Epic Road Trip Through the Irish Countryside

Start your adventure in Cork. Rent a car and check into your hotel. Then spend the rest of your day exploring the downtown area. There are tons of great restaurants, pubs and shopping to enjoy.

Head to Blarney Castle and make sure you kiss that Blarney Stone for good luck! There will be a bit of a line to kiss the stone, but you have some great views to look at while you wait. Their visitor center has great food that you can eat for lunch while you are there. They also have a really cool and unique poisonous garden that showcases a variety of poisonous plants. After the castle, head over to the little town of Kinsale. It's a picturesque town on the water that is great for a stroll. Eat dinner at Fishy Fishy. Every dish they have is amazing.

Drive from Cork to Kerry and check into the Parknasilla Resort and Spa. This resort is one of my favorites and offers many rooms with absolutely breathtaking views. They have a cozy bar as well as a couple of restaurants onsite. They also have a large hot tub on a deck with incredible views. The spa and golf course are also not to be overlooked.

You will drive the iconic Ring of Kerry. This is something that you go into without a strict itinerary. If you see something that is interesting, stop. There are many stone forts that you can stop at that are thousands of years old! Make a pit stop for lunch along the way. This drive will take you all day. Another highlight of the Ring of Kerry is Killarney National Park. Be patient during this part of the drive as it can get backed up by tour busses.

Drive to the Dingle Peninsula. Check into your hotel. Heatons Guesthouse is a great option right on the water and a short walk to the main street. Start by driving the Dingle Peninsula, a beautiful scenic drive that will be less crowded than the Ring of Kerry. Later in the day, make a stop at the Dingle Distillery. Take a tour and try some of their Whiskey, gin or vodka. In the evening, walk downtown and have dinner at a local pub and listen to some live music. For dessert, make sure you stop by Murphy's Ice Cream.

You will drive to Galway and stop at Bunratty Castle on the way. The Jury's Inn in Galway is in a great central location. Spend the rest of the day exploring the Galway town center and having dinner at one of the many great restaurants in the area.

You will take a ferry over to the Aran Islands. It takes about an hour to get to the ferry landing. Also, make sure that you get there about 30 minutes prior to departure. You will have about 4 hours to explore. The scenery here is unlike anywhere I have ever been. The cliffs are absolutely gorgeous. Right when you step off the boat, there will be guides ready to take you on a tour of the island. You will stop at forts and be able to shop for their famous sweaters. There will also be time to have lunch at one of the local cafes.

Have breakfast and morning tea at the teahouse across from the Jury's Inn. Then head to the Cliffs of Moher. This is a very touristy destination, so be ready for some crowds.

You will head to Ballynahinch Castle for a quick one-night stay. You can't go to Ireland without sleeping in a castle! They have a fabulous restaurant as well as beautiful walking trails throughout the property.

You will head to your final stop of Dublin. Take tours at Guinness and Jameson. Then have dinner at The Brazen Head, the oldest pub in Ireland.

Take a tour of Trinity College and see the famous Book of Kells and the Old Library. Then head to Grafton Street and do some shopping and grab some dinner at one of the many restaurants in the area.

You will head home or onto your next adventure!