Family gathers in Galway

Galway is a delightful city, full of history and yet very modern. Even in March the sea was breathtaking; a walk along the beach was fun for all. Restaurants were reasonable and family-friendly (even pubs during the day) Galway is a good base for the Aran Islands and Cliff of Mohr, both less than 1 hour away. The Burren was awesome with its barren beauty.

Quick Tips:

The best suggestion is a local guide or a very good street map and lots of practice on the roundabouts. Plan your route in advance and try to avoid high traffic times.

Best Way To Get Around:

Really with several people it makes sense to rent a car to get to tourist sights outside the city. Stick shifts can be difficult to shift with your left hand so the automatics are worth the extra price. But in the city walking is preferable if you watch out for traffic (they drive on the left) coming at you. We were too many (7) to consider public transportation but for 1 or 2 buses would be fast and cheap.

Lisdoorvarna is a quaint village famous for Matchmaking Festival but we stayed there off season in late March. The cozy and down home atmosphere of Burren Haven was just what our weary bones needed. Each bedroom had its own tub and toilet. The mattresses were a little soft but we slept well. The breakfast was fantastic even though we were the only guests.

In order to visit Killarney National Park we chose this B&B from the thousands of places that would accept our vouchers. Nora was extremely accomodating for our family. We had a welcome cup of tea on arrival and were shown our spacious rooms with a lovely view and encouraged to take a nap. The full Irish breakfast was really a feast...even for our vegetarian son. When we left behind a suitcase, she tracked us down and saw to it we got the bag back quickly.

Travelling off season meant we were the only ones staying at this large B&B. We were treated as family and treated to tea and conversation at night when we arrived. The newly decorated rooms were large and comfortable with full baths. The Irish breakfast was astounding and lasted all day.

There is nothing like the Cliffs of Moher on a misty day in March. No crowds...only 1 tour bus so we could spend as much time as we liked in the Tower and climbing amongst the rocks. We went on well-worn paths as far as we dared to take unforgettable photos.

The Burren is a large area of limestone outcropping like one imagines the moon to be. Even in March there were wildflowers growing and many hiking areas to the dolmens. It was meant to be a great photo opportunity everywhere!