One Week in Ireland...An Overview

A couple years after our first trip to Ireland, we went back, but this time to Northern Ireland. I remember drinking in a bar with a couple local guys we met who seemed (frankly) astounded that we would want to spend our vacation there. We explained that we fell in love with Ireland after doing a southern loop of the country and then it seemed to dawn on them.

Ah. Southern Ireland is different.

That's not to say that Northern Ireland isn't wonderful in its own way, but they admitted that the southern part of the country IS magical. They called it a real Disney World, and in a way it was. Of course there will always be glitches and bumps in any vacation, but for what we wanted to do in this trip, it felt like the best Disney ride you would ever get on.

So, here is a wrap up of our time there as well as some tips/tricks I learned. Hopefully this helps you plan your trip... just sneak me in your suitcase!

One Week in Ireland Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive and sleep Dublin
Day 2: Kilmainham Gaol, Howth, sleep Dublin
Day 3: Jerpoint Abbey, Dunmore Cave, sleep Kilkenny
Day 4: Rock of Cashel, sleep Kinsale
Day 5: Drombeg Stone Circle, Alter Wedge Tomb, Mizen Head, sleep near Killarney
Day 6: Ring of Kerry, Gap of Dunloe, Killarney National Park, sleep near Killarney
Day 7: Cliffs of Moher, The Burren, sleep near Galway
Day 8: Connemara National Park, sleep near airport

Here's 5 things you SHOULD do:

• Rent a car. Please rent a car. Pretty please. I just don't think you can get the same experience with public transportation.
• Get lost. Explore. Try a random dirt road. Who knows where it will take you?
• Eat all the jams. All the jellies. All the lemon curds and all the breads. 
• Skip the hotels and stay at a B&B. Ask your host for advice and then take it.
• Make the most out of your trip but know that you won't be able to see anywhere near everything. You're going to miss out on some things and thats OK. You'll be back.

and 5 things you SHOULDN'T do:

• Don't try to go at a faster pace than what I've outlined. It might not seem like a ton of driving, but this is A LOT. I could have easily done this same itinerary in 16 days and still felt rushed. 
• Don't seat yourself in a restaurant unless it's explicitly stated to do so. If there isn't a hostess the bartender can usually set you up.
• Don't try to save time by only driving on the highways. You're missing the whole point.
• Don't clamber on the monuments. Be respectful of the tombs and artifacts you might come across (inwardly cringing).
• Don't worry if things don't go as planned. That's the whole point of going on an adventure :)