Ireland. The emerald island people dream about. In the U.S. we celebrate the culture: St. Patrick’s Day, leprechauns, Guinness, shepherd’s pie, sheep, rolling green hills, and tin flute music.
We had to get there and see it for ourselves.
This summer, a dream years in the making was filled and we toured Ireland for nine days.
I have to say upfront: we had the most amazing weather and I am hesitant to even share this trip with you as your jealousy antennae will start to wriggle (and that’s not why I write these articles). But the trip was so fun (plus, as you know friends, I generally have bad weather karma… see here and here for starters) that I have to share so you can take your family, too.
We didn’t see leprechauns, but we did see a lot. But an itinerary around the country can be overwhelming to plan. As I dug into plans and reservations, we wanted to see extraordinary beauty but also have time to slow down and enjoy the country (and the famous culture) itself. We couldn’t see it all.
This itinerary leaves out a lot (no Northern Ireland, for starters)Â – but I still highly recommend it. It was a lot of driving (notes on that below), but time on the road never felt overwhelming. The schedule we followed allowed us time to discover at whim some days, with little time buffers to discover what was truly interesting to us in the moment. As you know, those are the moments we usually find mean the most.
Quick note to manage expectations: we had the good fortune of being in Killarney during the start of the famous Puck Fair. That was by far the most “Irish” experience we had. And we could talk about that sentence all day.
Ireland (a.k.a. the Celtic Tiger) today is an economy driven by heaps of tourists and their money, and it shows. The ability to disappear into a small Irish town and experience the crowning of a goat took us out of the tourist circuit and into the country.Â
Ireland is a popular destination for travelers, particularly from the States, and for good reason. It is comfortable (particularly to Americans), friendly, beautiful, not outrageously expensive, and has no language barrier for Americans. It is traveling without venturing into the exotic.Â
I’ll be sharing separate essays with tips and experiences from each of these cities, but in the meantime, here it is…
A 9 Day Itinerary for Visiting Ireland (with the Family)
Day one
Explore Dublin: including Guinness Storehouse, The Brazen Head
Flights from the U.S. usually arrive at the Dublin airport in the morning. Upon clearing customs and gathering our luggage, we took a cab/Uber (they are actually the same thing in Ireland as private car services aren’t allowed) to our hotel, the Hilton Garden Inn Dublin Custom House.
Some folks in our group had arrived the day before and had tickets that morning for the Epic Museum, which came highly recommended.
After a quick rest and reset, though, we went out for a tour at the Guinness Storehouse and Museum, followed by early dinner at The Brazen Head (Ireland’s oldest pub).
August is the busiest time to travel in Europe and Ireland is no exception. Wherever you can, purchase tickets and entries in advance. Even if entires aren’t sold out, you at least get to skip the queue.
Day Two
Explore Dublin: including Book of Kells and Trinity College, Free Walking Tour, Fish & Chips, Teeling Whiskey tour
Staying in Dublin, we had early morning tickets to see the Book of Kells and the Long Room at Trinity College Library. (Tip: take headphones and have your cell phone ready as you can learn the history of the Book of Kells through an app as you walk through the exhibit. This makes the experience far more engaging.)
After that, we walked to Barnardo Square where we had our Sandeman’s free walking tour (as IF we went to a new city and didn’t do one of these… see here and here and here and here and here…)
We grabbed fish and chips to go from Leo Burdock and ate on one of the benches on the Liffey River. (More on all of this in a separate post.)
After a nap, we headed to Teeling Whiskey for a tour and tasting. Kids are, indeed, welcome.
Day Three
Drive: Stop at Clonmacnoise, Stop at Burren, Stay in Lahinch
We checked out, grabbed our rental cars (read below for the scoop on cars and driving in Ireland), and drove to Clonmacnoise.
Our ultimate destination was Lahinch, but on the way we stopped at The Burren to see the strange and eerie landscape.
Eventually, we snuggled in at The Atlantic Hotel in Lahinch, watching the sun set over the beach.
Day Four
Drive: Stop at Cliffs of Moher, Stay in Killarney
We checked out of our hotel and drove to the Cliffs of Moher, arriving early (which ended up being critical).
We found a pub for a quick lunch, then drove out to Killarney and our Airbnb.
Day Five
Explore Killarney: including jaunting cars, hikes through Killarney National Park, the Muckross House, and pubs
Spending time around Killarney, we enjoyed the Jaunting Cars through Killarney National Park, pubs, making dinner at our Airbnb, and exploring the town.
Day Six
Dingle Peninsula Drive
We elected NOT to do the Ring of Kerry drive but, instead, packed up the car and drove out the Dingle Peninsula. More on all of this later but the short version is: Ring of Kerry is CRAZY CROWDED and Dingle Peninsula is not.
Day Seven
Hike or find a local fair
This day we chose different adventures, but most of us ended up hiking. There were quite a few hikes to do, and I’ll share more about that in our post on the area coming soon.
Day Eight
Drive: Stop of Rock of Cashel, end in Dublin
We drove back to Dublin but stopped at the Rock of Cashel. It made for a long day of travel, we wished we had more time in the little bustling town, but it was nice to break up the drive.
We took care of all the rental cars, flight check-ins, and enjoyed our last night in Dublin.
Day Nine
Fly home
We sadly departed Dublin.
Our flight left before noon, which meant no time to play, but it was still lovely not to feel rushed.
What to Know About Car Rentals and Driving in Ireland
It’s really hard to see Ireland without renting a car. But renting a car in this country is the most complicated rental we’ve ever encountered.
Of course, cars aren’t cheap, particularly during high tourist seasons. But there are also some other interesting elements in Ireland you will want to know.
First, you MUST have proof of country-specific car insurance. Luckily, we knew this ahead of time and were able to contact American Express, who sent us a personalized and signed letter stating that we had full coverage – specifically, a Collision Damage Waiver –Â on any rental charged to that card in the country of Ireland. Not all credit cards offer this in Ireland and car agencies do not allow the standard credit card coverage to suffice (as is done in America or other European countries). You must have a letter outlining this.
Interestingly, my parents had the same letter but they were denied (they rented from Europcar, and we rented from Budget). While at the counter for Budget, we saw two women come to claim their car reservation who did not have country-specific insurance and they were required to purchase the CDW with the rental company alongside a mandatory hold of 2,000 Euros placed on their credit card. For more details on all of this, check out this post.
Second, it costs extra to get an automatic transmission. The rate varies depending on the company, of course.
We rented a manual (because Mr. Family Trip loves manuals anyhow) but it is on the opposite side of the driver than in the States. So if you get a manual, you are shifting with your left hand – pedals for the feet are the same, though. Be sure when you make your reservation you know what you are getting.
Finally, the roads are incredibly narrow. Doing the research prior to going, I was appalled at their demands regarding insurance. Quite frankly, I thought it was a bit of a racket. But having driven around the country for over a week, I see why! The roads are a tight squeeze, usually just a lane and a half with old brick walls on the sides, and no shoulders at all. Driving requires paying attention as well as a certain amount of bravery.
Obviously, hundreds of tourists do it every month. So you can, too. But it does help to know what you are getting into.
Passengers: you’re going to be sitting on the left while the driver whizzes by stone fences and gates and weeds slap your door. STAY CALM and DO NOT PANIC. Just let the driver focus on the road in front. Bring a book, close your eyes, use your Calm app. But aside from saying “stay left” every now and again, do not say anything.
To go or not to go?
Yes.Â
Simply yes.Â
Go.
Take the kids, book the tickets, get the car.
Ireland wasn’t the most daring or challenging place we’ve ever been. But it was magical.
And lucky.
So go.
Love it? Save it.
