Tips For A Road Trip In Ireland
10 Tips For A Road Trip In Ireland
Ireland is quite possibly my favorite country in Europe. Home to over 30,000 castles and ruins, it’s rich history, charming accents and beautiful countryside make it easy to fall in love with but difficult to leave.
One of my favorite ways to see the country is to rent a car and explore Ireland’s beauty on your own time. However, driving in Ireland is more difficult than in other countries and you need to be well-prepared.
As an American citizen, I was able to rent a car in Ireland without an international driver’s license with no problems.
If you don’t have a license or would prefer not to drive yourself, I suggest checking out the Ireland trips on TourRadar.
But if you plan to drive yourself, here are 10 tips for road tripping Ireland!
1. Everything is opposite for most travelers
You will drive on the left and your steering wheel is on the right. Only a handful of countries drive on the left so for most tourists, this will be a new experience!
If you’ve never driven on the left, there might be a bit of an adjustment period.
Take a moment each day to orientate yourself again. When you hop in the car for the first time each day, old habits might kick in.
When it comes to roundabouts, you might get confused and miss your exit. Don’t panic, just slowly stay in the roundabout and go through it again to catch your exit. Go slow and keep your wits about you.
And make sure you put your co-pilot to work! You will be busy with your eyes on the road. So if you’re traveling with someone else, assign them the task of giving directions and watching the road signs.
2. Roads are insanely narrow often with zero shoulder
This was the most shocking part of our road trip!
We had heard the roads were narrow in Ireland but didn’t realize that also meant no shoulder on the road.
The stretch between Galway and Cliffs of Moher is lined with rock walls and thick bushes. So even on this popular, well-driven tourist route, you will feel like any incoming bus is about to run you off the road….except you’re already driving right up alongside a rockwall. (Check my TikTok video showing this!)
Some roads in the countryside will quite literally NOT fit two cars and one vehicle will have to slowly back up until there is spot on the road with enough room to pass. You’ll need to have your wits about you!
3. High speed limits on tight, winding roads make driving stressful at times
Not only are the roads narrow but the speed limits are quite high! It will feel at times like you’re whipping around tight corners and intersections.
There’s no need to fear driving in Ireland but it is good to be prepared and have realistic expectations! e
4. Get away from the cities & see the smaller villages like Doolin
Dublin and Galway are a blast but make sure you include some of the smaller villages in Ireland in your itinerary.
Places like Doolin or Howth are sure to steal your heart.
5. Leave flexibility in your schedule to stop at things along the way
While I think it’s good to arrive with a tentative schedule/itinerary, I think the real magic of road tripping in Ireland occurs when you find hidden gems along the way and decide to pull over and explore.
It might be a little fishing village, a lesser-known castle or a lush, green viewpoint speckled with sheep and cows.
I recommend you book refundable accommodation in case your plans change as you go. You may find you can’t cover as much ground in one day as you thought.
The day we went to Cliffs of Moher, we fell in love with the nearby village and castle. And we spent much longer exploring along the way than we intended, reaching the cliffs much later than originally expected.
6. Your rental car will likely be small (which is good for Ireland’s tiny roads) but be mindful if you’re a group/family traveling with luggage
Our car was tiny and we still didn’t feel like we fit on the roads!
We were thankful for such a small car but if you are a family of 5 or a group of friends with large suitcases, it would be a very tight fit.
7. Pay the additional fee and rent the automatic (ours was 10 euros more a day!)
Even if you’re comfortable driving a manual, there is a lot going on with driving on the left, no shoulder… you’ll need to be a really focused driver!
It is worth it to upgrade to an automatic, even though it will cost slightly more.
8. Ireland companies REQUIRE insurance and trust me, you wouldn’t want to go without it anyway!
The cost of insurance may be as much as your daily rate for car but it is required.
It’s also a good idea to get travel insurance, I recommend World Nomads.
9. Rental car companies may charge a hefty fee to drive through Northern Ireland because it is part of the United Kingdom.
If you plan to include Northern Ireland in your road trip, check with your rental car company in advance to see if they charge a fee to cross the border. Some companies charge as much as 150 euro, it just depends on their insurance.
You must disclose to them that you plan to drive there. Because if you have a break down in a different country you weren’t insured for, you may run into a whole slew of problems.
10. Book your rental car in advance for a better rate
For the best deal possible, book in advance!
Many rental car companies charge a different rate for walk-ins. And during peak season, cars may sell out.
We booked our rental car with the Budget in Eyre Square in Galway.
If a road trip in Ireland isn’t on your bucket list, it should be!
I’m already planning a return trip to this island of green that I’ve fallen in love with, what a magical place!
Check out my videos below on Cliffs of Moher and Dublin.
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