Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
First a little background. I was born in England (my father was stationed there in the Air Force) and lived there for a total of 8 years during my childhood. We did take the opportunity to visit Scotland and Wales and I still remember both fondly even though I was very young. However, we never made it over to Ireland, and I feel it's time for me to fix that.
Next year, I turn 30 and that's just what I want for my birthday. I know I will be going with some friends (at least 4-6 others that I'm aware of) but I'm really at a loss as to when the best time of year to visit is. I have been doing research and even though people are saying the summer is obviously the most crowded, it may be our best option. I'm thinking July or August. Is that a terrible idea? I'm not closed off to going during the shoulder seasons, and my birthday is in February, but I'm not sure if Winter is the greatest idea either. Because there is likely to be a group of us, chances are we will be staying mostly in the Dublin area or somewhere nearby. Any other tips surrounding traveling to Ireland would be greatly appreciated! If there is already a thread regarding this, I'd welcome direction to it as well.
Winter can be a pretty depressing time to go because of the darkness. Summer will definitely be more touristy, but there will also be more things open. I've liked visiting in both the fall and spring and the weather has been great (relatively speaking).
The west of Ireland is worth a trip. You can shoot straight across from Dublin to Galway in a few hours. Galway is a great area to visit.
Winter can be a pretty depressing time to go because of the darkness. Summer will definitely be more touristy, but there will also be more things open. I've liked visiting in both the fall and spring and the weather has been great (relatively speaking).
The west of Ireland is worth a trip. You can shoot straight across from Dublin to Galway in a few hours. Galway is a great area to visit.
Thank you for the advice! I am thinking summer will probably be when we go if not spring.
I've been four times and I tell you October is COLD!! My idea would be go in the summer but avoid the touristy areas. There are great places all over Ireland that are not overrun. Why not charter a boat and sail up the Shannon? Or rent a house in Donegal? You can fly into Sligo and pick up a rental car there. Have a wonderful trip whatever you do!
There's a reason everyone goes in the summer. Longer days, better weather. I went to Ireland in March and it was freezing, wore my winter coat. But I agree with eureka that you should get out of Dublin and explore other parts of the country.
The best time to go to Ireland and/or Scotland is in June.
That is when the days are at their longest and also when you have the best chance of decent weather. September is also generally good but the days are a bit shorter.
I've been four times and I tell you October is COLD!! My idea would be go in the summer but avoid the touristy areas. There are great places all over Ireland that are not overrun. Why not charter a boat and sail up the Shannon? Or rent a house in Donegal? You can fly into Sligo and pick up a rental car there. Have a wonderful trip whatever you do!
I will definitely check up on your suggestions. Traveling with a group is going to prove a bit challenging when it comes to the planning, but I hope we can find something that fits us. Thanks!
Best of luck to you in your challenging task!. I should have mentioned that the Shannon boats are houseboats that you can sleep aboard. Let us know how it goes.
I also would suggest June. Some tourists, but not so many. Long days,and a chance of decent weather.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
