Roadtrip Ierland

Hi, we would like to make a road trip with our family (3 children: 7.11, 13 yrs) along the coast. No idea where to start (literally and figuratively). Has been on our wish list for a long time. We want to book overnight stays along the route .. Very curious for experiences from people that have done the same or/and can tell a bit more about coastal road trips . Suggestions welcome !! Thank you!!

Hello Julia, Welcome to Ireland and our community...I hope these links will help you, we'd love to see you all here in Co Clare.  

We are in the Burren, Co Clare which is a stunning karst landscape and a Geo Park where you can enjoy lots of walking, surfing, swimming, hiking and lots of other activities great places to eat and stay.  This part of Co Clare is very well connected to the following gateway towns of Ennis, Co Clare, Limerick and Galway. Doolin Pier is the closest access port (shortest crossing) to the iconic Aran Islands...its only a journey of 15 minutes with us on the Doolin Express.  All around Doolin and in the Burren there are so many things to do and see.  Many of our customers buy a Total Cliffs of Moher Experience with me.  This gives you access to both the top and bottom :hehe:of the cliffs...by boat with me for a stunning cruise and live witty commentary AND entrance to the visitor centre at the top of the Cliffs of Moher.  If you feel up to it you can walk between Doolin and the Cliffs centre on top!  This will take up to 3 hours and is truly breathtaking.  Alternatively you can jump on the bus service which has several drop and pick up points along the route.    

All of this and much more you will experience along our section of the wonderful costal route known as the Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland.  You will love my latest introduction to Doolin ...our new state of the art passenger ferry the Doolin Express  which has set a new standard (again) in passenger comfort.  
Happy planning.
Bill O Brien

Hallo Julia en welkom op ons forum!

We're delighted to hear that you want to organize a road trip with your family along the coast.

Bill's suggestions are definitely worth it, and Co. Clare is part of our suggestions as well!

To begin with, please have a look at this article about the coastal routes of Ireland.
For instance, we can suggest you the Wild Atlantic Way, which starts in Kinsale, Co. Cork – you could follow parts of this route or the entire coast, depending on how many days you'll have. How long are you planning to stay?

Other great suggestions are the Causeway Coastal Route or the Ancient East's Coastal Route.

In order to book accommodations along the way, you can use our search engine in map view, which is handy to prepare your itinerary.
Here's an article about Ireland for families and kids that could be useful for you. Is there anything your kids are particularly interested in like watersport?

Hope that helps!

Groetjes,
Antoine

Hallo Julia, 

Ireland is renowned for its beautiful coastal countryside, so no doubt you and your family will have a wonderful trip here. 

There are so many different routes for you to take, so it just depends on what other sightseeing you wish to do. These would be our suggestions:

• There is the Copper Coast Drive: 

This route will bring you and your rental car over beautiful scenic roads, through stunning beaches, and through mountain gaps. This is a good introduction to County Waterford’s landscapes and beaches in all their splendour. We recommend having the cameras or camera phones at the ready, this is quite a beautiful scenic route.

• The Loop Head Peninsula Drive:

Branching off the Wild Atlantic Way route, the Loop head Peninsula route is a 50 miles scenic drive along the West coast in Co Clare, Ireland. Starting from Kilrush and loops back to Kilrush. As this is a lesser known driving route, one of the benefits is that you are not sharing with a crowd of tourists, allowing you to explore and enjoy what the area has to give. 

• The Burren Coastal Drive: 

The Burren National Park & surrounding area is a large region covering approx 360km2 square kilometers, located on the west coast of Ireland, County Clare and one of Ireland’s six national parks. As a part of The Burren and Cliffs of Moher Geopark, it has been added to UNESCO World Heritage site's tentative list. “Burren” is derived from an Irish word “Boíreann” which translates a rocky place as it is covered with karst topography by limestone. Enjoy the driving the Burren drive route through the winding roads and soak in the dramatic views (shotgun the passenger seat!), during the drive, you will experience vast wild landscapes, abandoned cottages, castles, lakes, beaches, ring forts and more.

• Clifden and Sky Road Coastal Drive: 

Clifden, the largest town in Connemara, is nestled between the Twelve Bens mountain range and the Atlantic Ocean, at the mouth of Clifden Bay - the only word for these coastal views is 'breathtaking'. The area is known for its rich landscape and heritage. Clifden has an impact on all who visit. It is a charming little town, with something to suit everyone. It’s a colourful town, literally, each shop front is painted a different colour to bring the town alive.

• And finally the Wilde Atlantic Way Drive:

The Wild Atlantic Way remains Ireland’s most popular touring route. The route captures the entire beauty of Ireland which covers over 2500 km stretch along the west coast. The route stretches from Donegal all the way to West Cork. You will literarily be exploring the edge of Europe along the wild Atlantic, it has various UNESCO heritage sites, covers over 150 discovery points, and over 3500 attractions and activities. You can decide to further explore any of these points by stopping for a while to take in a natural beauty and learn more about them. 

We hope you enjoy your time here in Ireland and really get to see all that Ireland has to offer. We would suggest renting a car for this trip, to allow you to come and go as you please and give you the freedom to travel off the beaten track, where ever the coast takes you. We would like to offer you a discount on your car rental if you choose to hire a car here in Ireland.

Looking forward to hearing how your trip goes. 

Best Wishes, 

The Car Rental Ireland Team

Dear Julia,

I would like to let you know a little about the Causeway Coastal Route in Northern Ireland.  It is somewhere you might consider exploring with your family as part of your road trip round Ireland. 

The road from Belfast heading north, the A2, is known as the Causeway Coast and Glens Coastal Route. It meanders along the stunning coastline and is studded with gems such as historic castles, quaint harbours, verdant glens, golden sandy beaches, unique geology, views of Scotland and a keen sense of history.  There are many places to stop and explore, so let me suggest a few of our most popular attractions to give you a flavour of the area. 

Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge near Ballintoy was originally used by salmon fishermen to reach a small island separated from the coast via a suspended bridge over the sea below.  It is now a popular tourist attraction and has been even used in a Guinness advert, and somewhere that your children would remember crossing for a long time!  You could also visit the Giant’s Causeway, to explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Here there is a great visitor centre with a café, shop and interactive information area. You can avail of guided tours to explore the unique stone formations of the Causeway by experienced guides.  They are very knowledgeable about the geology, myths & legends, flora and fauna and anything else you may wish to know about.  Driving west from there, approximately 5 miles along the A2, you encounter Dunluce Castle, a well preserved ruin built in medieval times, perched on the cliff over the Atlantic Ocean.  It is well worth a visit to learn about the battles, storms and stories that took place there over several hundred years of occupancy by some very colourful characters.  The area has many long sandy beaches and there is a good variety of water sports on offer should the family wish to take the plunge!  

There are plenty of B&Bs and hotels along the route offering a great variety of places to stay.

If you would like to know more about this area please visit our web site:  www.visitcausewaycoastandglens.com 

Every good wish for your family holiday in Ireland!

Kind Regards,

Anne

Hi Julia, 

We're very curious about what your plans look like so far! Do you know what time of year you would like to visit, and what route you are going to follow? 

Take a look at our Amazing Road Trip section for more inspiration and experiences from other visitors. (There is an amazing travel diary of a road trip in Dutch). :) 

Hoping to hear from you soon! 

Groetjes, 

Melin