Ireland Trip Planning Resources

Kylemore Abbey

Ireland and Northern Ireland are great places to visit and they offer something for any visitor.  There are ancient castles, interesting museums, delicious food, friendly pubs, beautiful natural wonders, quirky festivals, exciting sporting events, famous golf courses and so much more.

When planning a trip the first thing that I do is go to the internet and start collecting websites and information.  I also buy a couple of guidebooks to help me create my itinerary.  Listed below are some of the resources that I used when planning my trip to Ireland.

GENERAL INFORMATION

DISCOVER IRELAND – The official website for the Ireland Tourism Department.  This site covers both Ireland and Northern Ireland.  On this site you will find information about the different regions of Ireland, activities, attractions,  transportation, tours, accommodations and more.

DISCOVER NORTHERN IRELAND – This site is just for Northern Ireland and covers all the same topics that the Discover Ireland site covers.

VISIT DUBLIN – Visit Dublin focuses on everything Dublin as well as the surrounding area.  You can research activities, download guides, book accommodations, find discounts on local restaurants and find the right tour that will take you out of the city to see the natural wonders of Ireland.

GO TO BELFAST – The official visitor site for Belfast.  Find things to do, activities, tours, accommodations and everything you need to plan your trip.

SHANNON REGION – The official website of the Shannon Region used to promote tourism throughout the region.

RICK STEVES – I always use Rick Steves travel guides when I travel to Europe.  Check out his website for help in planning your trip.

Cliffs of Moher

TRANSPORTATION

GOBUS – Gobus provides non-stop service to and from Dublin to Galway and Cork.  The buses are air conditioned, have free WiFi and toilets.  The prices are cheaper than taking the train and it is faster.  I used them to get from Dublin to Galway and back.

IRISH RAIL – The train system covers Ireland with some service in Northern Ireland.  I used it to go from Dublin to Belfast.

TRANSLINK – Train and bus service in Northern Ireland,   Belfast bus network and Channel crossing to England and Scotland.

BUS ÉIREANN – Bus service for all of Ireland.  They also run some of the city bus lines.

LUAS – Dublin’s Light Rail System serving central Dublin and the suburbs.

DUBLIN AIRPORT – Information about flights, transportation, parking and other airport information.

SHANNON AIRPORT – Ireland second major airport that has regular flights from the U.S., Canada, U.K. and Europe.

GUIDEBOOKS

Rick Steves Ireland – I have been using Rick Steves books when traveling to Europe since my first trip.  His guides are the best for giving you the information that you need without bogging you down with too much information.  He gives you information that will allow you to travel more efficiently and not waste time during your trip.

Lonely Planet Ireland – These guides are very comprehensive and cover a lot of information.  They are a great companion to the Rick Steves guides when you want more detailed coverage of your destination.

Do you have any other recommendations that you think should be added to this list?  Please let me know.