Asking for Advice for a Suggested Daily Itinerary

I am not embarrassed to say that after perusing through a ton of information about Ireland, I am overwhelmed by it all and would love advice in the form of a suggested daily itinerary. We plan to come for 10 days (plus or minus a day) and plan to rent a car. We're also undecided as to our starting point, Dublin or Shannon. I hate to miss out on Dublin, but the Atlantic Coast intrigues me the most.

We are not spring chickens anymore, but do enjoy relatively flat scenic walks and trails. We also love scenic coastal areas, small picturesque villages, and cozy Bed and Breakfast accommodations. In a nutshell, assuming we fly into Shannon, what would be the best daily itinerary?

We'd love to come this year (around August 20th), but if planning gets too complicated for this year (or getting good accommodations turns out to be difficult), we'll plan for next year.

Thanks in advance!

Rick

Hi Rick,

We're so excited to help with your plans!  

Just to give you started, we'd suggest you have a look at our Wild Atlantic Way route.  With the length of it broken up into wee tours, there's so much to choose from! Flying into Shannon, the Cliff Coast may be just the things for you - with the Cliffs of Moher, Aran Islands and The Burren,  If not, there are more options for sure. 

We hope this is helpful in getting you pointed in the right direction.  We'd love to hear from our Community here and the suggestions they's have for you, too!

Please give us a wave if we can help with anything else. 

~Sionainn

Hello Rick.
Sionainn has given you good advice in her input.
Can I suggest you satisfy your curiosity and arrive into Dublin for 2 nights, explore the city and then drive West to Galway.  From Galway you decide if you will spend your remaining days driving North on the Wild Atlantic way (WAW), complete route to Belfast returning to Dublin to fly home. Or drive South from Galway direct to Cork, picking up the WAW from Kinsale (overnight) and returning via the coast, exploring the Peninsulas of Mizen Head, Sheeps Head, Beara, The Ring of Kerry Dingle and on towards The Cliffs of Moher, the Burren and Shannon Airport to fly home. I think late August should be ok for booking rooms as you drive.
Enjoy yourself
Conor

Thank you all for the advice.

We have strongly considered 2 nights in Dublin. We've also decided that Belfast has to be on the itinerary :)

If we don't get to see as much of the Atlantic Coast as we'd like, well, there's always next time!

Thanks again!

Hi Rick,
            
If Belfast is on the cards, there is an excellent guide for a 3-day visit that you could pick and choose from.
You can find it here. There are also a few spots in the surrounding area worth checking out that you can find in this guide.
The 2 itineraries overlap slightly but between them, you should have a good selection to pick from.

It is not on those guides, however, If you are looking for a pleasant, fairly flat walk, Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park is possibly the most beautiful park in the area and the grounds are extensive.

There is a similar 3-day guide to Dublin which you can look over here and a similar surrounding area guide here
If you are looking for the same kind of walk when visiting Dublin, you will find St Stephen's Green in those guides, It is Ideal.

Hopefully, that will give you some food for thought.
Regards,
Gordee

Hi Rick! We'll be visiting shortly after you- beginning of September. We are doing 10-days as well! I hope you have a safe and blessed time! Come back with all your details. Don't get overwhelmed. Pace yourself and zero in on the best you can do with the time you have set a side. Some other things will wait "for another trip" ;o) That is what I told my husband. He wanted to go in to the North to see the Giant's Causeway and time just won't let us. "That's for our next visit!"

Thanks so much for sharing your tips, Robin! Taking your time to explore, and not feeling hurried is definitely recommended, and I'm sure it'll be very helpful for other visitors. :) 

Hi Rick,

I appreciate the amount of information can be overwhelming!  Might I suggest that heading north you follow the Wild Atlantic Way which leads onto the Causeway Coastal Route which is possible to drive in a day. 

From Derry/Londonderry you may want to take some time to see Binevenagh, an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) dominated by a distinctive headland offering spectacular panoramic views of the area.  You can then follow the Causeway Coastal Route (A2) right the way around the coast until you reach Belfast.  Attractions along the way include the Giant's Causeway and Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge.

You can see a summary of the stunning Causeway Coastal Route on our website:
https://www.visitcausewaycoastandglens.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/CCG-Map-English-2019.pdf

There are also suggested itineraries available which may be helpful in your planning:
https://www.visitcausewaycoastandglens.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/CausewayCoastalRouteItinerary.pdf

I hope you find this information useful.  If we can be of further assistance, for example with accommodation, please do not hesitate to contact us at Coleraine Visitor Information Centre.

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

Hello Rick, I am just checking in to see if you have made your way over to the Emerald Isle in August! I'd love to hear more about your adventures and experiences. :) If you haven't visited yet, we are of course always here to help with your plans.