"Set Off Solo" Ireland Travel  

As a travel agent, dealing 100% in Ireland travel, I am often asked about the self-drive B&B packages in Ireland. The questions range from: Is driving in Ireland difficult? Should we pre-book B&B's or find them while in Ireland? Is it safe to travel alone and which itinerary do you recommend? Well I have written this article for those adventurous types who like to do things on a whim. For those who don't have time to wait around for indecisive friends to decide whether or not they want to take the trip. Life is too short to be waiting around for others.

Direct flights to Ireland are readily available throughout the year so getting there is not a problem. The direct flights to Ireland depart from the following US cities: Boston, Chicago, New York, Baltimore, Newark, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Atlanta and now Orlando. Connecting flights are also in abundance so reaching Ireland from anywhere in the US is feasible.

What type of car rental insurance do I need? Travelers often purchase CDW insurance before departing but fail to realize it doesn't cover everything. Travel agents only offer the CDW insurance because the other types of insurance can only be purchased at the rental counter. Collision Damage Waiver only covers damage to the car but doesn't cover the deductible. The deductible is $1000 and can be covered in 2 ways. You can give your credit card information for them to hold in case you damage the car, at which point your card will be charged. Your second option is to pay an additional 12 to 20 Euros (depending on car) a day for deductible insurance, which is what I recommend. Some rental agencies also charge 25 Euros for Location Service Charge. Don't ask me why I think it is a total scam. They claim the LSC is only charged if you don't prepay for insurance but they'll try to add it even if you have prepaid.

How old must you be to drive in Ireland? You must be between 25 - 75 years of age to drive in the Republic of Ireland. Those 23-24 or 76-79 years of age must also pay an additional surcharge of 26 Euros a day if they wish to drive (Must be purchased at rental counter). Northern Ireland's policies are similar to the ROI but at higher rates.

Do credit card companies cover rental insurance? A lot of credit card companies used to cover rental insurance costs if you purchased the trip with their card, but fewer companies are offering this benefit. Some companies still offer this (MasterCard Platinum & Gold) and I recommend you contact your credit card company before you book any trip to Ireland. I know it seems like a lot but don't let the rental companies ruin your Ireland adventure.

Is it going to be tough driving in Ireland? Sure, at first, but you learned to ride a bike right? If it is you first trip to Ireland you should think about an automatic car. Not only will you be driving on the opposite side of the road, but you'll also be sitting on "our" passenger side and shifting with your left hand. You may also want to think about flying into Shannon and departing from Dublin. The reason being is Shannon is a smaller airport and you won't be overwhelmed when you drive for the first time. You'll have a few days to learn the system before you conquer Dublin. There are a lot of tourists driving in Ireland and the locals don't want to be lagging behind you the whole time. If you see someone approaching from behind (single lane roads) slow down a little while pulling slightly to the left and let them pass. They'll flash their parking brakes as a sign of thanks and you can carry on. Also remember that they pass on the opposite side of the road so the fast and slow lanes are the opposite of ours. They will be passing you on the right side if you are in the slow lane, which is the left lane. The roundabouts. Don't be intimidated by the roundabouts. When you approach a roundabout always look right. You will be yielding to cars approaching from the right. You will be driving clockwise once inside the roundabouts. When exiting the roundabouts, carefully move into the left lane to make your exit. Don't be intimidated by driving in Ireland. After a day, you'll have it licked.

Is Ireland safe? It's funny how people ask this question when traveling to Ireland, but don't think twice about visiting any of our own major cities. Ireland is like any other country in the world. You have your good and bad areas anywhere you go. Use common sense when you travel. Ireland has a lot of rural areas so your biggest fear might be forgetting to fill up your gas tank in which case you better have some good walking shoes.

Should I pre-book B&B's? Well this depends on when you plan to travel but I can assure you that you will never be without shelter. Ireland's heaviest traveled months are July, August and September. With this years Ryder Cup taking place at the K-Club in Kildare, September will be booked solid as well. In the smaller, less traveled areas of the country, you'll find B&B's in abundance. When you head into the more touristy areas, you may want to think about planning ahead. In areas such as Galway, Killarney, Dingle, Cork, Dublin, it may be tougher to find prime locations. These areas will still have B&B's available, but they may not be within walking distance to town.

I booked my first solo B&B trip to Ireland one week prior to departure and it was scheduled during the last week of May. I pre-booked a couple B&B's and found the rest while on the island. I didn't have trouble finding a place anywhere. Most travel agencies offer packages with B&B vouchers to be used at over 1,200 B&B's throughout the country. Some B&B's do not accept these vouchers because they can get away with charging the same rates as a hotel. Dublin is one of these areas but a B&B along the DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transit) can be just as good. Towns such as Malahide, Howth, Portmarnock are located along the DART and it can be taken into the city at around a couple Euros. Not only will you avoid Dublin's traffic, but you'll get to relax in some of Ireland's most beautiful areas along the Irish Sea.

Can you recommend an itinerary? Most agencies will make recommendations, but wouldn't it be more fun to create your own itinerary? This is half the fun of traveling throughout Ireland. With a rental car and open B&B vouchers, you can do anything and go anywhere you want. If you plan to visit the Cliffs of Moher and decide you would rather see the Dingle Peninsula, you can. Or better yet, do both. It's your vacation, your adventure, so it's your call. One of Ireland's greatest characteristics is it's abundance of things to do. It is as if it were created for those with adventure in their soul. Now go out and start your own adventure today.

Chad Seamon - Owner - http://www.chadsirishtours.com

About the Author

Owner of Chad's Irish Tours - WWW.CHADSIRISHTOURS.COM