What I Wish I Packed on my Trip to Ireland

After traveling to Ireland, not once, but twice, I think one of the most important lessons I learned was that no matter how prepared you think that you are, there's always going to be something that you wish you had packed! As someone who prides herself on packing light and efficiently, I was sure I had thought of everything. But Ireland, with its unpredictable weather and unique experiences, humbled me. If you're planning a trip to the Emerald Isle, here's what I wish I had packed and what you shouldn't forget!

Renting a Car in Ireland: What You Need to Know To Give You the Freedom to Explore Ireland on Your Own!

Renting a car in Ireland can be one of the best decisions you make when visiting this beautiful country. It gives you the freedom to explore the rolling hills, dramatic coastlines, and charming villages at your own pace. However, the process can be a bit overwhelming, especially driving on the other side of the street on the other side of the car! This can be quite precarious, as you navigate narrow roads with lots of hidden corners not to mention the hidden obstacles you'll find as you drive. More on that later! You'll want to make sure you are well-covered with insurance. This guide will take you through everything you need to know about renting a car in Ireland, from understanding all of the insurance options to providing essential tips for driving around the Emerald Isle.

Circle the Emerald Isle in 15 Days: The Best Self-Driving Itinerary. Part 3: Heading to the South of Ireland

Welcome back to part three of Circle the Emerald Isle in 15 days! This is the PERFECT self-driving itinerary that will help you see, experience and explore the best of Ireland. In case you missed it, in part one we started by flying into Dublin and worked our way up towards Northern Ireland as we circled the island counterclockwise. We explored the Antrim coast and stormed a few castles. We continued to loop around the island in part two as we explored a portion of the Wild Atlantic Way. In this part of our trip we spent time in some of the more remote parts of Ireland and got off the beaten path as we hiked Sliabh Liag cliffs and Croagh Patrick. We went to big cities and small towns and started to get a real feel for the pub culture! 
In part three, we will be continuing our loop around the island by staying on the west coast before heading south and then completing our loop back to Dublin before the trip is over. On this part of our trip, we went to the most remote island in all of Ireland and experienced our biggest tourist trap disappointment! I can't wait to share with you all the things we found along that way that helped to make this the best Irish road trip out there!

Circle the Emerald Isle in 15 Days! The Best Self-Driving Ireland Itinerary. Part 2 Exploring the Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland

Welcome back to part 2 of Circle the Emerald Island in 15 Days! This is the PERFECT self-driving Ireland itinerary. If you missed part 1 of the trip, we started in Dublin and headed on a counterclockwise tour around the island. We've already explored Northern Ireland and the Antrim Coast and dipped our toes in the Wild Atlantic Way. We will continue exploring Ireland, with this portion focusing on some of the most beautiful rugged coastline and including some outdoor adventure. This part of the trip includes more charming towns and villages as we continue to immerse ourselves in the local Irish culture and hospitality. 

Circle the Emerald Isle in 15 Days! The Best Self-Driving Ireland Itinerary. Part 1: Northern Ireland and the Antrim Coast

You know the beloved quote by travel lovers, "I haven't been everywhere, but it's on my list!" This sums up how we embrace travel, especially as we are getting older. As a couple, we want to make sure we fully embrace each of the areas we are travelling to because there are so many places on our list, that we want to make sure we see them all, and we don't just scratch the surface with our travels; we want to feel like we really saw them. I had the opportunity to travel to Ireland a few years ago with a travel writers group, and I fell in love with the island in the short time I was there. The diversity of the country, the incredible people, the wonderful food and the tumultuous history, had me wanting to dive in and get back to Ireland to explore it the way we like to explore a place, thoroughly and slowly embracing every moment.  My biggest fear was that we had only scheduled 15 days to self-drive the whole island, and I wasn't sure that would allow for us to really immerse ourselves in the culture and not just be bouncing around, but we quickly found that it was the absolute perfect amount of time! 
We put hours upon hours of planning every portion of our Ireland itinerary. We found that there were some items that were major hits, and a few that we could have skipped, but overall, it's an itinerary we wanted to share because it was absolutely perfect! Of course, there were a few things we would have changed and those will be noted in the itinerary, but overall, we patted ourselves on the back for our planning! We left Ireland having experienced the food, the culture, making friends with the people and slowly exploring the popular and not so popular spots. If I never get the opportunity to travel back to Ireland, I left feeling like I really got a good taste of the country and to me, that's the most perfect ending to any trip. So come along with me as I share the perfect 15-day self-driving itinerary of Ireland.