An Irish Road Trip! An Insiders Guide To The Must Sees and Do's in Ireland!
This post gives you a general idea of things to do on your trip to Ireland. Because there are so many things to do this is just part one!
You may be wondering how someone from the United States can have an Insiders Guide to Ireland. Well the short answer is...my husband was born and raised there, I lived there for a while and we go back often to visit family.
I might be Bias, but Ireland is one of my all time favorite countries. It might be because it is where I met my husband, and that certainly is one of the reasons. But, it is also because there is nothing quite like the magic and beauty of the Emerald Aisle or the hospitality of an Irish person. Of course, whatever you do there, you will be guaranteed to have great Craic (which is an Irish word for the most fun that you can have). Because my husband is from Ireland and I lived there and have went back to visit family more times than I can count on my two hands I have created an ultimate road trip around Ireland that will take you to my favorite places on the island as well as a few I still hope to go to. You will need between 10 -14 days to do the full itinerary. Don’t stop reading if you have less time, because there are places you can skip and if you have more time even better. My Husband is from CO. Clare so we always fly into the Shannon airport which is an hour from his house instead of three from Dublin. It is only Natural that I start this trip in the area that I lived and my husband grew up in, the west of Ireland, in the quaintest of Villages, Doolin. But no matter where you are flying into, Cork, Dublin, Shannon, etc... you can follow this trip around Ireland. I would suggest that you fly into Shannon because sometimes the tickets can be cheaper and it is a quieter airport. Dublin airport can be a little crazy at times!
The Village of Doolin
You will need some form of GPS for this trip because Ireland has a lot of twists and turns. Even though it is a fairly easy country to navigate you will be happier with a GPS.... trust me! There are a lot of options for this. CAR GPS:
Some cars will come with one for free and that is always the best deal. Other companies will charge you a certain dollar or Euro amount a day for them and I personally think that is a rip off when there are better options below. CAR WIFI:
Many companies offer car wifi for upwards of 10 Euros a day. This can add up fast, especially when there are better options PORTABLE GPS: SKYROAM OR TEP
I actually really like both skyroam and tep. What are they you ask? They are portable wifi hotspots that you can bring everywhere with you! You can rent or buy them depending on how much you travel. They cost between $8 - $10 per day that you use them. You can connect five devices at once, but I would recommend no more that three at a time if you are a heavy data user as they will slow the service down. TEP:
Tep starts as soon as you turn it on and charges your card by the week. It has reliable wifi and is small enough to fit in your pocket or purse. The only con is that it has a shorter battery life and I would recommend having a car charging usb if you will be driving a lot and also to charge it every night. Check out more here. SKYROAM SOLIS:
This has a great big battery that lasts quite a long time, you have to buy day passes on the website and activate It every 24 hours you are using it. It takes anywhere between 1 - 15 minutes to get a signal so be prepared to turn it on earlier than you need it and it is fairly large to put in a pocket. Check out more here. SIM CARD: MY Favorite Option
I like to always keep one of my older smart phones and make sure that it is unlocked. Buy a SIM card and pop it into the phone. You can get a SIM card for about 5 euros and then for 25 - 30 Euros you can get 15Gb of data (which is way more than you can use in two weeks, especially if you are connecting to wifi at night), it also allows you to make local texts and calls. It is by far my favorite option and the cheapest. It is also the option that I would recommend and if you are traveling the West coast of Ireland - which you will be if you follow my itinerary, Eir or formally Meteor has the best service for this area of the country. Where to get a SIM card you ask? A gas station or a convenience store in the airport should have one.
The other great thing about a SIM card is it not only allows you to use GPS, but you can surf the internet, post on Instagram, text or whatsapp your family back home and more. Oh yeah, don't forget to have a sim card opener handy! I buy a pack of them and store them in different areas like my purse, camera bag, etc.
CURRENCY OF IRELAND:
The Currency they use in The Republic Of Ireland is the Euro. You will want to make sure to have some before you arrive or you can always get some there. There are also ATM's that will give you cash back in Euros in Ireland so long as you have a debit card. You can check out exchange rates here.
Now that you have your GPS and money it is time to hit the road and start your epic journey around Ireland!
DOOLIN
This is where you will find the chocolate shop, pub and great souvenir shops.
Doolin at Sunset
I would spend two to three nights in this town and use it as your home base to explore the Burren and the surrounding area. All of the activities below are interchangeable depending on the weather and can be done from your home base of Doolin. Honestly you could spend your entire time in Ireland in this area and do something new every day, so you will probably have to pick and choose what you want to do if you have limited time.
THINGS TO DO IN DOOLIN:
Don’t miss the Doolin Chocolate Shop and let the owner know that the girl from Colorado sent you ;). Doolin Chocolate Shop def has the best fudge in all of Ireland and they even have some delicious Dairy Free chocolate bars. I often ask my sister in laws to send me some when I run out! There are also some great souvenir shops with Aran sweaters and other fun Knick - knacks to bring home for yourself and others. Don’t forget to head to the pubs for dinner - McDermotts is my favorite, but they all have delicious food! During the summer months McDermotts has live traditional music every night. DOONAGORE CASTLE
is a small drive up the road from the main shopping strip in Doolin. Instead of Turning right over the bridge towards the area with all of the colorful buildings and the chocolate shop you turn left and soon enough you will see the castle. You can’t go into it, but If you drive or walk above it, it makes for some great photos. This is also where the Doolin Cliff walk to the Cliffs of Moher begins.
Doonagore Castle from behind it!
More photos of Doonagore Castle
Dronage of Doonagore Castle
CLIFFS OF MOHER: A QUICK 10-25 MINUTE DRIVE FROM DOOLIN
Flowers Blooming At The Cliffs Of Moher
Dronage Of The Cliffs Of Moher As They Turn Red From The Sunset.
Taking In The Views At The Cliffs
Cliffs of Moher: Basically my favorite place on Earth and if you love it as much as I do you will want to visit it more than once. Imagine the most awe inspiring cliffs you have ever seen, towering 700 feet above the sea. The most common option is to park at the top of the hill in the parking lot. You have to pay for parking, kind of like your admission ticket into the cliffs. When you get into this area there are two options. You can either go left or right and I would suggest that you go right and keep going until you reach a gap in the wall that you can walk over and onto a foot path. Continue down this path until you get onto a rock face. You will know it when you see it. Look left and take in the glory of the cliffs.
Or you could go to the super secret spot that only locals really know. That is where all of the photos in this post are taken. But, it wouldn’t be a secret if I told everyone where it was....so if you want to know and promise not to tell anyone else, subscribe to my blog and give me a follow on Instagram, DM me or send me an email and I will give you directions to it.
Flowers In Bloom At The Cliffs During The Sunset
Also, there is nothing like The Cliffs of Moher at Sunset. I would highly recommend going for the sunset.
You can also walk from Doolin to the Cliffs Of Moher. It is a pretty long walk, 8 km (4.8 miles) and takes about 2 hours each way, but on a nice day is very beautiful. Be careful and check the conditions as cliff falls are not uncommon and they are especially common if it has been raining a lot! This is also not a walk for those afraid of heights as part of it are on an exposed cliff edge. You can also take a boat below the cliffs. There are many tour companies that run this tour, but if you get sea sick easily it is not the trip for you. I did this once and got so sick that I can barely even remember it. I would suggest going with Doolin 2 Aran Ferries.
ARAN ISLANDS: A 3OISH MINUTE BOAT RIDE FROM DOOLIN
There are three islands and Inis Oirr (Enis Sheer phonetically) is by far the best. I have actually only ever been to Inis Oirr, but I have been told by a local that it is the best! You can stay the night on the island by camping or in another form of accommodation. I would suggest doing a day trip to the Island from Doolin, but only on a nice day. You can go with Doolin2Aran Ferries. When you arrive take a horse and cart tour to the shipwreck. The horse and cart can take you very close to it and then you walk a short distance. I have it as one of the most instagrammable spots in Ireland, because it is pretty cool. You can also walk inside of it, just be careful not to cut yourself on any jagged edges. One of the nice things about the horse ride is they really do care about their horses, at one point we had to get out and walk up one of the steeper hills so we didn’t overload the horse. If they ask you to do this, don’t get offended. There is also a nice fort to explore on the island and some pubs for some good grub and pints before you head back to Doolin for the night.
LAHINCH: 16 MINUTE DRIVE If you are a surfer or just want to window shop in a cute Irish Village head over to Lahinch. You can rent boards and wetsuits in Lahinch and go surfing. I would recommend you do not go unless you are an experienced surfer as Ireland has some pretty serious rip tides and the cold water is not for the faint of heart! FANORE BEACH: 20 MINUTE DRIVE
Fanore Beach is my favorite beach in Ireland with its golden sands and grassy dunes. On a nice day it will be packed with people, sunbathing (although it is questionable if this is actually even possible in Ireland....), swimming, building sandcastles and what not. This is also a surfing beach and you can rent wetsuits and boards or take a lesson from the Aloha Surf School located at the beach parking lot. You might want to wear water shoes though, my husband has many stories of his brothers and cousins stepping on Weaver Fish and it sounds like something you want to avoid if you can. They hide just under the sand and if you step on one, they will stab you with their Dorsal fin...ouch! You can also stay in Fanore as an alternative to Doolin. My favorite place is Rockyview Farmhouse B&B. It could be because my Husbands Aunt and Uncle own it - but its most likely because it has the best view in Fanore, on a clear day you can see all three Aran Islands and Ita and Noel are great hosts. They also have a beautiful garden and great food in the morning. If you have any interest in flowers Noel could talk to you about them all day!
O'DONOGHUES PUB: 3 MINUTE DRIVE FROM FANORE BEACH
After a great day at the beach head over to O'Donoghues Pub for the best pint of Guinness in Ireland and some delicious food! Keep in mind he only takes cash, so make sure you have enough!
BALLYVAUGHAN: 17 MINUTES FROM FANORE BEACH OR 27 MINUTES FROM DOOLIN
This is actually where I lived when I was living in Ireland. It is a quaint little village with some great pubs, good food and a grocery store which is actually where I met my husband, but that is a story for another time. There is also a lot of accommodation in Ballyvaughan as well, including Gregans Castle which my parents love to stay at for its nice rooms and pleasant staff. I would suggest avoiding eating there though, unless you like extremely gourmet food and sitting down to dinner for several hours. Ballyvaughan is an easy 30 minute drive from Doolin. Check out the T-junction and take some photos. It is one of The Most Instagrammable Places In Ireland. They actually took it down a couple years ago and there was uproar, so they put it back up. It does make for a cool photo - just be careful crossing the road there, as there are cars going all directions and it can be lethal.
AILWEE CAVES: 5 MINUTES FROM BALLYVAUGHAN
From Ballyvaughan you can go see the birds of pray show at the Aillwee Caves. This is totally worth it and a lot of fun. Towards the end you can even hold one of the hawks if you volunteer in time. Even if you don’t get to do that watching the birds fly around and learning about them is good Craic.
You can also take a tour inside the cave to see the different formations inside the cave. But if you only want to go into a cave once I suggest you go to Doolin Cave and see the longest free-hanging stalactite in Europe at 7.3 metres (23feet) and it is pretty impressive!
POULNABRONE DOLMAN: 12 MINUTES FROM BALLYVAUGHAN OR 30 MINUTES FROM DOOLIN
This is in the heart of the Burren and I have it down as one of The Most Instgrammable Spots In Ireland because it is so famous. People come from all over the world to see it and it does make a good photo. I would suggest you go in the early morning or later in the evening to avoid the crowds from the tour buses. I mean, unless you love having loads of strangers in your photos...whatever floats your boat! More Info About The Poulnabrone Dolman.
A FEW OTHER PLACES WORTH MENTIONING: The Burren Perfumery The Green Road for a nice little Walk
Lisdoonvarna - If you have never heard of Lisdoon or more lovingly called “the spa” by the locals head on over for some banter and the best Chinese food in the Burren. OR...if you are there in September or October and looking for love check out the Matchmaking Festival. Even if you aren’t looking for love and want a good night out you should def check it out. There is nothing quite like it... that I have ever experienced at least. People come from all around Ireland and the world for the month of September to witness the Mayhem.
Keep in mind this part of the Burren is not known for its Taxi Service, but you should be able to get a taxi back to Doolin...eventually... If this is something that you really want to do, it may be worth it to rent a placed in town. Lisdoon also has some other great dining options and little pub with some great craft beer called the Roadside Tavern and if you like pizza head next door to The Storehouse. So --- I may have gotten a little carried away with things to do while staying in Doolin. Like I said, you could spend your entire trip here and do something new every day! Anyways, check out part two of An Insiders Guide To Ireland Here!