Questions about day trips on my own and as part of a tour from Dublin
Feb 27th, 2024, 04:46 AM
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Questions about day trips on my own and as part of a tour from Dublin
Hello
I will be visiting Dublin for 3 days. I wanted to visit some spots outside of Dublin. I want to visit Kilkenny and Belfast.
I found tours for both, but they are both all day tours. So I was thinking I would do one as a tour and one on my own by taking the train. I did this when I went to London and worked well.
The Belfast tour is all day and does different stops in Belfast. I saw I can take the train and be there in 2 hours and there is lots in walking distance from the station in Belfast and I could spend 3-4 hours there. I know it's not a lot, but i can explore on my own.
The Kilkenny tour makes 2 stops prior to Kilkenny to see some beautiful outdoor/ nature stops. If I took the train I can get to Kilkenny and walk around but would not be able to stop at the other spots.
I would appreciate any tips, feedback, and suggestions.
Thanks
I will be visiting Dublin for 3 days. I wanted to visit some spots outside of Dublin. I want to visit Kilkenny and Belfast.
I found tours for both, but they are both all day tours. So I was thinking I would do one as a tour and one on my own by taking the train. I did this when I went to London and worked well.
The Belfast tour is all day and does different stops in Belfast. I saw I can take the train and be there in 2 hours and there is lots in walking distance from the station in Belfast and I could spend 3-4 hours there. I know it's not a lot, but i can explore on my own.
The Kilkenny tour makes 2 stops prior to Kilkenny to see some beautiful outdoor/ nature stops. If I took the train I can get to Kilkenny and walk around but would not be able to stop at the other spots.
I would appreciate any tips, feedback, and suggestions.
Thanks
Feb 28th, 2024, 05:17 AM
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It's my first visit to Ireland
Feb 28th, 2024, 06:46 AM
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Well, it's not how I would do a visit to Dublin it now, but perhaps we toured the same way when we first visited San Franciso, New York and other places in our 20s and 30s. Our related experiences that MIGHT be helpful to you:
When we spent six nights in Dublin with our youngest daughter, who was in her early 20s, we did a Collins Kilkenny bus tour eons ago that included Glendalough, Wicklow and Kilkenny. Our experience was unfortunately impacted by that March's "bi-polar weather", as the tour leader described it, so our assessment can't be counted upon. We thought our driver and our guide were quite nice, and our fellow tour mates were respectful (no talking while the guide was talking). So all that was good. But upon reflection that night, we would much rather have toured something closer to Dublin so we were not locked in a bus for most of the day.
Note: Our favorite memory of Dublin (other than all the trad pubs we dutifully found and dutifully spent hours in) was the Kilmainham Gaol. Our pre-booked tour there which we reached via a HopOn-HopOff bus still sends chills up our spines.
We spent a considerable amount of time in Belfast and the North in 2019 using only public transport. We could have spent much more time there. Even though we toured it thusly--Arrived George Best Belfast, got a great iLink pass, took immediate train to Portrush to stay in Bushmill's with explorations of Giant's Causeway, etc for two nights; onwards train (glorious) to Derry for two nights; bus to Belfast for exploration for four nights--we felt we had barely scratched Belfast's and the North's surface. Didn't do any bus tours anywhere other than HopOn-HopOff which was basically, as in Dublin, our Belfast area transport for two days that gave us a great overview of the geographic area AND of the cultural history. Cannot recommend the Titanic center highly enough (we made sure we went at THE END of the day) and our daily/nightly conversations in pubs throughout the city stay with us to this day. Learned a lot.
Again, good luck with your planning,
AZ
When we spent six nights in Dublin with our youngest daughter, who was in her early 20s, we did a Collins Kilkenny bus tour eons ago that included Glendalough, Wicklow and Kilkenny. Our experience was unfortunately impacted by that March's "bi-polar weather", as the tour leader described it, so our assessment can't be counted upon. We thought our driver and our guide were quite nice, and our fellow tour mates were respectful (no talking while the guide was talking). So all that was good. But upon reflection that night, we would much rather have toured something closer to Dublin so we were not locked in a bus for most of the day.
Note: Our favorite memory of Dublin (other than all the trad pubs we dutifully found and dutifully spent hours in) was the Kilmainham Gaol. Our pre-booked tour there which we reached via a HopOn-HopOff bus still sends chills up our spines.
We spent a considerable amount of time in Belfast and the North in 2019 using only public transport. We could have spent much more time there. Even though we toured it thusly--Arrived George Best Belfast, got a great iLink pass, took immediate train to Portrush to stay in Bushmill's with explorations of Giant's Causeway, etc for two nights; onwards train (glorious) to Derry for two nights; bus to Belfast for exploration for four nights--we felt we had barely scratched Belfast's and the North's surface. Didn't do any bus tours anywhere other than HopOn-HopOff which was basically, as in Dublin, our Belfast area transport for two days that gave us a great overview of the geographic area AND of the cultural history. Cannot recommend the Titanic center highly enough (we made sure we went at THE END of the day) and our daily/nightly conversations in pubs throughout the city stay with us to this day. Learned a lot.
Again, good luck with your planning,
AZ
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Feb 28th, 2024, 07:20 AM
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Belfast, I have not been there for a long time. Most people go there for the Titanic museum and the murals, both being unique experiences. UNless the tour goes through the Mourne mountains, I don't think there is much to see en route.
KK, never been there. I guess the tour will go through the Wicklow mountains with a stop in Glendalough. You will have both scenery and history there. There is also the st Kevin bus going there from Dublin but you may also be out for a full day (check schedule on internet).
As you did not mention the Titanic museum, it would suggest that you opt for the KK tour and take the train for a half day in Belfast.
NB: If you want scenery close to Dublin, just take the Dart to Howth and walk round the peninsula.
Last edited by rouelan; Feb 28th, 2024 at 07:47 AM.
Feb 28th, 2024, 08:28 AM
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Dublin is a nice city to walk around.
Belfast, I have not been there for a long time. Most people go there for the Titanic museum and the murals, both being unique experiences. UNless the tour goes through the Mourne mountains, I don't think there is much to see en route.
KK, never been there. I guess the tour will go through the Wicklow mountains with a stop in Glendalough. You will have both scenery and history there. There is also the st Kevin bus going there from Dublin but you may also be out for a full day (check schedule on internet).
As you did not mention the Titanic museum, it would suggest that you opt for the KK tour and take the train for a half day in Belfast.
NB: If you want scenery close to Dublin, just take the Dart to Howth and walk round the peninsula.
Belfast, I have not been there for a long time. Most people go there for the Titanic museum and the murals, both being unique experiences. UNless the tour goes through the Mourne mountains, I don't think there is much to see en route.
KK, never been there. I guess the tour will go through the Wicklow mountains with a stop in Glendalough. You will have both scenery and history there. There is also the st Kevin bus going there from Dublin but you may also be out for a full day (check schedule on internet).
As you did not mention the Titanic museum, it would suggest that you opt for the KK tour and take the train for a half day in Belfast.
NB: If you want scenery close to Dublin, just take the Dart to Howth and walk round the peninsula.
Feb 28th, 2024, 08:29 AM
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Well, it's not how I would do a visit to Dublin it now, but perhaps we toured the same way when we first visited San Franciso, New York and other places in our 20s and 30s. Our related experiences that MIGHT be helpful to you:
When we spent six nights in Dublin with our youngest daughter, who was in her early 20s, we did a eons ago that included Glendalough, Wicklow and Kilkenny. Our experience was unfortunately impacted by that March's "bi-polar weather", as the tour leader described it, so our assessment can't be counted upon. We thought our driver and our guide were quite nice, and our fellow tour mates were respectful (no talking while the guide was talking). So all that was good. But upon reflection that night, we would much rather have toured something closer to Dublin so we were not locked in a bus for most of the day.
Note: Our favorite memory of Dublin (other than all the trad pubs we dutifully found and dutifully spent hours in) was the Kilmainham Gaol. Our pre-booked tour there which we reached via a HopOn-HopOff bus still sends chills up our spines.
We spent a considerable amount of time in Belfast and the North in 2019 using only public transport. We could have spent much more time there. Even though we toured it thusly--Arrived George Best Belfast, got a great iLink pass, took immediate train to Portrush to stay in Bushmill's with explorations of Giant's Causeway, etc for two nights; onwards train (glorious) to Derry for two nights; bus to Belfast for exploration for four nights--we felt we had barely scratched Belfast's and the North's surface. Didn't do any bus tours anywhere other than HopOn-HopOff which was basically, as in Dublin, our Belfast area transport for two days that gave us a great overview of the geographic area AND of the cultural history. Cannot recommend the Titanic center highly enough (we made sure we went at THE END of the day) and our daily/nightly conversations in pubs throughout the city stay with us to this day. Learned a lot.
Again, good luck with your planning,
AZ
When we spent six nights in Dublin with our youngest daughter, who was in her early 20s, we did a eons ago that included Glendalough, Wicklow and Kilkenny. Our experience was unfortunately impacted by that March's "bi-polar weather", as the tour leader described it, so our assessment can't be counted upon. We thought our driver and our guide were quite nice, and our fellow tour mates were respectful (no talking while the guide was talking). So all that was good. But upon reflection that night, we would much rather have toured something closer to Dublin so we were not locked in a bus for most of the day.
Note: Our favorite memory of Dublin (other than all the trad pubs we dutifully found and dutifully spent hours in) was the Kilmainham Gaol. Our pre-booked tour there which we reached via a HopOn-HopOff bus still sends chills up our spines.
We spent a considerable amount of time in Belfast and the North in 2019 using only public transport. We could have spent much more time there. Even though we toured it thusly--Arrived George Best Belfast, got a great iLink pass, took immediate train to Portrush to stay in Bushmill's with explorations of Giant's Causeway, etc for two nights; onwards train (glorious) to Derry for two nights; bus to Belfast for exploration for four nights--we felt we had barely scratched Belfast's and the North's surface. Didn't do any bus tours anywhere other than HopOn-HopOff which was basically, as in Dublin, our Belfast area transport for two days that gave us a great overview of the geographic area AND of the cultural history. Cannot recommend the Titanic center highly enough (we made sure we went at THE END of the day) and our daily/nightly conversations in pubs throughout the city stay with us to this day. Learned a lot.
Again, good luck with your planning,
AZ
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