lovexhappiness

Dugi - Yes! We have a debit card, as well as the credit card. So once we get to the airport just find an ATM and take cash out using our debit card? All of our hotels, rental card, and 70% of tours/activities will be pre-paid to help us lower the out of pocket costs while abroad. I really appreciate all of the help you've been! I'm not sure where you're from, but I'm traveling from the states. The flight is about 8 hours. Any tips for a long flight? Our flight there will be overnight red eye flight. Our flight home leaves Dublin @ 11 AM.

LindaBrinck - The reason we picked Cong is to stay at the Ashford Castle. I was wanting to stay in one Castle hotel and that one is obviously highly recommended. That is the one hotel we splurgged on. We have booked the falconry tour and are considering doing the hour boat tour once arrived. I have heard great things about kylemore abbey. Do you know how far that is from Ashford? We have modified our itinerary and are doing Day 4/5 in Killarney and day 6 in Cork. I am actually really happy we changed that.
I considered adding Dingle but just unsure if we will have time...
I'm not a seafood person but my boyfriend loved seafood so I will have to look into the oysters place and maybe we can make a stop! I know he would love it.

Kwren- I'll keep an eye on that. Hopefully we can limit any extra costs that come a long with converts USD To Euros.

lovexhappiness

Kwren- I have read your TR briefly (will do a more detailed read tomorrow when it isn't so late my time...)
Do you recommend making a trip to Waterford? My brother in law said it looks really interesting online. I hadn't heard of it throughout my research. Is it on the way to any of my stops?

lovexhappiness

What amount of day light should we expect in the beginning of March?
How about weather?

dugi_otok

Dublin

Mar 1-Sunrise 7:12 am ,Sunset 6:03 pm, Day length 10:50:57

March 15-Sunrise 6:39 am ,Sunset 6:29 pm,Day length 11:50:07

Weather Forecast

Sat Mar 4 AM Showers 51/41 degrees F
Sun Mar 5 Partly Cloudy 52/43
Mon Mar 6 Few Showers 53/42
Tue Mar 7 Showers 52/42
Wed Mar 8 PM Showers 51/39

dugi_otok

Hi again
I am from SoCal(Los Angeles suburbs)

Flight time for me is 10h30. 8 hr time difference LA-Dublin.
Try reading Rick Steves Ireland 2017 on your flight.This statement is heresy on this form. But I will say it anyway.
No alcohol on the flight. I know its free.
Naps on the flight are good. But no naps/resting your first day in Dublin.Stay outside and tough it out. Staying outside will make you believe its daytime. The next day you will be ready to go.

"The difference between America and Ireland is that Americans think 100 years is a long time, while the Irish think 100 miles is a long way." --Earle Hitchner ... So don't even think about adding Waterford to your itinerary (But it's only a two hour drive from Cork).And Kylemore Abbey only adds 2 hrs to your drive Cong to Galway.
Dingle is only a short drive from Killarney.

Best to stick to your itinerary.These places are a long way. You don't have a long time. Let your brother-in-law tell you about his trip to Waterford.

Tony2phones

Do Not read Rick Steves anything certainly not Ireland ur man has the respect of typically loud typecast US tourists not the Irish or many other Europeans. There are good guide books for Ireland that open minded free thinking folk can read.

Of course if you want a go here because "I" like it, don't go there because "I" don't like it, do this don't do that guide with local on the ground research done via google and phone calls from Washington?

Be a "visitor" not a robot tourist.

kwren

We liked Waterford, especially the tour since we have some Waterford items, but no, I don't think you have time to fit it in. You have a pretty tight schedule as it is. It took quite a while to get there (we found lots of other things to see on the way) and it is out of your way.

You will find a lot of differing opinions on Fodors! (Rick Steves anyone? ) What is right for one person might not be right for another, but that's why you ask questions here, right? Personally, I recommend getting as much sleep on the plane as you can. Skip the movies after dinner (you'll have a lot of time to watch movies on the way home), don't read except maybe at the beginning and the end of the flight. Having a glass of wine with dinner will help. (Hey, it's free!) If you see an empty row, you can move and stretch out to sleep. Unfortunately, that doesn't happen much these days now that flights are packed so full, but my husband and I got lucky and each had a row of 3 seats on the way to Barcelona two weeks ago. He can't sleep much on planes, but I slept for 4 hours stretched out. It was great!

More importantly, drink lots of water during the flight. I've seen the recommendation to drink at least 1 cup an hour. Follow that advice because it's a very drying atmosphere. Even your hands can get dry so take hand cream if you don't like that feeling. If you wake up and are thirsty, you can go to the flight attendant station and ask for a bottle of water. They won't mind. Don't wait for them to come back around with the cart. The added advantage of walking to them is that it helps your circulation to get up and walk. If you stay in your seat, do some leg stretches and foot rotations now and then.

So my opinion on naps - you know your own body and what it can or can't do. Did you pull all nighters in college? Maybe you can get along without a nap. For us, whenever we go to Europe, we always take a 1 1/2 hour nap once we get to the room. We groan when the alarm wakes us up and force ourselves to get up - but it's enough to keep us going. Whether you go the nap route or not, and again, there are lots of opinions about that, you should definitely get outside and tough it out as is recommended above. Have dinner at a normal time, go to bed at a normal time. We're from PA so have it a bit easier than you will have it.

<<go here because "I" like it, don't go there because "I" don't like it, do this don't do that>>
Sounds like all of us on Fodors!!!

Your activities sound really fun, especially the falconry and horseback riding. I hope you have good weather for all of them!

dugi_otok

The words Rick Steves gets the same reaction around here as the words "Frau Blucher" get from the horses in Young Frankenstein.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdIID_TGwhM

Europeans don't get it that a Rick Steves Guide book is a tranquilizer for stressed out Americans on their first trip to Europe. lovexhappiness could benefit from that tranquilizer. I can say that even though I have never read a page of a Rick Steves Ireland guide book.

lovexhappiness

Dugi_otok - thanks for the weather/day light information. Hopefully we have enough day light to accomplish as much as we want.
I think it might be best to stick to the itinerany I've outline above, too. I am sure there will be places we decide to stop along the way but I'm nervous about time.
I have heard great things about Dingle, though. How far is that from Killarney?

Tony2phones - When we first started planning our trip, I wanted to pick up a travel book to read. I had heard not to read Rick Steves books so I opted to get something else. I'll have to look at what it is. I actually really like it and obviously plan to bring it along. It has a map and some great information.

Kwren - Thank you for all the tips! We land @ 9:30 AM and can't check in to our hotel (we are staying at the Gresham) in Dublin until at least 2. We have the Guinness tour booked for 5 PM this evening and the Kilmainham Gaol tour for 2:45 PM. So we will probably grab a quick bite to eat after the Guinness and Go back to the room and pass out.
I'm super excited about horse back riding and the falconry. Hopefully the weather coroporates.


I'm from Chicago so we have about an 8 hour flight there and a 9 and a half hour flight home. Our time difference will be 6 hours.

lovexhappiness

Is the luggage weight limit for Aer Lingus 50 lbs like usual airlines in the US?
I think we are going to bring our larger hardcade suitcases.
I'm on the fence about packing light or packing a little extra to ensure I have what I want/need for the weather.

Has anyone used Aer Lingus before?

lovexhappiness

Also - this is a question I asked a couple weeks ago on a different forum.
My boyfriends passport expires about 3 months after our trip to Ireland. He should be fine traveling to Ireland, right?

Some people were arguing 6 months after your trip and others were saying as long as it is valid for the entire Stay we are fine.
I called the passport office and they said we just have to be back before it expires.
Can anyone link an article that states this so I can print it off and bring it with me, just in case? I'm just a little nervous, but knowing I called the passport office, I think we're fine.

fourfortravel

We returned earlier this week from a 2.5 day Dublin city break. All I can share is that public facilities are scarce; the queues within the Guinness tour for the "Pouring Academy" (where you pour the pint of Guinness included in your ticket price) were so long that we skipped it; and the "Transport for Ireland" app was terribly useful when we grew tired of walking and wanted to catch a bus (drivers only accept correct change), and with our day outing to nearby Howth.

We flew Aer Lingus, though ours was a short hop from Vienna to Dublin. Overall, no better or worse than any budget carrier, and a little disappointing for a "national" carrier, we thought. If you want any legroom at all, spend the extra money for Exit Row or equivalent seats. Both my 6 foot+ DH and DD were miserable on the outbound; I paid for the extra space (€20 per person) for the return for them. Aer Lingus, at least on our flight, offers food and beverage for a fee only; I would research whether the same is true for transatlantic flights.

I hope this is helpful.

jaja

You will love the Hawk Walk! I have done 3 different ones and the Ashford Castle was by far the best!

dugi_otok

>> Also - this is a question I asked a couple weeks ago on a different forum.
My boyfriends passport expires about 3 months after our trip to Ireland. He should be fine traveling to Ireland, right?<<

Your Boyfriend dodged a bullet. Unlike some European countries, Ireland does NOT require U.S. passport validity 6 months after your trip to Ireland, but only "Valid for the duration of your stay in Ireland".

https://travel.state.gov/content/pas...y/ireland.html

dugi_otok

>>Is the luggage weight limit for Aer Lingus 50 lbs like usual airlines in the US?<<
Yes.


>>I think we are going to bring our larger hardcade suitcases.
I'm on the fence about packing light or packing a little extra to ensure I have what I want/need for the weather.<<
Take the larger suitcases.You need to ensure you have what you want/need for the weather. Since you are traveling by car there is no issue with suitcases.

Has anyone used Aer Lingus before?
Not me.

kwren

We have used Aer Lingus on 2 different trips (the second to Rome via Dublin) and it was fine. It was 50 pounds per suitcase when we went, but of course it never hurts to check the website to be sure nothing has changed. We didn't have to pay for meals on the overseas flight.

kwren

You clear customs in Dublin on the way home by the way. (Can't remember if that was in my trip report or not - sorry if I am repeating).

If you are lucky, your hotel room will be ready early and you can check in when you arrive or at least before 2. We've had that happen many times and appreciated it.

dugi_otok

>> I have heard great things about Dingle, though. How far is that from Killarney? <<

I like Dingle a lot. Some thoughts on you visiting Dingle. I am not sure what attractions you have committed to so some of the following may not work.

Option A. After Night 2 Leave Cong after enjoying your stay at Ashford Castle Hotel. Drive on bypassing Galway, continuing with a scenic drive through the Burren,then stopping at the Cliffs of Moher for a visit. Continue on to Bunratty for the night. I can recommend the Gallows View B&B. Stayed there several years ago.Can book direct or on Booking.com

http://www.gallowsview.com/

In the evening take in the Bunratty Castle Medieval Banquet.

https://www.shannonheritage.co/Bunra...dievalBanquet/

If the Medieval Banquet is not your cup of tea(actually mead), and you don't like Bunratty you could sleep in nearby Ennis or drive on to Adare(I have never stayed in Adare)for the night.
Then after Night 3 in Bunratty you can drive To Killarney with a stop in Dingle. Bunratty to Dingle is a 2h 42min drive of 163km(source Via Michelin). So you could spend the afternoon in Dingle, including the Dingle Peninsula. Then drive Dingle to Killarny in 1h 16min (66km).
Dublin, Cong, Bunratty, Killarney,Killarney, Cork etc.

Option B. Same as Option A except you spend Night 4 in Dingle. Then the next morning drive to Killarney early enough to get to your horseback ride at 11:30 am.
This changes your trip to all one night stays.
Dublin, Cong, Bunratty, Dingle,Killarney, Cork etc.


Option C. The next day after Night 5 in Killarney drive west Killarney to Dingle.Visit Dingle and Dingle Peninsula. Then drive east passing Killarney to your nights destination Cork. No changes to your itinerary but a lot of back tracking required to visit Dingle.
Dublin, Cong, Galway, Killarney,Killarney, Cork etc.

iowamom

I don't think I saw this mentioned but make sure you have reserved a car with an automatic transmission unless your boyfriend is comfortable driving a manual transmission!

allisonm

Random thoughts in no particular order:

Food is free on Aer Lingus, as are water, juices and soft drinks. If you want wine, beer or spirits, you will have to pay. If you are in business class, booze is free.

You don't need euros before you go; you can get them from an ATM at the airport.

Your adapter will work for any American devices that are dual voltage. Your phone charger will likely be okay. You won't need to bring a hairdryer as hotels and B&B provide them, but if you do, you must have a converter.

When are you going? If soon, you can expect cool weather with probable rain. Wear layers. Fleece is fine. Jeans are fine. You may need to dress a little better for the hotel, but otherwise you don't need a lot of stuff. No one will know that you wore that outfit a couple of days ago in Galway. If you forget something it's okay. Dublin has lots of shops, as does Galway. After 10 trips, I still take stuff I never wear. Sneakers, trail shoes and boots are okay, you want sturdy shoes for trekking around. Ballerina flats are not practical.

If your Dublin hotel room isn't ready when you arrive, they will hold your luggage.

Mussels are delicious. Seafood is great. I love salmon and eat it as often as I can. Beef will taste very different from our American steak or hamburger. Pub carveries are usually a good value.

I can't sleep on the plane but we never nap on our first day. We just keep pushing until we collapse. (I never make it past 8 pm.) BUT we do like to have breakfast somewhere early on as we feel like it helps adjust our internal time clocks.

Most of all, try to relax and enjoy. Don't try to do and see everything! Hope you have a great trip!