Planning Your Irish Vacation

I suppose the question isn’t as much “what should I see while in Ireland” as much as it is “What can I see in the amount of time I’ve got?”

While Ireland is a small country, roughly the size of Maine, there is much to see and experience.  One visit – even 3 or 4- is not enough to “see it all”.

My recommendation:  Pick three or four “must see” sights and plan your itinerary from that.  You’ll likely not make it from the Giant’s Causeway on the Antrim coast to Dingle in a single trip- and if you do you’re rushing far too much!

Ireland’s Most Popular Tourist Attractions

Ireland's tourist attractions are popular for a few reasons: they are breathtaking, they have a great tale or they are centrally located.  Ireland’s most popular sites include:

• Cliffs of Moher
• Ring of Kerry (Iveragh Peninsula)
• Killarney
• Giant’s causeway
• Blarney Castle
• Bunratty Castle
• Glendalough in the Wicklow Mountains
• Rock of Cashel
• Newgrange
• Belfast

This is by no means an exhaustive list, but one that will give you a starting point.

Choosing What to See

Deciding what you want to see in Ireland is a personal preference. 

• For traditional music and a gaeltacht head to the west of Ireland- Doolin, Galway and the Aran Islands. 
• For Ireland’s pre-Christian heritage head north or west of Dublin. 
• For magnificent landscapes stick to the coasts. 
• Foodie?  The Sunny Southeast, from Wexford, through Waterford and down to Cork will amaze your tastebuds.
• If you’re traveling with young children head to Killarney and explore from the Cliffs of Moher to the Ring of Kerry.
• As for Dublin…  I believe a day & a half is plenty of time to explore what the city has to offer.

Tips for planning Your Itinerary

My first trip to Ireland I remember rushing from place to place, not really enjoying what each had to offer, only knowing I wanted to see as much as possible.  While my memories of that trip are fond, I recall feeling rushed.  These tried and tested tips will help you avoid that.

• Don’t switch lodging nightly; try to stay in an area 2-3 nights and take short day trips.  You’ll feel less rushed if you don’t have to do a nightly check in.
•  Plan no more than 2 major sites in a day; one in the morning and one in the afternoon.  Leave plenty of time for exploring both the sites and anything you may discover along the way.
•  If you’re traveling with kids don’t forget fun things like animal farms, playgrounds and sweet shops.  I really like the Ireland: Are We There Yet app to help track down these spots.
• Don’t try to cover more than 60 miles per day.  Unless you’re on the main highways- but then you’re not really seeing anything, are you?
• Staying in a B&B?  Ask your hosts for advice on what to see, where to eat and things to do. 
• Change your plans as necessary.  Part of the fun of travel is the unexpected- don’t be on such a rigid itinerary that you can’t change plans at the drop of a hat.

I've found that circling my points of interest on a map helps me plot our itinerary a bit easier than just writing down what I want to see.

For our upcoming trip in June (10 days) I want to visit spots north of Dublin, and Northern Ireland.  But Kylemore Abbey in far western Ireland has been on my “must see” list for years, and I would like to visit friends in Limerick and Tipperary.  It's a lot of ground to cover in 10 days, which wasn't as apparent until I laid it out on a map.

There is no right or wrong way to see Ireland- unless you are so rushed that you don’t really see anything.  Relax, enjoy, and remember- you can always go back!

Be sure to visit the Itinerary Suggestions if you need more in-depth help planning your Irish vacation!

Do you have anything to add or tips to give on What to See in Ireland?  Additional questions I can answer?  I love comments!  Or use the simple contact form if you would like to email me directly.