Here is a detailed, day-by-day review of our Best of Ireland tour. This will give you an idea of all of the activities we were a part of each day.
May 18 - Travel Day: Minot, ND to Minneapolis
We flew from Minot, ND to Minneapolis and arrived in the Twin Cities around 5:30 PM. Shortly before boarding, the gate agent announced a mechanical delay. They informed us that the crew was working on securing a replacement plane, and that the flight would still depart that night. While we waited, they provided snacks in place of our in-flight dinner. Eventually, the new flight time was set for 6:00 PM the following day. Some passengers were not happy about the delay, but the airport staff was very kind and helpful. Delta, the airline, was great—they gave us hotel room vouchers and meal allowances. We arrived at the hotel around 11:00 PM, and after a long day of travel, we were in need of a good night’s rest.
May 19 - A New Day
We woke early to call Rick Steves' Travel Assistance Program, which is On Call International Global Assistance Program, to let them know we would miss the group meeting due to the delay. They were wonderful, showing genuine concern for our safety and staying in contact with us. They even coordinated with our guide in Ireland. It was clear we had chosen the right tour company. The flight that left at 6:00 PM was smooth and enjoyable, with some college students applauding when the plane took off! They added joy and excitement to our flight! During the delay, we had made new friends among our fellow passengers, and the flight itself was pleasant. We landed early and were so happy to finally be in Dublin!
May 20 - Exploring Dublin
We arrived in Dublin at 7:07 AM local time, excited to start our adventure. After passing passport control, we made our way to the bus station. The ride to our hotel took a bit longer than expected, but we arrived at the bus stop near the Bushwell Hotel at 8:45 AM. We quickly made our way to the lobby, where members of our group were already there. We introduced ourselves to the front desk staff, and Pascal, our guide, greeted us warmly. He was a true Irish gentleman. He offered us the option to join the 9:00 AM tour or to rest, but my mom insisted we join the tour.
We met our travel buddies. My mother's was a very nice lady named Susan from Washington state. My travel buddy was a cool lady named Tamera from Washington as well!
The morning was spent on a walking tour of Dublin. For me, it felt like a dream come true. I was soaking in all the sights, from Dublin Castle to the Book of Kells and Trinity College. I never expected to see palm trees in Dublin! After the tour, we had lunch on our own before embarking on our own adventure. Before we left, we asked Pascal any last minute advice, for example, what to do if we get lost, etc. We visited the Guinness Storehouse (to see this, click our "side adventures" button) and also stopped at St. Patrick's Cathedral. It was a fun day exploring the city, and we returned to the Bushwell Hotel at 2:30 PM. Pascal greeted us again, and we shared our experiences from the day. The hotel was charming, and I really loved it. After a busy day, we were in bed before 9:00 PM, ready for another exciting day.
May 21 - Kilmainham Jail and Cashel Rock
We woke early to enjoy breakfast before heading out. Pascal organized an introduction game so that everyone could learn each other’s names, and we were paired with travel buddies we met the day before. My mom and I had a great experience with our travel buddies, who remain friends to this day.
Our first stop was Kilmainham Jail, where political prisoners were held during times of unrest in Ireland. Next, we visited the beautiful Rock of Cashel, a ruin of a castle with stunning views and a peaceful atmosphere. The hike up to the castle was breathtaking, and the sight of the cemetery with Celtic crosses was striking. We explored the massive drawing room inside the castle and imagined the grand events that once took place there. On the grounds of the castle, there was a choir house where the young boys choir is housed. It is restored - not in ruin - which was very interesting. Afterward, we continued to Kinsale, where we had dinner as a group and explored the town and harbor. We also made plans for the next day and enjoyed a leisurely evening. After supper, we ventured out with our new friends to explore the town and habor and also and made plans for the next day!
May 22 - Walking Tour of Kinsale
Our day began early with a walking tour of Kinsale led by local guide Barry Moloney, who was a wealth of information about the town's history. As a history enthusiast, I was particularly moved by our stop at the Lusitania Victims' Grave. It’s one thing to read about the victims in a history book, but seeing the graves in person made their stories come to life.
We then took a 45-minute Scilly walk to Fort Charles, a 17th-century military fort with fascinating history. It was built as a symbol of the importance of Kinsale had in Irish history. Fort Charles gives visitors an inside look at to what life was like in the 17th century military. The guide shared a haunting story of the "White Lady," the ghost of a young bride who jumped to her death after hearing that her new husband had been killed. He was killed because they were secretly trying to leave the fort that night. He was shot by her father, the commanding officer! They say that though she does not show up in all photos, she does appear occasionally! Afterward, we returned to Kinsale for lunch and a visit to the local farmers' market, followed by a boat ride around the harbor with our new friends Becky and Don. The weather quickly turned from sunny to cold and rainy, but we made the most of it and ended the day with ice cream and more exploration of Kinsale with our friends.
We learned of the Tidy Town Contest also. The country of Ireland has a Tidy Town Contest. This title goes to a village, a town or a city that is the cleanest, shiniest, and most colorful. The country reflects this. They encourage the people to paint their home and businesses in some very bright and vibrant colors. Wow! It was impossible to miss them! It was so tidy and clean!
May 23 - Exploring Kenmare and Killarney National Park
My mother started the day with a complimentary shot of sherry in the hotel lobby! We then headed out to the beautiful rolling hills of Ireland. The scenic drive took us to Kenmare, where we visited the Kenmare Stone Circle and explored the small town. I was thrilled to visit Quills, the famous shop featured on Rick Steves' travel show, and picked up some keepsakes, including items like authentic shamrocks, dark chocolate with Irish whiskey candy bars, and harp earrings and necklace set.
We visited the Kissane Sheep Farm, which we could relate to, being farm girls from the midwest! It was familiar to us how the dogs ONLY listened to the Shepard and listened so well!
We continued to the stunning Killarney National Park, where we visited Muckross House and Gardens. The natural beauty of Ireland's forests and mountains was overwhelming. I took some time to reflect on my Irish heritage. To see what I learned about my Irish heritage, see the "About Us" page! Later that evening, we went out with friend and we enjoyed a group dinner and a performance by local musicians. It was a perfect end to another great day.
May 24 - The Blasket Islands and Dingle
Today, we learned about the art of glass cutting from skilled craftsmen, and I was amazed by their expertise. We then took a scenic drive, along what is known as their most beautiful road, in Ireland, stopping to learn about the Blasket Islands and their resilient inhabitants. It was inspiring to see how the islanders preserved their Gaelic heritage despite challenges.
Our guide pointed out some points of interest, one was Skellig Michael, which included where some scenes in the block buster movie Star Wars were filmed near Dingle!
In Dingle, we enjoyed a walking tour, followed by free time to explore the town. We visited a local ice cream shop and spent the rest of the day relaxing with our new friends. We also attended a Catholic Mass, followed by dinner at Ahoy Fish and Chips, and met up with friends to do some more exploring here. Dingle, known as the "Nashville of Ireland," was a lively and charming town, and we had a blast exploring it.
May 25 - A Rest Day in Dingle
This day was designated as a rest day, and we spent it recharging and exploring at a leisurely pace. I’d like to give a special shout-out to our waitress, Joanna, who was another highlight of our trip. She was, by far, the favorite waitress of our trip. She was engaging and a ball of laughs. Please look for her at Dingle Benners Hotel restaurant - she was a gem! We also celebrated my sister's birthday by calling home to wish her a happy day. Later, we enjoyed more shopping and dining in Dingle, and the rain couldn’t dampen our spirits. We decided to buy some warm sweaters made of the famous Aran wool.
May 26 - County Clare and the Cliffs of Moher
Today we traveled through County Clare, the area where my family comes from. This is where my grandparents also visited years ago! We visited the Cliffs of Moher. We were close to Knock and St. Bridget's well of healing. One could say this is the place that my Ireland adventures were born so many years ago! We also explored the Burren, a ruggedly beautiful landscape. It is tricky to walk on. Be safe - take your time! At the Cliffs of Moher museum, I found a display called, "Find your Irish roots." This is where I looked up my ancestry and found a small article about the crest. We also met a very nice guide who helped us pronounce our ancestors' last name correctly. Afterward, we shared a delicious dinner with our group and reflected on the day’s adventures.
May 27 - Aran Islands
After breakfast, we traveled to the Aran Islands by ferry. These remote islands are known for their rugged beauty, livestock, and Gaelic-speaking inhabitants. We explored the island, discovering that my great-grandmother had made dolls and sweaters with the same patterns still used today. I even found a sweater made by a woman with the same name as one of my family members. It felt like a truly special connection. I also purchased a Claddagh ring as a keepsake. How this ring is worn has a special meaning. Here, we found out how "Irish" we really were when we found the patterns!
We saw the tradition of kicking the wall in Galway. Let me tell you, they are not afraid to swim in the cold water. We saw people jumping in on a cold, windy day. It was no issue for them!
We were then back to the ferry boat and Galway for the night.
May 28 - Ashford Castle Adventure
Our visit to Ashford castle was a bit of a mixed bag. I absolutely loved the grounds, and the history was incredible. However, the hawk walk was a real challenge for me since I'm terrified of birds. Thankfully, our guide, Pascal, did a great job keeping me calm, still it was hard not to turn and run or scream! I stayed at the back and kept my distance from the hawk. Today held special importance for us. We were in the Shannon region where our relatives had visited all those years ago. Later we visited Cong, Ireland, near knock it was a beautiful rustic town and we discovered that the church of St. Marys in Cong was a sister parish to the one in Knock. How amazing was that. Our day ended with a unique experience- a demonstration of how to make the perfect cup of Irish coffee at or in in the very place it was first made. Clew Bay Hotel in Westport our instructor was the hotel manager who’s wife's family owns the hotel. I made a mistake during the process, but I was able to enjoy the results! Afterwards, we had a great dinner with Don and Becky from New Jersey at the hotel restaurant. I had fish and chips and my mom had veggie soup. It was a perfect day
May 29 - Crossing Into Northern Ireland
The next morning at breakfast, the same server, who was also the manager, from dinner the night before served us. I ordered coffee, and he asked, "Black without whiskey?" I smiled and said yes, and he joked, "Ah, but you're alive to tell the tale!"
Today, we crossed into a part of the world I never thought I'd get to see—Northern Ireland. It’s a beautiful county, so green and lush. We visited Derry (or Londonderry, as the locals call it), and our local guide was both informative and humorous, giving us insight into The Troubles. We spent most of the day on the bus, as the area is mainly good farmland, but it was a lovely, peaceful ride.
We later saw, on our bus ride, the only fjord in all of Ireland. We stopped in a small town on its shores - Portadown, northern Ireland. On our way to where we had ice cream for lunch. For more on this adventure see "Side Adventures." We were 11 miles from Scotland at this point and could see the coast of that country!
That night, we stayed in Port Rush at a cute hotel called the Elephant Rock Hotel. Dinner was with Mike from Tennessee and Peter from Boston—such great company. Afterward, our driver Steve shared stories about his family, and we shared stories of our family with him! We also learned how to get to the famous golf course in Port Rush. So, we took a walk on the beach. The town will host this year’s British Open Masters golf tournament, and it was stunning.
May 30 - Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge
This was a day I almost backed out of—the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge. Pascal shared his own fear of heights and told us how our driver, Steven, had jumped on the bridge when crossing to make it extra exciting. He also mentioned that they wouldn’t let us cross if it was too windy. As we neared the site, my stomach dropped. But when I heard my mom was going for it, I decided I had to do it, too.
To cross, we had to climb down a ladder to a platform, and then an attendant let us know when it was safe to go. I held my breath, but I crossed—and it was totally worth it! We even got certificates for crossing the bridge.
We also stopped at the amazing giant Causeways - a site to take in! They claim it was made by giants! It is an ancient, amazing rock formation.
Afterward, we headed to Belfast. The city is huge and comes up on you quickly. Before heading to the hotel, we did a driving tour and stopped at a peace wall, where we had 15 minutes to sign our names and leave messages of hope. It was a very powerful experience. That night, we had dinner at the hotel with a local musical group, complete with singers, dancers, and storytellers. The food was amazing!
That night, we stayed at the Europa Hotel, which was the same hotel that President Bill Clinton stayed at in 1995 during the Peace talks!
May 31 - Exploring Belfast
Belfast is a city with a past that should be handled with care. While it might appear rusty and worn, it’s full of history—especially from the Troubles that lasted until the 1990s. Our local guide, Susie, shared stories of how she had to be careful living and growing up in northern Ireland because at any moment she could be searched. It wasn’t until recently that tours were allowed in Northern Ireland. One more interesting fact about Susie, was that her great grandfather Thomas Millar, was a member of the crew on the Titanic.
One of the most striking aspects of Belfast is the peace walls that separate communities. Susie shared that people hope it will take future generations to bring the walls down, as the children have the power to make peace happen. Peace that brokered is still fragile today.
We also visited a local history museum with a display about the Scotch/Irish descendants in the U.S. It was fascinating to learn about how many well-known American families have roots in Northern Ireland. The highlight of Belfast was the Titanic Museum, built on the very site where the ship was constructed. It was hands down the best museum I’ve ever visited. It took us through the building process, shared sound recordings of what it was like as a passenger onboard and sound bites of what it was like building the ship. Also displayed was artifacts from building the ship. The exhibit also highlighted how human error played a part in the sinking, which was a sobering moment.
The rest of the day was free time before our farewell dinner at a fantastic restaurant called CoCo. It was such a wonderful evening! Pascal gave an amazing farewell speech, you rock, good man! After dinner, my mom and I walked back to the hotel with Tamra and her husband, Derek. It was hard to say goodbye, so I just said, “Later,” to everyone. Until we meet again, friends!
June 1 - Heading Home
Our final day was bittersweet. After breakfast, we said goodbye to our new friends and boarded the bus to the airport. We flew home to North Dakota, reflecting on an unforgettable journey. Until we meet again, Ireland!