Congratulations, you’ve decided to take your first trip to Ireland.
The first thing to decide is: Do I take an organized tour of Ireland, or do I travel Ireland independently?
Reasons to take an organized tour:
1-If you are retired and this is your first trip to Ireland, take a tour.
Travel in Ireland can be stressful. The Irish drive on the left side of the road, the steering wheel is on the right side of the car, the roads are narrow, winding, and full of beautiful scenery you would like to see. Also most cars are standard transmission. When was the last time you drove a car with a clutch? The tour driver knows the answer to the question most tourist drivers ask themselves when driving the narrow roads of the beautiful Irish countryside: Yes, that oncoming bus, lorry, truck and my vehicle can pass each other and no, we won’t end up in a ditch on the side of the road.
2-You like to have an itinerary.
It’s your first trip to in Ireland and you want to make sure you see the spots that are famous: The Ring Of Kerry, The Cliffs of Moher, The Guinness Brewery. You can set up individual tours in each town you go to, but the tour operators are experts. They have intimate knowledge of each Irish site and will have arrangements with restaurants, Irish traditional musicians, and shows.
3-You have a large group.
Family reunions or family weddings. A tour keeps the family together and most tours have times to explore on your own. I had the pleasure of attending my cousin’s wedding in Wicklow. The celebration lasted a week and we all traveled throughout the west of Ireland. We hired 2 vans and basically myself and my brother-in-law carted everyone around. No one else would drive and although it was a great Irish adventure, I needed a vacation to recover from my vacation .
Reasons to book your own Irish vacation:
1-You like to explore on your own.
Self guided tours lend themselves to unique experiences. If traveling during the summer months it can be more challenging to find a B&B due to the peak season. Use the Irish tourism offices. They will help you find lodging in or near your next point of interest. My favorite trip to Ireland was self guided. My wife navigated, I drove, and we just explored. We found ourselves in small one pub towns, and had such interesting chats along the way.
2-Travel Ireland at your own pace.
There will be times you make friends or enjoy a village so much that you want to stay for a few extra days. Take time to enjoy the awesome sites of Ireland, be it the Dingle peninsula, Kinsale Town, Mizen Head, Cork, the Burren, The Cliffs of Moher, or the beautiful county of Donegal and more and more……Also you have time to appreciate the simple beauty of rural Ireland. There will be times that a spot will capture your heart and you can feel the connection to your Irish heritage.
Either way, remember to use proper pub etiquette, relax and enjoy your trip to Ireland, one of the most beautiful and unique places to travel to. Cheers.
Irish travel tips:
1- Make sure your passport is valid and up to date.
2 -Electrical converters are needed to use your blow dryers, electric razor, or any electrical device bought in the states.
3- Pack for all types of weather and temperatures. Being surrounded by the ocean the weather can change hourly. Many a day starts off warm and sunny to end up cold and raw. You won’t need the winter parka but a weather-proof jacket, a fleece, and a sweater or two will come in handy.
4- Walk or take a taxi to the pub. Ireland has strict laws concerning drinking and driving, plus the roads take some getting use to,especially at night.
5- When you need transport from one place to another remember: it’s a lift not a ride.They mean completely different things in Ireland.