I have plans to travel to Ireland in April and am trying to decide the direction of how my itinerary is playing out with having to factor in the fact that I was planning on renting a car to travel. I have about 9 days/8 nights which isn't long. I originally thought of exploring the Southwest regions (Visiting the Cliffs/Burren, Galway, Kilkenny, and Glendalough) and ending in Dublin for the last 2 nights before flying home. Then my husband threw in the wrench of liking Northern Ireland because we live in the south and never get to explore the north, and the history is better up north than where we were looking at going in the Southwest (plus he'd rather do the Giant's instead of the Cliffs). I wanted to strangle him for his rationalization over this change, but I did pick the location for our vacation so compromise I'm trying to do. The only thing I know for sure regarding a B&B rental we have already secured is for the last 2 nights before we fly home out of Dublin. I was going to purchase my plane tickets next week and now I don't know where I should fly into seeing as my husband wants to go to Northern Ireland (Belfast, Bushmills, and Londonderry).

What is the easiest way to set this up with a good starting point for flying into?
It seems like the locations that my husband wants to explore can be done in 3-4 days, so what would you recommend doing with the rest of my time?
Given the locations my husband would like to visit, what areas would you recommend we stay in?
Is there a way that we can divide up our times so that I can see some of my list and he can see some of his?

When you say you "live in the south", is that the south of Ireland?

We spent one day sightseeing in Derry, one in the far north seeing Giant's Casueway, Dunluce Castle, Bushmills, & Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, one day sightseeing our way from Portrush to Belfast, and two in Belfast.

With 2 days already allotted near Dublin (?north or south?), that doesn't give you much time for anything else.

I wouldn't consider Glendalough or Kilkenny SW, but you could combine them with Powerscourt, Jerpoint Abbey, Kildare for a couple of days near Dublin.

We live in the south as in Georgia, USA. Every year we do an international trip somewhere and this year I picked Ireland. The 2 nights we actually are staying at a B&B I found through Airbnb which says it's in Dublin(Beaumont Ave, neighborhood Churchtown). I booked that accommodation with the thought of April being a busy month because of Easter, so I worried Dublin would book up quickly. However we will be there from April 5-13th. The biggest thing I was thinking about with Dublin was using it to see the jail of course as well as seeing the Wicklow Mountains.
It's just been back and forth with him about this itinerary that it's making it difficult to decide on a good compromise that is a win win. My whole argument has been that I don't want to spend all my time driving and I would like to say that I have been to Ireland and not the United Kingdom. We so far have only agreed on knowing that we want to see quiet countrysides and enjoy small pubs. He's big on history and war stuff (he's a cop), and I'm a teacher who loves being outdoors and taking pictures.
I am just so excited to be driving in another country and want this to be enjoyable for us both, but I'm finding our differences difficult with this trip which is unusual. Maybe it's just because I think Ireland is absolutely GORGEOUS and it's always been my dream to go there.

Others can help you better with your itinerary but I don't understand what living in a US southern state has to do with visiting in the north of Ireland. Just curious.

Now I wonder why your husband wants to visit Bushmills? Lot's of history there — since 1608! ;-)
http://www.bushmills.com

>> We so far have only agreed on knowing that we want to see quiet countrysides and enjoy small pubs.<<

Then why Dublin? I would think if you scratch Dublin you can fit in 2 to 4 days in NI and the rest in the S/SW of the Republic.

>>I would like to say that I have been to Ireland and not the United Kingdom.<<

OK - maybe I'm missing something (just like the southern US reference, not sure why this makes a difference) Can't you just say you've been to Ireland and N. Ireland????

>> Maybe it's just because I think Ireland is absolutely GORGEOUS and it's always been my dream to go there.<<

True - parts of Ireland are just gorgeous . . . as are parts of Northern Ireland. Since you haven't been to either, maybe NI will surprise you.

>>I am just so excited to be driving in another country and want this to be enjoyable for us both, but I'm finding our differences difficult<<

Well, now you can say you drove in TWO countries

If your husband is set on NI and you say you want to compromise . . I'd seriously consider it. I'd maybe think about flying in/out of Shannon and skipping Dublin this trip.

http://www.cietours.com/us/escorted_...rn_welcome_8d/
look at this map and it will give you a tour that you can do a little of both. Sort of a loop.

http://www.bushmills.com/#BMTheOldBushmillsFindUs
Go To Belfast, take a black cab tour, see the Titanic museum, spend the night at the Europa Hotel, do Bushmills, Giants Causeway and other places on your list and drive towards Wesport/Cliften/Galway and base yourself there for a couple of nights and then on to Dublin.

Something to check on - When I spent time in Ireland & N. Ireland, maybe 10 years ago, it wasn't possible to take my N. Ireland car into the Republic of I. That might very well have changed since then but if you plan to do the whole trip by car I'd check on it.

I went all over N. Ireland by car, then returned to Belfast, turned in the car, took the train to Dublin and used public transport from then on. At one point I found I'd crossed the line into the Republic without knowing it, no sign on the country road, and hot-tailed it back.

For the number of days you have I, too, would consider just the north with a car this time. I enjoyed it every bit as much, if not more, than 2 trips to the Republic. Or the north plus just Dublin as it's an easy train trip from Belfast to Dublin.

Yes - you can take them between the two countries - no issue there. What is difficult is collect a car in one country and drop it in the other.

So renting at Shannon, touring a bit of NI and the south and returning the car at Shannon (or anywhere else in the south is totally doable.

Greendragon just did a great tour of Northern Ireland, go look at her post.

Sorry, should have linked this. You should read about her trip.
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...eland-2013.cfm

What you both want to see/do sounds a lot like the 8-day trip we made in early April 2009. Here's an itinerary for you based on what we did. This itinerary will give you both plenty of scenery and plenty of history. (Note: We discovered in planning our trip that we did not have time to include points in western Ireland such as Galway and the Burrren. We saved it for a subsequent trip and you probably will have to do so as well if you want to tour both Ireland and Northern Ireland.)

Day 1: Arrive Dublin airport. Collect rental car and drive directly to Belfast (easy 2-hour drive even after a transatlantic flight). Check into B&B (I recommend the Avenue House B&B) and then head over to the Crown Bar Saloon for lunch in a snug (booked in advance). Continue to the CBD and take the 2-hour Open Top Sightseeing bus tour.

Day 2: Drive along the very scenic Antrim Coast with a stop at Glenariff Forest Park for a picnic and the scenic waterfalls hike. Continue to Carrick-a-rede Bridge, Giant's Causeway and Dunluce Castle.

Day 3: Bushmills and Derry

Day 4: Drive to Kilkenny via the Boyne Valley to visit Newgrange and the site of the Battle of the Boyne. Dinner in one of the excellent pubs in Kilkenny--perhaps Kyteler's.

Day 5: Visit Kilkenny Castle, Rock of Cashel and Cahir Castle.

Day 6: Drive to Dublin via Glenadalough. Spend day touring scenic Glendalough, Wicklow Mts. and/or Powerscourt.

Day 7: Dublin

Day 8: Dublin

Day 9: Depart Dublin

I also wanted to visit the south more cos of the ring of Kerry but with only six full days in Ireland and two half days we had to stick to a strict itinerary so ewe are going from Dublin right round to Galway and then back to Dublin
Upon researching more I'm happy with the itinerary..love the wild coastline and will see the republic as well anyway
Basically need to see Newcastle where OHs mum is from and then to more ancestry in portrush area but after that and in between there's loads to see along th Antrim Coast and nine glens
I'm looking forward to Westport especially ..looks like a great town

Don't really feel like doings Belfast but we will do a cab tour no doubt...will have a look at drogheda cos of Oliver cromwells involvement there...hideous history of slaughter and then there's the battle of the boyne between James and William of orange too
We are going in winter so have less daylight but will make the most of the pubs and firesides at night

Happy travels you'll no doubt love it like we will no matter which way you turn the wheel!

You all are beyond amazing. This helped me out TREMENDOUSLY! Thank you so much for not only the recommendations of areas, but places to stay and eat. I am SO excited to be traveling that I even started a countdown meter on my desktop.

@longhorn55-Please forgive me for what may seem like I'm clueless, but can you explain some of the acronyms you used? Like in Day 1 you say CBD and I'm trying to figure out what that might be. I figure it has to be a touring company, ;-) Also, where did you stay on day's 2-6? I tried looking up Avenue House B&B and I was having some difficultly but I'm going to keep trying.
This feedback is so helpful! Thank you so much again!

Possibilities:

http://www.avenueguesthouse.com/

CBD may be central business district, Belfast.

Agree that it is the Central Business District in Belfast...

Yes, CBD is Central Business District — I don't think he meant Compulsive Buying Disorder, lol!

B&B means Bed & Breakfast.

Rather than scratching your head, just look up the acronym in Google. There will often be several options, but as above usually only one will be in context.