We shared practical Ireland travel tips everyday in January on the Infinite Ireland Facebook and Twitter pages.
In case you missed any of the travel tip goodness, we have posted them again here just for you!
Have any more hints for traveling through Ireland? What did we miss? Feel free to let us know in the comments.
Packing:
Don’t be weighed down by too much luggage. Pack light to easily get around. Photo Credit: Flickr user waymorefunner
1. Pack only a week’s worth of clothes even if you are traveling for 2 weeks. You can always re-wear or have your laundry done for you at a laundrette located in many towns.
2. Bring a garbage bag for dirty clothes. It keeps clean and dirty clothes separate and it also is handy when dropping them off at a laundrette.
3. Roll your clothes. You can often squeeze a little extra space in your bag this way (read: more room for souvenirs).
4. Take one medium luggage and one carry-on per person and no more. It quickly gets tiresome lugging the “big guy” suitcase up and down Bed and Breakfast stairs.
5. Use packing cubes to separate out your clothes from electronics from make-up. Makes finding things much easier!
6. Don’t go out and buy packing cubes. Save the plastic packaging that sheets, pillows, etc. come in. They work just as well as expensive cubes, but don’t cost anything extra!
7. Pack old/worn out underwear or purchase some at a dollar store. As soon as you are done with each pair, throw them away. You’ll have a little more room for souvenirs at the end of your trip.
Car Rental:
Only by renting a car can you see hidden places like hill tops on Achill Island, Co. Mayo
8. Rent a car! So many travel Ireland by coach bus. This is okay if you are unable to drive, but if you have the ability be sure to rent a car to see the countryside and meet the people on your schedule.
9. Compare booking sites before you book your car rental! Not only check the primary American brands, Hertz, Alamo, Budget, etc., but check Dan Dooley, Irish Car Rentals, AutoEurope, Argus, and Sixt. Just know what you are getting before you reserve. Some companies are great at sneaking hidden fees.
Food:
Locals and tourists alike picnicking along the water next to the Spanish Arch in Co. Galway
10. Buy snacks at an Irish store. It’s always fun being a local and to check out the differences in food options—plus snacks will help tide you over until the next meal.
11. Get a Twix! (This is a special Stephanie tip–can you tell?). Twix candy bars in the US have all sorts of preservatives—not in Ireland! What a fun little treat.
12. Take snacks, lunch or dinner with you to the airport. Airport/plane food is expensive & not great on long haul flights. Enjoy your own food and make everyone else jealous!
13. Go for a picnic! There are lots of great deli’s in most towns. With a little cheese, meat and some crackers, you’ve got yourself a picnic (and a cheap meal).
Saving Money:
Cook up a storm in your own kitchen!
14. Try a self-catering cottage or apartment to save money. Usually rented by the week, you can save a bundle on accommodations and meals!
15. Sign up for Groupon or other social coupon email list for the areas you plan to visit. You might get some great deals on cheap meals, activities, or accommodations.
16. Eat the big breakfast that is served at your B&B. It will last you well beyond midday—lunch is then often later without much need for a big dinner. Again saving you some $$.
17. Bring a water bottle for each person on your trip to Ireland. Fill up in the morning and ask your wait staff to refill throughout the day. You can save a bundle and it is better for the environment this way!
18. Use travel points. If you have a credit card that you use often but aren’t collecting any points, apply for a card that gets you lots of bonus sign-up points and use it! You may be able to get enough points to pay for a portion of your travel costs.
19. Don’t take much cash or bring traveler’s checks. Use the ATM to get Euros when you land in Ireland. You’ll get the best exchange rate this way.
20. Check your local credit union to see if they charge fees for international ATM transactions—many don’t!
21. Try AirBnB as an alternative accommodation. It can be even cheaper than even a traditional Irish Bed and Breakfast but still an intimate experience with local expertise.
General Ireland Travel Planning Advice:
Can you think of a better place to be lost in?
22. Don’t try to see the entire country in a week. Pick a couple of places and really explore!
23. Reach out to the locals—they have the best advice and it’s always great experiencing Ireland up close.
24. Get lost. :-) No really, taking a wrong turn in Ireland can lead to some of the best undiscovered small towns. It also gives you an excuse to stop to talk to the locals for directions or advice.
25. Learn a bit o’ Irish before you leave! It’s always fun to say Sláinte (Slan-cha: To Health) at pub and sound like a local.
26. Seek out hidden gems beyond the regular tourist spots. Don’t know where to start? Just ask your B&B owner. They will know where to go. Or Check out Ireland Travel Kit for off the beaten path, traveler tested, suggestions.
27. The Trip Advisor Ireland Forum is very active and helpful when planning your first trip. Take a look at Trip Advisor’s reviews of accommodations and attractions. Always drop the highest and lowest review to get more accurate evaluation.
28. Double check your flight times before you leave. If you book airfare far in advance the departure time can change.
29. Add at least a 1/3 more time to travel estimates between point A and point B. The roads are small. There will be many stops between for pictures. And you may enjoy a wrong turn or two. No worries though–You are in Ireland!
30. Bring a good pair of walking shoes. It will be really tempting to (and you should) get out of the car and explore the countryside.
31. No matter what. Above all else. Even if something doesn’t go as planned. Relax. Enjoy yourself. Because there will be a time that once again you will be dreaming of Ireland.
Hi,
We are going to Ireland in a couple of weeks, 1st time and celebrating a birthday and anniversary. We are going to Co. Care, Killarney and South Dublin Coast. Any advice? We are active and like to have fun? We do have a car.
Hi Laurel! Happy Birthdayversary! What a great way to celebrate. :-) If you are headed south of Dublin, Glendalough is a must visit site. If you have some extra time and would like a little hillwalking, check out Lough Tay look out at the JB Malone memorial. It is beautiful and the view will likely be all yours! Killarney is a great stop on your first trip, don’t miss Muckross House, Abbey and the National Park. Torc waterfall is lovely and if you want to take the time, look to the left when you get to waterfall. There is a trail that leads to the top with some nice views of Killarney town through the tees. In Co. Clare, we really enjoyed Loop head peninsula drive–beautiful views everywhere you look. Enjoy your trip! I am sure it will be fantastic!
I am concerned about getting euros upon landing as we are driving and need them for the toll to Limerick etc. I wonder if there is an ATM in the airport or car pick-up or elsewhere.
Hi Kathleen! Yes, the Shannon airport has a few ATM’s so you shouldn’t have any problem getting cash out as soon as you arrive. Enjoy your trip!
Hi Stephanie!. I’m planning on to go to Dublin this January. can you suggest me on how I can go to all the interesting places there? I’ll be staying there for a week and this will be my solo trip. Any advice to give?
Hi! You might want to start by taking a hop on hop off tour in Dublin to give you a pretty good overview of the city. Some people just like to take the entire city drive and others like to “hop on and hop off” to all the sites in the city like the Guinness Factory, Book of Kells, St. Patrick’s Cathedral. I’d suggest getting a guide book or popping by a library to check one out to get a sense of the cool sites you can visit. If you want to get out of the city I always suggest renting a car, but if that’s too much for your first solo trip there are plenty of day tours from Dublin which allow you to see some of the countryside and connect with other tourists! I hope this helps! Enjoy your time in Ireland!!
my husband and I plan to travel to Ireland sometime late September, early October. I am so thankful to have found your website and your planning 101 information. I feel much better about planning a great trip with all the information and advice you have provided. Thank you so much.
Oh Carol! Thank you so much for the kind words. I hope you have a great time in Ireland and planning too! :-)
Greetings! Just booked airfare for our family vacation to Ireland. 10 days! My husband and I are renting (hiring) a motorhome. We have a travel trailer at home and are very comfortable traveling this way. My only concern is “tinkers”. Someone told me this is a problem in Ireland. What is this? Also we are traveling 5/10 – 5/20/15. Is this considered “summer” there?
Hi Mary–what a fun way to explore Ireland! “Tinkers” are Irish travelers or sometimes known as gypsies. They are very small ethnic group in Ireland who live in communities together around Ireland–although most of them live in Urban areas now. There is no need to fear travelers on your trip. Ireland is quite a safe place to travel and this group doesn’t pose any threat to tourists visiting via motorhome. You may find there are a few families in motorhome parks that have set up their own semi-permanent community, but likely they will keep to themselves. And you will likely find yourself not spending much time in the places where you sleep each night as there is so many wonderful things to see and do in Ireland! :-) I hope this puts you at ease. If you would like more info, the Wikipedia article is quite helpful: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_Travellers
Hello Stephanie………….My wife and I are exploring the possibility of visiting Ireland, so now we are calculating cost, I noticed on one of your advice to a request for info you quoted the price for renting a car is $ 500.00 and $ 2,000.00 ……can this be true ?……and if so what lenght of time this is for ? …..thank you Stephanie for any info.
Rick And Kathy.
Hi Rick! So I typically budget $70.00 per day for a economy automatic with full insurance and one driver. You can of course spend less for a manual or less insurance (although I always recommend the full excess waiver). So depending on how many days you plan on traveling will really determine whether your spend a couple hundred or a couple thousand (but hopefully not that much!!). :-) I hope this helps!
Hello Stephanie…………..Thank you for answering my query……it was exact to the point
, $ 70.00 per day with everything included is not so bad……..bye bye.
Rick and Kathy.
Hi – I just wanted to thank you for your factual, easy-to-read website. Plus you are so pleasant in your communications. This website has helped me immensely!
I so happy the site could be helpful Jean. :-)
Hi Stephanie~
My husband and I are planning a 9 day trip to Ireland in September for our anniversary. I have to say I am quite confused!!! The travel agent we are working with thinks we should stay in Dublin and take bus trips to the attractions we wish to see. I however like the idea of renting a car and leaving Dublin and driving ourselves to where we want to go. My husband is nervous about the driving after talking with someone who has been there. I certainly don’t want him to be grumpy the whole time we are there but I do want to see the locals and where they live. Help! What suggestions can you offer on where to stay if we decide to leave Dublin?
Hi Lisa! If you’ve read a few of our posts, you probably noticed we are really big fans of renting a car. There certainly is nothing wrong with day trips from Dublin, but you are spending a lot of time driving back and forth to the same place on someone else’s time schedule. We’d much rather take our time driving from one destination to another so we could really soak in what we are seeing. Driving a car isn’t too difficult. It does take a day or two adjust, but if you rent an automatic and don’t let anyone make you feel like you should be driving faster it can be easy peasy. If you decide to leave Dublin, I wouldn’t hesitate to travel south toward the Wicklow Mountains and then on to Kilkenny and possibly the Rock of Cashel. There are wonderful B&B’s all along the way, which will certainly help you with seeing the locals and where they live! :-)
Thanks for all your tips. We have booked a trip and we are horseback riding in County Donegal (Sligo) in the middle of June. We are going from bed n breakfast to bed n breakfast. Do you have any strategies or suggestions for us? Should we leave small gifts for our hosts? Thanks for your insight. Beth
Hi Beth! I am so excited for you to do horseback riding in Ireland. Its something we haven’t done yet. I grew up around horses, but my husband has never ridden. I think I will get him on horseback sooner or later. :-)
Typically, I suggest booking the first and last night’s stay. You shouldn’t have any problems in the middle of June finding places to stay each night. I like having a few B&B’s that I want to try written down with their phone numbers. Then call ahead to see if there is room when we want to move on the next one. We have also used B&B Ireland to see what would be available in the next town that evening.
Its not really expected to give gifts to your B&B hosts. You certainly can if you feel a strong connection or receive exceptional service.
Love your site, finally found some really good infor. We are going to a family wedding in Valentia Island May 31. Will be in Limerick, and am looking into a driver to take us there and back to Shannon airport. Any ideas on drivers and cost, and can you recommend a name of a company? Thanks much.
Hi Connie–I can’t give any personal recommendations as we haven’t ever hired a driver in Ireland. I know there are several companies though and many are reviewed on Trip Advisor. I’d call them up and ask if you can talk with anyone who has recently used their services–having good references are key, especially if you want more than just out and back from Valentia.
Hi! I’m going to be studying in Dublin for a semester this fall, and I’m looking to see what the best places to go would be for someone on a student’s budget. I probably can’t afford to rent a car every few days. Also, I’m considering living off campus (studying at UCD), can you recommend any student residences? Thanks!!
Hi Cooper! Lucky you that you get to be in Dublin for the whole semester! I guessing that you are under 24–in which case it will be touch to rent a vehicle in Ireland without paying out the wazoo! Which means you will have to rely on public transport or tour companies that offer day trips from Dublin–there are quite a few, just google it and you’ll find a bunch. There are a couple things I would suggest, first when selecting your classes for the fall try to find courses that offer field studies (which means you will be doing day trips with class). I know from sending a few students to UCD that there are at least a couple that offer them–usually look for something that is regionally focused or has Irish in the title. Then check out Bus Eireann for bus service all over the country–you should absolutely check out Galway & Belfast (great vibrant spots for College students). Finally UCD has a pretty solid student services department and they may offer opportunities to travel within Ireland (or they may allow travel agencies to market their weekend trips to you). Don’t discount these services as they can be really affordable ways to see the country.
As for housing, if you can get on campus housing I would really suggest it. Study abroad is kind of a roller coaster experience and it can be really nice to have other students to lean on as a support network. If you choose an off campus residence, you may be farther removed from many of the students also going through what you are. UCD has an off campus housing office which I am sure you can connect with before you arrive. http://www.ucdaccommodationpad.ie/Home I don’t have any specific recommendations on places to stay as I usually work with people traveling for shorter periods of time.
I hope this helps Cooper! I know you are going to have a great semester in Dublin. :-)
Hi! I’m doing a mother-daughter trip to Ireland and leaving next week!! So excited! What can we expect for weather and what clothes should we bring? We are in Colorado and we have heard that 50 degrees in CO feels a lot different than 50 degrees in Ireland.
Hi Christina! 50 degrees in Ireland can be a wet and windy 50 degrees or it can be warm in sunny! In reality it will probably be a good mix of both. Wear some layers and a good rain jacket and you should be all set. Enjoy!!
Hi Stephanie! I just stumbled into an opportunity to attend a weeklong writer’s retreat in Donegal June 28-July 4. I’m thinking about staying an extra week to explore – Blarney Castle is on my bucket list – but I’m nervous about the planning and execution on my own never having been there. I was thinking perhaps flying in to Donegal then renting a car and driving to Blarney Castle, exploring along the way and flying home from that end of Ireland. Any suggestions?
Hi Guyla! Your trip is almost here! I hope you are getting excited. Renting a vehicle is certainly the best way to see Ireland. Since you will be in Donegal for a while, you’ll be able to get over any jetlag and will probably have an easier time driving than those right off the plane. I’d suggest getting a GPS since you won’t have a passenger to help out with the map. Sherry Ott, another travel blogger, rented a car and traveled the whole coast by herself and I think you will find her writing and videos really helpful. https://youtu.be/M7PqJpQjx6s
I love the area around west cork–Bantry and Kinsale top my list, but there are so many places that you won’t go wrong. Have a great retreat and a fantastic time in Ireland.
Stephanie, great information here! My wife and I are heading to Ireland in mid-September for a week. We are trying to figure out the best way to stay in touch with folks back home here. We will be staying at hotels with wireless internet during our trip. Is it best to do an international plan with your carrier? Calling card? Just use Skype or Facetime? Help? Also, we will be in Dingle for 2 days that we are there (self-drive) and wanted to know if you had specific suggestions for must-sees while there?
Hi Jef! I wrote about this very specific question in detail, so I hope it helps you: https://www.infiniteireland.com/8-ways-to-call-the-us-from-ireland/ Everyone’s needs are really quite different, so it is hard to say what will work best for you. We have a phone that we turn on for international calling–and almost never use–but primarily we use the wifi in our hotels and B&B’s to communicate back home through email and Skype. I kind of have a soft spot in my heart for Dingle. You must go to Murphy’s ice-cream and have a delicious and unique ice-cream cone. Also, don’t miss the Slea Head Drive. My favorite off the beaten path thing, which you may not have time for is a trip out to Great Blasket. But no matter what you do, I am quite sure you will have a great time!
Stephanie,
Hello. Fantastic site filled with valuable information! My husband and I will be traveling to Ireland for the first time in mid-May for 2 weeks. We are presently in the initial planning stages, considering the following itinerary: Dublin 3-4 days; then rent car and travel to Northern Ireland to the Giants Causeway area (rent cottage for 3 days); travel to Fanmore (rent cottage for one week). Does this itinerary appear unrealistic, incorporating too much travel? If so, suggestions? If not, do you consider these locations ideal as a base for site seeing? If so, any particular sites you would suggest?
As a professor of criminology, are there any particular jails you would recommend. I am aware of Kilmainham Gaol in Dublin.
All the best,
Stephanie
Hi Stephanie (great name!–you can tell your parents I said so ;-). I think your proposed itinerary sounds pretty good and certainly there is a lot to see in those areas. Know that the driving day between NI and Fanore will certainly be long, but if you know that is your agenda for the whole day you can make an adventure of it and stop along the way occasionally. Kilmainham is certainly one of the best historic jails in Ireland. There are a few others that I am aware of–these might get you started. I hope this helps! Enjoy your trip!!
The first two, may not work with your itinerary so much, but it might be good to know about them!
http://www.wicklowshistoricgaol.com/
http://corkcitygaol.com/visit-us/
http://www.virtualvisittours.com/crumlin-road-gaol/
Hello!
Some advise traveling in Irland.
We’re arriving in Ireland on Aug 29 or 8 days. Will this still be tourist season? Just wondering how crowded the Ring of Kerry will be during the week. Also, taking the train from Dublin to Galway early morning and picking up a rental car late in the afternoon. Can you suggest where to park our luggage for the day? Finally, I’ve been told there are no public restrooms in Ireland–one needs to order something in a pub or restaurant to find a bathroom. Is this true? Great website–thanks so much!
Hi Beth, August is still considered tourist season, but you will be at the tail end of it and you might even find as soon as September hits it will be much slower. The Ring of Kerry certainly has heavier traffic than some places, but in September, I think you will find it manageable. There are just a couple places to park your luggage for the day. This page has some details: http://www.galwaytransport.info/2010/05/left-luggage-services-in-galway.html You will find that most larger towns do have public restrooms. Keep a few euros on hand at all times, because it usually charges anywhere from .50-1 euro. You can usually ask any shop where the nearest toilets are and they will point you in the right direction. To be honest, I don’t often find these to be the cleanest of options so I tend to limit my tea intake in the morning to a cup and be sure to stop at the restrooms when they are available at shops, attractions or pubs while we are visiting them. I hope this helps! Enjoy your trip in August!
Hello Stephanie,
I am relocating to Ireland after serving in Dubai for many years. Appreciate advice on some shopping (Like shoes, clothes, etc) I have to do here in Dubai for Ireland. What sort of shoes, clothes etc will be best, I am going there for the first time and I will start living in Dublin
Cheers
Hi Salman,
What a great new adventure for you! I think you will actually find everything you need for Dublin in Dublin–they’ve got some great shopping, smart stores and a variety of options. If you want to pack somethings before you leave, I would check out some of Ireland’s bloggers who write specifically about Ireland style, but I think you will find (for the everyday person) that it is very similar to any European capital city. With smart/casual dress for work and evening. Its hard to give you specific advice for everyday as my specialty is travel, but this might be a good place to start: http://www.independent.ie/style/fashion/the-20-best-fashion-blogs-26578544.html Good luck with the move!
Hi Stephanie
My family and I are trying to plan a last-minute trip around for August 17th. I would love to go to Ireland. Do you have any tips for where to go to avoid crowds and save money? Also, we love hiking, so somewhere where we could easily go on a hike would be a plus.
Hi Michelle!
Hooray for last minute trips. I think everyone (including me!) should do these more often. :-)
Ok so my best advice for saving money in mid August, which is high season, is to rent a cottage for a week. This is by far the best way for family to get a great deal since you aren’t paying per person per night. I would start by looking on sites like http://www.homeaway.co.uk/lettings/ireland/r37 that advertise holiday homes. You can also google the town you want to stay in along with self-catering and you should get a bunch of options.
As far as where to go, if you like hiking the north west, Donegal and the south west, Kerry and Cork are fantastic options. You might even want to check out West Cork specifically for a little less traveled option with great hiking and lovely scenery. I just posted a great link on my facebook page with photos of west cork: https://visitwestcork.wordpress.com/recent/ Here is another self-catering site for that area specifically: http://www.westcork-cottages.com/
If you don’t want to be stationary but still want to save some money, you could also check out listings on AirBnB, which is a more home grown B&B experience. Locals can list rooms or apartments available to rent and usually they are less expensive than a typical hotel or B&B (although some tourist board approved B&B’s also list their rooms here too).
I hope this helps get you started! Enjoy your trip!!
Love your site! The information is amazing. My boss is sending me on a week trip to Ireland next year and has asked me to start planning it. I have decided to travel solo and am sooo excited! My biggest issue is where to stay and such. I am a nature enthusiast and have done more research than I can handle but still am undecided. I’m not big on touristy travelling.. I love the “hole in the wall” places. I am thinking about going in the first week of June 2016 so I have plenty of time but I would love your advise on where to visit (couple of places) to get the best experience. County Kerry and County Clare are amazingly beautiful in pictures but I don’t want to miss out. Any advice?
Thanks!! :)
Hi Samantha! How lucky for you to be sent to Ireland by your boss. :-) For nature lovers, Ireland is the perfect place. No matter where you go, you will be in awe of the beautiful scenery all around you. If you are going for a week trip, I would stick to one area–so choose south east, south west, north or west. For first trips, we really like south west. There is so much to see and do, but if you really want to get off the beaten path it is so easy. For you, I might suggest west cork specifically. There is lots of hiking, great towns with wonderful pubs and not as many tourists as there will be in Killarney in June.
I hope this helps to get you started. Enjoy the planning!!
Thank you for your car rental advice earlier! My husband and I are having some difficult choices to make, and we don’t know what to do! Can I ask your opinion?
We will be in Dublin in October Thursday morning until Sunday morning. We have to stay in Dublin that long because I am photographing a wedding at Trinity College that Saturday (reason for the trip). So, our own little vaca starts the following Sunday morning. We are renting our car at 9am in Dublin and then have this planned (nothing is set in stone):
Sunday morning: leave Dublin
Sunday afternoon: arrive at Galway for the day and night (2hr. 10min. drive)
Monday morning: leave for Cliffs of Moher (1hr. 30 min. drive)
Monday early afternoon: leave Cliffs for Dingle (3hrs. drive)
Tuesday late morning: leave Dingle for Killarney (1hr drive)
Wednesday late morning: leave Killarney for Dublin (3hr. 25min. drive)
Thursday morning: leave Ireland
My husband is concerned about driving (have never driven abroad), and we are also concerned about trying to squeeze too much in. We don’t like the idea of those 3 hour drives. What would you recommend? Thank you so much for your helpful site!
Hi Madi,
How great that you get to photograph a wedding at trinity! What a fabulous location. :-)
Honest feedback though—you are probably planning to drive a bit too much for October daylight. Monday especially concerns me because you won’t be there in time to really see anything in Dingle before you need to head out the next day. If you are really committed to seeing the south, I’d drive there from Dublin and skip Galway/Cliffs. Or vice/versa if Galway/Cliffs are higher on your list, cut Dingle (at least).
Driving can be really tough the first couple of days, but luckily you’ll have time to adjust to the jetlag while you are in Dublin. This page, has a few driving tips you might like: https://www.infiniteireland.com/31-ireland-travel-tips-you-wont-find-in-a-guidebook/
I hope this helps get you started! Enjoy your trip. :-) :-) :-)
I’ve heard there are certain things you do not do/wear lest you be pegged as a tourist. So far that Do Not list includes: wear a camera around your neck, wear a baseball cap, wear tennis shoes (?!), wear a fanny pack. Is that your opinion as well, and do you have anything to add?? What alternative do you have for comfortable shoes, other than a pair of Skechers GoWalk 3 (and only the 3)? I hate to wear the same shoes every day!
We just returned from 8 days in Dublin and your accent will give you away before your shoes or camera. Wear whatever you are comfortable in. My only suggestion is no bright colors. We were asked right away one day if we were tourist because we had bright gold sweatshirts on. Anything goes in the city.
Hi Kelly,
Lisa is right, it’s pretty easy to peg a traveler beyond just what you are wearing and if you are comfortable in sneakers and a baseball hat, go for it. :-) One thing that I would say is that since it is easy to pick tourists out of a crowd, don’t make yourself a target for petty theft by leaving your wallet or cell phone out on the table when going to rest room, or leaving luggage in the back seat of the car.
As for shoes, I will sometimes pack a pair of ballet flats if I want to dress something up or ditch the walking shoes for the evening. They are light weight and pack really easily. My husband couldn’t care less about shoes, so he usually wears the same pair most of the time. I hope this helps!! :-)
This is great information.. Great website I do have many questions .My husband and I are planning a trip to Ireland in November 2015. My concern is the weather. Will it be cold and raining? Is this a bad month to travel to Ireland? We’re planning to stay for 9 days or so. should we book a hotel room for our duration of our stay or should we drive to different b&b every 2 days and try to see all of Ireland? Please help. :)
Hi Marshall! I am so glad you like the site. No matter which month you choose, you are going to find it could possibly be cold and rainy (even in July). This year was one of the wettest summers on record, so you really never know. That being said, yes you will find that most days will have rain and colder temps.
Most people really enjoying staying at B&B’s around Ireland. I wouldn’t try to to see all of Ireland this way, but you can definitely see a lot of one or two regions in 9 days. Staying two nights in each location is a great idea–especially because daylight hours will be limited. You’ll want to be able to enjoy whole day in one location because the other day you’ll be traveling to the next one and will have limited time to see things since it will get dark fairly early.
I hope this helps get you started! Enjoy your trip to Ireland!! :-)
My wife and I, along with two other couples, are going to Ireland in late February. We start in Dublin, but will be staying most of the time in Adare, and take day-trips from there . We will have rental cars. We’d welcome any suggestions of where to go and places to visit that time of year. Already planning on some time in Dublin (near the end of our trip).