If you are just tuning in, we spent eight days in Ireland with our two young children, 2 and 4 years old. We chose Ireland for a few reasons: 1) easy flight direct from our local airport in Hartford, Connecticut (no need to drive to New York or Boston for a direct flight). 2) It is a relatively small country that makes it easy to explore with kids, we knew we could rent a car and see a lot . 3) English is spoken making it easy to communicate and navigate. 4) We heard it was a beautiful country with friendly people 5) it was relatively affordable (cheap car rentals, affordable airbnbs, and food).
I am here to report that Ireland exceeded every expectation. We had 8 days of absolutely perfect weather (a perfect sunny 70 degree day every day in the first week of May). The people were lovely, kind, and welcoming. The food was actually amazing. The country was so beautiful and we loved exploring it with our kids and my in laws. It was such a beautiful trip and easy enough to get to that we know we will be back to explore the country in the not too distant future.
Are there things we would have done differently? I would love to spend more time in the Connemara region and more time hiking. I would definitely take a boat tour out to explore some of the islands off the west coast. I would have skipped the detour to the Cliffs of Moher. If I didn't have the kids I would have spent a half day in Dublin before heading out to see the rest of the Country. We also did not have enough time to explore northern Ireland, or the eastern coast. What we did do was the areas high on our wish list, spending a few days in two different home bases to really enjoy the area and not be on the go with the kids every single day. While we spaced out the timeline to enjoy the area, there is a decent amount of driving and if you are from the US (and a lot of the world) you will be on the wrong side of the road on the wrong side of the car on very narrow winding country roads.
We loved Ireland and if you are planning a trip (especially with kids) this guide might be helpful for you. I really truly hope these posts also inspire you to get out of your comfort zone and travel abroad with your kids.
