Day Tours in Northern Ireland and Ireland

During my first solo international trip, I booked three separate day tours, back-to-back-to-back. Since I was by myself, I thought these day tours would be the easiest way to see lots of slights quickly. Looking back now, I can’t believe I powered through those long days and would wake up the next morning and do it again. My love for travel and new experiences helped me overcome any tiredness I might have been feeling those three days. Let me share the tours I took in Northern Ireland and Ireland.

Day one’s tour was a Game of Thrones tour in Northern Ireland. Our tour guide was the best! He would show us little clips of the show before we arrived at the location. We visited quite a few places where they shot different scenes throughout the series. I met some lovely ladies during our tour and we had a great time. The place we stopped at for lunch had a Game of Thrones room with its own Iron Throne! We also went to Giant’s Causeway and the Carrick-a-Rede bridge. One of my favorite parts of not only the tours of the whole trip was Giant’s Causeway. It was so beautiful and peaceful with the water and different rock formations. The landscape by the bridge was breathtaking and I got some great pictures that my newfound travel buddies took of me. Returning to Belfast was a nerve-wracking experience thanks to my planning mishap. I thought the tour was over at 6 pm, so I booked a bus to Dublin that left at 7:30. We didn’t get back until 7:20. Luckily, our drop-off point was near the bus stop. I rushed off the tour bus, found the bus leaving for Dublin, and got settled for my two-hour trip. Maybe it was all the great experiences I had that day, but this was my favorite of the tours I took. 

My next tour was to Blarney Castle and Cork. This tour left from a hostel so I thought the best idea was to stay there the night before when I got into Dublin from Belfast. We left early and made our first stop at Rock of Cashel or Cashel of the King’s. It was a short visit and then we moved on to Blarney Castle. I wish we would have had more time here because I know I did not see all of the grounds. Blarney Castle is known for their stone at the top of the castle where you lean back over a parapet and kiss the stone to receive the gift of eloquence. I had to wait in line for about 45 minutes for my turn at the stone. While waiting in line, you got to go through the other rooms of the castle. Our last place on the tour was the city of Cork. We got to roam freely for about an hour. I spent most of my time at the English Market. It reminded me a lot of Pike’s Place in Seattle, Washington. Next time, I would probably just do Blarney Castle by itself as I would like to spend more time exploring.

Last, but not least, finishing off three days of tours with the Cliffs of Moher, Wild Atlantic Way, and Galway. The first thing that happened during this tour was the most random thing to see in a small town in Ireland. In Moneygall, there is a place called Barack Obama Plaza with a statue of him and Michelle and a little museum. One of his ancestors was from this area, so it was a big deal while he was President of the United States. It was so interesting to me that the people of Ireland cared so much for a leader of a country that was not their own. When we arrived at the Cliffs of Moher, there was a rainbow that made the landscape that much more magnificent. Like at the Blarney Castle, I needed more time here to walk along the cliffs. Too soon, we left and drove along the Wild Atlantic Way to our next destination. We made a pit stop in Burren to take in its rocky terrain and the water from the ocean hitting against the rocks. Galway was a place I would definitely recommend going to as I want to go back there myself!  From the atmosphere to the best seafood chowder I have ever had at the oldest establishment I had ever been in, I have to go back and get lost in exploring the city more! 

Day tours are a great way for solo travelers to see sights that might be difficult to get to alone or to have social interactions. I hope to continue booking a couple of day tours per trip I go on. Check out the links below for the tours I went on! They can also be found by visiting the Travel Guide on my website! Which one sounds the most enticing to you? 

McComb’s Coach Travel Ltd: Games of Thrones/Giant’s Causeway https://www.viator.com/tours/Belfast/Game-of-Thrones-and-Giants-Causeway-Tour-from-Belfast/d738-5844GOTSCH

Paddywagon Tours: Blarney Castle www. The paddywagontours.com/BLARNEY-Day-Tour-From-DUBLIN

Wild Rover Tours: Cliffs of Moher/Galway https://www.viator.com/tours/Dublin/Cliffs-of-Moher-Tour-Including-Wild-Atlantic-Way-and-Galway-City-from-Dublin/d503-5300MOHER