Will be in Galway for two days August 7th & 8th -- what to see, where to go

DanielZKlein

Hey guys,

I'm German, have been living in Dublin for nearly three years now; this summer my parents are coming over and we're going to rent a car and have a quick week-long tour around the west coast. We'll start in Galway since my sister has a friend in a place apparently called Lisdoonvarna. So we decided to spend the Saturday/Sunday in Galway and then drive south.

My parents are a little older--around 60, both of them--and I guess they have a classic tourist's idea of what they want to see in Ireland. I've shown them around Dublin before, but I've only been to Galway once (for, err, Itzacon, the roleplaying convention earlier this year ;P) and I haven't got the faintest idea where to take them / what to show them.

If I could get some recommendations, that would be greatly appreciated.

Additionally, we're a little foggy on where to go once we've stopped in Lindoonvarna. I guess the cliffs of moher are the very very obvious next place to go see, but I'm not really sure if I should find us accomodation near there or if we can basically leave Galway in the morning, stop by Lisdoonvarna, see the cliffs and then go to wherever we want to go next (Limerick?)

And that is also (less on-topic to this forum) my next question: heading south from Galway, what's worth seeing? I've lived here for nearly three years and have barely made it out of Dublin, which is disgraceful, I realize.

Any help much appreciated!

ronnie3585

The Cliffs are the obvious attraction given they are so close to Lisdoonvara. They're well worth seeing in my opinion. The coast road from the cliffs to Blackhead and then along the southern shore of Galway Bay is a nice drive.

If your up for driving some more then Connemara is a beautiful place to visit.

If the weather is good then there's very few other places I'd rather be than on the Aran Islands. Inis Mor is the most touristy of all the islands, it's great day trip. Inis Oirr is the smallest of the three islands and the quietest, it's my favourite by far.

Wompa1

If I was you. I would go up to Westport and then make your way down from there. Westport is a gorgeous town if your able bodied enough you could climb Croagh Patrick, go out to the Quays, walk around the town. Then drive into Galway city for a short visit.

The city is great and all but I reckon tourists more so want to see Ireland as a nice countryside. So in the City I would go to the Spanish Arch, maybe look in the museum since its free. Have a look at Eyre Square and Shop Street. Then for the night and next morning spend it out in Clifden. If its a sunny day you could go up the Sky Road...it's one of the nicest sights you'd ever see. The Alcock and Brown landing site is interesting to see too. Also the Marconi wireless station remains are out there.

Then after Clifden if your going South you should stop in Lahinch and stop at the Cliffs of Moher. Again on a nice day they are really outstanding. Spanish Point is near by there too which is also nice.

If all that sounds like too much work you could do what most people that live here do and get drunk Hope yee enjoy

nitromaster

Wompa1 wrote: »

If I was you. I would go up to Westport and then make your way down from there. Westport is a gorgeous town if your able bodied enough you could climb Croagh Patrick, go out to the Quays, walk around the town. Then drive into Galway city for a short visit.

And the music festival is on during the 7th/8th in Westport if that interests the OP.

DanielZKlein

Aran Islands! Is this where Father Ted lived? Cool, I hadn't considered islands at ALL. So I guess that's a good daytrip for Sunday: Galway to Rossaveal, then a ferry to one of the islands. That seems to be the only place from where ferries go to the Aran Islands, right? Cool! So it seems instead of thinking south I should have thought north. Thanks for all the tips so far; maybe we'll go to Lindoonvarna on day 1 then and head north afterwards.

DanielZKlein

Thanks! That's great! I was talking to a friend here in Dublin at the same time who suggested I start in Sligo and work my way down south, but if there's a music festival on in Westport I may just head straight to Westport from Dublin. Cool (Btw, I did love Galway for the three days I spent there this spring. I promised myself I'd come back and give the city a better look, so I do want to spend at least a day there. Plus there's a chap who owes me a pint and lives in Galway, so yeah.)

Mrs OBumble

Doolin Caves (less tourist-infested than Ailwee)

National Folk Museum (up near Westport-ish somewhere)

Nora Barnacle museum (Galway City)

ChemicalColony

Go to the Crane bar on sea road around lunch time (2pm) on Sunday. Great Guinness and traditional Irish music session.

MayoForSam

Connemara National Park, for a quick jaunt up Diamond Hill if the weather is half decent. In Letterfrack and on the way from Westport to Galway via the coast road.