Day trip in August - what to do

Hello,

I have never been to Ireland. I will be flying into Dublin, arriving in the morning (assuming all is on time with the flight). At five PM the next day I need to be aboard a boat in Kinsale. So part of my plan is to take the train to Cork and the bus to Kinsale. And I will need a hotel in one of the three cities for the night in between. My question is, how should I split my small amount of free time for the parts of two days that I have?

Should I spent the first day in Dublin and head to Kinsale in the morning, not stopping anymore than needed in Cork?  
Should I take the train to Cork as soon as possible and see one or two things there, then take the train to Kinsale the second afternoon?
Some other combination of time across the three cities?

I expect that the boat crew will have dinner in Kinsale that second evening before departure, so at a minimum I expect to see a tiny bit of Kinsale.  

What would you do with that time if you'd never been to Ireland?

Cheers and thanks,
Kim

Hello Kim,

What a fun question! It's good to hear that you're excited about this upcoming trip and I'd love to help give a few ideas to help make planning your adventure just a little easier.

While I'd love to tell you exactly how much time you should spend in each city, the truth is that there are charming and unforgettable spots to stop by in each. These three cities are very uniquely different and I'm sure you'd make plenty of lovely memories no matter how you split this time.

Of course, I'm not just going to leave you with no help! Ireland.com has a ton of helpful links and information to help make planning a bit easier. What I'd suggest is making an itinerary of the spots you'd like to visit, and then plan how long it'd take to comfortably visit each. 

To start, this article about the top attractions in Dublin should give you an idea of some of the best spots to stop by in the area. There's everything from absolutely stunning parks to historic spots like Trinity Library. 

Likewise, there's no shortage of stunning spots and unforgettable sights to see in Cork as well. 

Once you've created an itinerary that works for you, I'd also recommend taking a peek at our Accommodations Finder. It's a lovely tool for finding the perfect place to call home while here. 

Is there anywhere that's calling to you? I'd love to hear more about what your perfect adventure would look like!

If you have any more questions, please don't hesitate to reach out!

Kindly,
Rochelle