IRELAND + A Few Shorter Adventures | August 2025
I've always been really curious about Ireland. I've zoomed through the Dublin airport several times (it's one of the cheapest ways to get back to the US from Europe because the airport taxes are lower), but had never explored the countryside. Will there be any sunshine? Is everything truly so green? Are there lots of places to see pretty views?
Well, now that I've driven through at least a significant portion of the country (it's BIG), I can tell you that yes, the sun shines sometimes, but the sky is often cloudy with a chance of rain. The fields are very aesthetic, with hedges or stone walls dividing property lines, and if you're willing to drive ALL OVER GOD'S GREEN EARTH (literally), you can see some pretty views.
Favorite thing about visiting Ireland? Driving a manual transmission on the left side of the road!! What a fun challenge!
That's the kicker...you will need to drive long distances between sights. I suppose you could go to County Kerry or County Galway and just stay in that region for a week, digging deeper. That's probably a better way to go. I tried to see too much!!
Fortunately, in the middle of all that driving, I was able to enjoy a super fun hike up Diamond Hill and a challenging 50 mile bike ride on the Great Western Greenway (between Westport and Achill Island). And I found a couple beaches and stretches of coastline with good views.
The roads in Ireland can be NARROW -- one car width in places, with pullouts for passing -- so getting rental car insurance is important. And you'll discover that your credit card company probably doesn't include Ireland on its list of covered countries. I ended up purchasing the minimum insurance from Budget and was SO THANKFUL to not need to make a claim.
I didn't spend much time in the city at all, so I hope to go back for a 24 hours in Dublin sometime.
Cool beans! August went by FAST. Since the airport is closed for the whole month of September, you can bet I'll be traveling MORE THAN EVER.
Follow me on Instagram @nearerandfarther to keep up with me in almost real time! :)
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Eating | so many Outshine popsicles (Ez)
Enjoying | cold water on hot days
Watching | Adventure Addicts on YouTube
Thankful | Ezra didn't crash his plane when the brake lines failed
Planning | Ohio bike trip with Bruce
Anticipating | visiting four new countries next month!!