One of the best vacations I ever had was driving through Ireland. It’s not the cheapest vacation in the world, but itâs an adventure I very much recommend in your 20s. You can stay in hostels along the way and see much more of the country. As a fairly small island country, you can get a good sense of everything that’s there and find more unique opportunities to explore the culture and history of Ireland. Everywhere you drive, people are friendly. They’re always willing to help you find something unique to check out.
The first step preparing. You’ll have to get an international drivers license. You also have to be at least 25 year old to rent a car. From there, you’ll have to get used to driving on the “wrong side” of the road as an American. It’s fairly daunting for the first hour or so, but you’ll pick it up quickly. Road maps are interesting. There aren’t too many main roads! But it’s really easy to plan your trip from city to city.
Once you plan the hostels or hotels, you can start planning what you’re going to do. Our trip included visiting many museums, castles, and landscapes. Along the way, you’ll see signs for all sorts of small sites for old buildings, many which are more ruins than museums. We also drove to the Gap of Dunloe and the Mountains of Connemara. I also strongly suggest going to a whiskey distillery or brewery! Driving is definitely the way to go in a small country like Ireland. If you’re heading there for a week or more, plan your own trip and skip the bus tour. It’s a lot more fun!