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How to Plan a Road Trip in Ireland
Brenna Swanston, Leaf Group Updated March 15, 2018
Many of Ireland's roads are narrow and winding. (Photo: Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images )
Two-Day Tours of Ireland
Driving Vacations in Ireland
Backpacking Tours of Ireland
Escorted Tours of Northern Ireland
Ireland's a small country: A coast-to-coast trip between Galway and Dublin takes less than three hours by car, which means that if you can get used to driving on the left side of the road, the Emerald Isle can make for a perfect road trip. Simply rent a car, pick a route and start your drive, which is almost guaranteed to serve up rolling green hills and unbeatable coastal views. Ireland has a few of its own famous road trip routes, but first, take care of the basics by finding a set of wheels.
Picking a Time to Travel
Before you can worry about the car or the route, you'll want to choose a time of year that's friendly for car travel. Ireland's a notoriously rainy country, so picking a season with moderate weather is necessary for car safety. However, you'll also want to avoid the crowds and high prices that tend to accompany tourist season, so you'll have to compromise.
That said, you'll probably have the best luck in spring or fall. From March to May and September to November, the weather remains relatively mild (though you're still guaranteed to catch some rain), and the crowds aren't too bad. The warmest, sunniest months of June, July and August might make for ideal driving seasons, but they also bring the most tourists to Ireland.
Renting a Car in Ireland
The Republic of Ireland is home to 12 car rental companies, three of which also operate in Northern Ireland:
Budget Car Hire/Payless Car Rental
Carhire
Celtic Campervans
Sixt Ireland
Dollar Thrifty Car Rental Ireland
Donal Ryan Car & Van Hire Ltd.
Dooley Car Rentals
Irish Car Rentals
Motability Ireland Ltd.
Of these companies, Budget, Dooley and Hertz rent out cars in Northern Ireland as well. All you need to rent a car from one of these companies is a valid, current driver's license and a credit card, and, possibly, a passport for ID purposes, depending on the company. You'll be required to sign a rental agreement, and you may have to pay extra fees if you plan to drop off your rental at a different location from the one where you picked it up.
You'll also have to purchase third-party insurance for the vehicle to cover any injuries or damages you could inflict to another person or vehicle. These insurance costs will be included in the rental rate. Rental companies also should provide insurance for theft, a collision damage waiver and personal accident insurance.
The Wild Atlantic Way
Ireland is a small, car-friendly country, and one of the best ways to see it is via road trip. There are a few different popular routes for touring the isle by car. One of the most famous is the Wild Atlantic Way, a world-renowned drive up Ireland's west coast that covers more than 1,600 miles of Ireland's most beautiful sights.
The Wild Atlantic Way route starts in Kinsale, County Cork, and reaches all the way to Malin Head, the northernmost point in Ireland. It's one of the longest coastal routes in the world and includes tons of activities and viewpoints, such as whale-watching in Cork, walks along the Cliffs of Moher and sailing in Galway. You can make the trip your own, with itineraries ranging from one day to three, and 14 major points of interest:
Inishowen Peninsula
Fanad Head
The Slieve League Coast
Donegal Bay and Sligo
Erris
Achill Island and Clew Bay
Killary Harbour
The Burren and West Clare
The Shannon Estuary
The Dingle Peninsula
Ring of Kerry
Beara and Sheep's Head
Other Route Options
If you only have a day to road trip through Ireland, you'll have to prioritize the places you visit. You can squeeze Croagh Patrick (the country's third-tallest mountain), Galway and the Cliffs of Moher into one day, for example, but if you plan to see the Ring of Kerry, which boasts scenic countryside views, you'll want to allocate the entire day to it. Other popular day-trip routes include:
Wexford to Waterford via Hook Head, which takes you to the world's oldest functioning lighthouse
Dublin to Porlaoise via the Wicklow Mountains, which includes waterfall views as well as rural countryside scenery
The Burren Loop, which explores Burren National Park and its limestone landscape
Galway to Westboard via the Doolough Valley, which drives past hillsides, lakes and beaches
Yeats County and Lough Gill Scenic Loop, which starts and ends in Sligo and takes you through the beaches and mountains featured in Yeats' poetry
If you can manage 12 whole days, you can see almost everything there is to see in Ireland – in both the Republic and in Northern Ireland. This roundabout route starts and ends in Dublin and travels through the following spots in between:
Bunratty Castle & Folk Park
Cobh
Blarney Castle
FOTA Wildlife Park
Rope Bridge & Giant's Causeway
Donnegal
If you're opting for a multi-day road trip, you'll have to plan lodging in between those stretches of road and adventure. Bed and breakfasts are one of the best options for accommodations in Ireland, especially in the countryside: They allow you to stay in historic buildings, such as castles and manors, and sometimes even in Irish family homes, providing an up-close experience with the local culture.
You could also consider a hotel room or Airbnb. Either of those options is likely to come with parking, which might be harder to come by at your fourth accommodation option: a hostel. Still, if you're traveling on a budget or enjoy social, communal living atmospheres, booking a few nights in hostels over the course of your road trip could enhance the overall experience.
Wild Atlantic Way: The Complete Wild Atlantic Way Route in 14 Stages
Lovin IE: 10 of Ireland's Best Road Trip Routes You Need to Do This Weekend
Car Rental Council of Ireland: Rental Information
Travel With Bender: The Ultimate Irish Road Trip Guide - How to See Ireland in 12 Days
Car Rental Council of Ireland
Discover Ireland: Driving Brochure
Brenna Swanston is a freelance writer, editor and journalist. She covers topics including environment, education, agriculture and travel. She previously reported for the Sun newspaper in Santa Maria, Calif., and holds a bachelor's in journalism from California Polytechnic State University. Swanston is an avid traveler and loves jazz, yoga and craft beer.
Attribution: SkateTier; License: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license
Swanston, Brenna. "How to Plan a Road Trip in Ireland." Travel Tips - USA Today, https://traveltips.usatoday.com/plan-road-trip-ireland-24533.html. 15 March 2018.
Swanston, Brenna. (2018, March 15). How to Plan a Road Trip in Ireland. Travel Tips - USA Today. Retrieved from https://traveltips.usatoday.com/plan-road-trip-ireland-24533.html
Swanston, Brenna. "How to Plan a Road Trip in Ireland" last modified March 15, 2018. https://traveltips.usatoday.com/plan-road-trip-ireland-24533.html
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