Roadtrip Ireland: 14 Day Itinerary- Part 1
From the moment we met, my boyfriend and I knew Ireland would be the first big trip we would take together. Two years ago, it worked out that we had the time and finances to go for his 40th birthday. He had already been twice, so he knew general areas, but there was a lot of the Emerald Ilse he hadn’t seen yet. Whenever I travel, I always want to see as much as possible, so I planned the road trip of a lifetime, squeezing in almost every major site Ireland has to offer. This was our itinerary!
Day 1
Drive to Seattle to catch a flight with a layover in Reykjavik, Iceland. Arrive at Dublin airport early the next day.
Day 2
Arrive in Dublin. Fun in customs during COVID times… Grab a taxi downtown to check into our hotel, Temple Bar Inn. Shake off the jetlag with a bit of a nap, then go walking to find dinner. Early bedtime after some delicious chicken curry and fish and chips.
Day 3
Dublin Day. Early morning run around St. Stephen’s Green. Fried Bree breakfast on the streets of Dublin before embarking on the longest walking day of the trip. First stop was Christ Church Cathedral, then over to St. Patrick’s Cathedral for a light lunch in the park. A long walk led us to the National Museum of Ireland with an amazing Vikings exhibit. Back to the hotel for a quick freshen up before a beautiful dinner at The Millstone Restaurant. With full bellies and happy hearts, we wondered the streets taking in joyous laughter in the pubs, fun in the streets, and moody castles lit by the moon.
Day 4
After a slow morning with brunch at KC Peaches, we checked out of the hotel and grabbed another taxi to the airport. Then began the real adventure. I knew in order to see Ireland the way I wanted; I would have to conquer the fear of driving on the left side of the road (I didn’t go as far as to do it in a manual), so we picked up the rental car and headed west. We were on our way to Sligo with a couple stops along the way; the Carrowkeel Passage Tombs and Keshcorran Caves. There is nothing cooler than seeing perfectly preserved ruins that are over 5000 years old! Once we arrived to Sligo and checked in to our Airbnb, we ordered some takeout chicken curry and enjoyed some Irish sitcoms.
Day 5
We started the day with a leisurely drive headed north from Sligo. Our destination was Slieve League with a quick stop in Donegal (home of my paternal ancestors). The “hike” to the viewpoint of Slieve League was about 1 mile with little elevation and completely paved. It would take around 30 minutes, but I was stopping every 5 seconds to take in the views, talk to the wandering sheep, or take a picture. This place is absolutely stunning! There is a small fee at the car park, but very reasonable and not very crowded. A couple souvenir stands are at the viewpoint and cute café/shop is located at the car park.
Half of the day was gone when we had finished soaking in the sights at the cliffs. On our way back to the Airbnb, we stopped at a beautiful trail along a small creek; everything in Ireland is so green! We meandered back to the car and proceeded to do a bit of unplanned off-roading to find a viewpoint of Benbulben, a stunning flat-topped mountain. Easy pizza for dinner (yes it tastes better there), then an early night, as a long day of driving was ahead.
Day 6
Driving around the country side just seeing the homes and farms was one of my most favorites parts of our trip. Much of day six was spent doing exactly that. Our first stop was Downpatrick Head, a coastline wonder with hundreds of layers of visible sediment that make for a stellar visual. You can walk right to the cliffside (if you have the kahunas) and view the stacks that jet straight out of the ocean. Rich blue ocean, brown layers of rock, and deep green grass create this contrast that you can hardly look away from. After spending much too long marveling at this natural wonder, we continued our drive to Athol Island. Not only is this island full of beauty, it held some special memories for my boyfriend. It was so fun to listen to him remines about the time he had spent there. A quick (cold and rainy) stop at Keem beach finished off our sites for the day. On the long drive back to Sligo, we made quick stops at picturesque bays, old forts, and of course, for plenty of snacks.
Day 7
Sometimes in order to have freedom on a trip, you have to sacrifice a little time. Day seven was spent solely in the car. We made the long trek down the entire length of the Island to the southern town of Waterville. While some may consider 6 hours in a car boring (yes, it only takes 6 hours to drive almost the entire length of the Island), it was anything but. Considering most of the rural homes in Ireland are older than the United States itself, everywhere you look, there is something special to see. As the drive continued, the road transitioned from a 4-lane highway, to two lanes, to a single lane paved road, to practically a dirt track in the middle of nowhere. Getting to drive those roads was half the fun of the trip!
Part 2 Coming Soon…
With another 7 days to go, be sure to keep an eye out for Part 2 as we celebrate the Birthday Boy, take one of the most scenic drives in the world, and of course enjoy much more delicious eats!
