Trying to plan a trip to Ireland from the USA for this summer

[Frwinkley]

Anyone have an itinerary they'd be willing to share?

We're thinking of 10-12 days. Willing to move locations 2-3 times. Not quite sure about renting a car.

We would most likely fly in and out of Dublin, so wouldn't even consider renting a car until we left Dublin.

We love busy, walkable towns, beautiful scenery, and hiking.

 

[Buzz Rules]

Anyone have an itinerary they'd be willing to share?

We're thinking of 10-12 days. Willing to move locations 2-3 times. Not quite sure about renting a car.

We would most likely fly in and out of Dublin, so wouldn't even consider renting a car until we left Dublin.

We love busy, walkable towns, beautiful scenery, and hiking.

Discover Ireland has most of the information you are probably looking for:

https://www.discoverireland.ie/

I would highly recommend a national rugby or national soccer match at their national stadium.

https://www.fai.ie/national-teams/

https://www.irishrugby.ie/

Their national news and radio station is RTE.

https://www.rte.ie/

 

[Jawwdoc]

Anyone have an itinerary they'd be willing to share?

We're thinking of 10-12 days. Willing to move locations 2-3 times. Not quite sure about renting a car.

We would most likely fly in and out of Dublin, so wouldn't even consider renting a car until we left Dublin.

We love busy, walkable towns, beautiful scenery, and hiking.

We visited Ireland summer of 2024 for my daughter’s HS graduation trip. Flew in and out of Dublin via Iceland. We did rent a car at the Dublin airport and had no issues driving, however navigating the roundabouts while sitting on the wrong side of the car and driving on the wrong side of the road required vigilance. We spent 3 days in Killarney, 2 days in Gatwick, 2 days in Belfast and 1.5 days in Dublin. Top 3 from the trip: 1) Skellig Michael - UNESCO heritage site, absolutely stunning scenery, weather can be a big issue and they limit the number of daily visitors (140 ish) to the island. Hands down the best boat tour operator is Skellig Walker. 2) Aran Islands/Cliffs of Moher tour. 3) Titanic museum in Belfast. We had a blast drinking a few pints in the local pubs and the food was surprisingly good.

 

[princesscinderella]

We did a 12 day British isles cruise and saw a few stops in Ireland. We loved our excursion to the giant’s causeway, blarney castle and its grounds were beautiful (don’t kiss the stone, was told the locals will pee on it ). I would recommend going to some of the big tour sites like Tauck, adventures by Disney etc and see what they include in their trips there as a planning starting point. I do it every time I start to plan a big trip.

 

[Travel60]

It's been about 10 years but we flew in and out of two different western airports - Shannon and - maybe Killarney. We spent 2 days in the middle of our trip in Dublin. Dublin was fine but we loved the scenery and small towns of the western party of the country. I like the above suggestion to check better your guides to see what itinerary they build.

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

Waves hi from Dublin

Anyone have an itinerary they'd be willing to share?

Irish Tourism heavily promote and push the coastal road trip called The Wild Irish Way, which is basically the West Coast of Ireland, north to south, from Donegal to Cork. They pump huge amounts of money into it and its very much catered to the American market. Its very much the twee, Disneyfied version of Ireland, hammed up and playing into all the Darby O Gill stereotypes.

The Wild Irish Way only shows a very limited part of Ireland. It completely ignores the whole centre and inland part of the island.

We're thinking of 10-12 days. Willing to move locations 2-3 times.

I would move locations twice, have 2 base areas and then do day trips from those areas

Not quite sure about renting a car.

We would most likely fly in and out of Dublin, so wouldn't even consider renting a car until we left Dublin.

Dublin has a great public transport system, its a walkable city, very similar to New York.

We love busy, walkable towns, beautiful scenery, and hiking.

Thats just a very general basic view. That describes every part of Ireland. That describes the suburb of Dublin I live in.

To give you any further advice, we need to know more information.

1. What is your main objective for the visit to Ireland?
2. What do you about Ireland?
3. When you think of Ireland, what comes to mind? Is that the trip you want or do you want to see something different?
4. Do you want to do a one way circular road trip or do you want a base and do day trips from that base?
5. Do you want escorted tours or do you want DIY?
6. What type of accommodation do you want to stay in, American / International chains, local independent hotels, Irish chains, high end places, mid budget places, AirBnB, Irish Bed and Breakfast Guest Houses?
7. What time of year will your trip be? Many of the places and activities which are part of The Wild Irish Way and cater to the American tourists are seasonal and close October to April. However, theres a huge amount of places which open all year round that most Americans dont seem to know about.
8. You mentioned hiring a car, but many Americans dont realize that Ireland has a good train and bus network and that you dont have to hire a car.
9. You mentioned Dublin. When you think of Dublin what comes to mind and are those the things that you want to do or do you want to do different things?

 

[unrequited23]

My parents flew into Shannon and rented a car for part of their trip. They flew out of Dublin and relied on public transportation while in the city. Their advice was to not rent an SUV because Irish roads are not American sized. They went from Shannon, to Limerick, to Kilkenny and then to Dublin spending 2-4 nights in each. Their homebase in Limerick was the Bunratty Castle hotel.

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

My parents flew into Shannon and rented a car for part of their trip. They flew out of Dublin and relied on public transportation while in the city. Their advice was to not rent an SUV because Irish roads are not American sized. They went from Shannon, to Limerick, to Kilkenny and then to Dublin spending 2-4 nights in each. Their homebase in Limerick was the Bunratty Castle hotel.

I agree. Irish roads and the driving time between point A and point B is something American tourists hugely underestimate.

This is a photo I took in December, when I went to visit relatives in Co Cork. I was on a Bus Eireann bus which is the Irish equivalent to Greyhound buses in America. This the main big road, the N71 from the West Cork region to Cork City, yes that's right, what you see, one lane each direction. All vehicles from cars to trades people to the big delivery trucks and the bus I was on, all use this road. Roads marked N are National Roads in Ireland and are the equivalent to state highways in America.

 

[Buzz Rules]

I agree. Irish roads and the driving time between point A and point B is something American tourists hugely underestimate.

This is a photo I took in December, when I went to visit relatives in Co Cork. I was on a Bus Eireann bus which is the Irish equivalent to Greyhound buses in America. This the main big road, the N71 from the West Cork region to Cork City, yes that's right, what you see, one lane each direction. All vehicles from cars to trades people to the big delivery trucks and the bus I was on, all use this road. Roads marked N are National Roads in Ireland and are the equivalent to state highways in America.
View attachment 926490

How's the weather in Ireland been this Winter so far?

 

[HeatherC]

Make sure to do the Ring of Kerry, Cliffs of Mohre and Galway. I would start in Dublin and do a big loop south. If time, then head to Belfast for a day or two.

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

Make sure to do the Ring of Kerry, Cliffs of Mohre and Galway. I would start in Dublin and do a big loop south. If time, then head to Belfast for a day or two.

Thats the Wild Atlantic Way. Thats some of the places heavily pushed by Irish Tourism to American tourists, which is the ye olde Darby O'Gill stereotype of Ireland. Theres so much more to Ireland than joining the cavalcade of American tourists in their rented cars doing the Instagram road trip.

 

[HeatherC]

Thats the Wild Atlantic Way. Thats some of the places heavily pushed by Irish Tourism to American tourists, which is the ye olde Darby O'Gill stereotype of Ireland. Theres so much more to Ireland than joining the cavalcade of American tourists in their rented cars doing the Instagram road trip.

Well I have done this itinerary multiple times in addition to others in Ireland and it is gorgeous. Any country anywhere has places that are popular with tourists. It doesn’t make them any less beautiful.

This particular itinerary also gives first time visitors a stunning over of Ireland. You may not like it, but that doesn’t take away from how gorgeous it is or make this suggestion any less valid.

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

Well I have done this itinerary multiple times in addition to others in Ireland and it is gorgeous. Any country anywhere has places that are popular with tourists. It doesn’t make them any less beautiful.

This particular itinerary also gives first time visitors a stunning over of Ireland. You may not like it, but that doesn’t take away from how gorgeous it is or make this suggestion any less valid.

Thats nice dear, good for you. But have you been to Newgrange, the 5000 year old passage tomb, have you been to The National Famine Museum, have you been to any of the stately homes, have you been to any of the limestone caves. Theres such a wealth of historical, heritage and geographical sights and things to do that all the Americans on the cavalcade doing it for the gram totally miss out on.

 

[Buzz Rules]

Thats nice dear, good for you. But have you been to Newgrange, the 5000 year old passage tomb, have you been to The National Famine Museum, have you been to any of the stately homes, have you been to any of the limestone caves. Theres such a wealth of historical, heritage and geographical sights and things to do that all the Americans on the cavalcade doing it for the gram totally miss out on.

So like when Europeans go to only the USA coastline and never really to middle States in America?

 

[dizneegirl]

Thats nice dear, good for you.

Are all the Irish this condescending?

 

[soccerdad72]

Following along…

We’re in a very early stage of planning with another couple a trip to Ireland. Probably flying into and out of Dublin because Aer Lingus fairly recently started direct flights to/from Dublin from Cleveland.

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

Following along…

We’re in a very early stage of planning with another couple a trip to Ireland. Probably flying into and out of Dublin because Aer Lingus fairly recently started direct flights to/from Dublin from Cleveland.

Aer Lingus is my preferred airline and I have been flying with them to America for over 20 years. Make sure you book direct with Aer Lingus and not through a third party site. Holidays with Aer Lingus are a third party travel agency which many Americans assume is direct with Aer Lingus but its not.

 

[Buzz Rules]

Waves hi from Dublin

Irish Tourism heavily promote and push the coastal road trip called The Wild Irish Way, which is basically the West Coast of Ireland, north to south, from Donegal to Cork. They pump huge amounts of money into it and its very much catered to the American market. Its very much the twee, Disneyfied version of Ireland, hammed up and playing into all the Darby O Gill stereotypes.

The Wild Irish Way only shows a very limited part of Ireland. It completely ignores the whole centre and inland part of the island.


I would move locations twice, have 2 base areas and then do day trips from those areas


Dublin has a great public transport system, its a walkable city, very similar to New York.


Thats just a very general basic view. That describes every part of Ireland. That describes the suburb of Dublin I live in.

To give you any further advice, we need to know more information.

1. What is your main objective for the visit to Ireland?
2. What do you about Ireland?
3. When you think of Ireland, what comes to mind? Is that the trip you want or do you want to see something different?
4. Do you want to do a one way circular road trip or do you want a base and do day trips from that base?
5. Do you want escorted tours or do you want DIY?
6. What type of accommodation do you want to stay in, American / International chains, local independent hotels, Irish chains, high end places, mid budget places, AirBnB, Irish Bed and Breakfast Guest Houses?
7. What time of year will your trip be? Many of the places and activities which are part of The Wild Irish Way and cater to the American tourists are seasonal and close October to April. However, theres a huge amount of places which open all year round that most Americans dont seem to know about.
8. You mentioned hiring a car, but many Americans dont realize that Ireland has a good train and bus network and that you dont have to hire a car.
9. You mentioned Dublin. When you think of Dublin what comes to mind and are those the things that you want to do or do you want to do different things?

 

[Buzz Rules]

@Bad Pink Tink 2.0 , I just want to say, I think your entire country is beautiful and all it's people delightful. I have never been to your country (it's on my bucket list) but I did meet some of your fellow citizens when I attended college. They were always a good hearted laugh. I do wish I could find out more about my Irish heritage (I'm only 2 percent Irish) but my ancestors came to America back in the 18th century. Good luck in your country's quest in qualifying for WC 2026.

 

[HeatherC]

Thats nice dear, good for you. But have you been to Newgrange, the 5000 year old passage tomb, have you been to The National Famine Museum, have you been to any of the stately homes, have you been to any of the limestone caves. Theres such a wealth of historical, heritage and geographical sights and things to do that all the Americans on the cavalcade doing it for the gram totally miss out on.

Apparently you woke up on the wrong side of the bed or are just a mean spirited person. And yeah, I have been to some of those places….still have family in Ireland! My suggestion for the OP is a great itinerary for a first trip to Ireland. If you didn’t so, you could have kept your mouth shut and scrolled on by. The nastiness on these boards anymore is unreal. So much for a nice “community” board.