Are Day Tours Worth Booking in Ireland?
Ireland had always been on the top of our bucket-list so it was very exciting when we planned to go with JD's parents in June during their visit to Denmark. We stayed in Dublin for 4 days, with 2 of those being full day tours; which actually ended up being our favorite part of the trip.
Our first day trip was with Paddy Wagon Tours to see the Blarney Castle and the second trip was with Irish Day Tours to see the Cliffs of Moher. From Dublin, both tours take about 8-10 hours (I know, it's a long day!), and they stop at other little cities along the way which helps break up the time on the bus :)
SO...Is booking a day tour worth it?
To help answer this question, here are the pros + cons from our experience:
PROS:
1. You get to relax and be chauffeured around the countryside of Ireland.
2. By stopping at multiple attractions/cities, you see A LOT in one day!
3. A tour guide is there to explain and answer all of your questions.
4. The scenery. Sheep, cattle and horses are everywhere in the countryside 🐑
CONS:
1. You're on a tour bus with a group of people for the majority of the day.
2. You're on a schedule and have limited time per stop.
3. No food, snacks or drinks provided. ( you do stop for snacks/restroom breaks + lunch, but again, limited time.)
With all that said, we felt the day tours were worth our time + money considering how much we saw and experienced. The tour guides were informative, laid back and funny (especially from the Paddy Wagon company!) which made the trip even more enjoyable. Seeing multiple places while riding through (mostly) scenic roads and not worrying about driving or getting lost was another plus!
Ireland is just insanely beautiful with miles of rolling hills in hues of green, so what's not to love about touring through the countryside? If you are on the fence of doing a day tour in Ireland, then check out these highlights from each tour and let the photos speak for themselves ;)
HIGHLIGHTS: Blarney Stone Day Tour
ROCK OF CASHEL
Also known as St. Patrick's Rock and the Cashel of Kings, this iconic structure is from the 12th and 13th century. Learn more about this historic site here.
blarney castle
A beautiful historic castle nestled in the countryside of Ireland surrounded by gardens, cattle and sheep. It's best known for laying upside down to kiss the famous stone to get the gift of "gab"! (We went to the top to see the stone...but, decided to pass up on the kissing part ;) )
HIGHLIGHTS: CLIFFS OF MOHER day tour
cliffs of moher
Get ready for breathtaking + peaceful views when visiting the cliffs. If we ever have the chance to go back to Ireland, I would like to rent a car so we could have a picnic and leisurely spend the day here.
the burren
This was a quick stop before our visit to the little city of Galway (cue the Ed Sheeran song!). It's a rocky landscape made up of limestone and was a peaceful spot to soak in the scenery.
So, what'd ya think? Have you been on any day tours that are worth booking? Tell me in the comment section below! :)
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