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Suggestions on Family Trip to Ireland

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Old Mar 4th, 2017, 03:44 PM
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Suggestions on Family Trip to Ireland

Hi all! I'm planning a trip for this summer to Ireland (July?) but haven't booked anything yet. Travelers will be myself and my husband (late 30s/40s), our 10 year old daughter, our 2.5 year old son, and my 70 year old mother. I've been to Ireland before (in college), but otherwise, it's a first timers' trip. We like to travel with an itinerary in mind with some flexibility to account for weather or uncooperative kids or fatigue or a delightful find along the path. We like a mix of seeing the tourist sites that made them famous and also having some mingling with locals and experiencing a bit of real life. I'm also an amateur photographer on the lookout for great shots. My mom is especially excited for some of the music in the pubs. We're not big drinkers, so probably not interested in the Guinness tour or pub crawls other than just for music and entertainment. Husband likes outdoor hiking. We all love history, and the ladies like to shop!

Considerations:
1) We are traveling from the Los Angeles area. We have family in Tennessee, so we have considered maybe first flying from LAX to Nashville and spending the night there to give us a bit of a break before we head on across the pond with a two year old. Alternately, we could do a redeye from LAX to a city on the east coast, spend a day there, then fly the next night to Ireland. This is a consideration just because of the fun of traveling with a toddler and also with a Grammy who has some back trouble that benefits from splitting time up a bit. I'd appreciate feedback on cities to consider flying out of for good deals.

2) I am considering 11-12 days in Ireland with some cushion time on each end to accommodate the travel (For example, if we left LAX on Thursday night, we might arrive in Ireland on Sunday, then depart on the next Thursday so that we are back at work on the next Monday). In brief searches, it seems that I am finding fares to be cheapest into/out of Dublin, but an open jaw with Shannon is certainly possible if the fares aren't tremendously different.

3). We're planning to rent a vehicle. Husband will be primary driver, and I'll drive also when needed. I am bad with geography and estimating distances and times, so I really appreciate feedback about driving times and distances.



Preliminary Itinerary:
Day 1: AM arrival DUB. Pick up rental car, get out of the city. Probably want to have a relatively low key day with a loose itinerary to account for fatigue and crankiness. I was thinking of Glendalough as being relatively close, good opportunity to stretch legs and get an immediate payoff of gorgeous Ireland scenery. Then on to Kilkenney to explore the Medieval Mile.
Overnight Kilkenney

Day 2: Kilkenney Castle, Rock of Cashel
Overnight Kinsale

Day 3: Blarney Castle, Cork
Overnight Cork/Kinsale

Day 4: Travel to Killarney via Beara Peninsula
Overnight Killarney

Day 5: Killarney National Park/MuckrossOvernight Killarney
Overnight Killarney

Day 6:Ring of Kerry Tour
Overnight Killarney

Day 7: Killarney to Galway, via Bunratty Castle
Medieval banquet at Bunratty or Dunguaire Castle?
Overnight Galway

Day 8: Burren, Cliffs of Moher or Connemara (or is it a mistake to miss the Aran Islands/Skelligs?)
Overnight Galway

Day 9: Galway to Dublin, via Monasterboice and Newgrange
Overnight Dublin

Day 10ublin Hop-on-Hop-off Bus, Cathedrals
Overnight Dublin.

Day 11: Dublin City shopping
Overnight Dublin

Day 12: Depart DUB

Thoughts on the itinerary? Must sees for our family? Too much/too little time in a particular place?
ElizabethheWanderer is offline  
Old Mar 5th, 2017, 01:57 AM
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Scrolling down the page reading your group and requirements, I was not expecting the Itinerary.

July (and August) is Peak Season so accommodation is tight and expensive.. Have you considered September? May is ideal but probably too soon for this year.

My mind before I scrolled down onto the itinerary was 7days in a fixed base, self catering and 5/6 nights for other options. Self catering tends to be Saturday to Saturday so possibly mid week arrival departures to suit? Good touring bases might be counties Galway, Clare, couple of Kerry locations

My though's also included open jaw, flying into one place and out of the other, probably Dublin and Shannon either way round. thoughts you have also considered.

As your Itinerary stands it's feasible apart from Day 1, wandering around Wicklow between a redeye and Kilkenny is a silly possibly dangerous approach.

Kinsale is a tourist option there are better locations for visitors.

Its sensible to split counties Kerry and Galway with a night in South Clare so you have a full day to explore even west Clare.

The Skelligs are tourist central this year with the Star Wars effect not a place for the young or old anyway. The Arans are OK but depends if you have time, something would have to give as you have 1st draft.
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Old Mar 5th, 2017, 05:22 AM
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I would fly from NY or Boston if you are wanting to split up the flights from LAX. Aer Lingus has cheapish flights from both locations. You would be able to do the drive the first day if you did that but not if you flew from LAX. I would be exhausted from that flight unless one of you gets a ton of sleep on the flight. I like the first day in Dublin for that reason. Jeg lag is no concern then. You could stay the day in Howth or Malihide just getting your bearings. Or you could do Dublin first and fly home from Shannon.
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Old Mar 5th, 2017, 06:27 AM
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Day 7...you probably won't be able to "do" the banquet in Bunratty and then get to Galway for overnight. Dunguaire would be do-able.

I agree with Tony (as usual); would June be possible? That is when I usually go.
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Old Mar 5th, 2017, 09:27 AM
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>> We are traveling from the Los Angeles area. We have family in Tennessee, so we have considered maybe first flying from LAX to Nashville and spending the night there to give us a bit of a break before we head on across the pond with a two year old. <<

Nashville does not work because there are no direct flights from Nashville to Dublin.Two flights with a connection defeats the purpose of what you are trying to accomplish.

>> Alternately, we could do a redeye from LAX to a city on the east coast, spend a day there, then fly the next night to Ireland. <<

The redeye on day 1 followed by an overnight flight on day 2 or 3 is also a bad idea. Sleep patterns and jet lag recovery will be a mess.

What you can do is take a morning or early afternoon flight LAX to the east coast(NY, NJ,Philly, Boston, etc., or to Toronto which is even better.The next day a direct flight to Dublin.

>> For example, if we left LAX on Thursday night, we might arrive in Ireland on Sunday, then depart on the next Thursday so that we are back at work on the next Monday.<<

I would leave LAX Fri morning or Fri early afternoon, sleep in Toronto or east coast city, next day a flight arriving Dublin on Sunday morning.

For the return, you do not need to leave Ireland on Thursday to go back to work on Monday.
To get home on Sunday: Leave Dublin on Saturday, sleep in Toronto (or east coast city) on Saturday, fly Toronto(or east coast city) to LAX on Sunday. To get home Saturday leave Dublin on Friday.

For ticketing you want a single ticket LAX to Dublin and a single ticket Dublin to LAX. It will be cheaper and avoid potential problems with flight cancellations and delays. In addition if you have 4 separate tickets you will have to pay for checked luggage, $25 per suitcase on both domestic flights(including Toronto). Also you may not want all your luggage in your sleep over city. On a single ticket you can check in your luggage to your final destination.

Having said all this I would bite the bullet, fly non stop LAX to Dublin and non stop Dublin to LAX. I say this as I live in Los Angeles, have flown LAX to Europe many times, have taken children(as young as 7 years old), am older than your mother (I also have a bad back), and have trouble sleeping on a plane.

Besides all this, it means more days in Ireland!!!
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Old Mar 6th, 2017, 05:27 AM
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>> In brief searches, it seems that I am finding fares to be cheapest into/out of Dublin, but an open jaw with Shannon is certainly possible if the fares aren't tremendously different.<<

This is better for you.Fly United into Dublin. LAX to Dublin with a connection in Toronto.Spend 2 nights in Dublin. Then off on your car trip. For the return you can spend the last 2 nights in Ennis/Bunratty, attend the Medieval Banquet one of those nights. Then fly Shannon to LAX with a connection in Chicago.This will cost you $1,004 per person. I priced out leaving LAX Sat July 1, arriving Dublin Sun July 2.Return- Leaving Shannon Fri July 14, arriving LAX Fri July 14. If you Fly Fri June 30 instead of Sat July 1 the price drops to $912 pp.

Sat July 1-1:10p to 8:52p (4h 42m )
Los Angeles to Toronto
Los Angeles Intl. (LAX) to Pearson Intl. (YYZ)
United 8322 operated by Air Canada
Airbus A321
layover 2h 18m stop Toronto (YYZ)
11:10p to 10:45a (6h 35m) Overnight • Arrives Sun, Jul 2
Toronto to Dublin
Pearson Intl. (YYZ) to (DUB)
United 8683 operated by Air Canada Roug
Boeing 767-300

Fri July 14- 9:15a to 11:25a (8h 10m)
Shannon to Chicago
(SNN) to O'Hare Intl. (ORD)
United 67
Boeing 757-200
layover 1h 20m stop Chicago (ORD)
12:45p to 3:15p (4h 30m)
Chicago to Los Angeles
O'Hare Intl. (ORD) to Los Angeles Intl. (LAX)
United 3
Boeing 737-900
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Old Mar 6th, 2017, 08:58 PM
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I noticed that my above suggestion included Air Canada Rouge, a budget Airline LAX-Toronto-Dublin. You may not want to fly that airline. Other options at the same price include LAX-Washington DC-Dublin instead of Toronto.
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Old Mar 7th, 2017, 06:45 PM
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Thanks all! I really appreciate the feedback and suggestions. With our 2 year old, I still think we'll probably break it up instead of flying direct from LAX. We're pretty experienced West Coast to East Coast red eye fliers, and fortunately, everyone seems to sleep. There are indeed some great deals on Aer Lingus out of JFK, and it's pretty easy to get cheap flights from the LA area to NYC area. So I think we may do that. Also, with Aer Lingus, I notice that the open jaw is less expensive than what I had seen in my previous searches. I think that helps the itinerary considerably.

The end of June is possible. Daughter doesn't get out of school until mid-June, so that's why I was pushing it later into the summer. Ideally, I'd like to do it at the end of May, but we have to go with our circumstances at the time.

I appreciate the feedback on the islands. My initial thought was that neither the Arans nor the Skelligs are right for us, for this trip. Somehow I just felt like I was missing something important. However, my attitude is always that I'll be back, and it may be a better time for that on another trip.

A few itinerary questions...

What's the best option for this size family and luggage from DUB to city center? Taxi?

I had originally planned two nights in Kinsale, but then when I started looking at what we'd do, I'm not sure it is worth it. Someone above also alluded to this above also. Is it worth a single night? Should I add that extra night to Killkenney (as I've done in itinerary below?) Cut Kinsale out altogether as an overnight and add an extra night to Killarney or Galway?

I feel like the ending of this itinerary isn't right. Too much back tracking or something. Is Ennis the best place to stay overnight for a flight out of Shannon? Doolin too far?

Here's what my revised itinerary is looking like...

Day 1: Arrive DUB AM
Dublin hop on/hop off bus, cathedrals
Overnight Dublin

Day 2: Monasterboice and Newgrange
Mommy and Daddy to Temple Bar area
Overnight Dublin

Day 3: Kilmainham Gaol or maybe Dublinia
Grafton Street shopping
Overnight Dublin

Day 4: Glendalough to Kilkinney
Overnight Kilkinney

Day 5: Kilkinney Medieval Mile, Black Abbey, St. Canice
Overnight Kilkinney

Day 6: Rock of Cashel, Cork or Kinsale
Overnight Kinsale

Day 7: Blarney Castle, Killarney National Park/Muckross
Overnight Killarney

Day 8: Ring of Kerry tour (or maybe Dingle or Beara Peninsula instead?)
Overnight Killarney

Day 9: Travel to Galway via Adare (Bunratty Castle?)
Overnight Galway

Day 10: Connemara
Overnight Galway

Day 11: Cliffs of Moher, (Bunratty Castle? Dungaire Medieval Banquet?)
Overnight Ennis

Day 12: Depart Shannon
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Old Mar 8th, 2017, 08:56 AM
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3 places on my nice to visit wouldn't stay list, Doolin, Dingle.Kinsale Tourists love those places so maybe I'm wrong. To be fair Kinsale isn't that bad and with a 2 yr old you won't be looking for night life. Might also cancel your Castle Banquet, maybe contact Shannon Heritage on age restrictions?

Going back a stage if you cut Kinsale and went from Kilkenny to Killarney in an arc through Cashel and Blarney you have a free night to split the County Kerry to County Galway section.
Possibly from Killarney do the Dingle loop continuing on to a night in either Listowel or Adare. Then fit Bunratty castle/Folk Park, Quin Abbey, maybe Coole Park before Galway.

Makes sense to go Galway via the M/N 18 one way and back to Ennis via west Clare, not too much backtracking at all.
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Old Mar 8th, 2017, 10:11 AM
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>>What's the best option for this size family and luggage from DUB to city center? Taxi? <<
Taxi

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g...our.Hotel.html

http://www.transportforireland.ie/ta...are-estimator/

http://childfriendlytaxi.ie/
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Old Mar 8th, 2017, 06:13 PM
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>> Should I add that extra night to Kilkenney (as I've done in revised itinerary?) Cut Kinsale out altogether as an overnight and add an extra night to Killarney or Galway?<<

Building on the expertise of Tony. I would do 2 nights Kilkenny,cut Kinsale out altogether as an overnight, and add a night in Listowel or Adare (after Killarney).Actually 1 night Kilkenney and 1 night Kinsale could also work).

Then rev 2 could be:

Day 1: Arrive DUB AM
Dublin hop on/hop off bus, cathedrals
Overnight Dublin

Day 2: Monasterboice and Newgrange
Mommy and Daddy to Temple Bar area
Overnight Dublin

Day 3: Kilmainham Gaol or maybe Dublinia
Grafton Street shopping
Overnight Dublin

Day 4ublin to Glendalough, to Jerpoint Abbey, perhaps to Kells/Kells Priory, continue to Kilkinney.
Overnight Kilkinney

Day 5: Kilkinney Medieval Mile, Black Abbey, St. Canice
Overnight Kilkinney

Day 6: Kilkenny to Rock of Cashel,to Blarney Castle, more shopping Blarney Woolen Mills, to Killarney.
Overnight Killarney.

Day 7:Killarney National Park/Muckross,
Overnight Killarney

Day 8:Killarney to Adare. En route Dingle, West of Dingle(Peninsula)loop to Tralee, then on to Adare.
Overnight Adare (or Listowel).

Day 9: Adare to Galway.En route Bunratty Castle/Folk Park, Quin Abbey, maybe Coole Park, Thoor Ballylee.
Overnight Galway

Day 10: Connemara
Overnight Galway

Day 11: Burren, Cliffs of Moher, Bunratty Castle Medieval Banquet-5:30pm (finish 7:45pm approx).Children 0-5yrs are free.
Overnight Ennis

Day 12: Depart Shannon
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