Now I’m going to be honest here and tell you right away that we did not budget nearly enough time to explore Ireland the way we wanted. However, I also know that no matter how many times you read this, you’re going to be stubborn and some of you will still decide to only budget one week in the country. I get it; I once only had two weeks of vacation too. So, in respect for your lack of adventure time, I’ve put together one of the best Ireland road trips that can be done in one week.

Day 1: Arrival in Dublin, Ireland

If you can, try and get an early flight into Dublin so that you have some opportunity to explore the city. Though I’m not much of a city girl, I still enjoy having a few hours to explore before heading onward to the countryside.

Dublin is easy to explore in a flash, take a stroll down Temple Bar (the more touristic street in the city) and buy a few local souvenirs just to say you’ve been. More importantly, ensure that you budget enough time to head to a local pub and listen to the live Irish music surrounding you.

Day 2: Head onward through the Wicklow Mountains

Rise and shine, get an early head start to your day in order to allocate enough time to get out of the city. This is probably a good place to mention that if you don’t have a car… you’re going to need one. It’s damn expensive to rent a car (especially if you’re under the age of 25, have no clue how to drive shift, and are looking for insurance) but 100% worth it.

Get out of the city and take the back roads (R115) onward toward Waterford. Make a few pit stops along the way in the quaint village of Glendalough while catching a great view from Sally’s Gap. Continue through Wicklow and onward to Kilkenny to take some awesome shots of the Kilkenny Castle while strolling through the small colourful pedestrian streets in the old town. If you’ve got time in the day, continue to head onward to Waterford. This is a great city for port views, food and shopping. If you need to stock up on groceries or gas, this is the place to do it.

Hotel Recommendation: Granville Hotel Waterford

Day 3: Ride the Coast into the Cork Region

Though only a small distance away, you’ll be surprised how much longer it takes when you’re selecting on the cutest roads along the way. Don’t miss out on the beautiful scenic drives just to rush through – this is not the way to experience Ireland.

Be sure to pull over on the side of the road to check out a few of these along the way:

• Annestown Beach
• Tramore
• Dungarvan
• and Kinsale if you’ve got the time!

In the afternoon pick your destination for lunch wisely. We had decided on the city of Cork and then quickly turned around when we realized how much of a city it really was. We made way to the Blarney Castle, kissed the Blarney stone and then stopped along in Macroom for dinner and groceries.

There’s no doubt about it, you’ll have to make your way in the evening onward to Top of the Rock Pod Pairc. I’ve written an entire review if you click here.

Ireland’s Green Escape | Top of the Rock Pod Pairc

Settle in at the warm campfire and spend a night sleeping in luxury in the middle of the wilderness.

Day 4: Drive the Coastal Fingers of Mizen Head and Sheeps Head

This is where I am slightly changing the plans. We didn’t have the opportunity to spend an entire day explore the Wild Atlantic Way, but it’s something we all want to come back and explore. Leaving Top of the Rock Pod Pairc around 10:00am after a delicious locally made breakfast, we drove along the coast toward Mizen Head – stunning views and a photographer’s paradise!

Although we didn’t have time to explore the next coast outreach over (Sheeps Head), it was a destination recommended by all the locals. This is something else you should experience before heading into Killarney.

Make a stopover for dinner in Ballylickey (again something we didn’t do, but recommended highly by the owner of Top of the Rock) at Mannings Emporium.

The evening is yours to ponder. There are so many beautiful locations, you could even just pitch a tent and enjoy the views for the night.

Day 5: Ring of Kerry & The Dingle Peninsula

This is something we really didn’t plan enough time for. We managed to drive a very small portion of the Ring of Kerry and it was absolutely breathtaking! If we have enough time to do the entire ring, we would have. Though I can only recommend you visit these two destinations, there is ample information online about various tourist routes and excursions.

Another possible night you could be spending along the waters edge. Tip: Look for small bed and breakfasts or hostels, the more quaint, the better.

Day 6: Make Way to the Cliffs of Moher

Though I wasn’t really keen on the area after seeing some of the most beautiful views in my life around Mizen Head and the Ring of Kerry, the Cliffs of Moher are still a stop you’ll need to make on your journey.

Tip: Ensure you head there in the evening. It’s packed during the day as tourists make their way in and  out, while if you’re heading there in the evening, you might even be lucky enough to be able to sit and watch the sunset. 

There are plenty of accommodations and hostels around the area in Doolin for the night. There are always some wonderful traditional pubs with live music if you can get there in time for evening.

Day 7: Experience the True Glamping Experience in Ireland

If you’re reading this blog and you have intentions of staying longer than a week, then this is the time to make that extension. A week long road trip is more exhausting than you might imagine and to have a few extra days for relaxation, Emerald Glamping is the place to be. Located in Daingean and very close to Tullamore, there are a couple whiskey distilleries around the area and plenty of eco adventure sports to be done!

On the eighth day we headed onward to Dublin before catching a flight and just in time to head to a classic Irish pub for some more live music and some Irish beer.

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