Program Advantages: Create Your Own Daily Sightseeing Itinerary, All Hotels Prebooked for Your Peace of Mind, Choice of Hotel Categories

Program Includes:
Self-Drive Car Vacation

• Hertz Group E economy car with unlimited mileage and automatic shift based on 2 people traveling together - other cars available
• Travel by chauffeur-driven car - call us for rates
• Collision Damage Waiver, theft protection, third party insurance and government tax (VAT) on car rental
• Free pick up and drop off in Shannon or Dublin
• Prebooked stays at Bronze Hotels (first class) or Gold Hotels (superior first class) with private bath/shower for 6 nights
• Full Irish breakfast daily
• Guide to Ireland with map (one per car)
• Ireland at a Glimpse - discounts on visitor attractions
• Hotel service charges and all local taxes

Emerald Sampler Bronze Hotels

• Temple Gate Hotel, Ennis
• Killarney Towers Hotel, Killarney
• Dooleys Hotel, Waterford
• Park Plaza Hotel, Tyrrelstown (near Dublin)

Itinerary:

Day 1 - Sat: Depart USA - Fly overnight to start your vacation in Shannon.

Day 2 - Sun: Shannon Arrival - Land in Shannon Airport in the morning and pick up your rented car. Take it easy this first day to get used to the car and driving on the "other side of the road." Your first overnight is about 15 miles away in either Ennis or Limerick. You may need to wait until the regular check-in time of 1:00 pm to get your room.

Day 3 - Mon: Head to Killarney - By the most direct route, Killarney is 85 miles away. Either travel through Limerick and Adare or take a longer route to visit the Cliffs of Moher and take a car ferry across the River Shannon Estuary rather than returning to Limerick. As you get into County Kerry, you will notice that the scenery gets wilder and grander.

Day 4 - Tue: Kerry Touring - Today you may like to take a full day tour to travel the popular 100-mile Ring of Kerry drive. We recommend that you drive in a counterclockwise direction as most coach drivers do. The Dingle Peninsula is also within easy reach and a trip to the westernmost tip and back will be about 111 miles. There are many other shorter trips that you can take - wherever you choose, the scenery is wonderful.

Day 5 - Wed: Killarney to Waterford - Waterford is 120 miles by the shortest route. Visit Blarney Castle, just outside Cork, or the Cobh Heritage Centre in the delightful port town on Cork Harbor. You can take a longer route via the County Cork coastline through Skibbereen, Clonakilty and Kinsale. You may tour the Waterford Crystal Factory, located about 5 miles outside Waterford. Waterford is a very interesting old riverfront town to walk around.

Day 6 - Thu: Waterford to Dublin Area - By the direct route, you have to cover about 98 miles today. Travel through Kilkenny with its many medieval buildings and Kilkenny Castle. In Kildare you may visit the National Stud and Japanese Gardens to see valuable horses and learn about the breeding industry. Or you could travel along the coastline and through the Wicklow Mountains to visit the 6th century monastic ruins of Glendalough.

Day 7 - Fri: Metropolitan Dublin - If you wish to see the sights in Dublin, we strongly suggest that you take public transportation, as traffic is very heavy. There are many places to see outside the city. To the north is the Boyne Valley Visitor Centre where you can learn about 5,000-year-old tombs of Newgrange and Knowth. A little further north are the church ruins of Monasterboice, site of three of the finest decorated Celtic high crosses.

Day 8 - Sat: Back to the U.S. - Drive to Dublin Airport, a distance of approximately 12 miles from either hotel. Drop off your car and check in for your flight in good time. If you would like to extend your vacation and spend some time in Dublin, see our Dublin at Leisure program.