2 weeks summer holiday with 2 sons aged 12 and 13

Hi, I'm Alex. I'm Italian and I am planning a 2 weeks holiday in Aug 2020, fly & drive. I will arrive and come back from Dublin. I'll visit the island with my two sons aged 13 and 12.
Could you suggest a 2 week detailed itinerary with reasonable daily drive distance? I am a bit confused about what trip is the best: Dublin and Northern Ireland or Dublin and the south part of the island? Or do you suggest a mix of them? Is is reasonable to visit both Giants Causeway and Cork? and both Ring of Kerry and Belfast... without passing all the holidays on the wheel? Could you pass me a day by day plan? Thank you

Ciao Alex.

I'm glad you're planning to visit Ireland with your two children, who I am sure will enjoy the scenery and the attractions.

You can decide to spend 1 week for the southern-west part and 1 week for the northern part of the island, because Ireland is not too big and distances are pretty manageable .
I personally like to focus on few places to visit and enjoy as much time as I can there, without having to drive too much.

In the album I prepared for you I included a page with plenty of trip ideas that you can mix and match in order to create your personal itinerary. The ideas are planned day by day and show the kilometers to do, so you have all the info you need to plan your own day by day journey.

I've also included a page for searching for accommodation, our info when renting a car and driving in Ireland, and a page with our maps and guide that I'm sure you'll find useful.

I thought to include also a page with a list of tour operators: some of them organize fly&drive holidays, in case you prefer them plan everything for you.

What type of activities do you and your children like to do? Do they like sport activities?

In case they do, there are plenty opportunities to do them, you just need to choose where by using our searching tool. I've already picked a couple of them to give you an idea, one in Bangor, near Belfast, Field Of Dreams - Outdoor Field Sports Centre, and the other one in Kilkenny, The Watershed. 

You can start now! 
We're always here to help, in case you have other questions.

You can write in Italian, if you prefer so.

Buona lavoro! 😊

Marcella

Ciao Marcella,
thanks a lot for your answer. I'll read the docs you collected for me. If i had any questions I'll come back to you. Thank you.

Hello Alex.

Keeping 2 teenage boys engaged for 2 weeks, you need activities and some driving to get to destinations. To start, I suggest you have to decide, will you go North or South of Dublin ??

My ideas because I live in the South West is that you go ISLAND HOPING. I think for you and your boys there would be excitement, adventure, memories and lots of outdoor activity. 

From Dublin drive straight to Cork overnighting in KINSALE 1 or 2 nights. Explore Kinsale and Charles Fort. From Kinsale to Baltimore or Scull and get a boat / ferry to CAPE CLEAR Island 2 nights - day 1 travel from Cape Clear to the FASTNET ROCK lighthouse. Leaving Cape Clear Island travel to The MIZEN HEAD Lighthouse and overnight at the Mizen. From Mizen drive to CASTLETOWNBERE (a deep sea white fish fishing port) on the Beara Peninsula, overnight in Castletownbere town but visit BERE ISLAND the village of RERRIN and the Martello Towers - an Island with a big military history. From Castletownbere drive to the cable car for DURSEY ISLAND - cross over and enjoy a walk. Drive to Kenmare and along the southern coastal road of the Ring of Kerry to Casey's Cove beach for a swim - overnight and next day to Derrynane beach for another swim!!, onwards to Waterville and Portmagee village - 3 nights. (Now before you leave Italy I would like you to view on Google the trip to the SKELLIGS ROCK and the Monastery built 500 / 600 AD and occupied by the monks for 600 years. This landing trip is a must for you and the boys - please pre book it as August is heavily booked and difficult to get places, especially for 3) You need 3 nights in PORTMAGEE VILLAGE & VALENTIA ISLAND - lots of activity for you and the boys here. After Portmagee and visiting the Skelligs and Valentia Island you need to go to the DINGLE Peninsula and the BLASKET ISLANDS - West of Dingle Town. You can get a boat from the marina in Dingle town to the Blaskets. A great trip for the boys to enjoy. This should complete the Island trip of 12 to 14 days. If the weather is good to you, you will all have a super time, lots of activity, fishing, swimming, water sports and meeting very friendly Island people along the way.
Please give this itinerary some thought, you have lots of time to view maps / roads and plan the trip. The most important is the landing trip to the SKELLIGS - please book in advance of arriving in Ireland. I think for years to come, you and your boys would have good memories of a family trip like this.
With good wishes 
Conor

Hi Alex, 

How exciting you are planning a trip to Ireland with your sons. We are a small group tour company with flexible itineraries and we actually have an 11 day and a 12 day itinerary that you might find useful. 

Our itineraries don't just include the big touristy spots but also the lesser known hidden gems of Ireland so you get a real sense of our country. The 11 day itinerary is more relaxed and the 12 day is more activity based including hikes, biking, horse riding and even kayaking.  I will leave two links below. The itineraries would suit your two week schedule as it gives you time to explore Dublin too. 

Here is the link to our 11 Day Discover Ireland Tour: https://vagabondtoursofireland.com/tour/vacations-to-ireland-11-day-driftwood 
And our 12 Day Giant Irish Adventure Tour: https://vagabondtoursofireland.com/tour/irish-tours-12-day-giant-irish-adventure

I hope you find this useful and if you have any questions just send us a message :) 

The Vagabond Team 

Hi Alex,

It's lovely to hear that you will be visiting next August with your children, you won't be disappointed!

As Marcella has suggested, you could spend one week exploring the south and one week exploring the north.  Might I suggest visiting the north first and then working your way back towards Dublin?  The drive from Dublin to Belfast takes about 2.5 hours and from Belfast you can follow the well signposted Causeway Coastal Route (A2).  This road follows the stunning coastline of the North Antrim Coast which is studded with gems such as historic castles, quaint harbours, glens and long sandy beaches.

Attractions along the way include, Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge, which is a suspended bridge over a ravine.  The bridge operates on a ticketed basis and you can purchase these in advance from any of the Visitor Information Centres in the area.  Travelling about 5 miles west you will come to the Giant's Causeway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where there's a great visitor centre, with a cafe, shop and information area.  Again, driving west, approximately 5 miles along the A2, you encounter Dunluce Castle, a well preserved ruin perched on a cliff looming over the Atlantic Ocean.

The Causeway Coastal Route extends to the City of Derry in the west and from there you could link onto the Wild Atlantic Way.

For an example of a 3 day itinerary please see the following link:  
https://www.visitcausewaycoastandglens.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/CausewayCoastalRouteItinerary.pdf

Indeed for further information on any of the above, please feel free to take a look at our website:
https://www.visitcausewaycoastandglens.com/

I wish you an enjoyable trip!

Alison