Jay and I took our eight- and ten-year old boys to the Emerald Isle for a couple weeks this past June, and I spent a lot of planning time searching the Internet for answers to questions like, "How much should I budget for food? Does my eight-year old need a booster seat? What sites are fun for kids?" I found a few helpful blogs, websites, and forums, but the available information still left us a lot to figure out as we went.
Our trip took us in a loop connecting Dublin and Counties Kilkenny, Wexford, Tipperary, Kerry, Clare, and Offaly. The four of us spent 12 days in the country (not counting flight days and a side-trip to northern Wales), several of which included lots of togetherness in our small rental car. Our goals for the overall experience were to see the country, meet locals, connect with history, and keep to a modest budget.
Not only did we survive the trip, we met our goals and had a FABULOUS time! We traveled in distance over 900 kilometers and in time 5,000 years. We saw foxes and farm animals, visited castles and cliffs, explored playgrounds and passage tombs, ate sausages and salads.
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| A placid donkey waits by a peat shed. |
More than one person has said to me, "I can never plan a trip like that. How did you do it?" First of all, sure you can! Planning a trip is about knowing what you need to know and where to find it. Perhaps sharing our experiences can help you on your way! I've written several posts that cover the basics of planning for this trip with a family, a step-by-step planning process, specific recommendations, and a total cost breakdown. (If you're anything like me, you're scrolling through to find the $$ link.)
Remember, this is our experience traveling with two tween-age boys to places that interested us. Some of my travel tips are pretty universal, but the needs and interests of your own family will obviously shape your trip in unique ways.
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| At Kilkenny Castle |
First Things First
After you've gotten excited about traveling to Ireland and have determined you have the time and funds, you're ready to shape your trip! I'll cover specifics and how-tos in a series of posts, but here are general guiding principles as you prepare:- Make sure everyone in your family has a valid passport. Getting or renewing passports can take several months, so start this process first.
- Book flights, housing, rental cars, and any absolute must-see ticketed events as far ahead as possible. We made our June bookings in March to April, and some options were already limited.
- As a family, prioritize ahead of time generally what you want to do and see. Guidebooks and websites are awesome, and you can get the family involved in the discussion to help create excitement and buy-in. If you have a list a mile long of things you want to do in Dublin, or if you know you want to stay on a farm for a week, this will inform the rest of your decisions. Start making a wish list! (Read more about including the kids in this process here.)
- Make a budget and keep track of expenses as you plan. The sky's the limit when it comes to how much you could spend on housing and food; you don't want to get in over your head. Spreadsheets are your friends!!
- Enjoy as much of the planning process as you can. Yes, it can be stressful planning something like this, but it can also be super fun! I fondly see the preparation as part of the whole experience.
Steps 1-2: Time of Year and Booking Flights
Steps 3-5: Dublin and Car Rental
Steps 6-7: Itinerary and Housing
Steps 8-9: Luggage and Logistics
More about: Costs, food, transportation, sights and sites, preparing the kids
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| Let's hit the road! |
Great so far Rachel.
ReplyDeleteThank you for reading!
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