Ireland &/or Scotland Suggestions
 

Hi all, I am just starting to plan a first time trip to Ireland and, possibly Scotland, for early to mid-May. We have 7-8 days we will be in Ireland, then have an additional 6-7 days that are open. Interested in any input re. spending the full two weeks in Ireland, vs. a week in Ireland and a week in Scotland. We're meeting our son in Dublin, although posts here suggest not spending more than a day or so there. Any suggestions are appreciated! Thanks!

I enjoy Ireland a lot and LOVE Scotland -- but I would not try to do both countries w/ just 2 weeks. Assuming you'll want a couple of days in Dublin (1 to get over the jet lag sans car/driving and 1 more to really see a bit of Dublin)

In the rest of the country, especially in the very scenic west/southwest, the going is slow and the scenery is thick. So even your 2 full weeks is not long enough for more than a taste of Ireland.

Scotland deserves it's own 2 or 3 weeks.

Two weeks is barely enough time to cover the south/southwest of Ireland much less Scotland. Although it seems many prefer the s.& s.w., Northern Ireland also has some spectular scenery and sights well worth visiting.

Do a bit of research and then decide which area you want to visit. You can't make a wrong decision.

It depends on how much you want to see. Personally, I'd do a week in scotland. After a string of 5 day vacations around europe I think I'd get bored being in Ireland for 2 whole weeks- you could hit the key sights in one and then get to visit Scotland too! Unless you're staying with natives, I find most tourist attractions in the same country have the same flavour, it would be interesting to get over to scotland and see the difference.

If this is a once-in-a-lifetime trip for you, I would do one week in Ireland and one week in Scotland. But if you'll be back over at some point, I'd just stay in Ireland for the 2 weeks. So many people try to see all of Ireland in a week, and you just end up driving all of the time and not really enjoying the country. If you do spend just the week in Ireland, pick one quadrant of it: either NW, NE, SE or SW.