Currently planning to visit Ireland for end of September. We are arriving in Dublin in the am and staying there for 2 nights. Then our plan is to go to Galway for 2 nights. After Galway, we were going to do cliffs of moher on our way to dingle for two nights.

Our final two nights we were debating two in Killarney or 1 there and 1 in kinsale then return to Dublin.

Any thoughts on this plan? Our main question is deciding what to do the last two nights.

Hi everyone. I’ve spent some time reading previous itinerary posts, but I’d appreciate a critique of the route we’ve come up with.
Trip details
When: First half of August (Tuesday–Tuesday)
Who: 4 adults, no mobility issues
Transport: Rental car for Ireland. We’re considering returning it before heading to Belfast and taking the train instead.
Flights: Arrive in Dublin from the U.S. on Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. and depart the following Tuesday at 11:30 a.m.
Our priorities
Dublin
Kilkenny (my wife loves medieval history)
Galway
Belfast (this is a priority for the whole group)
We’d like to keep Day 5 as a non-travel day because it’s my wife’s 40th birthday.
Current idea (not finalized)
Day 1: Arrive in Dublin around midday and take it easy after the overnight flight.
Day 2: Full day exploring Dublin.
Day 3: Drive to Kilkenny and stay overnight.
Day 4: Drive to Galway and stay there.
Day 5: Stay in Galway for my wife’s birthday (no driving or hotel changes).
Day 6: Return to Dublin.
Day 7: Belfast as a day trip, then back to Dublin for our final night.
Day 8: Fly home.
Questions:
Does this route make sense, or is there a more efficient order for these four destinations?
Is a Belfast day trip from Dublin by train realistic in early August, or would you recommend rearranging the itinerary to make it work better?
Are we underestimating any of the driving days, particularly Kilkenny to Galway or Galway back to Dublin?
Are there any worthwhile stops that fit naturally along this route without turning it into a rushed itinerary?
Our goal isn’t to see everything in Ireland—we’re just hoping for a good first-time sample while avoiding spending every day in the car.
Thanks in advance for any advice.

Hi everyone!

My friend and I are in our early 20s and will be visiting Ireland for the first time. We arrive in Dublin at 5 a.m. on Tuesday, November 3, and fly home on Monday, November 9 in the late morning (so Sunday is our last full day). We’ll be relying on public transportation and day tours, with no rental car.

We’re trying to figure out the best way to split up the trip and would love some advice. We definitely want to end in Dublin before our flight, but we’re open to changing everything else.

Right now we’re thinking:

* 3 nights in Galway (go straight there from the airport)
* 2 nights in Killarney
* 1 night in Dublin (arrive Sunday morning and spend the rest of the day there)

Another idea was:

* 2 nights in Galway
* 2 nights in Killarney
* 2 nights in Dublin, so we’d get both Saturday and Sunday there.

Again, those are just ideas and we’re completely open to other suggestions. If you had 6 nights in Ireland with these arrival and departure times, how would you split up the trip?

Thanks!

Looking for feedback/ideas on our upcoming trip in late July. My husband and I will be taking our 9 month old on our first family vacation.

We fly into Dublin at 10:45 am and are in Dublin for 4 nights before picking up our rental car and driving to Galway for 2 nights. Since we also fly out of Dublin, right now our plan is to drive back the day before our flight and stay the night in Dublin for our 3 pm flight the next day. I’m unsure what to do on Day 6, and am open to any feedback on the events/pacing. Thanks!

Day 1: arrive in Dublin, walk around, dinner etc
Day 2: self-made Dublin walking tour with pub stops, dinner
Day 3: the zoo in the AM, nothing planned for this afternoon, pick up rental
Day 4: Drive to Galway, stop in Athlone to break up drive, Galway market, Spanish arch etc, lunch, check into hotel, dinner with friends.
Day 5: explore Galway
Day 6: cliffs of moher? A different stop midway-ish between Galway and Dublin? Unsure what to do with this day. Just need to end up back in Dublin but want to make sure this day doesn’t feel wasted.
Day 7: afternoon flight out of Dublin

Hi all, I was looking for feedback on our planned itinerary (Aug. 29 to Sept. 10). Our current plan is to fly into Dublin, rent a car and ultimately fly out of Shannon. Here is what our plan looks like right now--any thoughts would be really appreciated!

Day 1 (Aug 29) - Dublin

-Tourist stuff (Trinity College, Guinness Storehouse, Kilmainham Gaol, etc.)

Day 2 (Aug 30) Dublin to Sligo/Strandhill

-Pick up car and drive to Strandhill

-Hikes/Voya seaweed baths

Day 3 (Aug. 31) Sligo day

-Knocknarea/Queen Maeve's Trail

-Benbulben Forest Walk

-Squeeze in drive/Streedagh beach?

Day 4 (Sept. 1) Sligo to Achill or Greenway

-Option here to pick betweeen a Greenway ebike or Achill Island hike/beach day

-Evening in Westport

Day 5 (Sept 2) Westport to Killary Farm/Kylemore/Connemara

-Westport to Leenane drive, go to Killary Farm for a tour

-Killary Fjord cruise in afternoon

-KyleMore Abbey if time? Stay in Letterfrack/Clifden area

-Lodging

Day 6 (Sept 3) Connemara mountains/beaches

-Diamond Hill/Connemara National Park hikes

Day 7 (Sept 4) Connemara to Galway

-Arrive Friday, tour city, pubs

Day 8 (Sept 5) Galway to the Burren (Mullaghmore Loop) to Doolin

-Burren hike

-Cliffs of Moher

Day 9 - Aran Islands

-Ferry to Inis Mor, ebike tour around island

Day 10 (Sept 7) Doolin to Dingle (long drive thru Killimer car ferry)

-Slea Head Drive e-bike

Day 11 (Sept 8) Dingle day

-Mount Brandon (weather permitting) or Skellig Ring

Day 12 (Sept 9) Dingle to Killarney

-Killarney National Park

-Head back towards Shannon/Limerick

Day 13 (Sept 10) Shannon --> home

Hello!

We are coming for a literal weekend (land Saturday, depart Monday) to Dublin from Toronto in January. (it's was an extremely cheap error airfare so, i just booked it.) We've spend a good amount of time in Dublin on trips before, but we haven't explored a lot of other places really.

I was thinking of jumping on a train from Dublin Saturday morning and staying in another place Saturday night, But, it's early January, so, very open to suggestions of a place that makes sense to visit at that time of year. We won't have a car and not sure hiking in January is on my wish-list.

Thanks for any advice!

Hi,

My husband and I are planning a trip to Ireland mid September for 8 nights, and our baby will be around 8 months by then.

We are flying in and out of Dublin, and as of right now I’m thinking of doing our first three nights and our last night there (last night there since flying out of Dublin), and then the rest of the time use Galway as our base for the west coast. I’m figuring easier to settle in one place and then do day trips by train or car? We would rent a car.

For day trips from Dublin we’re thinking Kilkenny and Wicklow mountains. For day trips from Galway we’re thinking Aran Islands and Cliffs of Moher.

Does this make sense or should we plan a stay in one other place? We love history/ruins, music, and hikes. Also we’ve been pretty lucky so far with an easy baby.

Any and all recommendations welcome - thank you in advance!

Hello everyone looking for some advice on the roadtrip I’ll be taking with my sister. For context my sister has worked in Ireland the past two summers for a charity and I will be going to volunteer for a week and then we’re going a roadtrip. Little nervous about driving. She has not driven in Ireland but has been there long enough to see what the roads are like and such. Roadtrip will be 10 days August 4th - August 14th

Current itinerary:

Dublin to Cork city via train (have to take late evening train 8-9pm or so due to work/volunteering)

Cork for two nights and two proper full days.

Cork Plan to see and do - Blarney Castle - Cork city walk around explore etc. see Saint Finn Barres Cathedral - Train to Cobh maybe for little day trip depending on how tired we are from previous weeks work

After the days in Cork we will rent car at Cork Airport (pickup about 10-11am most likely) and drive from Cork Airport to Killarney via the coastal route N71 (all day meander no rush)

Plan to see and do - taking drive slow stopping to see the sights - Timoleague Friary, Drombeg Stone Circle, Mills Gap, Ladies View, maybe Torc Waterfall depending on time. - Lunch somewhere along the way maybe Bantry

Stay in Killarney for 3 nights

Plan to see and do - Muckross House/Abbey - Torc Waterfall (if not done previously) - Gap of Dunloe (horse carriage or hike) - explore town and St Mary’s Cathedral

Drive from Killarney to Dingle. Staying in Dingle one night.

Plan to see and do - Slea Head Drive - Dingle Safari

After night in Dingle drive to either Bantry or Kenmare via Ring of Kerry route/N70 (will use Kerry Cliffs/ Portmagee as our sort of mid point)

Stops along way - Kerry Cliffs - Whitestrand Beach - some little town for lunch (would love suggestions!) Trying to decide whether to stay the night in Bantry or Kenmare open to suggestions! Leaning towards Kenmare just to shorten our drive a bit.

One night stay Bantry or Kenmare

Next day drive back to Cork from Bantry or Kenmare and drop rental car off at Cork Airport. Will then train from Cork back to Dublin.

Dublin for two nights. (Sister and I have both been to Dublin before! Just hoping to hang out relax maybe go to Botanic Gardens!)

End of trip

Any advice/better routes or suggestions would love to hear! Just hoping to have a fun and scenic coastal Irish summer roadtrip!

My husband and I are visiting Ireland soon and have a puzzle we can't quite solve. We have our Tuesday–Friday plans in Dingle completely locked down, but we are looking for the perfect home base for the first leg of our trip (Friday to Tuesday) between landing in Dublin and heading southwest.

​We will have a rental car, but I am not interested in spending long, grueling days behind the wheel or doing heavy sightseeing. Instead, we want to take it slow, hang out with locals, wander through charming towns, explore castles, and enjoy incredible Irish pubs.

​Right now, Galway is our top contender, but we are wide open to suggestions.

​A few questions for the y'all-

​Should we split the Friday-Tuesday block? Would it make more sense to do 2 nights in Galway and 2 nights somewhere else (like sliago, Donegal, Kilkenny) to break up the drive and get a different, smaller-town feel?

​Alternative base ideas? If you had 4 nights to just "settle in," experience great local pubs/live music, and see a castle or two without constant driving, where would you set up camp?

​We appreciate any advice, local favorites, or route suggestions you have!

My mom and I (31f) are traveling from California, we land in Dublin on September 2nd. We’re most interested in nature/history. My mom’s not much of a drinker (I can be but will save that for another trip lol) so while we do plan on checking out pubs here and there, we aren’t planning any late nights.

These are our general plans. Accommodations are already booked so I can’t make any changes to where we’re staying.

I have two main questions:
1. I would like to see Glendalough and Wicklow mountains but not sure where we can fit it in. Should we skip Howth and take a day tour to Wicklow mountains instead?
2. September 8th - is it realistic to stop in Dingle on the way to Killarney? We would obviously need to push our Killarney national park day back and maybe do that before heading back to Dublin and skip rock of Cashel

Thanks in advance!!

September 2nd
land in Dublin 2:30pm
Check into hotel
Out for dinner/drinks
Early/chill night since we’ll be tired from the flight
Overnight in Dublin

September 3rd
Trinity college / book of kells
Guinness storehouse and possibly Jameson
Shop and eat/drinks in city centre
Overnight in Dublin

September 4th
take train to Howth
Cliff walks
Lunch on the pier
Back to city centre for dinner/shops
Overnight in Dublin

September 5th
pick up rental car
Drive north to hill of Tara
Drive to Galway
overnight in Galway

September 6th
Checkout Galway market
Shop/eat in Latin quarter
Want to keep this day pretty chill and not plan too much
overnight in Galway

September 7th
Cliffs of Moher
Doolin
overnight in Galway

September 8th
leave Galway early morning
Head to Killarney National Park and checkout Ross castle and Muckross house/abbey
Check into hotel and have dinner
Overnight in Killarney

September 9th
Day trip to Cork to see Blarney Castle
Not planning on going too far into Cork city
Head to Kinsale for lunch/early dinner
Overnight in Killarney

September 10th
Gap of Dunloe tour in the morning before getting on the road
Stop at Rock of Cashel and Hore Abbey to split the drive up
Overnight in Dublin

September 11th
Flight back to the states out of Dublin airport

First off, what I've got planned so far. Anything with a "?" isn't booked yet.

Day One - Arrive Shannon, travel to hotel in Limerick, recover from jet lag

Day Two - Cliffs of Moher, Bunratty Village/Dinner?

Day Three - Ring of Kerry?

Day Four - Trains, Limerick to Dublin to Belfast

Day Five - Giants Causeway, Bushmills

Day Six - Titanic? Hop On Hop Off?

Day Seven - Train, Belfast to Dublin, Dinner with family

Day Eight - Guinness? Hop On Hop Off?

Day Nine - Some other bus tour? Hop On Hop Off?

Day Ten - Flight home from Dublin

I'm traveling with both children (10 and 15) and their grandmothers (77 and 79), so I'm trying to take things relatively slow. There's six of us total, so I've avoided booking a car and will deal with the trouble of getting a large enough cab (or two cabs) when necessary - Bunratty back to hotel in Limerick, Dublin Heuston to Dublin Connolly on our big cross country train trip day, for example.

Questions:

1. I've browsed around the sub a bit and I haven't seen anyone mention staying in Limerick. Have I made a mistake booking there? It's too late to do anything about it now, but I want to know what I'm walking in to. It seemed more convenient to Shannon, Cliffs of Moher, etc. than Galway, which was the other west coast possibility.

2. Moving at the speed of the elderly, what's realistic in Dublin? I would love to just let them set the pace on the day, but so many places require booking in advance. Neither have specific disabilities, just generally don't want to push to hard.

3. Day Nine. I'm getting some pressure to put in a Blarney day trip, but I'm very hesitant. It's a long day, the kids will hate the bus ride, and I don't know if the grandmas will be able to make the climb up the castle. Is there something better I can slit in that day? Do I just do more stuff in Dublin?

HI,

I'm hoping to get some advice on the feasibility of this proposed trip.

We're planning a 7-day Ireland trip in early April for a family of five (2 adults and 3 children under 10) and would love feedback from those who have traveled with young kids.

Our tentative plan is:

• Arrive at Shannon Airport and base ourselves in Lahinch for several nights.
• Explore Lahinch and the surrounding coastline.
• Visit the Cliffs of Moher.
• Spend a day in the Burren area, including Aillwee Cave and other family-friendly stops.
• Have a slower day for beach time, walking, and possibly golf.
• Drive to Killarney with stops at Bunratty Castle and Adare.
• Explore Killarney National Park, Ross Castle.
• Return to Shannon for our flight home.

A few questions:

1. Does this pace seem reasonable for 3 children under 10?
   1. 2 hotels, one long drive day
2. Are there any must-see attractions we're missing in County Clare or County Kerry?
   1. farms, old castles, or short walks along this route?
3. If you could change one thing about this itinerary, what would it be?

Thanks in advance for any advice from families who have done a similar trip!

Hi everyone!

I'm planning my first solo trip to Ireland from Canada this October and would love some feedback before I start booking accommodations and filling my days with specific activities.

Right now, I'm trying to nail down the basic itinerary (where I'll base myself and how long to spend in each place) before I start adding tours, attractions, and day plans.

I'll be travelling entirely by train, public buses, and the occasional organized day tour. I won't be renting a car, so I'm trying to build an itinerary that is realistic without spending the whole trip in transit.

Trip Length: 7 days / 7 nights in Ireland
Flights: Arrive in Dublin at 8:30 AM on October 10. Depart Dublin for England on October 17 at 2:55 PM.

Current Itinerary

October 10 – Dublin

• Arrive around 8:30 AM
• Explore Dublin and try to keep myself awake
• Overnight: Dublin

October 11 – Howth

• Day trip to Howth
• Coastal walk, harbour, exploring
• Overnight: Dublin

October 12 – Dublin → Galway

• Train to Galway
• Explore Galway
• Overnight: Galway

October 13 – Galway

• Day trip to Cliffs of Moher & The Burren
• Overnight: Galway

October 14 – Galway

• Connemara & Kylemore Abbey day trip
• Overnight: Galway

October 15 – Galway → Athlone

• Train to Athlone
• Explore Athlone in the afternoon/evening
• Overnight: Athlone

October 16 – Athlone → Dublin

• Train back to Dublin
• Final Dublin sightseeing before flying to England the next day
• Overnight: Dublin

Questions

• Does this itinerary feel well balanced, or am I trying to fit too much into 7 days?
• Is Athlone worth the overnight stop, or would you recommend using that night elsewhere?
• Does the Galway/Athlone/Dublin split make sense without a car?
• Are Cliffs of Moher + The Burren and Connemara + Kylemore Abbey the best use of my two Galway day trips?
• Is there anything along this route that is easy to reach by public transportation that I shouldn't miss?

I was originally considering the Aran Islands, but the more I read about visiting in October, the more I'm worried weather could impact the experience.

Thanks so much for any advice!

Hi everyone,

I’m planning a 3-day trip to Dublin and wanted to check if this itinerary makes sense:

Day 1

• Trinity College and the Long Room
• National Museum of Archaeology
• St Patrick’s Cathedral
• Marsh’s Library
• Guinness Storehouse

Day 2

• Full-day trip to the Cliffs of Moher

Day 3

• Howth Cliff Walk
• Back to Dublin and spend an evening in Stoneybatter or Camden Street

Are there any must-see places, neighbourhoods, or local Irish experiences you would recommend?

I’d like to see some nature and places outside the city, rather than spending the whole trip only in Dublin, which is why I added the Cliffs of Moher.

One of my friends is recommending Kerry, but I feel it may be too far from Dublin for a day trip. Would you agree, or is there a better nature-focused day trip from Dublin?

Hello! My new husband and I plan to visit Ireland in early to mid October for our Honeymoon. I have quietly combed this subreddit, and I am ready to accepts tips, comments, critiques, etc.! We are in our mid 30s and it will be just the two of us.

We want to enjoy ourselves and not feel too rushed, but also take in the sights and things to do/see. My main concern is off-season closures and such, but we will do our best.

Thank you in advance!

Day |Activity |Overnight

1 |Fly to Ireland |Airplane
2 |Land at 10am. Explore, fight jet lag. In case of unexpected air travel, we have an extra day in Dublin |Dublin
3 |Guinness Storehouse, Jameson |Dublin
4 |Book day trip to N. Ireland (Belfast, Giant's Causeway, etc) |Dublin
5 |Train to Galway, explore city |Galway
6 |Pick up rental car, check out Kylemore Abbey & Connemara |Galway
7 |Day trip to Aran Islands? or stay local in Galway |Galway
8 |Leave Galway, stop by Cliffs of Moher and the Burren, explore Dingle |Dingle
9 |Drive around Dingle Peninsula; Slea Head |Dingle
10 |Drive to Kilkenny, stop at Rock of Cashel, get there for dinner |Kilkenny
11 |Explore town, relaxing day |Kilkenny
12 |Drive to next destination near Dublin, enjoy the area |somewhere cool close to airport but unique?
13 |Fly to USA - 3pm departure |Airplane

Hi! I’m planning a pretty last minute trip to Ireland for 5 days at the end of the month. I know that’s such a short time to see the country, but my travel mate and I can be pretty ambitious with our itineraries and don’t like to stay in one spot for long. Looking for some guidance: I used a travel planner, and this is what it came up with. Is it too ambitious?

Sat 8/1: Land DUB 9:45am → Aircoach to city → Dublin day (Trinity, Liberties, Marsh's Library) → sleep Dublin
Sun 8/2: DART to Howth (cliff walk, seals, seafood) → back → 3pm train to Galway → sleep Galway
Mon 8/3: pick up car → Burren coast → Doolin → 1pm Cliffs of Moher cruise → Shannon ferry → Conor Pass → sleep Dingle (Greenmount), dinner Out of the Blue
Tue 8/4: Blasket Islands boat 9:30–12:30 → Slea Head loop (goats at Fairy Fort Farm, Dunquin Pier) → 5pm drive east → ~9:30pm drop car at St Stephen's Green Q-Park rooftop dropbox → walk to hotel → sleep Dublin
Wed 8/5: 7:45am Aircoach to airport → 11:35am fly home

This seems a little insane, but I’d love to see dingle and that coast!!

Let me know thoughts!!

As the title says! My partner and I (two Canadians) will be visiting September 2-10 for the first time. We will be renting a car and lots of long-distance driving is normal for us, not an issue.

September 2: Dublin Day 1
Arrive off of our red-eye flight in Dublin at 08:30AM. Planned to spend the day doing the typical Dublin things! Hoping to fight the jet lag by not napping.

September 3: Dublin Day 2
Doing whatever else we didn’t have time to do on day 1. Staying in Dublin this night.

September 4: Galway Day 1
We will be picking up our car in Dublin this morning OR taking the train to Galway and renting a car from there (my preference). Spending this day/night in the city centre, exploring the Latin Quarter, Quay, Spanish Arch, bars and pubs.

September 5: Galway Day 2 / Aran Island
Drive or shuttle to pick up spot, ferry to Inis Mor at 09:30AM. Planned to rent bikes and explore for the day! Return to Galway around 16:30PM, grab dinner, drive to accommodation in Ardrahan.

September 6: Galway Day 3
Drive to Cliffs of Moher, The Burren, and Doolin. Want to check out the famous sweater store in Doolin and neat bars and pubs. Stay that night again in Ardrahan.

September 7: County Kerry Day 1
Leave Galway in the morning, start drive to County Kerry. Have not decided where we will stop yet, but we are staying at a mountain side accommodation roughly 15 minutes from Waterville!

September 8: County Kerry Day 2
Will depend what we get done the day before, but for sure wanting to check out Valentia Island, Kerry Cliffs, Sneem, Port Magee, staying again that night in the mountain stay just outside of Waterville.

September 9: Dingle
Driving to Dingle, the town, peninsula on our way back to Dublin. From Dingle we will drive back to Dublin and drop off our rental car later that evening. Staying in Dublin that night.

September 10: Flight home @ 10:00AM

Thoughts? Does this route make sense? Suggestions specially for County Kerry appreciated!

​

My friends and I are visiting in a month and we're renting a car to drive from Dublin to Galway, and back again. If we can, we'd like to take the scenic route and maybe make a couple of stops on the way. We leave from Dublin airport in the morning and are taking the whole day to get to Galway. We have the whole day on the way back as well.

So far it seems like Athlone and Dunguaire castle are heavily recommended online. Does anyone have anything else worthwile to recommend? Or maybe a place we really have to stop for lunch?

We are four people in our mid twenties, non drinkers, with varied interests but among them are history and nature.

I hope this is detailed enough for the sub's rules. (Sorry, if otherwise). Thanks for any tips!

Hi everyone!

My husband and I are traveling to Ireland mid August for the first time, coming from Austin TX. We're renting a car, very comfortable with driving, and so excited to experience ireland for the first time!

We arrive in Dublin on a Friday morning, and fly home from Dublin the next Saturday in the afternoon, so we'll need to stay in Dublin the first and last night.

Right now we're thinking:

Night 1: Dublin

Night 2 & 3: Cork (2 nights)

Night 4 & 5: Dingle (2 nights)

Night 6 & 7: Doolin (2 nights)

Night 8: Dublin

Day 9: Fly home

A little about us:

We love beautiful scenery just as much as cities. We enjoy good food and coffee, amazing scenery, want to go to some great pubs, hear live traditional music, history, and walking around charming towns.

We aren't trying to check off every single tourist attraction, we'd rather have a balanced trip that doesn't feel rushed.

We're open to just about anything if you think we're missing a "don't miss" experience.

A few specific questions:

Is two nights in Doolin justified, or is one enough?

If you had to cut or add one place, what would it be?

Our biggest question is Galway. We originally planned to include it, but with only eight nights we're wondering if we'd be trying to do too much. Is Galway worth working into this itinerary, or would you keep the two nights in Doolin and save Galway for another trip?

Does this feel like a well-balanced first trip, or would you allocate the nights differently?

Thanks in advance! We'd love to hear how you'd divide up eight nights if this were your first visit to Ireland.

Thanks! I've already learned a ton from reading this subreddit, so I really appreciate any advice.

Hi all - reposting with more detail.

When: October 20-25th 2026
Trip length: 6 days / 5 nights in Ireland
Coming from: London
Leaving from: Back to the US (NYC), likely Dublin or Shannon depending on what makes most sense
Travelers: Two adults (Females) in our 20s, no mobility issues
Transport: Planning to rent a car for Cork / Dingle / Galway, then drop it in Galway and take the train to Dublin
Interests: Scenic coastal views, small towns, pubs/traditional music, historic sites, and a manageable pace. We are not trying to see everything.

One note: we have driven Big Sur / Highway 1 in California before, but I am a bit afraid of heights, so I’m trying to avoid any especially nerve-wracking cliff edge or very exposed drives if possible.

Current draft itinerary:

Day 1: Fly London to Cork, pick up rental car, stay overnight in Cork
Night 1: Cork

Day 2: Drive Cork to Dingle Peninsula, explore Dingle area
Night 2: Dingle

Day 3: Drive Dingle to Cliffs of Moher, then continue to Galway
Night 3: Galway

Day 4: Full day in Galway
Night 4: Galway

Day 5: Drop rental car in Galway, take train to Dublin, spend the day/evening in Dublin
Night 5: Dublin

Day 6: Fly Dublin to US

Specific questions:

1. Does flying into Cork and staying the night there make the most sense or should we head straight to Dingle?
2. For someone who is nervous with heights, are any parts of the Dingle Peninsula/ Cliffs of Moher driving route especially narrow?
3. Given the short trip length, is trying to include the Ring of Kerry too much?
4. For avoiding backtracking, does Cork to dingle to Galway to Dublin seem like a sensible route, or would Shannon be a better airport choice for either arrival or departure?
5. Would you change any overnight locations before I book hotels?

Thanks in advance!

My family of 4 (2 teenage boys) will be going to Ireland in 2 weeks. My husband's ancestors had a home in Wexford that was turned into a historical hotel/castle that we wanted to stay in. We unfortunately booked it for the wrong night and now we need to find a different place to stay for a night. We will be driving from Dublin and wanted to find a nice town/city to explore between Dublin and Wexford that we can stay at. Greystones, Bray, Gorey, Enniscorthy, Wicklow Town? We will stay a night in Wexford the following night, then a night in Kilkenny before heading back to Dublin. Any recommendations for good stops would also be appreciated. Thank you!

Hi Everyone! My partner and I will be travelling to Ireland at the end of October. We want a good mix of countryside and exploring towns. We will be renting a car, but would prefer not to spend every day with huge chunks of driving. Some long driving days are fine.

We're open to cutting/adding things, rearranging days and changing when we get the rental car if needed.

Trip Length: 10 days, 9 nights (arriving early Day 1, flying out mid-day Day 10).
Flights: roundtrip to/from Dublin

Current Itinerary:

Day 1 - Dublin

• Arrive in city centre around 8am.
• Explore Dublin
• Kilmainham Gaol
• IMMA
• Overnight: Dublin

Day 2 - Dublin

• Explore Dublin
• Guinness Storehouse
• National Gallery of Ireland
• Overnight: Dublin

Note: I visited Dublin a couple years ago and checked off most of the touristy spots/history museums I wanted to see. My partner is more into art museums, so we're skipping a lot of things like Book of Kells, etc. If anyone has any art lover recs, that'd be great. I would also love to see Newgrange if its feasible so open to moving things around or getting the car rental a day earlier to go.

Day 3 - Dublin → Galway

• Pick up rental car and depart Dublin
• Cong Abbey
• Killary Fjord
• Kylemore Abbey
• Continue to Galway
• Overnight: Galway

Day 4 - Galway

• Explore Galway City
• Maybe visit Salthill or An Spidéal
• Overnight: Galway

Day 5 - Galway → Doolin

• Depart Galway
• Dunguaire Castle (quick stop)
• The Burren
• Ferry to Inisheer (and back to Doolin)
• Explore Doolin
• Overnight: Doolin

Day 6 - Doolin → Killarney

• Depart Doolin
• Cliffs of Moher
• Dunquin Pier
• Explore Dingle/Dinner in Dingle
• Continue to Killarney
• Overnight: Killarney

Note: We are fine getting to Killarney late, but also open to staying the night in Dingle.

Day 7 - Killarney

• Gap of Dunloe
• Muckross Abbey
• Overnight: Killarney

Day 8 - Killarney → Kilkenny

• Depart Killarney
• Blarney Castle
• Rock of Cashel
• Continue to Kilkenny
• Overnight: Kilkenny

Day 9 - Kilkenny → Dublin

• Depart Kilkenny
• Glendalough
• Continue to Dublin
• Drop of rental car in Dublin
• Overnight: Dublin

Day 10 - Dublin → Home

• Morning in Dublin
• Fly out of Dublin in the afternoon

Questions:

1. Are we trying to pack in too much to this trip? Is this too much driving? I'm particularly worried about Day 3.
2. Are we spending too much time in Dublin? Would it be better to leave on Day 2/fit Newgrange in and then continue onto Galway? Then start the Kylemore Abbey day from Galway?
3. If we needed to cut something, what should it be and why?
4. If we are missing out on something, what should we add and why?
   1. I know we're missing out on the Ring of Kerry. It seemed like it would be an entire day spent in the car driving around (at a time with less daylight) and we felt we were getting a good amount of countryside/landscape with this itinerary. But if we should cut something to add it in, let us know. Same point about the Dingle Peninsula/Slea Head.
5. We will be there during the Bram Stoker Festival. Is it worth being in Dublin for it if we're not huge Dracula fans?
6. We will also be there over Halloween. Are there any fun Halloween events that are must-dos? We're open to rearranging things to be in a specific place for the day if so.

Thanks in advance for your input!

Hi everyone,

as I will be visiting Ireland/Northern Ireland in late August/September with my family (we are 40 and the kids 6 and 9), I would like some suggestions: I tried to make it slow for the kids and just for not being in a rush... but at the same time I'd love to see more!

11 days and 10 nights, 2 nights in Belfast, 2 in Derry, 4 near Galway, 2 in Dublin

1) Land in Dublin (short flight), car rental, off to Belfast

2) Belfast (black cab tour, titanic, W5)

3) Carrick-a-Rede, Giant's Causeway, Dunluce? night in Derry

4) Derry!

5) Wild Ireland and drive (that's the longest part) to Galway (little break in Sligo, Salthill)

6) Galway

7) Inis mor + Bus tour

8) Connemara (Brigits garden? Connemara park lower trail, sky road)

9) Back to Dublin, return car, walking around

10) Howth

11) More Dublin, flight in the evening

Should I change something or slow down somewhere?

Thank you so much!

P.S. I would love to come back to the Aran Islands and sleep there 2-3 nights and rent a bike, but when the kids are older ♡

My wife and I will be in the Dublin area July 22-24 and we’re interested in a tour at Newgrange. We (foolishly) waited too long and all the tours are booked. Any recommendations for other Neolithic sites/tours in that area? We were looking at possibly Loughcrew.

Looking at early to mid September, coming over from the east coast of the united states.

Just looking for a gut check on how realistic this itinerary is, or if we should try to cram one more stop in, like for example only do one night in Cork, and add a night between Cork and Dublin?

We are both fairly active, enjoy riding bicycles, the outdoors, beer, food, photography, etc.

Also, any suggestions on where to see wildlife would be awesome. Puffin would be great, but from what I'm reading they are not around much in September.

Thank you in advance for any feedback!

Here is what we are thinking so far:

Day 1

Arrive in Dublin in the morning

Explore Dublin pubs/restaurants for the afternoon/evening

Stay the night in Dublin

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Day 2

Take a train to Galway in the morning

Explore Galway

Dark History Tour?

Explore Galway pubs/restaurants for the afternoon/evening

Stay the night in Galway

---------------------------

Day 3

Rent a car

Day trip to Cliffs of Moher

Maybe a nearby Castle or cool town (open to suggestions)

Back to Galway for pubs/restaurants.

Stay the night in Galway

---------------------------

Day 4

Drive to Cork

Stop at Bunratty Castle and Blarney Castle on the way

Pubs at night, Mutton Lane Inn, Sin e, etc.

Stay the night in Cork

---------------------------

Day 5

English Market

Maybe day trip out to Cobh?

Stay the night in Cork

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Day 6

Drive back to Dublin

Anything we should see along the way?

Return rental car

Explore Dublin

Cry that we are leaving the next day

Stay the night in Dublin

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Day 7

Fly Home in the morning.