Travel Like A Pro: How To Make Your First Trip To Ireland Perfect
Maybe you haven’t given it a thought but, at least subconsciously, you probably have noticed that you can hardly talk to someone about a vacation without hearing something along the lines of “I’ve always dreamed of going to….!” There’s nothing wrong with this of course, but it just occurred to us how often we ourselves say this! In fact, we were about to start this article with exactly that phrase for the hundredth time. Sure, we can argue that to travel to ANY place is a dream come true for us, but you probably don’t want to read it yet again, right? We’re sure just looking through this website gives you an idea of the laundry-list of places that comprise our “dream” destinations. So, what does this have to do with Ireland? Glad you asked! Especially since we’re dying to say that going to Ireland was, yes you guessed it, an absolute dream come true!
For more dream-come-true vacation inspiration, check out some of our other favorite Destinations!
To be fair, Ireland has been at the top of our list of must-see places even when that list was no more than the length of a fortune out of a fortune cookie. Why wait so long to go then? We’re not exactly sure but we just kept waiting for that “perfect” time. Maybe we secretly were concerned about being let down once we arrived at a place that we’d hyped up quite a bit in our minds over the past decade. Regardless, we finally took the leap and can say that the experience was unforgettable! From the incredible landforms and lively cities to the fun-loving people, Ireland is truly one of those places that seems to have it all. Read on if you want to find out the best way to see the true beauty of the Emerald Isle!
Getting to and around Ireland…
Getting to Ireland wasn’t complicated for us as we took a 7-hour nonstop flight for cheap from our hometown. The Dublin International Airport (DUB) was easy to navigate and, whenever we did get lost which somehow ALWAYS happens, it was easy to get directions as everyone spoke English. It also helped that all signage was in English as well.
Leaving Ireland was a little more interesting as everyone returning to the USA was required to do “Preclearance” which is exactly what you might think. Preclearance is customs and border patrol that is done by American TSA in Ireland prior to departure for the USA. This is a little tedious upfront as you must go through regular Dublin Airport security screening then follow signs to USA Preclearance, find the electronic boards that announce what flights are being screened, make your way there and essentially go through security procedures a second time! Having global entry was a time saver through this. The pro to this process is that you don’t need to go through Customs once you land in the USA which could save a lot of time if you have connections or just want to get on with your plans. We would say that it wasn’t too much of a hassle but want to caution you to leave extra time to get it all done unless you want more time in Ireland to find that pot of gold!
As for getting around Ireland, well, we have a lot we want to say about this but will try to be averagely concise. We should start by saying that if you are traveling within the city of Dublin only then you do not need a rental car. Street parking in the city is difficult to find and parking decks can be a half a mile or more away from your accommodations. Additionally, costs for street parking, when you can find a spot, is expensive and can be upwards of three Euros per hour! Now, if you want to really see the true beauty of Ireland, then having a rental car is an absolute must as driving around the country is the best way to see it all. If you do get a rental car, be prepared to deal with serious traffic congestion and parking issues in most of the major cities.
We recommend booking hotels that offer parking, even if for a fee, this way you can avoid that stress! Beware of hotels that advertise “free parking.” We learned the hard way that this meant free on-street parking overnight IF you can find a spot. It does not mean that the hotel has a parking lot or any other parking conveniences. Make sure to read the hotels website carefully on this! Other than the tempestuous weather and a few other less than ideal things about driving in Ireland that we plan to fill you in on soon, we found driving around the country to be manageable as roads were well-maintained. Having the rental car was especially worth it for us as it gave us the freedom to pull over as we pleased to explore old castles that we happened upon or whenever we just wanted to spend extra time admiring the gorgeous countryside.
Choosing where to stay…
One of our favorite things about Ireland is that no matter where you stay, you’re likely to be close to some amazing thing or the other while still having easy access to conveniences. For us, we chose our hotels based on what we hoped to see in each place while keeping in mind the general parking situation in most places. Our plan was to visit as much of Ireland as we could in our 4-5 day stay and we decided we could best achieve this if we stayed in a different city each night. This was a good plan except for the part where we needed to choose cities. With every city offering something different but just as charming as the next, it was hard to whittle down the list to just a handful, but we ultimately settled on Belfast, Galway, Kenmare and, of course, Dublin.
There are a few things about Irish hotels in general that we think would be helpful to know before booking. First, hotels are on the more expensive side which shouldn’t be much of a surprise given that European hotel rates are generally pricier. What is surprising though is that all the hotel rooms we stayed in were modern, spotlessly clean and so large that they often had separate sitting rooms or an additional bed. Secondly, check-in processes are so relaxed that an ID or passport was never requested at any hotel we stayed in. Thirdly, most hotel don’t have air conditioning. This isn’t as bad as it sounds though as they all have windows that open, and the temperate breezes keep you cool and comfortable.
Finally, every hotel seems to offer an amazing breakfast spread. In fact, if you want a traditional Irish breakfast for a reasonable price served before 9-10am then your hotel will be the ideal dine-in spot. Departing briefly from our belief that hotel food is usually a let down, we ate breakfast at our various hotels 4 out of our 5 days and were incredibly impressed with the variety and freshness of the offerings. What we wouldn’t give to wake up to those hearty Irish breakfasts at home now! Anyway, read on to see our top picks for hotels in these cities.
In Dublin, we chose the Iveagh Garden Hotel located within the city center. The hotel was close to shopping, night life and Dublin’s own “Central Park” aka St. Stephen’s Green Park. Our room was well appointed, and we enjoyed being able to walk to whatever sites captured our interests. The main drawbacks to this hotel are a lack of parking and no AC. Street parking was available across the street however there was a total of 5 spaces! We were fortunate to get one but be prepared to park about a ¼ of a mile away from the hotel if you have a rental car and are not so lucky. What we absolutely adored about the hotel was its location next to what appeared to be rather posh student housing and enjoying the midnight, top-notch vocal stylings of the heavily inebriated local lads! Honestly, Irish drinking songs sung miraculously in tune by ridiculously drunk Irish fellas was exactly the kind of local color we wanted!
Keeping with the model of convenience first, we primarily selected hotels located within the city centers of the various cities that we visited. As you would guess, this kept us close to all the goings-on making it easy to explore as much as possible in our ever-too-short time. We recommend the Ramada Wyndham Belfast City Center for your nights in Belfast. Not only was the hotel centrally located but there was plenty of street parking available as well as an attached paid-parking garage. The hotel was also within walking distance of the riverfront and Maritime Mile with it’s Game of Thrones stained glass art features and the Titanic museum.
If you decide to stay in Kenmare on your Ring of Kerry tour, and we highly recommend that you do, we suggest booking the Kenmare Bay Hotel and Resort. With modern, updated hotel rooms, an onsite pub, live music every night and incredible mountain views, this hotel had everything we wanted and more!
We deviated a little from our hotel strategy in the city of Galway where we chose to stay on the outskirts of the city rather than in the heart of it. Although we don’t doubt that our stay in this surprisingly big but charming city itself would have been great, we wanted to avoid the traffic and congestion as much as possible. Well, at least this is what we’re telling everyone. What we really wanted was to check out one of the lovely beaches and have a true Irish beachfront experience! With this in mind, we booked an ocean view room overlooking Galway Bay at the Salthill Hotel. The hotel surpassed our expectations with large rooms, comfy beds, free parking and proximity to restaurants, bars, and The Prom. Admittedly, the waves, high winds and cooler temperatures make Salthill beach one for more adventurous beachgoers however this was still one of the most ethereally beautiful beaches we’ve ever visited. And no, we did not get in the water!
The best time to visit Ireland…
Summer in Ireland is considered the high season so, true to our nature, we decided to forego the hassle of dealing with crowds and planned our trip for the Fall season instead. We figured that with less tourists roaming around in September we would have less competition at attractions plus we knew the time of year we visited didn’t really matter anyway as we could just layer up or down based on temperature. Knowing about the changeable weather and infamous Irish rain ahead of time, we expected that there would not be such a thing as the “perfect” time to go. If we would have to contend with endless rain no matter when we go, why worry about timing at all right?
While we can’t speak to what going during other seasons might be like, we can say that our late September visit was shockingly perfect. Our days were on average 50-60 F and ideal for the hikes and exploring that we did. Truthfully, we did not even have to layer up and, in fact, ended up layering down most days. The nights were chillier with temperatures in the 40s but, once again, this was perfect as we were able to get cool, fresh air every night in those rooms that didn’t have AC.
As for the rain, well, it was not nearly as dramatic as we anticipated. Most of our mornings were perfectly sunny with the afternoons being cloudier and having an occasional light shower. The rain tended to roll in overnight and dissipated again in the morning, much like typical beach weather. We even caught an entirely sunny day once during our stay! The weather is tumultuous though and can be sunny one minute and pouring the next, so we advise bringing an umbrella and being prepared for a deluge from even the wispiest cloud. We experienced this ourselves multiple times, but these spells were mostly brief, and we never needed to whip out our rain gear. We recommend traveling with a light, wind and waterproof jacket, some quick-dry clothes and waterproof boots and you’ll find yourself ready for just about anything the Irish weather has in store for you.
The most commonly used currency in Ireland…
It’s fairly common knowledge that the Euro is the main currency used across Europe and this is no different in Ireland. Much of the country deals in Euros and currency can be exchanged in Dublin airport the same as in most international airports. We recommend not exchanging money prior to arrival as fees can be much higher in your home country as compared to Dublin. We also recommend that you only take a small amount of cash with you to have in case of an emergency and plan on using a debit card without international fees to withdraw Euros directly from the ATMs available in the Dublin airport. We found this to be the most seamless and cost-effective way to obtain Euros. Having now given you all this information, we must admit that we did not use a single Euro even in the most remote towns that we visited. This was because Ireland has adopted cashless payment systems and credit cards are accepted virtually everywhere. So, just having a credit card and a debit card without foreign transaction fees is really all you need to successfully travel around the country.
Now, we’re not sure if you noticed, but we did mention that most of the country uses Euros but not all of it. This is important to know because even though Ireland is one island it is divided into two distinct parts: the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. While the Republic of Ireland is a part of European Union, Northern Ireland actually is a part of the United Kingdom. This means that unlike most of Ireland, Northern Ireland only accepts pounds as its currency. Crossing from Dublin to Belfast, for example, it quickly becomes clear that you’re in a different country as road signs change, speed limits are in miles per hour rather than kilometers per hour and even your phone service will change. Outside of these differences though, Northern Ireland is much the same as the rest of Ireland. These differences won’t affect you much as you drive around the country especially as there are no borders to cross and no real hassles that you should face while crossing from south to north of the island. In fact, we never even bothered to obtain pounds and just used our credit cards so, ultimately, this had no impact at all on our journey.
The Irish food…
We supposed one of the good things about having the Irish and English all in one place is getting to sample all their iconic foods without traveling too much. Surprisingly, everywhere we went we found the best-known English dish: Fish n Chips. We tried many versions of this from North to South Ireland and have to admit that the Brits did it best! Our favorite version was from John Long’s in Belfast where an order included an enormous piece of crisp, golden fried fish served with salt and vinegar and enough thick-cut fries to kick start another famine. We’re talking fried fish so good you might think you just walked into your southern mama’s kitchen!
In terms of traditional Irish food, we wont lie, we had to hunt hard to find this. We found that most of the restaurants we visited leaned heavily towards fine dining but, luckily, we eventually discovered pubs to be the main source of Irish soul-food. If you’re looking for a good Guinness stew or a Guinness beef pie, then a pub is where you need to be. If you’re looking for corned beef and cabbage outside of St. Patrick’s Day then best of luck to you as you’d have about as much of a chance of finding that as shaking hands with an actual leprechaun. Anyway, if you do spend some time in Kenmare, we highly recommend the Kenmare brewhouse’s version of a steak and potato pie. The warm, savory stew under a mound of creamy mash potatoes is exactly what you’ll want after a long day battling that finicky Irish weather.
For breakfast, we once again have to steer you towards your hotel’s breakfast buffet as that is likely going to be the best version of an Irish breakfast that you’ll find. What’s a traditional Irish breakfast though? It’s a well-rounded meal consisting of some expected items like eggs and pancakes as well as other more interesting additions like roasted tomatoes, sautéed mushrooms, sausages, white or black meat puddings, soda bread or brown bread and a variety of pastries. Sounds heavy? Well, it is but a breakfast like this is exactly what we needed before each of our incredibly long days of sightseeing.
If you get a little tired of the pub and fish n chips scene and are looking for something different, then we recommend checking out Fire Steakhouse and Bar. Located in the former supper room of The Mansion House which has been home to and continues to be the home of Dublin’s Mayors since 1715, Fire pairs history and fine dining to create an unforgettable experience. The restaurant isn’t about atmosphere only though as it is known for delicious culinary creations and award-winning local Irish steaks. Admittedly, we found our dry-aged ribeye to be too tough for our liking but highly recommend the melt-in-your-mouth lamb and the succulent prawns. Overall, we had a phenomenal experience at Fire and highly recommend making reservations the next time you’re in Dublin.
Is it safe to drink the water?
Wondering how to get drinking water while you’re in Ireland? We’re sad to say that it’s best if you get yourself some bottled water as filling up from the tap in your hotel is not necessarily a good idea. This is primarily because, although some tap water is safe to drink in Ireland, not all of it is and, as a visitor, it’s hard to figure out what’s safe and what’s not. How do we know this? After purchasing several different varieties of bottled water, all of which tasted terrible to us, we noticed that the water served to us in restaurants tasted different and much better than the bottled water we were buying. We decided to ask the staff at one of our hotels about this notable difference and to enquire about the safety of filling our water bottles from the taps in our room and were promptly told not to do that. It turns out that most buildings and homes that are connected to a main city water supply has excellent, tested drinking water coming from the taps however, some places supplement their water supply, for uses such as bathing, from a water tank and this water is untested and unfiltered. All this to say, don’t fill you water from your hotel room as that water is likely coming from an unfiltered tank and can lead to some exciting gastrointestinal problems during your trip!
Fun things to do in Ireland…
Other than the obvious eat, drink, and make merry, there’s plenty to do in Ireland especially since the island is a place of lush natural beauty mixed with old world charm and history. Here are some of the places we think you’ll love in Ireland.
Dublin
Visit the Dublin Castle
Built in 1204 and located centrally in the city, Dublin Castle is one of the best-preserved castles in Ireland and is a must-see attraction. The castle’s outer courtyard is free to visit and take pictures however to see the opulent interior requires purchasing tickets for a guided tour. The castle is approximately 25 minutes away from the airport and is not difficult to get to, but parking is a challenge in the area. The castle grounds offer no parking and street parking is difficult to find. We chose a paid parking lot between Mary’s Lane and St. Michan’s Street and walked the 20 minutes to the castle.
The walk in itself was a treat, taking us across the River Liffey via the Grattan Bridge and into Parliament Street then depositing us in front of the Dublin City Hall. If you work up an appetite on your walk, then you can check out any of the numerous restaurants or pubs lining Parliament Street for a bite of something deliciously Irish. We also suggest making a stop at The Brazen Head, Ireland’s oldest pub, to see a little of what it might’ve been like to grab a drink in the year 1198!
Try the iconic Guinness Beer and Jameson Whiskey
You can try Guinness pretty much at any pub in Ireland but for the most immersive experience, we recommend buying tickets to the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin. Standard tickets cost around 30 USD per person and include a tour of the multi-floor brewery and a pint of expertly poured Guinness. Expect to spend 1-2 hours browsing the how-it’s-made story of Guinness followed by enjoying a “pint” at the lovely Gravity Bar located atop the brewery. Nothing like relaxing with a Guinness in hand as you take in a bird’s eye view of Dublin. Well, at least this is how it should be but if, like us, you’re not accustomed to a strong stout beer, then prepare to sip and dash as you’re going to want to find water ASAP! Once you’ve conquered—or perhaps just survived? — Guinness, head over to the nearby Jameson Distillery to sample some of their fine wares and test your mettle!
Take a walk-through St. Stephen’s Green Park
Need some fresh air after diving head-on into the formidable Irish liquor scene? Consider taking a stroll through St. Stephen’s Green Park. Over four centuries old, the park is a priceless green space within a busy city. With everything from beautifully landscaped grounds to historic sculptures and even a playground, the park offers a valuable respite from the day-to-day bustle that comes with living in a populous city like Dublin. Note that the park closes around 8pm nightly so be sure to plan your visit during daylight hours to take advantage of this incredible space.
Northern Ireland
Belfast
Located about 2.5 hours away from Dublin, Belfast is famously known as the home of the Titanic as well as the home of The Game of Thrones TV series. As mentioned above, we recommend staying within the city center of Belfast from which you can easily explore the city. Whether you choose to wander around the gorgeous grounds of the Belfast City Hall, visit the St. George’s Market or take a stroll through the Botanic Gardens, Belfast has plenty to do to keep you occupied. Here are some of our favorite stops in Belfast.
The Big Fish
A 10-minute walk from the Belfast city center towards Donegall Quay will bring you to The Big Fish aka Salmon of Knowledge. The enormous 33-ft long fish sculpture stands near the Lagan Weir Footbridge which crosses the River Lagan and is meant to represent regeneration of the river. Sitting alongside the River Lagan, the blue and white tiled fish presents a glittering spectacle in the early morning sunlight should you be so lucky as to witness it.
Maritime Mile
Crossing the Lagan Weir Footbridge brings you solidly into Maritime Mile, a walkway showcasing interesting art and historical landmarks. Love the Game of Thrones series? Then check out the eye-catching “Glass of Thrones” stained-glass installations depicting meaningful scenes from the series that can only be found along Maritime Mile. Feel like getting active? Rent bikes and ride along the Mile or just go for a brisk morning jog along one of the world’s most beautiful river walks. Be sure to check out the “Where Belfast Begins” Outdoor Exhibition, the Belfast Buoys, and the Hamilton Dock where the Maritime Museum aboard the historic SS Nomadic can be found.
Titanic Museum
Wrap up your Maritime Mile walk with a stop at the Titanic Museum. Built on the site from which the Titanic was assembled and launched; the museum is a heart wrenching homage to the ill-fated ship. A visit to the museum will set you back about 25 pounds per person but is well worth it. A walk through the museum included everything from how the ship was built to recreations of entire rooms, 3D visuals that place you in the ship itself, a walk through of how the tragedy occurred, and a close up of artifacts salvaged from the wreck. We wrapped up our tour of the museum standing atop the tracks used to propel the Titanic into the ocean for the first time and were profoundly saddened by the lost glory and subsequent deep quiet that pervaded what was once a bustling, successful shipyard.
Giant’s Causeway
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Giant’s Causeway is made up of some 40,000+ pillars of basalt arranged along the northern-most coast of Ireland. The Causeway is located 1.5 hours away from Belfast, sits just north of the town of Bushmills and is an enormous tourist draw. After all, who doesn’t want to walk in the footsteps of giants?
There are two ways to visit the Giant’s Causeway: one involves paying for parking only and the other involves buying a visitor pass. If you would like to visit the Causeway in the most cost-effective way possible, then you can go directly to the Causeway Coast Car Park which is a small parking lot located at 60 Causeway Road. If you’re fortunate enough to find a parking spot, then use the PayByPhone system to pay then make your way to the trails to the Causeway. Note that there isn’t free parking in this area and the roads are too narrow for street parking. If you plan to park at a nearby farm, the closest one is approximately half-a-mile’s walk from the visitor center. If decide to go this route, then be aware that you will not have access to the considerably well-equipped visitor center or the restroom facilities.
The other way to visit the Causeway is to purchase a Visitor Experience ticket. This can be done online here or at the visitor center and tickets cost 13.50 pounds per person. The tickets get you onsite parking, access to the visitor center, the café, live guides and storytellers, bathrooms, and audio guides as well. We highly recommend purchasing the tickets if only to save time!
Getting to the Giant’s Causeway itself was not complicated and we did not need a trail map. Exiting the visitor center, we had a choice of taking the Blue trail or the red trail. Taking the steps up the hill from the visitor center exit leads to the Red trail for a longer and harder but rather scenic hike to the Giant’s Causeway. The Blue trail, on the other hand, is shorter and faster as all that is required is to follow the paved road downhill for about 15 minutes to the site. A notable plus of visiting the Causeway is that just about anyone can see it since it is accessible by shuttle bus for those with limited mobility.
Because we wanted to visit two other noteworthy Northern Ireland attractions in the same day, we did the shorter hike downhill directly to the site. It’s worth mentioning that the hike was a steep downhill walk so come prepared to do a steep, steady 15–30-minute climb to get back to the visitor center. The scenery before us as we made our way down was of lush green hills sloping down towards the blue-green Atlantic. The wind was moderate and strong enough to blow off hats and any unsecured items. The road down to the Causeway ended directly in front of it so there was no risk of missing our stop.
Even without that marker though, it would’ve been hard to miss the dramatic, hexagonal pillars rising out of the water. We were able to freely climb onto the pillars and explore as we pleased as there were no restrictions hampering us. A word of warning though, wear shoes with good grip and use common sense. The pillars can be a little challenging to walk on especially those that were being splashed by the waves. The darker stones were also slicker so taking extra care in areas that were wet or slick-appearing meant less risk of falling, twisting an ankle or worse: slipping and sliding into the cold Atlantic. That being said, of the hundreds of people exploring the site while we were there, we witnessed not a single fall or injury so there’s no need to be overly worried. Just go slow as you take your pictures and make your way across one of the most unique landscapes in the world.
Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge
After spending more time than we planned at the Giant’s Causeway—how could we not? —we couldn’t seem to decide whether we should visit Carrick-a-Rede or just move on to our next stop. But seeing as we’re the leave-no-stone-unturned types we simply couldn’t just walk, or rather drive, away from a potentially cool thing to see. So, what is Carrick-a-Rede? Well, it’s a small, craggy island in the Atlantic Ocean that is home to a single, 400-year-old cottage. What make’s it especially worth visiting? The chance to walk on the rope bridge that connects the tiny island to the cliffs of the mainland that has been in place since 1755, for starters! Who doesn’t want to precariously sway in dramatic winds while suspended a 100 feet above sea level between sheer, rocky cliffs?
Driving along the coastal highway from the Giant’s Causeway, we arrived at the parking area for Carrick-a-Rede 20 minutes later. It is recommended that you visit the National Trust website to reserve tickets and, more importantly, schedule a time to cross the bridge to avoid long delays on arrival. Our visit was spontaneous, however and we decided to just try our luck which was fine given our off-season timing. We paid the 13.50 pounds per person and set off down the Coastal walkway. The 2 kilometer walk to the bridge took about 20 minutes and was visually stunning. Even the gray skies and light rain that had begun to fall could not diminish the beauty of the green hills with grazing livestock sloping down to the edge of precipitous cliffs that dropped away into the vibrant green waters of the Atlantic. In fact, the constant drizzle, buffeting wind and lack of any modern paraphernalia along the trail imparted a rugged quality to the already breathtaking landscape that left us feeling transported to an altogether different and simpler time.
It’s fair to say that you cannot really see the rope bridge from the hiking trail. The bridge does not come into view until you actually arrive to the end of the trail. The bridge is protected by a gate that is manned by staff of the National Trust and you’re asked to present your ticket/armband before being permitted to pass through the gate and onto the bridge. We should mention that if you want to see the bridge but not cross it, you need only pay for parking (10 pounds) then hike down to the bridge and back but why go to all that trouble and miss out on the adrenaline rush of crossing? There was a small line to cross the bridge even though we were visiting at an off time so we can see how reservations to cross would be necessary in the high season.
So what was it like crossing the bridge? In short, mildly terrifying but mostly exhilarating! The bridge was well-kept and surprisingly stable despite the whipping wind and even small children were able to make their way across with supervision. The scenery was spectacular as well with the blue-green waves crashing below our feet! It was a perspective that could not be had anywhere else in Ireland, and we were glad that we didn’t skip this incredible hike. We highly recommend adding this stop to your itinerary. Set yourself up for success by being ready for a moderately strenuous hike and by donning some good, weatherproof gear!
Dark Hedges
While such a name may call to mind something sinister, don’t worry, this stop-off on your tour of Northern Ireland is definitely not scary! Fans of Game of Thrones will easily recognize this distinctive tree-lined roadway as King’s Road but what exactly are the Dark Hedges? The name refers to a private avenue lined by enormous beech trees planted in the 18th century to create a dramatic entrance to the mansion located on the property. In essence, the Dark Hedges were planted to create one heck of a driveway. Thanks to its distinctive appearance of the hedges and numerous appearances on TV and social media, the Hedges are now a major tourist attraction.
Because it’s a privately owned driveway you may think it would be hard to find but, thanks to its popularity, this is not the case. In fact, you can simply type Dark Hedges in your GPS and it will take you to the parking lot serving the Hedges. There’s even a Dark Hedges Inn if you wanted to spend extra time in the area. The Hedges are located at Bregagh Road, and we arrived to it 20 minutes after leaving Carrick-a-Reed. We could not drive onto the Hedges as it was private property but paid a small fee of four pounds to park at the only available lot just across the street. A five-minute walk made extra memorable by the pouring rain brought us beneath the iconic trees. We would have loved to stay awhile to soak in the remarkable avenue but ended up snapping some quick pictures then hightailing it back to the car thanks to the rain. Although, now that we’re cozy and dry and reflecting back on our visit, we can’t help but feel that the rain and mist might have added to the otherworldliness of the place making it even more extraordinary. Since it rains a LOT in Northern Ireland, your chances of having the exact experience are quite high but we do recommend putting on a good raincoat. Umbrellas are a nice idea but if you depend on that only you’ll end up like us: damp on top and wet on the bottom!
Southern Ireland
The Wild Atlantic Way
Although more a route than a tourist attraction, we wanted to make you aware of the Wild Atlantic Way (WAW) as this is considered one of the most scenic drives in Ireland. In fact, if you plan to drive at all in Ireland to visit towns like Galway or Kenmare or even the Cliffs of Moher then you’ll undoubtedly find yourself on this route. So, what is the WAW? It’s a 1600-mile route extending from the western coastline to the Southern coastline of Ireland. Pay attention to the road signs as you drive along, and you’ll soon see signs with the letters WAW letting you know that you’re on the route. Some signs even highlight different points of interest. While you don’t need to seek out the Wild Atlantic Way specifically, just being aware of what it is and being attentive can pay large dividends on this route when it comes to sightseeing.
Dunguaire Castle
Seeing as we were nearing day three of our visit and had yet to see a true old-world castle, we were pleased to find out that Dunguaire Castle, fully restored and preserved, was located directly along our route to the Cliffs of Moher. The castle was built in 1520 in Kinvara and sits on the picturesque shore of Galway Bay. Located approximately 40 minutes away from the city of Galway, this is one of only a handful of restored castles and is open for tours from 10 am daily so definitely make sure to add this as a stop en-route to the Cliffs.
Cliffs of Moher
Worthy of their fame, the Cliffs of Moher are a UNESCO World Heritage site that truly embodies the wild beauty of Ireland. Sitting 700 ft above sea level, the Cliffs of Moher are sheer, rugged, and imposing: falling steeply from lush farmlands to the churning waters of the Atlantic below. The entrance fee to the the Cliffs of Moher is relatively cheap at 7 euros per person and includes secure parking, access to the visitor center facilities, shops, and cafes, and of course, the Cliffs. Tickets can be bought here ahead of time.
Getting to the Cliffs of Moher from Galway took us almost 2 hours of driving, but we hardly noticed as we mostly traveled along the incredibly scenic Wild Atlantic Way. With castles popping up at random spots along the road, rolling green hills as far as the eyes could see, and overhead views of the sparkling, faraway Galway Bay. We were so taken with the route itself that our drive to the Cliff kept getting longer and longer thanks to the many impromptu stops!
Arriving to the Cliffs of Moher was a breeze. There was clear signage to ample parking, and our online purchased tickets made entering quick and easy. If you’re worried about having to do a substantial hike to see the Cliffs, then you’ll be pleasantly surprised to know that this is not the case! In fact, just across the road from the parking lot is the quaint, hobbit-hole style visitor center, and directly behind and to the left of that are the Cliffs of Moher.
A short 5-minute walk from the visitor center up a paved trail brought us to our first spectacular view of the Cliffs. From there we could choose how much hiking we wanted to do. The Cliffs of Moher extend for 5 miles and have numerous, well-maintained trails skirting the edges for most of that distance so how far you go is entirely up to you. We decided to hike the Coastal Walk South towards Hags Head. The trail was narrow and, as expected, rather crowded but the jaw-dropping views of the Cliffs was a worthwhile pay off. If you decide to take this trail, heed the warnings at the trailhead. This trail runs right along the very edge or the Cliffs and can collapse at any moment if a rockslide occurs, so you definitely want to stay within the boundaries of the trail. How’s that for exciting, right?
Looking for a spectacular view without the added danger of collapsing Cliffs? Then head up to Obrien’s Tower from which you can appreciate the mighty Cliffs behind you and the expansive ocean in front of you. If you’re lucky, you may be able to enjoy the musical stylings of the local artistes while you explore the ancient tower and its splendid views.
The recommended time to visit the Cliffs of Moher is at sunset on a clear day when the sun is shining directly on them, burning away the haze. This is great in theory, however if you don’t live in Ireland and have only a limited time, catching a clear sunset is probably an impossible task especially as rain seems to roll in EVERYDAY in the mid-afternoon hours. We visited around noon and while the Cliffs were shaded and somewhat hazy, they were nonetheless spectacular. Hiking along the Coastal Way South to Hags Head also provided clear views of the Cliffs and Obrien’s Tower even at noon. Honestly, the way we see it is that it’s hard to be disappointed with these majestic Cliffs so just go when you can and prepare to be wowed!
The Ring of Kerry
Holding the honor as the most popular scenic drive in Ireland, the Ring of Kerry is a part of the Wild Atlantic Way and connects a series of quaint coastal towns. There are two ways to drive the Ring: clockwise and counterclockwise. Thanks to its popularity, this route is often packed with tour buses that navigate the route in a clockwise direction. To avoid being continuously stuck behind tour buses on the narrow, one lane roads, we decided to tackle the route in the counterclockwise direction. Approaching from the Cliffs of Moher, we took the vehicle ferry across the picturesque Shannon Estuary to our first stop on the ring: Killorglin. We then continued to Glenbeigh, Cahersiveen, Portmagee, Sneem, Kenmare, and finally ending at Killarney. Here are some of our favorite sites along the Ring of Kerry that we know you’ll love!
Rossbeigh Beach
Just outside the town of Glenbeigh sits Rossbeigh beach; one of the most most popular stops on the Ring of Kerry. The beach boasts just over 4 miles of sandy shore, tons of parking and gorgeous views of the mountains on the Dingle Peninsula. With incredibly clean water, Rossbeigh beach is great for surfing and other water sports or if you’re just looking for a spot to chill and and enjoy some local Irish ice cream!
Kerry Kells
Halfway between Glenbeigh and Cahersiveen is Kells Bay another worthy stop along the Ring of Kerry. The Kerry Kells are quaint, old fishing villages located along Kells Bay. Make sure to stop and enjoy the old-world charm and surprising peacefulness of the area.
Kerry Cliffs
Continuing from the Kerry Knells along the Ring of Kerry, head towards the town of Portmagee for the next amazing stop: the Kerry Cliffs. Being a little out of the way, these cliffs are often missed on the Ring, but we want to make sure this calamity doesn’t befall you! Having most likely just visited the Cliffs of Moher you might be thinking: “are the Kerry Cliffs even worth the trouble?” Seeing as they were our favorite stop on the Ring, we have to say yes!
The Kerry Cliffs are located on private land just outside of the town of Portmagee. There are clear signs to the parking lot and a small fee is required to visit the Kerry Cliffs. The parking area is gated and is closed at 6:30 pm nightly so make sure to leave enough time for the visit. Truthfully, we didn’t plan well ourselves and arrived at the parking lot at 6:15 pm. Fortunately, the gate attendant took pity on us and allowed us to enter with a promise to keep the gates open for 20 minutes so we could see the Cliffs. This meant sprinting from the parking lot to the Kerry Cliffs, all of which took 5 minutes, but was extra work thanks to the intense winds. It was worth all the trouble when we arrived at the top of the 1000 ft high Cliffs lit by the setting sun, though!
Hard as it is to imagine, the Kerry Cliffs were even wilder and more rugged and forbidding than the Cliffs of Moher. The fierce winds threatening to sweep us off our feet with each step did much to add to the already fearsome but enthralling atmosphere atop the Cliffs. We highly recommend making this a primary stop on your tour of the Ring of Kerry and leaving plenty of time to explore the area. Don’t forget to catch a glimpse of the third UNESCO World Heritage Site in Ireland: The Skellig Rocks. These small islands jutting out of the Atlantic were once home to a small group of monks and are clearly visible from the top of the Kerry Cliffs.
Waterville and Derrynane Beaches
Leaving Portmagee, head towards Kenmare and keep an eye out for the lovely beach towns of Waterville and Derryname. The cove beach of Waterville is worthy of a picture, or better yet an Ice-cream stop!
As you continue on from Waterville, brace yourself for some epic mountain views as you climb towards Derrynane. Cresting the peak of the road, keep an eye out for a paved pull-out with a statue set in the center. We recommend stopping here for a few minutes for a view of the the shimmering Atlantic on one side and the dramatic mountains on the other. Be mindful of the wind at this stop. We could barely muster strength enough to open our car door against the intense wind and therefore we did not tempt fate by approaching any of the steep drop offs around the parking lot.
Making your way down from the lookout point and into Derrynane, make sure to keep an eye out for Derrynane beach. If you’re thinking of taking a swim, this beach is exactly what you need as it is sheltered and protected from huge, crashing waves!
Kenmare
Knowing that we would run out of daylight before completing the Ring of Kerry, we chose Kenmare as our home for the night. After a quick stop at Derrynane and another at Sneem to appreciate its pretty, colorful houses, we continued along the Ring for another 30 minutes finally arriving to Kenmare at nightfall. It wasn’t until daybreak the following morning that we fully got to appreciate the lovely little town. Set amid the mountains and on the shores of Kenmare Bay, the town exuded the kind of peacefulness and charm that we have come to associate with ski towns across the world. Unlike some of the other towns we passed through on our drive, Kenmare had the feel of being more a local haven than a tourist destination, a place where even tourists visit to settle in for a few months rather than a few days. With plenty of restaurants, grocery stores and just about any other conveniences one might need, we felt that Kenmare could give Killarney a run for its money. In fact, we thought Kenmare was generally more relaxed thanks to the dramatically less number visitors. Needless to say, we were pleased and enchanted to find ourselves in such a place even if it was just for one day!
Killarney National Park
To wrap up our tour of the Ring of Kerry, we set out from Kenmare with the intention of heading to Ross Castle located in Killarney. The route took us through even more stunning mountains and into Killarney National Park. Our first stop in the national park was the Ladies’ Viewpoint; a pull off with incredible views of the Lakes of Killarney. Making our way from the viewpoint, the road descended to the shores of the lakes, and we were delighted to have gotten both the bird’s eye view as well as close up views of the lakes.
Driving along the lake, we next came upon Torc Waterfall and decided to make a quick stop here. We were early enough that the tiny parking lot serving the attraction still had spaces. The hike from the parking lot to the waterfalls was easier than expected and took about 10 minutes. We found the hike just as interesting as the waterfalls was spectacular. The lush trees with bark almost entirely covered by deep green moss set against the backdrop of the roaring waterfalls and rushing stream looked just as one might imagine a bonafide Irish fairy glen would.
Ross Castle
Within the city of Killarney and on the banks of Lough Leane is the impeccably restored Ross Castle. The castle which was built in the 15th century, destroyed by war then restored, is a very popular stop for visitors who drive the Ring of Kerry and therefore has more conveniences compared to less well-maintained castles. For instance, there was ample free parking as well as horse carriages available for anyone wanting to tour the area in an interesting way.
We were expecting much the same experience as our visits to other castles in Ireland however, on approach to the castle, we could immediately see why tourists flocked there in droves. As we crossed the bridge from the parking area onto the immediate grounds surrounding the castle, we were brought up short first by the magnificent castle then by the vibrant rainbow immediately behind it! The moment was so magical and that we were pretty sure that we were witnessing a rare phenomenon until one of the staff of the castle responded to our excitement with a bland “yes, isn’t it nice, dear?” We understand their perspective though as, once we completed our tour and were exiting the castle, we spotted a new and just as breathtaking rainbow spanning Lough Leane. We suppose the sight is less whimsical if you witness it daily but, to us, two rainbows and a lakeside castle in the same day totals up to a little slice of heaven.
There’s no real planning to do before visiting the castle but it’s good to know ahead of time that there is a small entrance fee of 5 euros per person to tour the inside of the castle. Tours are guided and are offered on a first come first serve basis, so no online reservations are needed unless you have a very large party. You can make reservations for large parties here. The castle opens for tours at 10 am daily and tours are offered every 15-30 minutes. Each tour takes around 45 minutes and includes some remarkable history so we highly recommend leaving time in your itinerary for this incredible stop.
Glendalough Valley
Making our way back to Dublin from Killarney, we wanted to pay a visit to the famous Wicklow Mountains. More specifically, we wanted to visit Glendalough aka the Valley of the Two Lakes located within Wicklow Mountains National Park. Situated just an hour outside of Dublin, Glendalough has more the feel of driving through Norway with its steep mountains rather than any place in Ireland.
To access Glendalough, we drove directly to the visitor center where we paid a small fee for parking. This gained us access to hiking trails, the lake and bathrooms. There was another small fee to pay to enter the visitor center however, running low on time as usual, we chose to skip that.
A short half a mile walks from the visitor center along a gravel path with signs leading to Upper Lake brought us to Glendalough’s Monastic City. Here we were able to walk amongst buildings erected in the 10th to 12th century that have miraculously survived the ravages of war and time. Some of the remarkable sites we visited included the cemetery, the enormous round tower, St. Kevin’s church, and the Priest House amongst others. These historic sites were largely unadulterated by contemporary structures truly transporting us into the Dark Ages.
After proper exploration and solemn contemplation of the endurance of such ancient masonry, we hiked another mile from the Monastic City through lush forest to Upper Lake for a truly picturesque break on the lakeshore. Nestled between the mountains, Upper Lake was pristine with clear, surprisingly temperate waters. Although we didn’t jump in ourselves, we did witness a family or two wading in without wetsuits, so we have to assume the water temperature was at least tolerable.
Our final stop in Glendalough was Poulanass Waterfall that was located a quarter mile away from Upper Lake. Although the hike to the waterfall was not long, it was a little strenuous due to the incline and need to climb a few stairs. Honestly though, within 5 minutes of beginning the hike, we were at the optimal viewing area. We found it to be very doable for the payoff of seeing the multi-level waterfall. The entire hike to the waterfall took around 30-40 minutes but with stops like the Monastic City and the lake along the way, we hardly noticed and doubt that you would either!
We have to admit that Glendalough Valley was a surprise for us. We had no expectations prior to arrival and were swept off our feet by the history surrounding us and the Irish mountains that we had no idea existed! If you’re looking for a somewhat less known but extremely unique Irish experience, then add Glendalough to your must-see list. We promise you won’t regret it!
