Adventure Around a 9-5: Ireland road trip using only 5 PTO days
Do you have a full time job or career, but still dream of seeing the world? I know the feeling. As a full time teacher, I work around designated school breaks and summers to see as much of the world as I can. My partner does not have the same luxury of designated time off, so with some flexible planning, we have been lucky to make the most of our trips using only 5 of his PTO days!
I created this blog, and my Instagram account, with the hopes of inspiring others to not let our careers stop us from living our dreams and experiencing all this world has to offer. There’s so much more to life than what society has normed for us. Sharing one itinerary at a time to help you plan and see as much of this world within the time frame work allows!
Here’s how we spent 7 days road-tripping around Ireland.
Kenmare, Ireland
FRIDAY
Take an overnight flight into Shannon Airport. We arrived a little before 6:00 AM Saturday morning. This was fun because we got to watch the sunrise over some adorable Irish roads and villages on our way to our first hotel!
SATURDAY
After arriving in Shannon, rent a car and drive to Killarney. We stayed at The Lake Hotel, which offered amazing views over Lough Leane and incredible locally sourced food. I still think about the fresh made scones and honey sourced from bees on property! Once we got settled in and filled up on breakfast and coffee - we began to explore The Ring of Kerry while fighting off jet lag.
After a short, ten-minute drive from the hotel, we arrived at Ross Castle. It was a beautiful sunny day, so we were pleasantly surprised to find so many local fisherman going out on their boats. Parking was a little chaotic due to the crowds, but it made it feel like an authentic experience. Sharing the beautiful weather and taking in the views with the locals made it even more special! We walked the castle grounds and enjoyed the beautiful lake views.
Just 15 minutes away from Ross Castle is Muckross House & Gardens. The grounds and gardens were some of the most impressive ones I have seen! We could have spent hours exploring. Next we drove to Ladies’ View - one of the scenic viewpoints along The Ring of Kerry. Here we treated ourselves to a Bailey’s affogato (yes - it’s even better than it sounds) with a view at the cafè.
We ended our afternoon of exploring in the colorful town of Kenmare. We shopped around for Aran sweaters and had our first pint of Guinness at a local pub. We drove back to The Lake Hotel for an outdoor dinner paired with a beautiful sunset over Lough Leane.
The Lake Hotel Killarney
Left to right: Ross Castle, Muckross House, Ladies View
SUNDAY
We started our day off with another delicious breakfast at The Lake Hotel. We were blessed with another day of blue skies! We started off our day by heading to the Gap of Dunloe. I admit - I did NOT do my research here! We made the mistake of driving it ourselves. I give Connor so much credit because it was the farthest thing from easy - especially for it only being his second day driving on the opposite side of the road! The narrow, windy streets do not have room for two-way traffic and spaces for pulling over are few and far between. To make matters worse, the windy turns prevent you from seeing oncoming traffic. Luckily we did not run into many horse carriages and there was only one or two other cars! We survived the drive and made it out in one piece - with an amazing view!
The Gap of Dunloe
After tackling the Gap of Dunloe, we headed to the coast. We stopped in the colorful town of Sneem to explore and grab some coffees. We then headed to Derrynane Beach and Ballinskelligs Beach.
Lastly, we stopped at the Kerry Cliffs. This viewpoint is lesser known than the famous Cliffs of Moher, but I think it is more impressive. The cliffs are home to many local wildlife and are a popular spot for birdwatching. On a clear day, you can see the Skellig Islands in the distance!
We ended our day exploring Killarney Town and having dinner at Murphy’s.
MONDAY
We said goodbye the The Lake Hotel and Killarney and headed to the Dingle Peninsula. We only had one day in Dingle, and it was jam packed! It ended up being our favorite stop on the trip due to the authentic and local vibes. Looking back, we wished we had one more day here! We stayed at The Dingle Bay Hotel, which ended up being a very convenient location. We found ourselves stopping in and out throughout the day to change, grab a jacket, or drop off purchases.
After we checked in, we began the Slea Head Drive. This route is not as popular or as well known as The Ring of Kerry, but we enjoyed it even more. It is a much shorter route, meaning it can be done in less time with fewer stops. Since we only had one day to complete this drive, as well as explore Dingle Town, we narrowed it down to just a few.
Beehive Huts: For a small fee, you can explore some ancient stone dwellings. It was fascinating to explore the constructions. They are situated up on a hill, offering a great view.
Hold a Baby Lamb: That weird, hand-painted sign on the street? Yes - it’s real. For just 4 euro, you can pet and hold baby lambs. We explored the grounds and made some adorable friends along the way!
Dunqin Pier: This is my favorite view in all of Ireland. I could have spent all day here!
Back in Dingle Town, we headed on a Dingle Dolphin Boat tour to explore the Cliffs. We chose this tour because it was the shortest one and we wanted to maximize our time. If we had more time, we would have loved to go on a Dingle Sea Safari to see the migrating Basking Sharks that were in the bay!
We enjoyed a drink at the famous Dick Mack’s and ate dinner at James Long Gastropub. Here I discovered Dingle Gin - which is now my favorite gin. If you are a gin or whisky fan, head to the Dingle Distillery! It’s on my list for next time.
Don’t forget to treat yourself to ice cream at Murphy’s - their flavors range from typical Chocolate to Dingle Sea Salt to Irish Brown Bread. The more unique the flavor, the better!
TUESDAY
It’s time to head North to Galway! We stayed at The Harbour Hotel, which was just a short walk from Quay Street and had a parking lot. Upon arrival in Galway, we had another beautiful sunny day! We explored the Claddagh shops and the famous colored houses before spending the evening pub hopping and listing to live music. Some of my favorite spots are The King’s Head, An Púcán, The Quays Bar, O’Connell’s, and Taaffes.
Galway
WEDNESDAY
Take a day trip to from Galway to explore the Cliffs of Moher and the Burren. It is only about an hour and a half drive. On your way, stop in the adorable little town of Doolin and check out their sweater shops. If you need a break from driving, check out this guided tour!
THURSDAY & FRIDAY
It’s time to head to our last stop… Dublin! If I’m being honest, Dublin was my least favorite stop of the trip. However, if it is your first time in Ireland, I definitely recommend a visit! We stayed at The Fleet Hotel near Temple Bar. It was a very nice hotel, but if you are not planning to bar hop in the area, you may want to stay elsewhere.
On our first day, we visited Trinity College, St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin Castle and hopped around some of the bars for live music. On our second day, we headed to The Guinness Storehouse and The Jameson Distillery. I thoroughly enjoyed both experiences, and highly recommend - even if you don’t typically drink either.
Again, we were blessed with amazing weather and were lucky that Drury Street was buzzing with people after work. We felt like we got a taste of a local vibe and enjoyed exploring this area!
A sunny day in Dublin
If you are not much of a city person, you might enjoy this day trip from Dublin!
SATURDAY
Fly home from Dublin.
I hope you enjoyed this itinerary and found it helpful in planning your own Ireland road trip!
