I’m just getting around to blog about our family vacation to Ireland this past summer… it was the perfect multi-generational family trip.

Going abroad with a large family has many challenges. Finding the right type of vacation where toddlers can have as much fun as the grandparents can be hard to find. After much discussion, we all agreed on Ireland. It turned out to be the prefect destination. It’s European, no language barrier and no one in our well-traveled family had ever been there.

 

A few tips about Family (Multi-generational) Travel

It’s important that all family members can get to the destination easily. Make sure there are diverse activities to meet everyone’s needs from toddlers to grandparents. When it comes to accommodations, it’s very beneficial to have the little luxuries from home like baby gear and a common place hang out area.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our trip started with 2 nights in Dublin. We soon realized why Ireland is called The Emerald Island; it was so GREEN! We enjoyed walking around this European city, had some amazing fish and chips and washed it down with a Guinness! Even if you are not a beer drinker, it is hard to dislike!

 

After two days exploring Dublin, and checking out a nearby fishing town we were ready to discover more of Ireland. We rented two vans (since there were 9 of us traveling) and headed for the countryside—on the opposite side of the road! Once out of Dublin, our knuckles returned their normal color and it was so easy to navigate and get around. We stopped at quaint towns along the way and finally made it to our destination, Killarney.

Killarney is not a city you want to miss. It has an amazing countryside, where you see sheep lining the roads; the town is as authentic as you can imagine an Irish town to be (pubs lining every street corner) and castles deep in history .We stayed in a full service luxurious cottage. These accommodations were the best since it had many hotel amenities but we felt like it was our own home. The location was absolutely perfect with walking distance to many attractions like The Killarney National Park. It gave everyone the flexibility to go off and do some of our own activities; this is an important factor in a successful multi-generational vacation. Some of us hiked, some of us biked and we were all able to take advantage of The Muckross Abbey, Muckross Traditional Farm and Torc Waterfall.

One of the biggest draws Killarney has is that is in close proximity to The Rings of Kerry. We piled into our cars and started exploring the grandest scenic drive ever! The view was breathtaking and our only regret was to have more time at the picturesque stop offs.

Next stop on our self-drive vacation through Ireland was Doolin, a charming fisherman town near the Cliffs of Moher. We took a scenic route from Killarney to Doolin and stopped over at more adorable towns and pubs! When we arrived in Doolin we stayed at a bed and breakfast right in the town, so we were able to walk to authentic pubs and shops, which was so convenient. After checking out the very crowded Cliffs of Moher, the next day we opted for a lunch at an old castle off the beaten path. We were not able to enter inside this castle, but having a picnic lunch hanging out with just our family was very memorable. Again, you won’t find this in a tour guidebook, and we were lucky enough to stumble across it and enjoyed the afternoon.

After 8 days, it was time to end this wonderful family trip. Planning these multi-generational trips can be a challenge but the memories and experiences we all shared together are priceless!

 

Cheers!