One Week Trip with Teens
 

I will be travelling to Ireland with my two teens on April 8. We only have one week to do and see so many things. We are flying into Dublin and I dont mind doing a whirlwind visit there. I have some heritage outside the Galway area, so I definately want to get over that way. Other than that, I dont have any preconceived ideas for an itinerary that gets to see a variety of the country AND is not too rushed. Can someone help with an itinerary for us? Also, when staying with teens, is it better to stay in the larger hotels or are the B&B's just as accomodating for them?
Thanks for any help and advice!

We have travelled a lot with out teens including 2 lovely teen daughters who are now ages 18 and 19. We'll be going to Ireland next summer and have been to Italy and Costa Rica.

Young teen daughters around the ages of 12 to 16 are safer in smaller B&Bs than they are in larger hotels, in my personal opinion. Older teens, who have already been off on their own in college, usually have more sense about how to stay safe with strangers in larger hotels.

Teens like having their own bed and their own room.

Oops, gotta go! Will write more later.

I think you will be safe in Large hotels and b&b's but the price range will dictate that for you. Galway is lovely, and Kerry is also a lovely county, I'm sure your Teens would like to see dublin for a day or two, West cork is beautiful, and the up around donegal, a week will be ok, if you dont mind just doing a whirlwind tour as you say! Do you plan to hire a car of take public transport? if you plan to hire a car, you would see quite a lot more than going by public transport. There is bus tour you can do in Dublin City Centre, its a hop on hop off tour and you can spend as long as you like in each place, its a good way to see dublin quickly, but you wont get a flavour of the city unless you stay here. Killarney is lovely, just be careful you dont go to the touristy parts, Dingle is really quaint, kenmare, and then in cork Glengarriff is lovely, and schull. I'm sure you relatives in Galway will be able to tell you lots, so dont worry too much about where to see, just enjoy it all, and re-charge the batteries, and have a few pints of guinness..enjoy!

You and your teens should have no problem feeling welcome in B&Bs. You'll be spending so much time siteseeing, you won't have much time for hanging around the B&B or hotel anyway.

Are you flying out of Dublin as well? If so, your best bet would be to stay in the east. You will be amazed at how much there is to see there. Consider a Dublin-Kilkenny-Cashel-Glendalough loop (that would be plenty for a week, but you could alter it to include Waterford or the Wicklow/Wexford coast if that's where you interests lie).

Dublin-Galway is another option. Galway makes a good homebase for the Burren, Cliffs and the beautiful Connemara region. Traffic can be especially trying near Galway, so consider staying someplace a little out of town, like Salthill or Spiddal...or further north in Roundstone, Clifden or Cong.

I traveled with my 12 & 16 year old niece & nephew. In Dublin they enjoyed the Hop On/Off Bus, Kilmainham Gaol, the performers on Grafton St, the shopping between O'Connell St and the street at the Ha'Penny Bridge (one block north of the river), lunch at the indoor palm garden at Cafe en Siene (on Dawson St south of Trinity College/east of Grafton St), St Stephen's Green/Meridion Square/Trinity College for quiet respites, the mummies at St Michan's Church near the Jameson Distillery, the mummified cat and mouse in Christ Church Cathedral -- FYI - the Guiness Brewery was expensive and they enjoyed it, but it wasn't something they talked about at the end of the trip...Dublinia is for younger children...Temple Bar is fun by day, but unless they are 18+ avoid it at night.

They liked the various castles and ruined abbeys and going into Irish department stores...like Dunnes, Penney's and Roches.

Hope this helps.

ttt for jbedwards22