Category: Travel

If you’re planning a trip abroad from Atlanta, you might want to check out Ireland.

Of course, there are some things you should know before going to Dublin or another city in the European country.

If you want to know about what you should bring on your trip as well as what to expect going from Atlanta to Dublin, here’s everything you need to know.

Best Time To Travel To Ireland

When is the best time to travel to Ireland? The weather is normally on the chilly side, but not frigid. Even in summer, the temperatures are mid 60s at the highest. So, it’s wise to always bring a jacket, because a chance of rain is ever-present.

The summertime months of July and August are when airfare is the highest for Ireland. For the best fares, it’s best to book a flight in the spring or fall.

Can You Fly Direct To Ireland?

Nonstop flights to Ireland can be had from airlines like Air France and Aer Lingus. From Atlanta, your best bet is Air Canada or Delta Air Lines.

If you’ve ever flown international from Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, you know that the quality of your experience depends almost entirely on how early you arrive for your flight.

Hartsfield asks that you be at the airport at least three hours ahead of time when flying internationally. Hartsfield has an updated international concourse that makes it more convenient, but it all depends on how long the security checkpoint lines.

The checkpoint requires that you have your ID as well as passport, so don’t forget it.

Flying from Atlanta to Dublin

Once on your flight, it’s going to take most of the day for you to get there. Ireland’s timezone is five hours forward of Atlanta, so if it’s midnight in Georgia, it’s 5 a.m. in Dublin. You’ll need to keep this in mind while flying, because it may well mean you’ll be jetlagged when you touch ground.

Once you land in Ireland, you’ll be shuffled down a series of stairs and into the customs line. There you’ll show your passport and state your business in the country. The customs agent will ask you where you’re staying, too.

Renting A Car In Ireland

If you don’t have someone picking you up from the airport, you may have prearranged a car rental at Dublin Airport. The good news is that the airport has all the major car rental companies that you’re familiar with in the United States: Budget, Avis, Sixth, Etc.

If you’re renting a car at the airport, the first thing you’ll need to do is venture just outside the building to one of the transportation zones, where a shuttle will transport you to the appropriate rental car hub.

The one thing that I heard about renting a car in Ireland is that they are pretty strict about getting you to take out additional car insurance, a damage waiver to be precise.

Your options were said to be either take the extra car insurance, which could be upwards of $30-$40 a day or show proof of primary auto insurance.

If you do the latter and decline the rental car company’s insurance, they’re going to put at least a $5,000 hold on your credit card. Yes, you read that right!

Another option, it’s been said, to get out of this extra rental insurance was to have a letter or email authorization from your credit card that covers car rental insurance. Because I had this very credit card, I called them and asked that they send me their card benefits, which lists your coverage.

Surprisingly, I didn’t have to produce said email. I simply told them that I had insurance and they took me at my word and promptly put a $5,000 hold on my card.

Here’s some good information from Chase about renting a car:

When you pick up your rental, be sure to inspect the vehicle thoroughly. If you see any damage, immediately notify the rental car company. Record any pre-existing damage on the rental car company’s check out slip. It may also be helpful to take photos of the vehicle’s condition at the time of renting for your records.

The major thing about driving in Ireland is this:

You drive on the opposite side of the street. That’s the reason why car rental insurance is so crucial in Ireland. In fact, I saw a statistic that said that around 90% of rental cars have damage to them.

On the car that I rented, the agent was sure to mark at least four pre-existing marks around the vehicle. I found a couple more.

Once you hit the road, driving on the other side of the road is unnerving to say the least. The good news is that Irish drivers are no where NEAR as aggressive as Atlanta drivers. In many instances, people never even switch lanes to pass me up and in no case was a horn every honked at me.

Exchanging Your Currency

The biggest thing to remember is when you leave the airport, you may find it advantageous to exchange your U.S. dollars for some Euros. For peace of mind, this makes sense, but literally only a little sense. Don’t exchange a large amount in the airport because frankly the exchange rate is cheaper elsewhere.

The exchange rate at Dublin’s Airport is expensive compared to elsewhere in the city. Your best bet is using an ATM in your hotel. Of course, you’ll want to call ahead to make sure they have one.

Checking Into Your Hotel

Ireland’s hotels offer wide ranges of experiences. No matter if you choose an old Celtic cottage for your lodgings or an expensive modern hotel in Center Centre, they all operate the same way.

Whether it’s a parking fee or if you want to borrow a phone charger, everything is charged to your credit card “on hold.”

Tipping In Ireland

Unlike the United States, you don’t have to tip in Ireland. You’ll notice that your meals will generally be cheaper. As you venture to more restaurants, you’ll find that many of the servers will be from other parts of Europe, like France or Britain. They’re going to expect tips!

The key is that one size definitely doesn’t fit all when it comes to tips. So it’s best to risk the embarrassment and ask your server.

People

The Irish are a hospitable people who are more mannerly than Americans. My interactions, even when I was holding up traffic, were super-pleasant.

Of course, as an Uber driver told me, there are good and bad in all people. But for the most part, the republic just wants you to respect its heritage and enjoy a good “pint” at the pub.

The Irish are a stylish people, especially the young adults. Adidas is clearly the athletic apparel of choice.

Places To Visit In Dublin, Ireland

Dublin offers plenty of tourist destinations for visitors. Among them are:

• Guinness Storehouse
• Jameson Distillery
• Dublin Historical Walking Tour
• Dublin City Bike Tour
• Blarney Castle tour (Cork)
• Game of Thrones tour (Northern Ireland)
• Cliffs of Moher (day trip)

The Irish tour guides are very cognizant of tourist traps. At every turn most of them will tell you whether an establishment is one or not.

“They charge 8 Euro for a pint of Guinness,” they’ll say, incredulously. 

You’ll hear about the 850 years under British rule and the instrumental role that Daniel O’Connell played in the rebellion and Irish independence.

Cliffs of Moher

One of the most beautiful nature wonders in all of Ireland are the Cliffs of Moher, sea cliffs on the edge of County Clare on the country’s eastern coast.

The cliffs may be the grand finale, but the journey there from Ireland is worth the ride. Castles throughout the countryside mark pivotal points in the Irish fight for independence as well as relics of British nobility.

Miles of sheep and other livestock dot the lush landscapes as you travel farther from a Dublin to Ireland’s westerly coast.

The tour guide points out the small town where Barack and Michelle Obama stopped some years back as part of a president visit. A monument outside a pub makes the spot.

Cost To Travel To Ireland

To properly calculate the cost of travel to Ireland, it needs to include the things you really want to do and see in the beautiful country, not necessarily the airfare, which varies.

When I added up the costs of a hotel and food + activities and tours, here’s what it cost to travel to Ireland.

• Food: 267
• Hotel: 1100
• Activities: $60

To sum it all up, Ireland is a great country for visitors looking to have an enjoyable vacation. If you visit during June, the sunlight lasts from about 3:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.

While Dublin proper is not as widespread as some European city centers, the core is packed with activity and the frenzy you’d expect in a metropolitan city. Ireland: Come for the pints, stay for the people.