We're travelling to Ireland with our 13 and 14 year old sons in July. We'll be based in Belfast from the 5-12th but are flying in on the 2nd.

We are renting a car and have 3 days to head to the south or west and get back to Belfast by the 5th.

Any must-dos?

Thanks,
Krista

Hey kclarke,

three questions in advance to get a better understanding of what kind of information you need:

1. Which month?
2. Will you be flying into Belfast on the 2nd, or differnt airport in Ireland?
3. Do you also need info on what to do in N.I., or do you have that already covered since you ask specifically for S/W destinations?

We are arriving in Belfast on the morning of the 2nd. We are renting a car there and need to be back to Belfast on Saturday, July 5th to pick up keys from the 'keeper' of the Blackhead Lightkeeper's Lighthouse where we will be staying and day-tripping from for the following week. (We think we have some ideas for NI but would be glad for any advice since it's our first time there.)


Keep in mind that we are right-side of the road drivers and that this may slow us down a bit at first But, we are bringing our GPS and will be purchasing the European maps to help us find our way around.

We have tentatively booked a hotel in Dublin for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th but this can be changed if you have some better suggestions.

Thanks,
Krista

Hello Krista,

I'm Dublin-born and bred and am delighted to hear you're going to visit Dublin. I should warn you that the traffic around Dublin is often chaotic, even outside the rush hour. I suggest you drive to Dublin, leave the car at your hotel and if you're planning to see the city area of Dublin, go by public transport. There are things to see by car in the greater Dublin area (Kildare is 30 miles//50k away, the Japanese Gardens are nearby and also the National Stud for example).

In what section of the city is your hotel? Hopefully they provide free parking? The GPS will certainly assist but can't get you through congestion!

Since you're hiring a car in one country and visiting another, you might already have checked the insurance for this.

For more unusual ideas about Dublin please visit my guide:

http://www.hidden-dublin.com

Best wishes,

Peter

Not sure what you're interested in, but when my bf and I vacationed here 2 years ago (before we ended up moving here recently) these were some of the highlights of our trip:

newgrange - acient tomb, very interesting, and amazing that with the amount of rain dublin gets, the interior is bone dry. This could easily be done as you drive from belfast to Dublin.

Guiness storehouse if you're into beer (be sure to purchase advance tickets online)

Consider a day at one of the coastal towns on the DART, like greystones or bray or howth.

Wicklow mountains and glendolough come highly reccomended.

Trinity college and the book of kells.

Christchurch and/or St. Patrick's cathedral.

also it' s just alot of fun to walk around downtown, over the bridges or the cobblestone streets and take in the city.

You can find info on all of these things easily with a google search.

Hope those are a good starting point for you.

Thank you so much for the suggestions Peter.

Much appreciated.

Krista

If you have any interest in things ancient, the passage graves at Newgrange north of Dublin are not to be missed.

I have a different opinion. We had 9 days on our trip to Ireland and spent half of it in Dublin and then the south, and the other half on the west coast and by far, we enjoyed the west coast much more. We really wished we had spent more time there and less in Dublin and the south. You only have a couple of days. Not that there aren't great things to see and do in Dublin and the south, but there's a reason all the posters/photos, etc you see of Ireland are of the west coast. I'd head straight to the Dingle/Kenmare/Ring of Kerry area (roughly, but any of those peninsulas were beautiful.

If you don't take my advice and decide to stay in Dublin at least try to get to Glendalaugh and Kilkenny which I think are doable as day trips. I thought Dublin might be a nice place to live but not all that interesting to visit.

I can't help with the Ireland part of your trip as I haven't been there yet (although I'm taking a long weekend in the SW in July). I was in N Ireland for a long weekend in March and have to say that Giant's Causeway was a highlight. Your kids will love it - you get to climb all over the rocks. The rope bridge, while shorter than we expected, had a gorgeous walk to them with just the most incredible views of the coastline.

We stopped in a pub after dinner to hear some traditional music and there were kids there. So if your kids are into that at all they might enjoy it.

Ok here are my Dublin reccommendations:

Book of Kells
National Museum on Kildare street. Facimating bog boat theY DISCOVERED AND BEAUTIFUL OLD VIKING STYLE JEWELLERY. Boys may be interested in some of the other artefacts
oops!

Chester beatty Library for Lunch in the Silk Road cafe. Canteen style lebabese/greek food. I love it here and its a small Asian Art Museum.

Guiness is pricey but fun for the view and pint at the end. Jameson is ok and probably more interesting for Whisky drinkers.

Take the bus tour it will bring you round the city.

Viking splash tour is fun on a sunny day great for kids.

Temple bar for the Musical Pub crawl that Starts at Oliver St John Gogherty. Fleet St Temple Bar most nights 7 ish (check listings) and the Literarty Pub Crawl at The Duke Pub Duke Street most nights. Not sure about kids and the time of night for these. There are day tours like the rebellion tour that are during the day/weekends and all of these can be found and booked at the Tourist office in an old Chiurch on Suffolk St off Grafton Street.

Newgrange is very cool and the kids would like it wwhen you enter the chamber. You can get bus trips booked through the tourist office and the sometimes combine trips tp other places.


P.S> Please ignore Peters Link I am not sure if he is one or 2 people and they are advertising a an E-Book for sale and a B&B they are linked with and its not appropriate for this board.

Siobhan's advice is always good. Let me add Kilmainham Gaol to the list.

I find Guinness to be a bit of a bore only because you never actually see beer being brwed, but rather, it's a museum to Guinness.

Since you will be in NI, if you want a whiskey tour, make your way up to Bushmills. It's a MUCH better tour and they actually let you taste something other than the cheapest (and worst) stuff they make. In other words, I didn't take much of a liking to Jameson's.

I'm not sure how the pub tours will work with youngsters as they don't allow them into pubs after 9:00(?). The only place we could get in with my 17yo nephew was the cheesy show at the Arlington Hotel.

Bill

Bill that is an awful show..thought they stopped it! Too funny. Its usually nine bit some places will not lets kids in after 7 ish. Personally I do not think a pub is a place your small kids after 6 teens I have no problem with as they can drink minerals etc.

Siobhan:

No, that terrible show is still going on complete with canned music. It's hideous. The musical pub tour sounded ok for folks not knowing much about Irish music but when I looked at the evening's events, it seemed a bit dear for three pubs worth of music. I guess I could have stalked them just to go to the pubs.

Bill

I have not done the Musical one in Years but I thought it was pretty good when I did it with guests...how much? I have to think of a few places for you with good music in Dublin June!