I’m not much of a tour person. In fact, I spend most of my time trying to avoid tours and experience mainly independent travel, but sometimes it’s inevitable when you really want to do or see something and you don’t have the capability (or budget) to make it happen on your own (especially when you’re traveling solo).
After a few days in Dublin for TBEX, I was invited by DayToursWorld and Paddywagon Tours to participate in a three-day tour around southern Ireland. Since I’d already planned on sticking around Ireland for a few days after the conference and was hoping to see more of the country, I took them up on their offer!
For three days, a bunch of travel bloggers loaded up in the bright green mini-bus and were driven around by Mike, our enthusiastic and awesome tour leader. One thing I’ve found when taking tours is that if you don’t have a great tour leader, chances are you’re not going to enjoy the trip at all, even if the scenery is beautiful. I think all of us were thrilled to have such a character for our tour—Mike was eager to help out however he could, would stop any time you requested for photo opportunities, and even taught us a few Irish folk songs!
While I would’ve enjoyed spending more time in Ireland and having the chance to see all that the Emerald Isle has to offer, the three-day tour was the perfect introduction to what the country has to offer outside of Dublin. In our short time, we covered quite a bit of ground, cruising through the countryside and seeing exactly why Ireland earned its nickname; stopping off to see baby donkeys on the side of the road and feeding them carrots and apples; seeing half a dozen castles in various states of decay; dining on traditional seafood soup; hiking up and taking in the view of the Cliffs of Moher; driving around Slea Head (the most westerly drive in Europe); spending an afternoon in Cork; stopping to see a waterfall and numerous beaches; and hanging out in the sleepy seaside town of Dingle, which happened to coincide with a food festival.
It was a whirlwind couple of days, packing in as much as possible and giving some great exposure to the many amazing sites in the country. And even though it was jam-packed with things to do and see, the tour still allowed for quite a bit of free time—something that not many other tours offer, and something that I really thrive on.
Another great thing about this tour that I haven’t experienced on many others was the opportunity to get to know all the other participants. When we were finally all on the bus, Mike made it a point to ask each of us our names and where we were from, giving us all the opportunity to open up the lines of communication (this is also something really important for me as I’m incredibly shy and have a hard time putting myself out there).
I can honestly say that this was one of the best tours I’ve ever had an opportunity to be a part of and I would certainly recommend it if you’ve got a few days to spare after seeing Dublin and have the desire to see more of Ireland.
My tour around Ireland was generously provided by DayToursWorld and Paddywagon Tours. As always, all opinions are my own.
It sounds like you had a lot of fun! We did a similar tour in Ireland a year or so ago and loved it. Ireland is such a beautiful country! I must go back and see more – Thank you for reminding me why I fell in love with it!
Thanks, Nicole! I did have a great time. And you’re right–Ireland is gorgeous! Hoping to go back in a couple years to take my mom for her 60th birthday!
I stayed at the Paddywagon hostel in Dublin, and it was horrible, but their tours are amazing. I’ve heard nothing but good things from the people I met at the hostel, and I took the day tour to the Cliffs of Moher, and it was awesome. Definitely the tour guide was a great aspect. I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Hey Rimma, yeah–I’m not a big hostel fan. We stayed in a B&B on the tour that was quite nice! But the tour itself was fabulous, and I’m glad that you enjoyed yours! :)