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Bus Tour a good idea for early 30's couple - first timers?

Lake Orion, Michigan
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7 posts
41 reviews
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Bus Tour a good idea for early 30's couple - first timers?
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Hi gang!

My husband and I are working on our 10 year anniversary trip (June of '08) and we're wanting it to be a great one. Ireland has always been one of our top vacation dreams, but we are so unfamiliar with foreign countries that we're not sure if we should try it alone, or stick with a group. Although we are adventurous, we want to make sure we're getting the most out of our time there and don't want to find out after the fact that we missed out on a "must see" if we should opt to do the trip solo. I'm worried about getting stuck on the seniors tour bus (please don't take offense if you are a senior!) and would like to be able to explore a little and spend some good time rubbing elbows with the locals if we can.

Any suggestions on group tour vs. planning our own stops and which tour to take if that's the suggestion. OR, if we do plan it solo, where we should focus on touring?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

Thanks!

Katie

Maryland
Destination Expert
for Las Vegas, Washington DC, County Donegal, Western Ireland
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80,406 posts
49 reviews
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1. Re: Bus Tour a good idea for early 30's couple - first timers?
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"and would like to be able to explore a little and spend some good time rubbing elbows with the locals if we can."

I think you've answered your own question - you're not going to get much of the above on a bus tour.

You seem concerned about missing out on a "must see" if you don't take a bus tour. Even the best bus tour isn't going to get you everywhere. When you return, no matter which trip you decide on, someone is going to say "I can't believe you didn't see the Cliffs of Moher", or "You went all the way to Ireland and didn't go to Dingle?"

So you cant see it all anyway, unless you're lucky enough to have a month or more for your trip.

Whitney, Texas
Destination Expert
for Ireland
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39,390 posts
44 reviews
80 helpful votes
2. Re: Bus Tour a good idea for early 30's couple - first timers?
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katie me darlin' go on your own....it's the only way....you two will do just fine....

the thing about tours is that you cover a ton of miles, but your time at any attraction is short lived....it has to be to cover all the miles the company promises.....i am one of those seniors, have done a cie tour, and five driving myself....would never do another tour until i am too old to get a rent car......lol.....

tell us what your interests are, how long you have, etc., and i promise you will get the best help that can be gotten anywhere in the world......

Ottawa, Canada
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374 posts
11 reviews
17 helpful votes
3. Re: Bus Tour a good idea for early 30's couple - first timers?
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Hi Katie,

The way you've described yourselves, I think going on your own is the way to go. I was very unfamiliar with foreign countries before going to Ireland last year, and I had a fantastic time - wouldn't hesitate to go back, even without a travelling companion....that's how easy things were.

Especially since this is an anniversary trip - depending on how much time you have, I think you'll find that it's nice to linger and enjoy things, really get a feel for the places you're staying. Tours are definitely the way to go for some people, but it sounds like planning your own stops would be much better.

As for where you should go....you'll get tons of differing opinions, and I don't really think you can go wrong whatever you choose. I'd advise you to maybe read the boards for a bit, get a feel for the places people talk about, get a guidebook or two, and think about what types of places you'd prefer - cities, smaller towns, very rural, a mix, etc. My other piece of advice would be not to try to cover too much ground - depending on how much time you have, stick to a region or two and focus on exploring that, keeping one night stays to a minimum so you're not packing everyday (like you probably would be on a tour).

This is all personal preference of course. Before booking your flights, you should have an idea of the area you want to tour because it'll affect whether you fly into/out of Dublin, Shannon, Belfast etc.

Houston, Texas
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616 posts
5 reviews
3 helpful votes
4. Re: Bus Tour a good idea for early 30's couple - first timers?
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I went on two whirlwind tours of Ireland the first two times I visited. (i have been back 8 times since then.) There was a good range of ages on the tour, but I wouldn't have wanted to spend my 10 year anniversary trip on the tour.

I think you should look at how many days you will have and plan from there. I personally prefer to stay in one area for several days and touring out from there. I just don't like the packing and unpacking and so much time in the car in transit to the next place.

You might start by looking on the Discover Ireland website. It is the Irish Tourist Board site. It divides the country into several regions and has info on what is in that area. It also lists the various festivals that are on throughout the year. www.discoverireland.ie. That might help you decide what areas to focus your travel on.

Another helpful planning site is AA Roadwatch. It will help you plan your routes and give you some idea how much time it will take to get from one place to the next. Bear in mind the alloted times do not allow for wrong turns, unexpected roadwork or cattle crossings. Or in my case last year, there was a roadblock that was stopping diesel vehicles to check they were using the proper diesel. But it is a place to start. wwwaaroadwatch.ie

As you start forming ideas for your trip, you can get lots of feedback here on your plans. Good luck with your plans!

Chicago, Illinois
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107 posts
43 reviews
69 helpful votes
5. Re: Bus Tour a good idea for early 30's couple - first timers?
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Also, if you aren't into super in depth trip planning, there is a company called Journey Through Ireland which has pre-arranged self-drive tours. You can also customize a tour so that you see exactly what you want.

I know several people who have used this service and were very happy with the results. They felt like independent travelers without all the stress of planning everything.

Not that there's anything wrong with planning you own way either...I have enjoyed sifting through the TA website, getting opinions, reading travel books, and ultimately planning a trip tailored to my husband and I.

Good Luck with your plans! Everyone on here is extremely helpful with advice and tips. This is truly a great resource.

Austin
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933 posts
12 reviews
34 helpful votes
6. Re: Bus Tour a good idea for early 30's couple - first timers?
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While we were at the Beehive Huts on the Dingle Peninsula, we watched as a Rick Steves tour unloaded, climbed up the hill, took photos of the huts and then returned to the bus. All in ten minutes, including the short hike up the hill.

7. Re: Bus Tour a good idea for early 30's couple - first timers?

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