Hello,<BR><BR>My husband &amp; I have never been to Ireland and have no idea which part of Ireland to visit &amp; what to do there. Please help with advice.

It all depends on what you like to do. <BR><BR>Hiking ? Wicklow area for walks &amp; gardens. <BR><BR>Music - Doolin &amp; Galway are good choices. <BR><BR>Castles Ruins? = Cashel / Cahir / Kilkenny <BR><BR>Seeing the sights? Killarney ( ring of kerry) Dingle, or Beara <BR><BR>Countryside ? Connemara, NorthWest Ireland, Sligo Donnegal etc. <BR><BR>A lot also depends on whether you will have a car. <BR><BR>Everyone will have a different opinion on what is &quot;best&quot; based on their personalities. <BR>for me - Loved Killarney &amp; the Waterford Crystal Tour. ( Close 3rd = Cashel) <BR><BR>Debbie

Hello Londyn,<BR><BR>Debbie really said it in a nutshell. If you can identify your interests, time of year you are going, trip length etc. folks could be more helpful.

There is a great deal of information on this board about Ireland.I think it is fair to say that many have stayed in Bed and Breakfasts which give one a close contact with Irish people which one would not get by staying in a hotel.Favorite places include Doolin (a village) and Dingle,a small town.Bigger towns include Killarney,Cashel,Waterford,Kinsale,<BR>Kilkenny and Galway.Cork and Limerick cities are not much liked but they have their admirers.Dublin as a big city suits those who like big cities.Newgrange,Clonmacnoise and Glendalough are ancient ruins which many find enchanting.Galway,Kerry,Donegal and Wicklow are regarded as the most beautiful counties.

Hi! I was in Ireland about a year ago and I fell in love with the place - can't wait to return. The Irish people are just lovely in general - most live the philosophy of &quot;We don't care if you are rich or not; we don't care if you're famous or not - we just care that you are nice and good 'craic.'&quot; The pub is a quality and a tradition that I would love to see in the U.S.<BR><BR>I would spend a couple of days in Dublin and stay at the Merrion Hotel - it is simply divine. It is very Irish, very beautiful and you must have breakfast in their restaurant. Be sure to consider the traditional Irish breakfast.<BR><BR>Then, I would definitely go to Waterford and do the tour of the Waterford Crystal Factory. You will be amazed at the artistry that goes on to create the crystal. The gentlemen that work there are truly artists and you will never want anything but Waterford crystal and Wedgewood china ever again.<BR><BR>My favorite part of Ireland was County Kerry. It is so beautiful, so serene, so peaceful. The country is so scenic, you can literally feel yourself relax as you pass the green hills and sheep grazing on those hills. There are swans that swim in the lakes nearby and you will find generations of Irish families sharing family dinner in any of the out-of-the-way Irish restaurants. <BR><BR>Do treat yourselves to tea after every meal (it makes eating so civilized) and black pudding for breakfast. Don't be shy - the Irish are very friendly and will welcome you to join in their fun.<BR><BR>Also, stay in the classic Irish hotels - the Adare Manor, the Merrion, the Kenmare Park Hotel - there is a reason they are the classics! Finally, the Irish National Stud is phenomenal.<BR><BR>Have a great trip!

The best part? Northern Ireland. The Mourne Mountains, the Glens of Antrim, the Antrim Coast Road, Dunluce Castle, Hillsborough, Strangford Lough, Glenariff Forest Park, Tollymore Forest Park, Tyrella Beach, Newcastle, Silent Valley, one of the best golf courses in the world, etc., etc., etc. Also, easy it's an easy trip to Derry and County Donegal. The new tourist center in Belfast has a wealth of information on what to do and see in the North. It's right next to Boots!<BR><BR>And because people mistakenly think NI is dangerous, there are far fewer tourists than in the south.

I agree with Ann. Northern Ireland has better infrastructure, fewer tourists and lots to see. The best reason? The Republic is wickedly expensive.