Headed to Ireland! Travel advice needed...

[lmccandless]

We're planning a family vacation to Ireland this summer. The plan is to rent a house (or two) that we will use as a home base for a nice, long visit of several weeks. I am trying to narrow down the best place(s) to pick as our base. My DH's hobby is landscape photography, so he really wants to be on the west coast, near Dingle. However, I am worried that might be too remote for making day trips. This is our first trip to Ireland, so I would love advice from anyone who has visited or lived there! We're so excited...and hoping to get all of our reservations done soon. Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[Tree City]

Ireland is absolutely beautiful. It's been awhile since I've been there and I can't tell you where to stay, but I can tell you that basically the whole country will be photograph-able for your DH. I've been to Dublin, Kilkenny, Cork, Waterford, Killarney, and Limerick (and littler towns along the way) and it's all gorgeous.

How are you finding places to stay? Maybe you could email them to ask how far a drive it is to certain places. I'm sure they'll want to talk up their location if it means you'll rent their place. And what about taking the ferry to England or Scotland? More beautiful countryside to photograph!

 

[lmccandless]

Thanks, Sara. Killarney is one of the places I am considering as a base. How did you like it? Also, I would love your opinion on Waterford. It's out of the way for the rest of our itinerary, but part of me really wants to see the crystal factory!

As far as places to stay, we're big fans of vrbo.com and homeaway, so I've been researching using both of those. I will definitely be talking to the owners once I've narrowed down our field a bit. I know from other friends who've been that the roads aren't great, so I will look into the drive times for sure.

Scotland and England are wonderful! We've already seen them both extensively and DH travels to England for work fairly regularly, so I think we will probably stick with Ireland.

 

[Jen]

We went to Ireland this past summer. Rented a car and pretty much made a circle of the island for 2 weeks. Dingle is a great place, I highly recommend it. We were 4 adults, so staying in one spot more than 2 nights was a rare thing for us. Something that would be more difficult with a family and kids. I'll dig out my itinerary and give you some good ideas of places as home bases for day trips.

We didn't go to Waterford, so I can't comment on that at all. I've heard good things about it, we just couldn't fit it into our itinerary. If you want to see some of my photos, I've been scrapping them and there are quite a few layouts in my gallery. Could give you some ideas of locations and what they look like too.

 

[Roboliver]

No advice, just a BIG CONGRATS to you for getting to go. Ireland is on my to do list before I die! I've wanted to go since I was about 10 or 11. Don't know much about Galway but my ancestors are from there. I know it's a ways off but I look forward to your pictures!!!

 

[Karen]

My sister and her husband just went last August for about 10 days, but they rarely stayed in one place more than a night. They just drove from place to place. They would record their progress everyday with Google somehow and then would send us a link. Then we could go to Google maps and go down to street view and follow along with where they were. That was really cool. I love seeing the castles even if is was just on Google. Also... their pictures from Giants Causeway were way too cool! I've never seen anything like it!

I hope you have a fabulous time!

 

[rmcabana]

Can I come too? I've always wanted to go! Sounds like it will be an amazing trip, Laura!

 

[Angie4b1g]

Sounds amazing!

 

[RebeccaH]

oooh! i'm so excited for you! that would be a dream for me - ireland and scotland... or just moving there to stay... that would be fine too! i have zero input, but wanted to say i'm happy for you!!

 

[cfile]

I have that on my bucket list and hope to do that one day soon. I still have 2 distant cousins there... what an exciting vacation for you and your family!! I am excited for you!!

 

[Tree City]

Sounds like you've got England covered already. LUCKY GIRL!

I thought Waterford was fun. I picked up a few pieces (of course!) while I was there. The countryside is beautiful on the drive--but like I said, it's just kind of beautiful everywhere. But I went as a single lady: I don't know what kind of family fun is near the factory. Maybe someone else can chime in about that. But c'mon: you gotta get a piece of Waterford crystal AT Waterford! Then you can just casually throw that out "Oh, this little thing? Yeah, I just picked it up. In Waterford. You know, Ireland?"

Wherever you end up, I think you're going to have a blast!

 

[renee82]

Wow! That is such a great opportunity! I've never been but I know you will have so much fun and I can't wait to hear all about it!

 

[Dutch_Diva]

Oh wow I bet you're gonna come back with tons of amazing pics!! You will definitely have enough to scrap with next year

 

[Lisa Carroll]

We went about 9 years ago with my Inlaws for about 10 days, and only toured the southern half of the country. We moved around a lot and stayed in places for only one or two nights. So I can't really recommend a home base. Waterford was probably my least favorite place. The factory was ok, but touristy and I wasn't really interested in bringing any crystal home. So if it is out of the way, I personally would skip it. Dingle was by far my favorite town. We stayed at the best bed and breakfast, the owners were so sweet and made the yummiest pancakes! I think we also stayed in Cork and Dublin. Dublin was really cool, but I don't think Cork was anything special.

Driving through the country side was amazing, it is so beautiful there! I can't wait to go back some day with my son.

 

[lmccandless]

No advice, just a BIG CONGRATS to you for getting to go. Ireland is on my to do list before I die! I've wanted to go since I was about 10 or 11. Don't know much about Galway but my ancestors are from there. I know it's a ways off but I look forward to your pictures!!!

It's been on our list too!!

My sister and her husband just went last August for about 10 days, but they rarely stayed in one place more than a night. They just drove from place to place. They would record their progress everyday with Google somehow and then would send us a link. Then we could go to Google maps and go down to street view and follow along with where they were. That was really cool. I love seeing the castles even if is was just on Google. Also... their pictures from Giants Causeway were way too cool! I've never seen anything like it!

I hope you have a fabulous time!

What a brilliant idea! I bet my grandparents would love to see that...I'll have to give it a try during our trip. Yes to Giants Causeway - it's almost other-worldly! The pics I have seen are unbelievable!

Can I come too? I've always wanted to go! Sounds like it will be an amazing trip, Laura!

Hehehhe. Sure! The more, the merrier.

Sounds amazing!

oooh! i'm so excited for you! that would be a dream for me - ireland and scotland... or just moving there to stay... that would be fine too! i have zero input, but wanted to say i'm happy for you!!

Thanks, Rebecca. If you have the chance to go to Scotland, jump at it! It remains one of my favorite spots ever!

I have that on my bucket list and hope to do that one day soon. I still have 2 distant cousins there... what an exciting vacation for you and your family!! I am excited for you!!

Thank you!

Sounds like you've got England covered already. LUCKY GIRL!

I thought Waterford was fun. I picked up a few pieces (of course!) while I was there. The countryside is beautiful on the drive--but like I said, it's just kind of beautiful everywhere. But I went as a single lady: I don't know what kind of family fun is near the factory. Maybe someone else can chime in about that. But c'mon: you gotta get a piece of Waterford crystal AT Waterford! Then you can just casually throw that out "Oh, this little thing? Yeah, I just picked it up. In Waterford. You know, Ireland?"

Wherever you end up, I think you're going to have a blast!

Ha!! Oh, this little thing... that's toooo funny. Good plan. LOL

Wow! That is such a great opportunity! I've never been but I know you will have so much fun and I can't wait to hear all about it!

Thanks! I am sure I will have lots of pics to share.

Oh wow I bet you're gonna come back with tons of amazing pics!! You will definitely have enough to scrap with next year

Hopefully I will be ambitious enough to make an entire album!

We went about 9 years ago with my Inlaws for about 10 days, and only toured the southern half of the country. We moved around a lot and stayed in places for only one or two nights. So I can't really recommend a home base. Waterford was probably my least favorite place. The factory was ok, but touristy and I wasn't really interested in bringing any crystal home. So if it is out of the way, I personally would skip it. Dingle was by far my favorite town. We stayed at the best bed and breakfast, the owners were so sweet and made the yummiest pancakes! I think we also stayed in Cork and Dublin. Dublin was really cool, but I don't think Cork was anything special.

Driving through the country side was amazing, it is so beautiful there! I can't wait to go back some day with my son.

That's great feedback, Lisa. Thank you! My gut feeling is that we would love Dingle too. I've heard nothing but amazing things about it. I know it's been 9 years, but do you remember feeling like it was easily accessible and/or a reasonable drive to your next stop?

 

[melrio]

My only experience with Ireland is a stopover for fuel. It was daytime and the scenery was absolutely breathtaking! I Wanna Go!!!!! Hope you and your family have an absolutely beautiful visit!

 

[DoodleBop]

OMGosh, Laura, I just wanna say I hope you have a fantastic time. This is on my bucket list since I am part Irish. I hear it is so beautiful there. I know you will have an amazing time.

 

[Lisa Carroll]

That's great feedback, Lisa. Thank you! My gut feeling is that we would love Dingle too. I've heard nothing but amazing things about it. I know it's been 9 years, but do you remember feeling like it was easily accessible and/or a reasonable drive to your next stop?

I really can't remember...but in looking back at the scrapbook page I did for the trip, which has very detailed journaling, thank goodness!!! One day, we drove from Cork, around the Ring of Kerry, which was beautiful but very windy, then stopped in Dingle for the night. The next day we drove around the Dingle Peninsula and toured Dingle. I don't think it was that much out of the way. Maybe stay in Killarney?? (Dingle is an hour away) When we left we drove up to the Cliffs of Moher (definite must see), we took a shortcut and used the ferry to get across the river based on the advice of the innkeeper in Dingle. We stayed two nights at the Milltown House.

 

[mom2da3ks]

Enjoy your trip Laura!!

 

[LaurieAnn]

how exciting! my husband went years ago on business and to Scotland... his natural grandfather was from Scotland. someday we'll go together. i can't wait to see your hubby's photos!