Ireland: Our itinerary and how we planned

To date, I consider Ireland one of my husband's greatest accomplishments in trip organization.  Our distribution of responsibility when it comes to travel planning usually looks like this: we decide where to go, he picks the hotels and basic itinerary (he controls all of his hotel and airline points, so this makes good sense), then I help fill in the details.  He loves to do travel research as well, so this gives him his fun part, then I get to let my OCD take over and work out details.  However, I will give him almost full credit for Ireland, and he did an amazing job.

We took this trip to celebrate our 30th birthdays and 5th anniversary, and I would say it was the most detailed travel planning we had needed to do at that point in our lives.  We were both very intrigued by Ireland, so the destination wasn't difficult to determine - but what to do once we got there?  At the time, we didn't have many friends who had traveled there, so we depended a lot on our trusty Fodor's guide and internet information.  This was also the first trip where we really planned to get off the beaten path.  Our travels before had been to resorts or larger tourist areas and although we hit a lot of Irish highlights, our favorite moments were in small towns, immersed in true and authentic Irish culture.

My husband laid out the basic plan designed around the idea of a round-the-country road trip, then he and I discussed details of what we would like to do or what we should skip in each place.  This is what we came up with, including those plans that changed en route and things we might have changed if we were doing it again.  I'll highlight the places we stopped overnight and also try to work in some of the attractions along the way, which I'll discuss more in detail in future posts.

(Source: http://www.mapsofworld.com/ireland/)

Dublin: Coming from Chicago, Dublin was our only option for a direct flight, so it was easiest and most cost effective for us to fly in and out there.  We felt that Dublin was a city we'd like to see and we were also able to easily meet our friends from London there.  Neither of us are really big urban people and tend to shy away from big cities on our travels, but Dublin has a lot of wonderful history to share, along with a terrific nightlife scene.  You won't want to miss iconic sites like the Guinness Storehouse or St. Patrick's Cathedral.

Our post on Dublin can be found here.

Galway: Straight across the country on the west coast of Ireland lies the seaside city of Galway.  The train trip from Dublin to Galway is very easy (about 3 hours long) and it gets you to a great location to start a road trip clockwise around the southern part of the country.  We chose to take the train rather than driving because we didn't feel that there was a ton we wanted to see between these two cities, and we knew we'd be in the car a lot over the next week.  Galway is a really fun city and gives a wonderful taste of urban Irish pub culture.  It also gives perfect access for a day trip to the Connemara, an area I would absolutely not miss.

Our post on Galway can be found here.

Our post on the Connemara can be found here.

Doolin: A very small town, but the perfect place to rest your head on a journey from Galway to Dingle.  Along the way, you can enjoy the sites of the Burren, as well as experience the Cliffs of Mohr, a tourist destination but one I promise you will not forget for the rest of your life.  Plus, Doolin itself is a fabulous place to integrate yourselves into authentic tradition for an evening - it is famous for its traditional Irish music scene.

Dingle: Probably my favorite Irish town, and ideally situated to experience the very best of Irish scenery, including Slea Head Drive and the Connor Pass.  Large enough to be comfortable for all tourists, yet still small enough that the Irish character and culture are amazingly strong.  A wonderful, friendly place and a great stop for an itinerary.

Killarney: This town has the great fortune of being centrally located for attractions like the Ring of Kerry and the Gap of Dunloe.  That is pretty much the only reason I would recommend Killarney as a stopping point.  This town is the closest we came to "cheesy tourist" and it doesn't have a lot to offer in itself outside the exceptional restaurant Treyvauds.  We also considered staying in Kenmare, but chose Killarney as it was closer to Killarney National Park/Gap of Dunloe.

Our post on the Ring of Kerry and Killarney can be found here.

Cork: Cork was not included in our original travel plans - it was only introduced as an idea when we met 4 fabulous new Irish friends in Dingle who encouraged us to come visit (and we didn't want to spend another night in Killarney as planned).  If you can build any flexibility into your Irish holiday, please do - because meeting these people and then traveling to see their homes and pubs was one of our favorite parts of the journey.  Cork itself is a pretty typical bigger city, but we really enjoyed the surrounding suburbs and Fota Island.

Kilkenney: Like Killarney, this was a good stop off point between things we wanted to see and get to, but we also thought it sounded interesting in itself.  It has good restaurants, a castle in town, and a vibrant pub scene - it feels a little more like a college town.  There is certainly more to see in and around Kilkenney than we were able to do in our time there. If you are looking to tour the Rock of Cashel and/or Cahir Castle (and I recommend both to everyone), it's a reasonable drive.  

Our post on Kilkenney and environs can be found here.

Powerscourt: This was kind of an afterthought for us in our planning, as we had some points we could use at the Ritz Carleton here to finish off our journey and it was a good place for us to be able to access Dublin again for our flight home.  I never expected to love Powerscourt House and Garden as much as I did, and now recommend it as a must see to everyone we talk to Ireland about.

Places we chose not to see but you might consider: 

*Blarney Castle - home of the famous Blarney Stone.  Before you go out of your way to kiss this famous stone, check out videos of what you actually have to do.  I didn't need any more gift of gab, especially not from hanging upside down high in the air...

*Waterford - obviously the crystal capital of Ireland.  I would have loved to stop here given more time.

*County Mayo - This looked like an intriguing area with gorgeous scenery and lots of history.  It was just a little more out of our road trip range than we thought we had time to wander.

*Northern Ireland - We just didn't feel like we had the time on this 10 day trip to squeeze in a journey up here.  I am happy we didn't try to jam anything more into our time, but someday I would love to go back to see this supposedly beautiful area.

Stay tuned for our series of detailed posts on our trip, including all the cities and attractions we saw and the things we experienced!

Anguilla as a couple: what to do and see

**To see our recommendations for accomodation, restaurants, and nightlife on Anguilla, click here.  To read about on our time on nearby St. Martin, click here.**

The first day we arrived from St. Martin, we settled into comfortable chairs by the infinity pool at the Frangipani and were enjoying cocktails when hotel manager Scott came up to introduce himself.  Before we knew it, we were booked on a cruise with a few other guests the next day.  Trust me - our arms did not have to be twisted far at all!  This was an incredible way to see not only Anguilla but the outlying islands as well.  And who doesn't love a fabulous day on a boat in the sun?  :)

First stop - Prickly Pear Cay, which is a nature preserve.  Really nothing but a small bar (read: thatched hut) and restaurant on a pristine beach.  Allan makes a mean frozen cocktail - bring cash. He doesn't mind if it's wet  :)

We obviously weren't the only ones here, but it sure felt like it.  Apparently day-trippers come over to Prickley Pear from St. Martin, but I wouldn't let that dissuade you from taking a visit.

Interacting with the wildlife

On to Sandy Island.  We didn't eat here, but apparently they have incredible food, especially fresh lobster.  We chose to enjoy more cocktails from the boat and chat with Scott and watersports head Rasharn about Anguilla.

Oh, just another day...

Cruising on, we found our way to Little Bay, which is only accessible by boat. There is a rumor of a rope that you can climb down to access Little Bay from land, but we didn't see a rope, nor would we recommend that option.  If you don't have boat access, you can also kayak/paddleboard from daVida in Crocus Bay. 

Pelican Rock stands clearly out of the water in Little Bay, with an approximately 22 foot drop into the water that people can jump off.  I never thought it would be something I'd consider, but after everyone on the boat went, I knew I'd regret it if I didn't.  In way of warning, the only way up is over tough volcanic type rock hanging on to a ancient rope - if it were more comfortable I probably would have come back down this way!  As it was, I picked the easier option.  Glad I did it, but I never need to again!

Climbing Pelican Rock

Oh, I will never forget that climb...

Shipwreck in Sandy Ground on our way home - tired, a bit sunburned, but all VERY happy.

Much of the rest of our time on the island was spent in our rented jeep, exploring and experiencing all the beaches.  We would highly recommend renting a car (a Jeep if you can!) while you are in Anguilla and Ronnie Bryant is the guy to do it from.  His company can drop one off for you at the ferry terminal so you don't need to take a cab to your destination, and it's extremely easy to get around on the island.  You will want your own transportation to get to all of the beaches, as well as the evenings if you plan on going to restaurants or enjoying nightlife.  Other options are not so plentiful.

Sea Feather Bay, looking towards St. Martin

Savannah Bay, which we THINK is our favorite beach on the island (it's still under debate...)

Most of the time we were here, we were the only ones  :)

And if you get thirsty, there is a fabulous little restaurant called Nat's Place where you can get a delicious rum punch and seafood straight from the water.

The East End area and a view of Captain's Bay

East End into Island Harbor

Shoal Bay East

This wonderful restaurant, I am sad to report, has since closed in this location.  They have, however, relocated on Shoal Bay East so I am excited to update their information/photos on our next visit!  Gwen's is an institution on Anguilla and a place no one should miss!  I'm sure the new location will be just as amazing.

This is what used to be the outdoor dining room  :)

After Gwen's, we moved to the other side of Shoal Bay East.  This is probably the busiest beach we saw on the island.  We parked our car at Elodia's Beach Bar and found a couple of lounge chairs for a modest fee (I believe it was $10 for the day).   I stayed in my lounger to read and relax while my husband made his way through the beach bars that lined Shoal Bay.  He really enjoyed the walk and said the only bothersome thing he experienced was a lot of construction - this may obviously vary by time of your trip.

Cove Bay, with a view of St Martin

Sunset over Meads Bay, from the Frangipani beach

Rendezvous Bay

The Sunshine Shack on Rendezvous - run by the delightful Garvey.  As long as you are drinking or eating there, beach chairs are free.  It's a wonderful way to waste several hours...

Maundays Bay, home of Cap Juluca hotel.  It. Is. Gorgeous.  If I was REALLY splurging, I'd look at staying here.

The water around Anguilla is usually incredibly calm, but occasionally you will see some big surf!  The hotel in the background here on Meads Bay is the Viceroy, another luxury resort.  The Viceroy is far too large and modern for our taste, but they do have a nice friendly bar on the beach to stop by!

Island Harbor

Just one example of the amazing fresh seafood you can get on the island.  This restaurant, On Da Rocks, appears to be permanently closed, but there are so many options for a seafood lover!  The crayfish is not to be missed.

Locals in a friendly sailboat race

Back on Shoal Bay

Sunday afternoon live music at Gwen's.  I am thrilled to see this has continued at the new location, because there is nothing like live reggae sitting on the beach with a fruity cocktail in hand.

This is The Scratch Band - Tap (Gwen's husband) is the lead singer

Meads Bay really can't be beat for sunsets  :)

So in the end, if you love having some of the most beautiful beaches in the world virtually all to yourself, you will see Anguilla as the paradise we did.  I just don't think any other Caribbean island quite compares to this little jewel.  I can't wait to head back in March - stay in touch for our updates from our second trip to the island with our 6 year old daughter!