Ireland Road-Trip Itinerary

This Island of Ireland Road Trip Itinerary lasted about 3 weeks and was done in a clockwise loop starting and ending in Dublin.

It primarily covered all the major areas around the coastlines of the island, including the counties of Dublin, Wicklow, Kilkenny, Waterford, Kerry, Cork, Clare, Galway, Mayo, Sligo, Leitrim, Donegal, Cavan (NI), Antrim (NI), Ulster (NI), Limerick, and Tipperary.

This was actually the last major part of an epic Summer trip that included Portugal (as well as the Azores), Southern England, and Ireland/Northern Ireland.

It was primarily dominated by Nature with some heritage and even some surprising bits of American history sprinkled throughout.

Even though there was some bit of homesickness from being out on the road for this long, this was a real eye-opening trip for us, and we can definitely associate names to places after having done this grand tour.

So here’s a brief summary of what we managed to do in these three weeks along with some of the lessons that we learned that we’re about to share…

Trip Map

Trip Highlights

Dublin Temple Bar District – when it comes to visiting Dublin, perhaps the most fun part about it is experiencing a pub crawl or some live music in this lively part of the city, especially at night time when it seems like every venue has queues while competing for your attention with the live Irish music. It’s definitely atmospheric, and certainly a hit with the tourists.

Book of Kells in the Trinity Old Library – this historical book is an ancient 1200 year-old manuscript is said to be the first piece of art from the Middle Ages. Perhaps more impressively, the Trinity College’s Old Library that once housed the book is quite impressive though changes are being made to modernize the experience. The book is already moved away from the library shown above, but it’s still an impressive hallway nonetheless.

Dublin City Centre – among its understated history and bar crawling scene, the city centre also features a happening shopping district, which really comes alive during the day. It’s definitely something work soaking in, even if you’re not shopping or looking for tea rooms to chill out and people watch.

Dublin Christ Church Cathedral – said to be one of the oldest places of worship in Ireland, the exterior has been renovated and kept up since the 19th century, but the crypt goes back to the year 1172. Down there is a Magna Carta as well as some interesting relics of Ireland’s ancient past. In the exterior, there’s a homeless Jesus statue as well as some interesting architecture worth stopping by to take some photos even if you’re not going inside the cathedral or going next door to the Dublina Viking Museum.

Powerscourt Waterfall – this was the first waterfall that we visited in Ireland, and it was quite an easy visit, especially when you consider that it’s around a half-hour drive from the city centre of Dublin to get here! It’s said to be the tallest waterfall in the Irish Republic though that’s arguable because it depends on who you talk to (and each person seems to have differing criteria on what constitutes a waterfall in the first place). Nevertheless, this was quite the introduction to Ireland Waterfalls, and there’d be many more we’d be seen throughout our time in the island.

Glenmacnass Waterfall – nearby the Powerscourt Waterfall was this large cascade near the Sally Gap in the Wicklow Mountains National Park just to the south of Dublin. This was actually a roadside waterfall though we had to walk parts of the single-lane road to get a good look at it. And unbeknownst to us, there was apparently a popular heart-shaped lake that you could hike to near here for something more Insta worthy.

Glendalough Monastic City – said to be one of the most important centres of Ireland as it was founded by St Kevin in the 6th century, this was something that I didn’t realize was so important as I was busy pursuing the Poulanass Waterfall. But it just goes to show you that even waterfall-chasing in Ireland can yield accidental finds where its ancient heritage just pulls you in and immerse you deeper into the island’s rich history.

Carrawaystick Waterfall – situated next to the Glendalough Valley was the quieter Glenmalure Valley, which featured this tall cascade next to the so-called Zig-zag Trail. While you can’t do that trail anymore, it’s still possible to experience this waterfall from the other side of the valley via the Ballinafunshoge car park and waterfall. Indeed, I’m sure there are more surprises to be had in this valley, but just pursuing this waterfall was enough to taste the more tranquil pleasures of exploring the Wicklow Mountains.

Kilkenny Castle – this was kind of a spontaneous stopover on the way to the city of Waterford from the Wicklow Mountains, and it turned out to be one of the more pleasurable castle experiences to be had in Ireland. Not only were there lots of interesting furnished rooms within the estate (something Julie really appreciates when it comes to re-living the past), but the castle and town itself was also impressive (if not quite popular though our early morning visit was still delightfully uncrowded and unhurried). Again, this was one of those things where we hadn’t planned on coming here going into the trip, but we were glad we stumbled upon it!

Waterford – this is said to be one of Ireland’s oldest cities as it dated back to Viking times. The compact city centre features a charming harbour, some Viking relics by Reginald’s Tower, an interesting Christ Church Cathedral, a pedestrian walking street, and even a Waterford Crystal experience that figured prominently if you’re into trophies (lots of American sports apparently use Waterford Crystals for their one-of-a-kind pieces). All this can be experienced through one of the city’s historical walking tours, which is definitely recommended by Rick Steves.

Mahon Falls – this waterfall on the so-called Magic Road sat in the Coomeragh Mountains to the west of Waterford, where the subtleties of Nature surrounded by sheep pastures contrasted with the city and its history. Indeed, the easy hike to get to the waterfall’s base was rewarded with hare/rabbit sightings, other cascades, and wrinkly cliffs closing in around the waterfall itself. And all this could be experienced while sheep are keeping you company, more or less.

Rock of Cashel – this stark relic in County Tipperary in the south of Ireland was said to be where St Patrick converted the King of Munster to Christianity in the 5th century, which happened before the Norman Invasion. It’s one of the sights of the path taken by St Patrick in his quest to convert Ireland into Christianity.

Blarney Castle and Garden – of all the sites associated with St Patrick, this is by far the one that gets the most notoriety mostly because of the act of kissing the Blarney Stone (which is actually more harrowing since you’re practically upside-down over a dropoff at the top of the castle trying to smooch a weather-worn piece of the castle wall). Yeah, it’s a bit touristy, but you can’t show up to the city of Cork and not do this, and so we were among the international lemmings partaking in this rather unforgettable experience.

Skellig Michael – this was by far and away the most interesting and scenic sight in all of Ireland (let alone the Ring of Kerry) though it wasn’t easy to visit. After all, we needed advanced bookings, a pretty substantial financial commitment, and even the luck of the weather and sea conditions to even have a visit onto this remote island! Fortunately for us, luck was in our favour, but if this doesn’t happen, it’s also possible to join a boat tour that goes around the Skelligs instead of doing the Skellig Michael Landing, which was what we were fortunate to do. And oh, by the way, this was the island that was prominently featured in the Star Wars 7-9 movies (character assassination of Luke Skywalker notwithstanding).

Muckross House – this was one of the remarkable sights within Killarney National Park, which we stumbled upon while pursuing the nearby Torc Waterfall. Since it’s quite close to the city of Killarney, there’s quite a few options available to explore this place without even needing your own rental car and worrying about parking. In any case, this was another furnished establishment, which Julie really enjoys when it comes to reliving the past.

Torc Waterfall – this is quite possibly the most popular waterfall in Ireland mostly because of its close proximity to the well-touristed city of Killarney in Killarney National Park. While parking here can be a bit of a hassle, there are plenty of options and alternate ways of getting here to round out a nice day of Nature contrasting the nearby city’s sights and experiences. Oh yeah, as you can see from the photo above, the waterfall itself wasn’t too bad either!

Gleninchaquin Waterfall – this was one of the bigger waterfalls that you can access in the west coast of Ireland, but this one sits in a private park with an easy trail to take it all in. There’s even a way to view the context of this waterfall from the nearby Uragh Stone Circle for a perspective of witnessing just how dominating this waterfall is compared to its lakeside surroundings.

Ring of Beara – while the Gleninchaquin Waterfall was our prime motivating factor for exploring this peninsula bordering on County Cork and County Kerry, there were other spots worth checking out like the Uragh Stone Circle, Healy Pass, and even a distance glimpse of the Mare’s Tail Waterfall (said to be one of the tallest or THE tallest in Ireland depending on who you talk to). Compared to the Ring of Kerry, this peninsula is actually much quieter, which makes for a more tranquil and more of an experience that you can call your own.

Kenmare – this town was actually favoured over Killarney as a place to stay by Rick Steves, and we took his advice. In addition to being a more compact and charming version of the well-touristed city further north, the town also featured a stone circle, some churches, and easy access to both the Ring of Kerry and the Ring of Beara and beyond.

Ring of Kerry – this is perhaps the most famous peninsula of all of the west of Ireland, and it’s with good reason. Not only is it anchored by a touristy city of Killarney, which is near some heritage, a large lake, and a waterfall, but there’s also a scenic coastline that includese off-shore island visits to the Skelligs. I’m sure there are other things I’m missing out on what I’m mentioning, but even in our own humble sampling of what we were able to do in a day on the peninsula, it certainly left a lasting impression on us.

O’Sullivan’s Cascade – if you’re looking for something that’s a bit more subdued from the tourist crush on the Ring of Kerry, the Tomies Wood and the hike to this waterfall might be the ticket. After all, there’s a couple of options (a 2km out-and-back trail or a 6km loop) that takes in old growth forest, some teasing glimpses of Lough Leane, and of course, the ability to get to the shores of the lake as well as the waterfall here. The fact that it’s so tranquil and naturesque was what made this experience, especially in contrast to the busier developments across the lake and around the Ring of Kerry peninsula itself.

Conor Pass – definitely one of the scenic highlights of the Dingle Peninsula, this very windy pass overlooks both the seas and lakes on either side of the peninsula, including birdseye views of the town of Dingle. While the pass itself is worthy of a stop and the views, the waterfall just to the east of it is no slouch on its own, and there’s even the option of scrambling up to Lough Doon (Peddlar’s Lake) for an even more intimate experience.

Slea Head Loop Drive – this is perhaps THE must-do activity on the Dingle Peninsula, especially if you’re staying in the town of Dingle. It primarily features rugged yet scenic sea cliffs with the odd white-sand beaches in between (a hit with the visitors), but there’s also quite a bit of ancient heritage here, including the 1300-year-old Gallrus Oratory.

Cliffs of Moher – this is perhaps the most sought-after activity that involves Nature in Ireland. It’s certainly one of the most well-publicized attractions, and I’d imagine its popularity is largely due to the fact that you can even come here as a day tour from as far as Dublin! So was it worth the hype? Well, from the photo above, you can see that the sea cliffs are indeed dramatic, especially if the weather cooperates. Not only that, but you can go on walks along the cliffs to better experience them firsthand, especially since the crowds tend to thin out the further away from the visitor centre and the Cliffs of Moher Experience that you get. Plus, there’s other attractions nearby like the Ennistymon Falls as well as The Burren Way.

The Burren Way – this region of barren limestone formations has quite a bit of a unique ecosystem as well as some history. We drove part of this area noticing the intriguing limestone formations for ourselves, and even some such formations were around the ancient Poulabrone Dolmen, which was said to be a druid’s altar that was a grave chamber some 5000 years ago! Indeed, this part had some surprises, and it was definitely a worthwhile follow-up to the Cliffs of Moher experience!

Galway – this vibrant city is also said to be Ireland’s most international. It’s perhaps best embodied by the really happening Latin Quarter though there are also charming parts of the city along the River Corrib as well as the Eyre Square. This city took us by surprise as we had originally treated it as a stopover from the long drives that included the Cliffs of Moher and the Burren as well as the Connemara Mountains to the north, but we probably should have lingered a bit longer in this city to really get the most out of it.

Kylemore Abbey – situated near the Connemara Mountains, this was one of the more scenic abbeys in Ireland (as you can see from the photo above). It’s also said to be the oldest Irish Benedictine monastery as its history dated back to 1598. We treated this more like a scenic stop as we were making the drive between Galway and Sligo via the Connemara National Park, and this stopover made a lot of sense to us, especially given its close proximity to the Aasleagh Falls.

Aasleagh Falls – this river-type waterfall was unusual in that most of the waterfalls we’ve encountered in Ireland were more of the taller and skinnier variety. Apparently we just missed out on a salmon run here as this place also apparently supports such a natural spectacle. And being the waterfalling excuse to explore the Connemara Mountains, there were options to explore more deeply this stark landscape by foot or just making this waterfall another stopover in a long line of sights to stop for between Galway and Sligo.

Devil’s Chimney – this seasonal waterfall overlooked the Glencar Lough near Sligo. It’s said to be one of the tallest waterfalls in Ireland, but the issue was that it doesn’t tend to flow very well. Rather, the real appeal of this excursion, in my mind, was the scenery and the views you get, especially that overlook the Glencar Lough. It’s also nearby another waterfall attraction, so this was pretty much a compulsory stopover and hike for me.

Glencar Waterfall – this waterfall has more of a classic appearance with a gushing flow and a pretty moderate size that seemed to be a hit with both tourists and locals alike (it was certainly a very surprisingly popular spot as far as my mid-July 2024 visit went). And you can take it all in with a short loop walk while capping it off with a relaxation and some tea on the deck of the tea room here as it peered towards the Glencar Lough.

Pollnagollum Cave – this cave that also doubled as a waterfall attraction apparently was a filming location of the Game of Thrones TV Show. Our visit here was brief as we couldn’t explore the cave, but we did get to check out a curious limestone quarry on the way to the cave during our brief visit. There was also the option of doing a much longer 6km loop hike that took in more of the Belmore Forest if we were so inclined to linger longer.

Slieve League Cliffs – this is a dramatic example of sea cliffs rising sharply out of the sea, and it’s a contrasting experience to the wildly popular Cliffs of Moher. Indeed, experiencing the remote sea cliffs here was more of an exercise in shuttle rides, and walking a steep path to get high enough to truly appreciate the precipitous sea cliffs and the surrounding tarns. Of course, with the cliffs being so high, this is a good weather only excursion, so you will need a bit of luck on your side to truly appreciate this spot.

Assaranca Waterfall – this roadside waterfall required a bit of driving on a single-lane road to get to, but it was also one of the more attractive waterfalls to experience in County Donegal not far from the Slieve League Cliffs. It’s also situated close to the Maghera Strand and Caves, which makes for an even more compelling detour.

Glenveagh Castle – this castle right off the shores of the Lough Veagh was probably as far as most visitors into Glenveagh National Park would go, but it was a worthwhile spot to tour the furnished interior, the surrounding gardens, and getting some lakeside scenery to boot while also enjoying some tea in the tea room here. Indeed, this was one of the larger national reserves in Ireland, and since it was situated in the north of Ireland, there was a bit of haunting scenery as well as some rather interesting haunted heritage of the unseen as told by some locals we encountered.

Astelleen Burn Waterfall – this remote waterfall required quite a bit of commitment to reach, especially since it was another 3.5km further into the Glenveagh National Park from the popular castle. However, that allowed me to truly immerse myself in the stark Nature on offer in this part of County Donegal, and it even allowed me to experience other loud cascades en route as well as letting the serenity of the Nature sink in. Indeed, this could very well have been my favourite Irish Waterfall though it was primarily because of its surroundings in addition to the waterfall’s size and volume itself.

Dunfanaghy – following up our visit to Glenveagh National Park, we went further north towards the coast to check out a famine work house, where we learned about a miraculous survivor to endured a lifetime of hardship yet still found a will to live a long life. And around the town was the sea cliffs of the Horn Head Peninsula to contrast the tragic history with some incredible coastal scenery this side of County Donegal.

Derry (Londonderry) – while this city had quite a bit of a turbulent past concerning the Troubles, the city itself also had a compact city centre with interesting sights like the city walls, the Peace Bridge, the Derry Museum, the Free Derry Bogside Murals, and more. It was quite a lot to take in, but it also served as a base for us to explore the far north of County Donegal as well as other nearby sights within driving distance.

Malin Head – this was another one of the Star Wars filming locations at a scenic spot in Ireland. In this instance, we’re talking about the far northern tip of Ireland, which featured more striking sea cliff formations though I definitely had to earn my sighting to ensure that I experienced it properly (as many people don’t bother hiking all the way to the viewpoint shown in the photo above).

Ulster American Folk Park – when it comes to folk museums or folk parks, few did as good as a job at re-creating what life was like than this one near Omagh, Northern Ireland. Not only did they re-create a lot of the past, but they told a compelling story of the how and why many of Irish immigrants needed to leave Ireland behind and emigrate to America. It was very interesting to really learn about how American history was shaped as a result of it, and it even persists to this day in the modern United States’ politics and social elites!

Glenevin Waterfall – this was the northernmost of the waterfalls that we visited in Ireland as it was not far from the Malin Head in County Donegal. It was made possible by the efforts of American ex-pat Doris Russo who laid the groundwork (with the help of a neighbour) that made this place as family-friendly and easy-to-visit for visitors to enjoy. In addition to the waterfall, there was also a nice lookout taking in the town of Clonmany as well as the Northern Atlantic along with a trail full of picnic tables and miniature houses.

Giant’s Causeway – this could very well be the most famous natural attraction in all of Northern Ireland. And it’s perhaps the most striking attraction given that it was an extensive field of basalt lava columns jutting up against the turbulent Northern Atlantic Ocean. We certainly had to share this with lots of other people (even though we showed up just when the visitor centre opened), but we walked away from the experience very satisfied to finally be able to witness this place in person.

Dunseverick Waterfall – this was perhaps the waterfall attraction closest to the famous Giant’s Causeway. Even though the waterfall itself was modest in size, it fell right into the Northern Atlantic while also taking in a part of the Causeway Coastal Way Trail. While the waterfall itself was interesting and our particular excuse to explore this part of the Causeway Coast, there’s also the ruins of the Dunseverick Castle nearby to further linger around and explore this quieter part of the coastline even more!

Dunluce Castle – As if the Giant’s Causeway and the Causeway Coast didn’t have enough to keep you busy, there was also the ruins of this oceanside castle perched atop some sea cliffs. Even without actually exploring in the paid area among the ruins, you can already get some pretty good views of the castle in the free area (so you don’t have to spend extra money if you don’t want to; at least as of our July 2024 visit). In any case, this is one of the more scenically-located castles in all of Ireland and Northern Ireland, and we were glad to have made the detour to come here.

Cushendun Caves – this was another one of the Game of Thrones filming locations, and it’s even a stop for one of the popular Game of Thrones tours. I found this place appealing because it had some interesting sea arches in addition to some curious caves. Moreover, we also spotted a pod of elusive dolphins swimming by the coastline here (though they were difficult to photograph as they only surface to breathe very briefly). Nevertheless, it shows just how wild this coastline is, and you just never know when you get lucky with such a wildlife sighting!

Glenariff Waterfalls – contrasting the coastal scenery throughout the Antrim Coast of Northern Ireland, this forest park that is further inland provided a lush alternative that was full of waterfalls including 3 named ones. Among the named ones were the Ess-na-Crub (the waterfall in the photo above), the Ess-na-Larach nearby, and the Harmit’s Falls. There were also intermediate waterfalls that were not named that were also pretty significant. So indeed, it’s waterfalls galore in this reserve, and definitely well worth the visit, especially when you consider that Northern Ireland doesn’t have that many significant waterfalls within its 5 counties under the British crown.

Cranny Falls – nearby the Glenariff Forest Park, this individual waterfall sat within the limits of the coastal town of Carnlough. It featured a 2.2-mile round-trip hike that involved going down a straightaway that used to be a railway (or a “hurry”) for hauling quarry material. It then went onto a narrower foot trail among sheep pastures before finally entering a closing in gorge that was lush and went right to the attractive waterfall right at the end of the trail. While the town did get pretty busy, this trail offered a more serene alternative, and it was especially nice that waterfall lovers got an excuse to explore this southern part of the Antrim Coast.

Gleno Waterfall – as far as convenient waterfalls, it couldn’t get much easier than this one near the coastal town of Larne in Northern Ireland. This could very well be the closest legitimate waterfall to the Northern Ireland capital of Belfast as it was perhaps about a half-hour drive away. However, we didn’t have to exert ourselves physically for this waterfall, which actually came in handy during our late July 2024 visit because it was raining pretty hard during that visit. Nevertheless, the waterfall itself was pleasing to check out, and it was still in a rural part of Northern Ireland, which was away from the urban chaos of Belfast.

Belfast Titanic Experience – I have to be honest. I’m not a real big fan of visiting museums because I tend to find them pretty dry and boring unless I happen to be in the right frame of mind. But with the Titanic Museum in Belfast, I don’t think I was ever as fully immersed in the experience as what this museum was like.

Not only did they have amusement park-like dark rides that actually doubled as a ship-building “factory tour”, but there were large screen floor-by-floor movies of what each floor of the Titanic was like, holographic people role playing various staff that you’d encounter if you were a paying customer aboard the Titanic, and scary details of what happened that fateful night off the coast of Canada when the ship struck the iceberg along with all the calamitous circumstances that gave rise to the tragedy (many of which could have been avoided). Before we knew it, we had spent a pretty solid 3 hours or more inside this museum, and it still left us with a lasting impression that no other museum had done to us (and we had been to plenty of them all over the world throughout the years)!

Belfast – there’s quite a bit to see and do in Northern Ireland’s capital, but we found out that perhaps it was best to get a handle on all the city centre’s attractions by doing a walking tour of the city. While the turbulent history of the Troubles still smolders in Northern Ireland, we found that the Best of Belfast Walking Tour did a pretty good job of highlighting the best the city had to offer without getting too political while humanizing the experience.

Sure there are other tours that go all in on the politics, and does so in a rather fun and satirical way, but the events that happened during the sectarian violence that happened here were heavy, and sometimes you don’t want to dwell too much into that bit of the past knowing that political tensions are back on the rise these days around the world.

Bunratty Castle and Folk Park – We went out of our way to make this visit happen at the end of our trip to Ireland, and what we found was that this was kind of like the Republic of Ireland’s answer to the Ulster American Folk Park in Northern Ireland. This place featured a castle, an interactive folk village with role actors explaining their lives in character, and even some livestock to get up close and personal with. It was pretty much the final paid sight that we visited in Ireland, and it certainly drove home the living conditions that might have given rise to the mass emigration of Irish people to America, which heavily influenced how the new country evolved in both way of life as well as its politics.

Limerick – aside from being the late Dolores O’Riordan’s home city (of Cranberries fame), this was the last city that we explored before leaving Ireland, and it was a pleasant city to walk around and explore around the river leading up to the Limerick Castle as well as closer to the city centre. The city did have a bit of a grittier side to it, but the weather cooperated enough for us to experience the city on our own while getting photo ops throughout our self-guided loop walk of its best sights.

Clare Glens – this was the final excursion that I did before returning to the Dublin airport on our last day in Ireland. Contrasting the cityscapes of Limerick nearby, this glen along the Annagh River (marking the boundaries of County Tipperary and County Limerick) was like a slice of Nature and tranquility. Along the way were a handful of elusive waterfalls that were surprisingly tricky to experience, and even included the lone officially-named waterfall in the Clare Falls. Indeed, when it comes to Ireland, you can’t leave without experiencing its Nature, and this is precisely what you get in this part of western Ireland.

Trip Advice

During the Ireland part of our trip, there were some things that we only learned during the trip (things that we couldn’t have pre-conceived nor appreciated a priori). So this section is to impart those lessons learned…

Border Differences: One thing that we immediately realized when we crossed the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland is that you have to make adjustments quickly when it comes to currency as well as distances and speed. For example, in Ireland, the currency is the Euro but in Northern Ireland (which belongs to the UK), the prices are in Pounds Sterling. So we quickly realized that prices were even more expensive in Northern Ireland than it was in Ireland (which itself wasn’t cheap either)! Fortunately, it wasn’t as bad as London prices, but it’s up there, especially after Brexit.

As for distances, the Republic of Ireland goes by the metric system so distances are in kilometres and speeds are in kilometres/hour. Meanwhile in Northern Ireland, the distance units are in miles and the speeds are in miles/hour. Especially regarding the speeds, you really have to be careful not to be speeding when crossing borders by rental car.

Gas Prices: The currency conversion as well as the metric vs. statue conversions combined to make it surprisingly tough to figure out in your head which gas prices were cheaper between Ireland and Northern Ireland. Well, after some serious studying of this matter, I came to realize that Northern Ireland’s gas prices were actually better than that of Ireland, and perhaps I should have just filled up in NI whenever I had the chance. Maybe it was just the way the currency conversion worked out during our time in NI in late July 2024, but that was something that caught me off guard. Moreover, my experiences with the self-serve gas stations in the UK seemed to work more reliably than that of Ireland, which almost always required me to go inside and pay with a live person as opposed to a self-automated pay machine.

Irish vs. Ulster Scots: Another bit of culture clash between Ireland and Northern Ireland was that in Ireland, I noticed a cultural movement towards speaking Irish and maintaining the Irish Gaelic language. However, you don’t have that in Northern Ireland. In fact, you don’t really have Irish people in Northern Ireland, and you instead tend to have more Ulster Scots who don’t identify as Irish. So that might explain why trying to use Irish greetings and expressions in Northern Ireland were met with confusion and polite smiles, but it was much appreciated and warmer when I tried the same thing in most places in the Republic of Ireland. I guess learning about the Troubles along with the conditions that led up to the Irish famine combined with the economic boom of much of Northern Ireland shed light into why there was such political turmoil. Heck, there’s still a bit of an underbelly of such political tensions, especially when you consider how lots of places in Northern Ireland really want you to know they’re loyal to the crown (in much the same way MAGA people want you to know they’re fans of Trump in many typically non-urban areas of the USA).

Sleepless Nights: Some of the accommodations that we stayed at in rural Ireland actually doubled as pubs with live music. It’s great to partake in some of these live music nights, especially if they do trad Irish folk music. However, if you happened to be staying in these establishments, especially if you’re only one level up from the commotion, it can be hard to sleep. We had to deal with this in Dingle, Donegal, and Kenmare, and it definitely took us off guard. It was kind of reminiscent of some of my dorm experiences in college where sometimes if you can’t beat ’em, you have to join ’em even if it means you’re getting less sleep!

Strict Whisky Distillery Rules: While we were in Dingle, we tried to visit one of the more known Irish Whiskey Distilleries, but we were turned away because Tahia was underaged (no exceptions). Unlike the Port Tasting experience in Porto, Portugal where they could accommodate families (by having the underaged drink juice instead of the wines), they were more strict about who can participate in Ireland, and that’s why we still never really got to experience Irish Whiskey tasting to this day. So that’s something to consider if you’re traveling with a family because someone will have to babysit the kids or else divide-and-conquer if you must have an Irish Whiskey tasting experience.

Nickel-and-Dimed: Similar to the UK, Ireland also involves having to pay as you go whether you’re parking in a car park or entering a venue or reserve. Hardly anything is for free, and if it is, it tends to be very rural and out-of-the-way that just so happened to be on public land and not someone’s property that they’re opening up to visitors. While the costs can add up quickly over time, our experiences suggest that at least it’s not as expensive as say most of the rest of England (especially London). If I had to put a rough price hierarchy, I’d say for the most part that Ireland is less expensive than Northern Ireland, which in turn is less expensive than England, and even most parts of England would be less expensive than London. And since we were in Portugal earlier on in our epic Summer 2024 trip, I’d say that Portugal was significantly cheaper than Ireland.

Credit Card Friendly: For the most part, both Ireland and Northern Ireland were pretty cashless. In fact, at the end of our trip, we still had most of the cash that we started off with, which further illustrates just how little cash we used on our nearly two-month trip. Nevertheless, it’s worth having some emergency cash just in case the EFTPOS machine doesn’t work (which has happened from time to time so you can’t take it for granted).

Laundry: Throughout our time in Ireland, I don’t think we ever had an opportunity to do any laundry. And since you’re dealing with a notoriously wet weather climate, it’s difficult to hand wash the clothes and then hang dry them (if you expect them to be dry in any reasonable amount of time). Thus, we found ourselves re-wearing clothes and really rationing what we had for it wasn’t easy to do laundry given the limited time and resources while always on the go.

Travel Itinerary

Day 36: Transit from London Heathrow Airport to Dublin

Overnight: Temple Bar Inn (Dublin, Ireland)

This was basically a long travel day that began with a long drive back to London Heathrow Airport before catching an afternoon flight into Dublin Airport. From there, we caught an Uber right into the city centre, where we had the rest of the late afternoon/evening to explore the Temple Bar District, which was right where we were staying.

Day 37: Dublin City Centre

Overnight: Temple Bar Inn (Dublin, Ireland)

On this day, we pretty much did a historical walking tour of Dublin City Centre that included the Book of Kells, the Old Trinity College Library, and Dublin Castle among others. Then, we explored some of the shopping arcades, St Stephen’s Green, National Museum of Archaeology, and Christ Church Cathedral.

Day 38: Dublin City Centre

Overnight: Temple Bar Inn (Dublin, Ireland)

On this day, we started off the morning with some Irish breakfast before briefly checking out the Rock ‘n Roll Wall of Fame as well as the Merchant’s Arch. Then, we headed into the north side of the Liffey River going as far as the Garden of Remembrance before heading back to the south side of the River Liffey. Once back down there, we explored the crypt of the Christ Church Cathedral while also doing some more people watching and foodie explorations of the Dublin City Centre before calling it a day.

Day 39: Drive from Dublin Airport to Laragh

Overnight: Heather House (Laragh, Ireland)

On this day, we returned to the Dublin Airport to pick up the rental car, and then we made our way into the Wicklow Mountains to explore the Powerscourt Waterfall, the Glenmacnass Waterfall, and the Poulanass Waterfall along with the Glendalough Monastic City.

Day 40: Drive from Laragh to Waterford

Overnight: Dooley’s Hotel (Waterford, Ireland)

On this day, I spent the very early morning exploring Glenmalure Valley and the Carrawaystick Waterfall before heading over to Kilkenny Castle. Then, we finally arrived in Waterford, where we did a little afternoon exploration of the city (including the Waterford Crystal Tour) before finally calling it a day after doing a post-dinner stroll of Barronstrand Street in the heart of Waterford.

Day 41: Drive from Waterford to Kenmare

Overnight: O’Donnabhain’s (Kenmare, Ireland)

This was another full day exploring the south of Ireland that started off with a morning visit to the Mahon Falls before going over to the Rock of Cashel for a brief visit. Then, we headed over to the city of Cork for another brief visit before finally visiting the Blarney Castle. Once that visit was done, we then headed over to Kenmare instead of Killarney, where we’d settle in to explore the southwest of Ireland.

Day 42: Ring of Kerry

Overnight: O’Donnabhain’s (Kenmare, Ireland)

We began this day with an early morning drive out to Portmagee as we caught our board ride towards the long-anticipated Skellig Michael Landing Tour. After the tour, pretty much all of the morning had passed, and we then drove towards Killarney where we explored the Muckross House as well as the Torc Waterfall before finally exploring a little bit of the Killarney City Centre, and then finally returning back to Kenmare.

Day 43: Ring of Beara

Overnight: O’Donnabhain’s (Kenmare, Ireland)

On this day, we drove out to the inner part of the Beara Peninsula, starting with the Gleninchaquin Waterfall before going over Healy Pass, and then heading over to the other side of the peninsula to check out Adrigole Harbour and the Mare’s Tail Waterfall as well as a brief visit to the town of Glengarriff. Finally, we returned to Kenmare where I managed to check out the Kenmare Stone Circle as ewll as some of the other walking routes that we didn’t get to do as a family.

Day 44: Drive from Kenmare to Dingle

Overnight: Adam’s Townhouse (Dingle, Ireland)

We began this day with a brief morning stroll to the O’Sullivan’s Cascade. Then, we headed over to Conor Pass before settling in at Dingle. But before the day was over, we did the Slea Head Loop Drive taking in some mind-blowing coastal scenery as well as the Gallarus Oratory.

Day 45: Day at Leisure in Dingle

Overnight: Adam’s Townhouse (Dingle, Ireland)

This was an unplanned easy day as we didn’t really partake in any paid tours while realizing that our reservations for Bunratty Castle was ill-fated considering it was too far from where we were staying, and I didn’t feel like fighting for limited parking spaces again. Anyways, we pretty much did the Dingle Walking Tour experience while also relaxing the rest of the day.

Day 46: Drive from Dingle to Galway

Overnight: Leonardo Hotel (Galway, Ireland)

This was yet another vagabonding day that started off making a beeline towards the Tarbert Ferry, where we then had to wait for our ferry to get across the Shannon Channel. Then, we continued heading north towards the Cliffs of Moher as well as the Ennistymon Falls and The Burren Way before finally settling in on the city centre of Galway. The rest of the evening was spent exploring a little bit of the city centre of Galway.

Day 47: Drive from Galway to Sligo

Overnight: The Address (Sligo, Ireland)

After having a good breakfast in Sligo, we then headed towards Connemara National Park to check out the Kylemore Abbey as well as the Aasleagh Falls. Eventually, after settling in at Sligo, I then did a solo run checking out both the Devil’s Chimney and the Glencar Waterfall.

Day 48: Drive from Sligo to Donegal

Overnight: Central Hotel (Donegal, Ireland)

I started off the morning exploring a bit of Sligo before we made the drive towards the Pollnagollum Cave. Then, we went to the Slieve League Cliffs before exploring the Assaranca Waterfall, and then we finally settled in on Donegal Town’s centre exploring its compact core.

Day 49: Drive from Donegal to Derry

Overnight: Holiday Inn Express (Derry, Northern Ireland, UK)

We spent most of the morning on this day exploring Glenveagh National Park (namely the Glenveagh Castle and the Astelleen Burn Waterfall before checking out the Work House in Dunfanaghy and the Horn Head. Finally, we settled in on Londonderry, where we did a brief exploration of the area around the Peace Bridge before I did a solo exploration of the Derry City Walls.

Day 50: County Donegal and Ulster American Folk Park

Overnight: Holiday Inn Express (Derry, Northern Ireland, UK)

On this day, we had a day at leisure to drive towards Malin Head in the far north of County Donegal, and then head towards Clonmany to check out the Glenevin Waterfall. For the rest of the afternoon, we explored the Ulster American Folk Park before finally fighting traffic to return to Derry.

Day 51: Derry

Overnight: Holiday Inn Express (Derry, Northern Ireland, UK)

This was a day where we explored the Derry Tower Museum as well as the interior of the City Hall in the morning. Then, after having a lunch within the walled part of the city, I did a solo run in the afternoon re-visiting Malin Head back across the border in County Donegal, Ireland, after realizing that we didn’t go far enough when we last visited it.

Day 52: Drive from Derry to Portrush

Overnight: Portrush Atlantic Hotel (Portrush, Northern Ireland, UK)

On this day, we left Derry and explore the Antrim Coast including the Giant’s Causeway, Dunseverick Castle, Dunseverick Waterfall, Dunluce Castle, Cushendun Caves, Glenariff Forest Park, and Cranny Falls before finally returning to the far north of the Antrim Coast to settle into Portrush for the night.

Day 53: Drive from Portrush to Belfast

Overnight: Maldron Hotel (Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK)

On this rainy day, after leaving Portrush, we drove to Gleno Waterfall, then Crumlin Glen, and then headed into Belfast. Once in Belfast, we briefly explored the city centre before spending the rest of the afternoon doing the Titanic Museum in Belfast.

Day 54: Belfast

Overnight: Maldron Hotel (Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK)

On this day, we spent the better part of the morning doing a Best of Belfast Walking Tour before having the rest of the day exploring Belfast’s city centre on our own.

Day 55: Drive from Belfast to Limerick

Overnight: George Limerick Hotel (Limerick, Ireland)

On this day, we made the very long drive from Belfast to Limerick while spending most of the day in Shannon at the Bunratty Castle and Folk Park. The rest of the evening was spent exploring Limerick after having dinner.

Day 56: Drive from Limerick to Dublin Airport, then fly to London Heathrow Airport

Overnight: Hilton Garden Inn Terminals 2 and 3 (London Heathrow, England, UK)

On this day, we left Limerick and I explored Clare Glens before continuing on back to the Dublin Airport. Once there, we returned the rental car, caught a flight back to London Heathrow, and then stayed the night there to prepare for our flight home the next day.

Day 57: Return to LAX

This was pretty much an airport day where we spent the entire time at London Heathrow awaiting our flight back to LAX after an epic 2 months.

Best Places We’ve Stayed At

Leonardo Hotel (formerly Drury Hotel), Galway– To be honest, there weren’t many standout hotel experiences throughout Ireland and Northern Ireland, but if we had to pick one, it would have to be this hotel.

While the hotel room was pretty spacious for hotel standards (though not totally out of the ordinary), it was the “freebies” that we got here (though I’m sure we paid for them with our room rate, which included the all-inclusive mini-bar) and the excellent buffet breakfast.

It also had an excellent location next to the Latin Quarter and close to the Spanish Arch by the River Corrib, and we could even see part of the riverside walk from the window of our room.

It was too bad we only had the one night here, but it was quite memorable, and when you take all these things together, we just had to recognize at least this one as the standout for the Ireland part of our trip.