Nine Day Itinerary Help

My Cousin and I (50's-60's) will be in Ireland in June and we will be renting a car. I plan trips as if I will never return, so we like to see as much as we can and don't mind driving long distances. Is my itinerary way too packed? We like scenery, ancient history, good food, museums and plan to stay in B&Bs where we can.

Day 1: Arrive Dublin in morning from USA, check in, rest and explore Dublin in afternoon/evening
Day 2: Full day Dublin
Day 3: Pick up rental car. Waterford (?), Cobh, Cork, overnight Killarney
Day 4: Dingle Peninsula, explore Killarney, overnight Killarney
Day 5: Cliff’s of Moher, The Burren, Galway, overnight Galway
Day 6: Derry, overnight Derry
Day 7: Dunluce Castle, Giant’s Causeway, Carrick-A-Rede, overnight Belfast (or near)
Day 8: Belfast-AM, Newgrange, overnight Dublin near airport
Day 9: Depart

With stopping at sites along the way and side-tripping a bit, can this schedule be done? Another option is to drive immediately after landing to, maybe Waterford, and explore Dublin at the end of the trip. Thanks for any advice.

Hi Connie,

So far, this sounds like a brilliant trip! I definitely think it is doable! Scheduling in some rest time after you land will set you up well for the remainder of your trip as it will be a long journey for you both! As you have plenty of time pencilled in for Dublin, check out our Dublin in 72 hours page for some ideas and tips! 

You have picked some great places to feed your love of scenery and history! Are you planning any guided tours while you are here or do you prefer to go and explore freely?

To find some great B&B's, you should definitely check out our Accommodation search. I hope some of this will help you to further your planning and don't hesitate to reach out here in the community again if you have other questions! 

Thanks, Emma,
Next steps: tours and accommodations. I appreciate your input...

Hi Connie, what a trip you have planned, you have researched your trip very well.  
When you are at the Cliffs of Moher you might consider taking a half day to visit the Aran Islands with me or if you haven't enough time to do that and the Burren why not view the Cliffs from my boat?  We have 1 hour cruises running throughout the day?  Happy planning and call me if you need any more information.  Bill, 00353 87 6299954

Hi Connie,

Sounds like a fantastic trip! We can help you when it comes to good food as we run walking food tours of Dublin.
We love showing great Irish produce and eateries to food lovers from all over the world!

We hope you can join us!

Ketty @ Delicious Dublin Tours

Hi Connie,
It is great to hear that you will be visiting Ireland.
While you are here why not take a railtour with Railtours Ireland.
We run one to eleven day tours all around the country visiting the must see tourist attractions like the Cliffs of Moher and the Giants Causeway too.
Looking at your itinerary our eleven day tour may be of interest to you. You will see a big portion of the beautiful countryside while you are on tour with us.  Full details here: https://railtoursireland.com/train-tour/titanic-rail-trail-donegal/dh3711910hp
A full list of our tours can be found here: https://railtoursireland.com/travel-tours
Railtours Ireland Car Free Care Free
Kind Regards Mervyn           

Hello Connie

Delighted to read of your round trip of Ireland, and that you plan to visit the Causeway Coast and Glens area on day 7.

It’s a balance, isn’t it, between trying to see sights, but also having time to stop and just enjoy beautiful places.  For instance, as you make your way from Derry you may want to take time to see Binevenagh, an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) dominated by a distinctive headland with dramatic cliffs offering spectacular panoramic views of Magilligan, across Lough Foyle to Inishowen in Donegal and the islands of Islay and Jura in Scotland.  As you drive along the A2 (which is the coastal route right round to Belfast), before you enter Limavady town you will come to a roundabout – take the first left and drive on to the Seacoast Road. Travel along until you cross the River Roe and then turn left – there are various roads leading off to the right which allow you to drive up Binevenagh mountain and down again to the National Trust owned Mussenden Temple, Bishop’s Gate and Hezlett House.

You can see a summary of the stunning Causeway Coastal Route here.  https://www.visitcausewaycoastandglens.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/150666-CCG_NI-Map_Online-version-03.pdf

You probably need a certain amount of flexibility built into your plan, to be able to adapt as the day unfolds. 

It would be good to buy your tickets for the Giant’s Causeway online in advance, so that you don’t get held up by any queues once you get there.  The same is true for a ticket to cross Carrick-a-rede Rope Bridge, and this year it will be possible to buy such tickets giving a time when you can cross the bridge online. Visitor Information Centres can help you with this.

You can find more details of what to see and where to stay at https://www.visitcausewaycoastandglens.com/  This site is continually updated and is very useful.

All the best with your planning and, of course, with your trip,

Mary. 

Thanks so much to everyone for the great information...really helpful!!

Hello Connie,

I hope you had a wonderful trip last June. I'd like to know more about your travel experience, the best food you had and the accommodation during your stay. I'm sure you have plenty of things to talk about, so feel free to share with us your suggestions and feelings about your trip.

I wish you a good day!

Francesco