Ireland with Kids in March - itinerary help
 

We will be spending a week in Ireland at the end of March with our 2 kids ages 9 and 4. A must for me is N. Ireland (Giant's Causeway) and for my husband it is Dingle. We need some itinerary help!

Day 1: Dublin

Day 2: Portrush

Day 3: Cong

Days 4 and 5: Dingle

Day 6: Back to Dublin

I am worried about the amount of driving especially on day 3 when we drive from Portrush to Cong. Any thoughts on how to reduce the driving or things to stop and do along the way?

Thanks in advance!

Ur mad. sorry but tell your husband there is nothing in Dingle that can't be found elsewhere.. Nothing.

With 10 days it is usually recommended to draw a half way line on the island and stick one side of that. with only 6 days and two youngsters in the car you will be on the road at 6am in your bed at 8pm and go home with nothing but blurred photos taken through a hire car window. If you want a holiday rather than a test drive rethink!!

Arrive Dublin airport and head for Belfast day One.

Day Two for the Antrim Coast and Glens. I suppose at a push you could make Donegal.

Day Three again in a green blur sing little you could make Cong but then I guess you are wealthy beyond even my richest means if you and 2 are overnighting in Ashford Castle (no other reason to stay in Cong) consider Westport and let the kids have a bit of fun @ Westport House. If your husband is insitant on Dingle because it is of course the only place in Ireland most Americans have heard of being indoctrinated by the Steves fella. Then use day 3 for Achill island which is smaller with better scenery. and Day 4 for Westport house and the Connemara ending the night in Galway or Kinvara (Castle banquet?) before a quick visit to the Cliffs of Moher then;;

Back to Dublin.

I don't care how many miles you drive back home, I don't care if you don't like the truth, and very few people like me anyway.. but many appreciate my advice. Thats all I can do, advise, Its your holiday and if you want a mad dash, green blur or a training session for UPS deliveries that's your option.

Sorry forgot a map.. This is a 10 day plan for a Road trip which I had corrolated for an Australian couple a while back http://goo.gl/LvxJWK

Tony lives in Ireland and knows what he is talking about. So read and reread his advice. By the way, his advice about Dingle is spot on.

I go to Ireland fairly often, lived there many years ago. I have enjoyed Dingle, but always have two weeks at least. You don't have the luxury of even one week. Dingle is pleasant, but there are plenty of other pleasant villages nearer the Giants Causeway. Personally I think with kids I might choose to stay in Belfast two nights. You will probably be bushed after driving from the airport after coming off an overnight flight. Just outside of Belfast there are a couple of interesting spots. Carrickfergus Castle, the transport museum, an open air museum might interest the kids.

Then do the rest of your time around Portrush. Besides the Giants Causeway there is DunLuce Castle where the kitchen fell into the sea one night in the 1600's. Portrush has an indoor water place which the kids might enjoy if you hit a rainy day.

I appreciate the replies. After much discussion, we are eliminating Dingle ( we have already been there). The stay in Cong was to allow for a falconry walk for our son (not to stay in Ashford Castle).

Our itinerary is now:

Day 1: Dublin ( our hotel here is allowing for early check-in and we do not want to give that up as our plane lands at 5am)
Days 2 and 3: Portrush
Day 4: Sligo via Derry
Day 5: End the day in Doolin or Galway after falconry walk and drive through the Connemara
Day 6: Cliffs of Moher and drive back to Dublin through the Burren.

We will probably check out Carrickfergus on our way north. We liked the suggestion of Achill Island but we could not find a place with a family room that would accommodate 4 people. Thanks again.

http://www.sacred-destinations.com/ireland/clonmacnoise
After seeing the Burren this is a nice stop on the way back to Dublin.
So glad to see more doing NI. We are finally going in May.

When you are in Sligo then http://www.eaglesflying.com/ might be worth a look. for Hawk walks on the Burren then http://www.aillweecave.ie/hawk-walk are highly regarded.

However you are still covering a lot of ground in a short time. For the ground you aim to cover I would stick with single night stays. The suggestion for Achill was as a route between Donegal and Westport.

If you have been before and been to Dingle you have gained the knowledge that you can't just hare around the country and you will do well to average 35 mph. The map I did was to cover 10 days for a young couple with no ties coming from a country which drives on the same side.

Sights take longer to see than most allow for, there are more than most allow for. And on top of the basics you have a Nine and Four year old legally confined to a child seat and a booster (possibly) in the back.

I would probably have edited my first answer above if the forum allowed. I do forget that Irish colloquialism doesn't translate and may be viewed as offensive which was not the intent.

While you are in Cong the ruined abbey is a lovely spot for a wander for both kids and adults.

I've enjoyed staying in Lisloughrey house in the grounds of Ashford castle and they have great family rooms (little townhouses) which would sleep 4, with adults upstairs and kids downstairs on fold out couch beds in the living room. Would highly recommend that if you still have Cong as a possibility on your agenda. You can go across into Ashford castle to the bar for lunch/dinner - the restaurant there is a bit formal with kids but the bar is fine, and it's a great chance to see the castle.

Cong is a good base also for exploring mayo/ north connemara - Killary harbour, Kylemore Abbey etc.

I also like Westport and as Tony says Westport castle has a lot to offer the kids, but just saying we've had great family holidays in Cong too.

Tony2phones, thanks for posting that map you laid out. My wife and I are coming over the end of April for a week, and some of these areas are where we plan on going. We are only going to do a loop around the southern half, so I appreciate all that you posted on that map.

Thanks again

Sorry its not as clear as it once was but Google messed with the icons and coloured routes on all my maps when they decided to force everyone into using their new overloaded product.

It still works. We are doing the southern half from Dublin, and going no further north and west than Galway. This has given me some other ideas and places to stop.

If you post your Itinerary as a new question you might get help or pointers with other locations south of the DUB~SNN line.

Thanks Tony2. Will do that.