'm not suggesting that you couldn't easily fill 3 days in Kilkenny, but County Kerry (and Cork) have so much to offer, that I would cut back there. I've spent considerable time in Kerry 4 times and still there's a lot of fun left to have.

Bill

murphdog73

Thanks Bill!

This is a big help

murphdog73

Bill,

We indeed changed our itinerary to what you suggested and I am very excited! Thanks for the advice....

Jen (murphdog)

wojazz3

Jen:

I think you'll have a great time. Pound for pound, the scenery around Dingle is hard to beat. The only thing that I recommend the Rick Steve's book of Ireland for is his tour of Dingle. It's a nice detailed description though it is unlikely your car will match his mileages. You probably won't arrive in Dingle until mid-afternoon from Ennis, so the next day will be good for a tour of the peninsula.

There is so much to do from Kenmare that it is kind of mind-boggling. You could feasibly arrive via the Ring of Kerry and perhaps visit Killarney National Park the next day. A great way to see the park is on the Gap of Dunloe tour. The tour involves a combination of a bus ride to the starting point, from there, the option of walking or riding in a jaunting car over the cap and then a boat ride through the lakes back. You can do this in reverse order also.

I also love the Beara Peninsula and the ride from Kenmare to Glangarriff over Caha Pass is wonderful. There are some beautiful falls hidden well off the main road on the north side of Beara. After a hard rain they are unbelievable. When you drive along the road between Sneem and Kenmare you can see them across the bay/river. There is a tiny road that leads you to them between Kenmare and the Healy Pass Road. They are called the Inchiquin Falls. The sign may be for Glen Inchiquin. Same thing. You'll see more sheep and cattle than people on this road. It's really only one lane wide, so take it easy.

It won?t get dark until after 10:00 PM, so the days will be long. My wife and I liked to get an "early" dinner, then go for an evening drive which usually gave us at least a couple of hours of daylight. We ended up seeing some wonderful sunsets that way.

OK, I've rambled enough. Have fun!

Bill

mexicobeachbum

If you love traditional Irish music, as we do, I'd suggest at least two days in or very near Dingle. It's nice to walk to town, to the pubs, down to the water... You can even go down to visit Fungi, the Dingle dolphin. But seriously, it has it all, the sea, mountains, and a great pub scene, so even if the weather is not great, there's still lots to do.

murphdog73

Bill & MexicoBeachbum,

Thanks for all of the extra info/pointers, I am so excited for our trip!

Jen