How to Plan a Vacation to Ireland

Posted by Nick on May 18, 2010

Getting to Ireland is likely the easiest part of planning a vacation to Ireland. You can fly direct into Dublin or one of the other airports in Ireland. If you are coming from the United Kingdom, you can take a ferry from Scotland or Wales. If you take the ferry from Scotland, you end up in Northern Ireland and have to take the train into Ireland.

Determine what you want to see so that you can decide how you want to get around Ireland. If you are really only interested in Dublin, you can fly into Dublin Airport and use public transportation to get around. Dublin has a great public transportation system. You can take the bus anywhere in the city – including to and from the airport. And it is always clean.

You can travel by rail to get around Ireland if there are multiple things you want to see. If you do this, you are likely to miss out on a few things. For instance, no train goes near the Cliffs of Moher. Coach bus service is another option for getting around Ireland. If you really aren’t keen on driving yourself and want to be able to go to the out-of-reach areas, then this is your best best. Of course, you can also rent a car to drive around Ireland. Just remember that they drive on the opposite side of the road in Ireland.

Ireland car rentals are available from local and national brands, such as Hertz. To avoid a large hold on your credit card, be sure to pony up for the insurance. Be warned though that the insurance does not cover the tires – so take care when you make those turns.

The climate in Ireland is mild and temperate, so plan to pack your luggage accordingly. Also pack an umbrella as there is a good chance you will get rained on.

Check the exchange rate on a site like XE.com to see how far, or not so far, your money will go in Ireland. Ireland’s currency is the Euro. A non-favorable exchange rate could make your trip shorter than you’d like. Get some Euro from a currency exchange counter before you leave, or just use an ATM once you arrive in Ireland.

If you are taking credit cards, keep in mind that most credit card companies charge a foreign currency transaction fee for every transaction that you make. This ranges from 1% to 3% depending on the credit card issuer. Currently, Capital One and Bank of America do not charge these fees.

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