Ireland family vacation itinerary & things to do
Ireland is an island in the North Atlantic known for its beauty and cliffs. Irish Sea surrounding the Island adds to its beauty and makes it a great attraction for tourists. We planned an Ireland family vacation two years ago and made amazing memories for a lifetime. Just like most of my travel posts before, I will try introducing all of my readers to a wonderful Ireland family vacation itinerary and things you could do in Ireland.
Most people travelling to this part of the world prefer travelling to London, Scotland and Ireland in a 7 day rushed trip. Many families or couples stay for two days in Ireland and cover major tourist spots. The information shared below in this post would guide you to expand your itinerary based on the number of days you have. Since we spend more five days in Ireland in many cases with our little ones, we got enough days to explore the Island
Where to start? — Ireland family vacation itinerary
We planned our Ireland family vacation itinerary in a creative way that allowed us to enjoy an relax each day. We kept it flexible and filled with fun.
Dublin
We started our vacation from Dublin, capital city of Ireland. We enjoyed a stroll on the banks of River Liffey, visiting its parks, its old university and its lively downtown streets. Dublin is a great place to enjoy and you can easily spend around 3 days soaking in the local culture and delicious cuisine. Dublin is a great place to shop as well. Remember to visit Moore Street. Moore Street is a landmark famous for its open air fruit and vegetable market which is Dublin’s oldest food market.
While you can enjoy food at Moore, you can’t leave to grab some shopping bags. Visit Brown Thomas and BT2 located at Grafton Street. Both the stores offers luxury shopping experience in Dublin. Don’t forget to check some amazing sale deals at these stores.
Grafton Street is known as one of the best places to shop when it comes to Dublin shopping and has everything from high-end boutique shops to regular street fare which can be acquired for a bargain.
You should plan travel during the mid-April to May or Sep to mid-October time frames. This is great time since you could encounter less crowd and better deals to book hotel rooms/tour packages etc.
Ireland is a great place to roam around from one city to another. We rented a car and enjoyed amazing scenic drives which were actually the highlight of our Ireland family vacation.
Glendalough
Most families prefer travelling to Waterford from Dublin but we had heard a lot about Glendalough, so we decided to spend a day here. Turned out to be a great place to enjoy and spend some quality time. You could spend a day in the peace and quiet of Glendalough, also called ‘the valley of the two lakes’ is known for its spectacular scenery, rich history, archaeology and abundant wildlife. Glendalough is a remarkable place that will calm your mind, inspire your heart and fill your soul with delight and profound joy.
Things to visit in Glendalough — Glendalough Monastic site famous for its Round Tower. Round Tower can hardly be missed since it is still standing and a complete building as opposed to lots of damaged sites you will see here. If you are in Glendalough, you cant leave without visiting Sally Gap and Guinness Lake. This is a great stop if you are driving from Dublin to Glendalough, a site not to missed.
Waterford
Waterford is known for Rock of Cashel, an amazing heritage place. You can also spend a day here and explore the rich culture of the Irish. I have always been intrigued and attracted to crystals so my husband had planned a surprised tour to the House of Waterford Crystal. This was an amazing experience and you could also enjoy a guided tour. Visit the mold room, and see blowers shaped molten crystals with wooden molds and hand tools. I loved spending time at the gorgeous retail store which is one of the world’s largest displays of Waterford Crystals.
Dingle Peninsula Loop
As per the number of days available at your disposal, you can plan your trip to Ring of Kerry or head to Dingle Peninsula Loop. The Ring of Kerry is a scenic drive around the Iveragh Peninsula. Its 179 km-long, circular route takes in rugged and verdant coastal landscapes and rural seaside villages. If you love driving, then you definitely should rent a car.
Dingle Peninsula Loop trip is about 30 miles (47 km) long and must be driven in a clockwise direction. Sea Head Drive, one of Ireland’s most scenic routes, takes you on a journey through historic sites. It is great experience. We skipped this route since we had less time so we headed to Galway. We had planned to spend two days here to enjoy and relax.
Galway
Galway would top the charts when it comes to tourist attractions. Galway, a harbour city on Ireland’s west coast, sits where the River Corrib meets the Atlantic Ocean. I always suggest to spend some time here since you can plan a visit Cliffs of Moher, The Burren and Dunguaire Castle banquet. Galway was fun for my little one. He even made a friend there. We picked a budgeted place since I felt this part of Ireland a little expensive compared to others.
Looking to travel to Europe, read about our experience that could help you plan it easily.
https://www.colossalumbrella.com/category/family-toddler-travel/trip-to-switzerland/
Boyne Valley sights
If you a day more you can plan to travel to Boyne Valley sights. I have heard that the food there is amazing. We were short of time and had to head back to Dublin after spending two days in Galway.
Summary Ireland family vacation
- Cities to cover — Dublin, Glendalough, Waterford, Dingle Peninsula Loop, Galway and Boyne Valley sights
- Scenic drive — Dingle Peninsula Loop trip
- Best city with tourist attractions — Galway
- Best city to enjoy Ireland food — Moore Street Dublin
Family vacations are always since it is great time to bond and spend some quality time.
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Originally published at https://www.colossalumbrella.com on August 23, 2019.
