MrMarsellus

Hi,

My wife and I are taking a quick 4 day trip to Ireland in July. We're quick travelers, love driving around, getting lost and exploring places independently. We are avoiding spending all of our time in the Ring of Kerry and instead looking for some slightly less crowded/touristy areas.

Our plan is as follows...I'd love some feedback. Specifically, does it make more sense to do swap Dingle and Kinsale so our drive back to Dublin on Sunday is shorter? Any recommendations for off the beaten path things to do or can't miss places in these areas?

Thursday Morning - Land in Dublin, pick up rental car, spend leisurely day driving down the south coast to Kinsale. See Glendalough Ruins, Wicklow Mountains, Stay Thursday night in Kinsale.

Friday - Explore the Beara Peninsula, maybe a little bit of the Ring of Kerry. Stay Friday night in Kenmare.

Saturday - Explore Dingle Peninsula, Stay Saturday night in Dingle (Pax Guesthouse has been highly recommended).

Sunday - Wake up early, drive from Dingle back to Dublin for 4PM flight.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

Tony2phones

"We are avoiding spending all of our time in the Ring of Kerry and instead looking for some slightly less crowded/touristy areas."

So Dingle and Kinsale?? possibly the most Touristy locations this century.

If coming in off a redeye then Kinsale is a long haul especially faffing around over the Wicklow mountains on the way..

Consider getting the express bus from Dublin Airport to Cork and collecting a car there day 2.

Beara is the same size as Dingle physically but there's a lot to see and the roads don't lend to fast travel end the night in Kemare and maybe an evening run up the Gap of Dunloe.

Dingle I leave to those that think its something special but whilst Pax House gets rave reviews it's a long walk after a pint and expensive.. The Lantern Townhouse is in town and a good option.

Lets hope its a trouble free run all the way from the west coast to the east coast and don't oversleep.

flpab

I would not drive from Dingle back to Dublin for a 4pm flight. Are you from the US? You do immigration and customs in Dublin so need three hours which means you need to be in Dublin by 12 noon to turn in car and get through security and customs. If you are flying in from the UK or another closer country then ignore comment.

MrMarsellus

Thank you for the responses!

We are from the US, and I hadn't considered customs is in Dublin...I thought that was only Shannon.

Is a better solution to maybe do the trip in reverse? Go to Dingle first, then Kenmare, and then spend the last night Kinsale to cut an hour off the drive Sunday morning back to Dublin?

Or we could do 1 night in Dingle, 1 night in Kenmare, and then head back to Dublin on Saturday night so we're not as rushed for the flights on Sunday.

flpab

You can hit heavy traffic on the road to Dublin. We got stuck in traffic for hours one day or it could be a breeze. Just be there to turn in the car by 12:30.
I would drop off the car on Sat, take the bus into town, see Dublin on a Sat evening, get up early and walk about having brunch and then check out of hotel and head to airport.

azzure

Too much. Why fly in and out of Dublin if you wish to spend all your time in the west? If you're stuck flying in and out of Dublin, I would just see Glendalough, Kilkenny and Cashel...maybe head south as far as Kinsale, then head back to Dublin. And as others have mentioned, you really should be back in Dublin by Saturday night.

Or change your plane reservations to Shannon.