Recommendations for Trip to Shannon

Sparky29

Hi Guys,
I'll be down with the GF in Clare next weekend for the bank holiday,
Got a great deal in a place called the Oakwood arms Hotel, To my shame i've never been to the mid west before so can you recommend anything thats unmissable or atleast worth a look?

I have tried discoverireland.ie but the site is a disaster to navigate and constantly crashes on me.

Thanks in advance,
Sparky

Clareman

You are staying in Shannon which wouldn't be the nicest town in all the world. I would recommend getting in your car and heading towards Ballyvaughan and just driving and stopping around the place, I think the weather is susposed to be nice for the weekend. Check out the Ailwee Caves, the burren and all the usual spots.

I worked in Shannon for 8 years and I don't think there's anything there to see to be honest

MarkR

Bunratty castle is nearby. Ailwee caves was pretty cool IIRC. Lots of scenery around the burren. Shopping in Limerick is pretty good, but nothing you won't have seen before.

Sparky29

Yeah i figured bringing the car would be the best idea, especially with all the amazing scenery that'll be about, i'll have into those two. cheers guys!

Clareman

MarkR wrote: »

Bunratty castle is nearby. Ailwee caves was pretty cool IIRC. Lots of scenery around the burren. Shopping in Limerick is pretty good, but nothing you won't have seen before.

Oops, forgot about Bunratty (and I'm getting married there next year).

Sparky29

Clareman wrote: »

Oops, forgot about Bunratty (and I'm getting married there next year).

Ha, Better to forget now rather than when in the company of the future Mrs, Congratulations!

BLITZ_Molloy

Recommendation: get out of Shannon as quickly as possible. There's a reason it's a great deal.

topper75

Limerick is worth a look but you could see pretty much all the city centre in a few hours. Some great Georgian architecture throughout the centre. It was built at the same time as the American cities so is laid out in easily-navigable blocks, as was the fashion.

Whilst in Limerick City area - make time to visit the university a couple of km out of town on Dublin side. Beautiful campus. Prob best in Ireland. It's the best feature of the Mid West in my mind. It straddles counties Clare and Limerick on the Shannon.

The Burren region is interesting and photogenic if you hug the coast road around NW tip of Clare (includes cliffs of Moher if you start in the surftown of Lahinch).

Killaloe and Lough Derg could be an option too for a nice Sunday drive or lazy pint by the majestic Lough Derg.

You could also drive out Limerick Estuary and get ferry over to Clare. There are dolphin watching trips from Carrigaholt.

There are nice walks in the Clare Glens, Cratloe Woods, Curraghchase, Lough Gur and Plassey, to name but a few places.

golden

Shannon isnt that bad, however its more of a working (business) place. There is good infrastructure to get out of shannon so you could possibly use the hotel as a base and go to such likes as bunratty, cliffs of moher, doolin or ballyvaughan.

romah

Location : On the left side of the OLD road from the Airport to Limerick ..next to McDonalds (only MCDonalds in Co Clare ..so far ) and Topaz petrol station...Skycourt (Dunnes..etc. is about 400 mtr away)..

Certainly visit North Clare ...Ballyvaughan ..Doolin ..Lisdoonvarna..Cliffs of Moher..Ailwee Cave..or Doolin Cave ...
Lahinch is always a good spot ..try O'Looneys for a pint ..right by the sea..
Shopping ...Limerick or Ennis
You are about 15 minutes drive from both Ennis and Limerick ..

Not great nightlife in Shannon ..actually none..

MickH503

Have lunch in Monks restaurant in Ballyvaughan ... very very good sea food!

MickH503

... or if you don't want to drive too far, you could go to Bunratty and then on to Craggaunowen. Gallaghers in Bunratty has good food too.

MarkR

The Creamery in Bunratty has some lovely steaks. Nelly's is good for a pint. Make an evening in Bunratty.

Sparky29

Cheers Guys some great suggestions taken on board, North Clare i think will have to be on the itinerary and that seafood sounds very tempting! Not really planning on hitting up clubs or goin crazy so lack of nite life isnt the end of the world.

Thanks again!

Clareman

There's a pub called Vaughan's in Ballyvaughan (go figure) and it has a Michellin star, if you like seafood I don't think you'll ever get better than the food there, it is just fantastic, also the Creamery is really nice in Bunratty

TimMcC

MickH503 wrote: »

... or if you don't want to drive too far, you could go to Bunratty and then on to Craggaunowen. Gallaghers in Bunratty has good food too.

Craggaunowen is closed for the winter .

exiot

TimMcC wrote: »

Craggaunowen is closed for the winter .

Not that I'm aware of, my friend is a singer in Bunratty and she was at a banquet on saturday in Craggaunowen.

Sparky29

Cheers again for the tips folks will let ya know how it goes!

Sparky29

Well got back last night after the gumball rally that was the N6.
Had a really good trip, you guys were right when you said there wasnt much in Shannon so we spent most of our time out in either Ennis, Lahinch or Driving the roads around the Burren between the Cliffs of Moher and the Ailwee caves.

The caves were really fun, i'd been there when i was roughly 10 so didnt remember much so it was all brand new again, Lahinch was a great little town and we'd definately hope to get back there for a weekend with a few mates for some beers and an attempt at surfing.

and as for the recommendation of Vaughans we stopped by there after the cliffs of Moher which was great (if not a bit cheeky with the €8 car park fee) and thankfully i was done with my driving duties for the day so i could have 2 pints of some of the best Guinness i've had in a long time and some really amazing seafood so thanks for that recomendation Clareman as myself and the GF really enjoyed it!

Thanks again for all your ideas guys, i'll certainly be back that way sooner rather than later
and if ya's ever need to know any good spots around Wicklow i'll be more than happy to oblige.

Slan

Clareman

Great that you enjoyed it mate, see you down here again

golden

Glad you enjoyed yourself here. Im originally from Wicklow moved here due to a guy!!!

Clareman

There seems to be a large Wicklow/Clare connection going on, my barber's wife is from there and I used to work there, must be to do with the similar colour jersey's

midgetflynn

looks like I'm too late to reply but my first thought was 'get out for shannon asap'. I don't mind the place,I grew up there,though no longer live there but def not for the touristy types.glad you enjoyed Lahinch,close enough to where I live now