Planning a trip to Ireland well in advance, but I'm new to trip planning

[Hebrewhomeboy]

For our 1 year anniversary, my wife and I both want to go to Ireland. We celebrate our one month anniversary tomorrow, so I have tons of time to plan this, I just want to have it well thought out and planned ahead of time. I have never done any civilian international travel as an adult though, so I want to make sure I do it properly. I know we'll both need passports, and obviously I'll have to get the plane tickets, and then I was looking at a few nice tour packages, and probably a car rental there (if it's not in the package).

Is that it? Assuming that the tour package would include hotel rooms, and of course we'd bring plenty of cash for whatever purposes/needs, am I missing any major details or anything?

[flatbutt]

I've been afew times on business. Make sure to see the small towns. Have some meals in the local pubs and chat up the locals. They are lovely people.

[John_AZ]

Skip the tour and packages stuff. You will be trapped with a group of white haired men and ladies with canes and walkers. The bus rides will kill you. The driver doubles as the evening entertainment at the cheap "tour" hotels.

Just get the cheapest flight to Dublin, go on TripAdvisor to check out your price of hotels and GO! If you want to see more rent a car.

English is spoken and they use the EURO. One Euro = $1.40+-

This is not hard. If you planned your past trips this is easy.

In Dublin stay away from the main streets (bars) when you pick a hotel. You will hear the crowds until 4am. (and a lot of puking and peeing).

GL
John

[Hebrewhomeboy]

Thanks, that's great advice. Kelly kinda wants to just rent a car and drive around and explore, and I'm thinking that may be a good idea. We're specifically wanting to go see Cork county since that's where her family came from, and the Jameson Distillery. I never even thought about the other people that would be on the tour, and the long annoying bus rides.


Now I'm thinking that, armed with a rental car and a map, we can just drive right down to the places we specifically want to see, and stop at every interesting site along the way. Seems like that could be a much more enjoyable trip, we'd just have to research a little first so we can find plenty of nice memorable places to go.

Thanks!

[Ned, NYNA11]

Get a small manual rental car. Book it on the internet.

Get a gold Mastercard which comes with CDI coverage for rentals and use it for the car, otherwise you will be required to buy the rental company CDI coverage and its a ripoff.

They will charge you up front for a tank of gas priced way over market and the calculation is fudged so that you pay for about a tank and a half! Return the car with a full tank to avoid this trick.

Do not rent from Dooley or Europcar.

I use Hertz. Sign up for Gold membership before going.

[John_AZ]

Originally Posted by Hebrewhomeboy

, I just want to have it well thought out and planned ahead of time. I have never done any civilian international travel as an adult though, so I want to make sure I do it properly. I missing any major details or anything?

Just a couple more common sense things.

If you see a couple youth picking a fight with each other on a train, bus or parking lot.....guard your wife, purse, camera and walk away. This is a common ploy with tourists--everywere.

Use ATM cards to exchange money. My BankAmerica account lets me get free money transfers at Deutsche Bank, Barkleys, and a few others---no fees. No one likes travelers checkes---too many counterfit.

Make a copy of your passport, Credit cards and drivers license +++in another secret pocket in case you loose your wallet or worse.

The alcohol content of Irish beer is about half of the US. You tend to drink more.

In the major cities, get a hotel close to the center. Use public transport. You do not want a hotel that is blocks away. The money you save you loose in wasted time in walking.

You will have a great time!

John

[jmaxwell]

Check with your card company to make sure that Ireland is covered by their policy. Most cards list Ireland as specifically NOT covered.

[Hebrewhomeboy]

I knew I could count on this board for fast, great advice. Thanks a bunch guys!

[tcar]

I've been twice, wonderful. I've only been in Fall, Summer is supposed to be even greener and prettier, hard to believe.

Do not take tons of cash. Use ATM's and just take out a modest amount at a time. I took an AMEX card and used mostly AMEX ATM's. ATM's are everywhere.

I only used cash for tips, mostly. The

We rented from HERTZ. Was smooth and flawless.LOOK RIGHT WHEN YOU PULL OUT OF A SIDE STREET! Very hard to get used to. Dangerous. Some friends looked left, like we do here and their car was destroyed. Hertz had a white card on the top of the dash in reverse lettering that reflected in the windshield that said LOOK RIGHT! Good reminder.

LOOK RIGHT WHEN YOU STEP OFF A CURB, not left.

The Jameson Distillery is nice; the Guinness Distillery is great. Do both if you can. Pick one, I'd do Guiness. The view from the pub at the top of the tower is breathtaking.

We started in Dublin - great city. We took a bus tour to the Wicklow mountains - day trip that was just fantastic. Lunch in a pub (Enya's brother was there - we drove by her 'castle'.)

We also took a day tour to the the Cliffs of Mohr on the west coast; took the train across the country, and a short bus ride to the cliffs, lunch in a small pub in a small town. Loved the train. Left the Dublin train station early AM and were back in time for dinner. Also Fantastic.

You can book both tours online from here before you go.

And, they were not many old people, none on canes and walkers. There were lots of young people on the tours, group of 20's single girls on the Wicklow tour.

You can go clear across the country in a few hours.

We drove down to Cork (pronounced sort of like CARE with a K on the end) and down to Kinsale on the southern tip... PALM TREES! No white sandy beaches, though. That's where the Gulf Stream hits Ireland.

Absolutely the nicest people as a group that I've ever met.

Get started on your Passports, that can take weeks or months, sometimes.

[tevake]

I suggest getting an auto trans, they cost a little more. But let you focus just a bit more on staying on the correct side of the road. Shifting with the other hand is doable, just takes a bit more thought. Amazing driving there in the country. Narrow roads tho with stone wall right at the side of the pavement. A mid sized or smaller car is a help.

B & Bs are a good way to go. The Internet is your friend!!

Cheers Richard

[Hebrewhomeboy]

tcar, that sounds like exactly what we want to do.

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by tcar

....

LOOK RIGHT WHEN YOU STEP OFF A CURB, not left.

....

Easy way to know if you are in a touristy area. Look down and "Look Right" is usually painted at the crosswalk.

[stevepaa]

In Dublin I recommend the D4 hotels in Ballsbridge. A short taxi ride from downtown, but a nice area, and the taxis have a wating line right on the street. If you stay near downtown and Temple Bar, be prepared for some nosiy nightlife passing by.

Use credit cards and keep cash for taxis.

If you are catholic, go out west and climb Croagh Patrick in county Mayo, then drive south to cliffs of Mohr, and then to Cork.

Also recommend an automatic transmission car. I used Enterprise last year, but I would use Hertz or Avis next time because they are at the airports. Enterprise drop off for Shannon was 20 miles away in Limerick.


As said above, be sure to eat in local pubs and stay to have a drink or two and enjoy the locals.

[imcarthur]

I am a thorough travel planner. My wife just comes along & leaves everything to me. My advice:

Other than above (I usually use AutoEurope for cars - they are a broker (often Avis cars) & they will price match legitimate quotes from legitimate companies).
Buy a Michelin Green Guide or equivalent.
Buy a good map.
Research & book all hotels in advance. I don't like accommodation surprises because they tend to taint the visit.
Research sites, attractions & restaurants in advance. Directions, hours open etc etc. There is no joy in arriving at a site & it is closed for the time that you are there.
Get a GPS (or rent one.)
Do some trip report reading on the Fodor's Travel Forum: Fodors

Ian

[stevepaa]

I second the GPS, was invaluable on rural roads in Ireland.

But be sure to buy the Europe map while you are in US. Otherwise they, at least TomTom, won't let you download it while in Europe.

[tcar]

Even a couple years ago, automatic transmissions were few and far between; and only in the larger (more expensive) cars.

You do NOT want a large car there!

After about an hour of being very, very careful, I was pretty good on the 'left' side of the road.

BTW, we got there early in the AM and I drove into Dublin (hotel was right in the center of the city) during RUSH hour... I'll never forget it.