Planning Your Trip to Ireland

Wondering what to pack for Ireland? Need tips on planning your Ireland vacation? We've got the inside scoop on Ireland's weather, the Euro, safety & security while traveling, and lots more!

• To enter Ireland, you need a valid passport with an expiration date of at least 6 months after your return date.
• US citizens do not need any additional VISAs to enter the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland (U.K.).
• If you are not a U.S. citizen, please check with your government for travel requirements into Ireland.
  
  

• The Euro is the official currency of the Republic of Ireland. In Northern Ireland (U.K.), the British Sterling Pound is the official currency. US dollars are not accepted.
  Foreign currency converter: http://www.x-rates.com/calculator.html 
• If you're traveling on the Go North tour, you will need British Pounds for 1.5 days. You'll have lunch, dinner, and lunch the next day in the U.K. ATMs are readily available in Belfast. For the remainder of the Go North tour, you'll use Euros in the Republic of Ireland.
• Our recommendation is to use ATMs, credit cards, and avoid traveler's checks. Banks have odd opening and closing times and smaller towns may not have the capability to exchange foreign currency. 
• Should I take money (Euros or Pounds) to Ireland with me? We recommend obtaining 100 Euro in cash (denominations of 20s or smaller) from your home bank prior to your arrival in Ireland. It's nice to have that cash on hand upon arrival. Then when traveling, you can get money from ATMs (see below) or use your credit card for larger transactions.
• How much money should I budget for lunches and dinners? Being an island nation, food in Ireland is more expensive than the U.S., Canada, or elsewhere in Europe as much of the food is imported. A lunch of a sandwich, beverage, and chips may cost about 7 Euro. A sit-down dinner in the evening can cost 15 - 25 Euro. A pint of Guinness costs 3 - 4 Euro. On average, one may spend 20 - 40 Euro per day on food and drinks depending on your tastes.

ATMs

• ATMs are available in the Dublin Airport http://www.dublinairport.com/
  and across all of Ireland.
  
• Make sure you have a Cirrus or PLUS account. You also need a 4 digit PIN number. If you have any questions about using ATMs abroad, please check with your local bank.
• Credit or debit cards. MasterCard and Visa are commonly accepted.
• At many American banks, you can exchange U.S. dollars for Euros or British Pounds prior to arriving in Dublin.
• You can also bring U.S. dollars/traveler's checks and exchange these once in Ireland. There is a currency exchange area in the Arrivals Level at Dublin Airport.
  http://www.dublinairport.com/at-airport/airport-maps/arrivals.html

• Safety and Security Information
  
  Tipping

  • Ireland is somewhat of a non-tipping country. If you do think someone did an excellent job and you want to tip, people would accept the tip with much gratitude.
  • In nicer restaurants, you may see a "Service Charge" on the bill. This equals a tip.
  • For your tour guide, tipping is optional. If you decide to tip, a suggested amount is 5 - 10 Euro per day of the tour.
    
    

• Pack lightly! There is limited space on the bus for luggage.
• You will need to carry your own bags from the bus into a guesthouse and up steps. Remember, pack lightly!
• If you need to lighten your load, items/luggage may be left at the Dublin hotel
  **Remember, Ireland is a modern country. If you forget something, you can probably buy it there!
• Passport (with photocopies)
• Airline tickets (with photocopies)
  

• Shoes
  • 1 pair waterproof hiking shoes
    • We will be doing easy hikes in valleys and trails, which may be wet/muddy.
  • 1 other pair of shoes your choice
• Shirts, long pants, shorts, socks, underwear
  • Irish weather is quite changeable. Be ready for a variety of sun and rain most days. Therefore, it is good to layer your clothing and be adaptable to the changing weather.
    Temperatures are typically in the 60s (Fahrenheit) from May thru September. Some days may be cooler (high 50s) and some could be warmer (low 70s). And there is very low humidity in Ireland.
  • Casual attire is fine in Irish restaurants.
    
• Fleece top or 1 warmer sweater
• Waterproof/windproof jacket
• Sunblock
• Sunglasses
• Watch or alarm clock
• Personal effects (medications and bathroom items)
  
  
• Optional:
  • Swimsuit - On the Go South tour, there is a guesthouse with a hot tub. On the Go North tour, there is a manor home with an indoor pool. And then there's always the Atlantic Ocean beckoning you :)
  • Face cloth / Small towel
  • Sun/rain hat
  • Lightweight, small, travel umbrella
  • Flashlight
  • Rain poncho/waterproof pants

Want to blend in with the Irish?
Here are some useful tips:

• The Irish tend to wear darker clothes like black, gray, brown, jeans. Khakis are not that popular.
• American sports team related gear, i.e. sweatshirts, baseball hats, jackets, etc., will make you stand out in a crowd.
• Fanny packs are a dead giveaway that you're not a local.

Electrical

• Irish electricity is 240 volts AC, enough to ruin any North American 110 volt appliance. If you bring electrical appliances, you will need an adapter (which changes the shape of the plug) and a converter (which changes the voltage from 240 volts Irish to 110 volts U.S.). These can be purchased at a hardware store.
  

Hair Dryers

Most of the accommodations have hair dryers but the Irish don't always keep them in the bathroom. Look for the hair dryer in a dressing table drawer, bedside table, or a closet.

Fitness level

• You should have an average fitness level and good mobility. You can go on walks along uneven surfaces, up hills, carry your bags to your room, etc. Many accommodations are not handicap accessible and many do not have elevators.
  
  

When to Arrive: Monday

• If flying from the continental USA:
  • Take an overnight flight leaving on Sunday and arriving on Monday.
  • Do not take a flight leaving Monday night and arriving Tuesday morning. You will miss the tour's departure on Tuesday morning.
• If you are arriving from outside the USA, be in Dublin by Monday evening to enjoy your night's accommodation.
• Your Inroads Ireland trip begins with your check-in to your Dublin hotel on Monday. We will work with the hotel to allow an early check-in. If that's not possible, you can leave your bags at the front desk and return in the afternoon to check-in. The rest of the day is yours to enjoy. Click on our Useful Links page for helpful Dublin Sight-Seeing tips.
• If you took an overnight flight, take a short nap. For some people, this helps with jet lag. On that Monday night, try to go to bed at your "regular" time.

Jet Lag Tips:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/jet-lag/DS01085

Airport to the Hotel

• We recommend that you take a taxi to get to your hotel. There is a taxi stand just outside the Arrivals Hall. Your journey will be within the Dublin Taxi Metered Area. The driver must charge the fare shown on the meter, plus extras if applicable.
• We will contact you closer to your departure date with details of your Dublin hotel.

Returning to the USA

• Your return flight to the USA should depart on Tuesday. The tour ends late Monday afternoon (around 5 p.m.) and your Monday night accommodation is included in the tour price. With most flights to the continental USA, you arrive home the same day.
• Terminal 2 at Dublin Airport allows U.S. citizens to clear U.S. immigration and customs at the Dublin Airport. Therefore, upon arriving into the U.S., your flight is treated as a domestic arrival. All you have to do is collect your luggage and off you go!
• We recommend that you arrive at the Dublin Airport 3 hours before your flight's scheduled departure to go through security and then U.S. immigration and customs.
• Airlines operating from Terminal 2 include Aer Lingus (international flights), Delta, Continental, United, U.S. Airways, American Airlines, and Etihad Airways.

Airlines

• Aer Lingus flies directly from several U.S. cities to Dublin: http://www.aerlingus.com/

• Most major air carriers fly to Dublin (Airport code = DUB)

• Flying into Dublin from Europe?
  • RyanAir http://www.ryanair.com/
  • EasyJet http://www.easyjet.com/
  • Aer Lingus http://www.aerlingus.com/

Dublin Sight-Seeing Tips

• Explore Dublin! Trinity College, St. Stephen's Green, Temple Bar, Guinness Storehouse...they all await you!
  http://www.dublintourist.com/popular_dublin/
• Do a hop on / hop off bus tour of Dublin http://www.dublintourist.com/tours/city_tours/
• Head over to the Guinness Storehouse at St. James Gate for a tour and possibly a pint at The Gravity Bar with uninterrupted panoramic views of Dublin
  http://www.guinnessstorehouse.com/
• Enjoy some good craic! (pronounced "crack", an Irish word meaning good fun)
• Do a walking tour...literary tours, Georgian district...you can do a tour independently or with a guide
  http://www.dublintourist.com/walks_around_dublin/ or
  http://www.visitdublin.com/seeanddo/tours/GuidedWalkingTours/
• How about a literary or traditional Irish music pub crawl?
  http://www.dublinpubcrawl.com/
  http://www.creativeevents.ie/musicalpubcrawl/mpcindex.htm
• For shopping, check out Grafton Street or Henry Street http://www.dublintourist.com/directory/shopping/
• Walk up O'Connell Street, check out the Spire of Dublin, and the General Post Office (GPO) with remnants of the 1916 Easter Uprising
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O'Connell_Street
• Hang out in the Temple Bar area and have a cup of tea or a pint whilst listening to traditional Irish music
  http://www.dublintourist.com/towns/temple_bar/
  
  

Travel Insurance

• Inroads Ireland takes no responsibility for delayed airlines and missing the tour's start, lost baggage, or any injuries that may occur while on tour. We recommend purchasing travel insurance. Below are some links:
  http://www.totaltravelinsurance.com
  http://www.travelguard.com/

Trip Cancellation / Transfer / Refund Policy

Transfers

If you have booked your Inroads Ireland tour and then need to transfer your trip start date to a different tour, we are happy to do that as long as there is space available on the new tour. If you transfer your tour within 14 days of the original tour start date, you are responsible for accommodation cancellation fees.
If no space is available on another tour and you must cancel your trip, please see below.

Cancellations / Refunds

If you must cancel your reservation, a cancellation fee will be determined using the following table:

Exceptions to this policy cannot be made for any reason, including those of weather or personal emergencies. There is no refund for arriving late or leaving a trip early. Single room supplements are considered part of the trip price and are subject to cancellation fees.

On the rare occasion that Inroads Ireland must cancel a trip due to natural disaster, terrorism, or civil unrest, or any other circumstance, all payments received to date will be refunded. Inroads Ireland is not responsible for expenses incurred in preparation for any cancelled trips, such as airline tickets or for costs incurred due to travel delays, flight cancellations, or illness.

• Irish time is 5 hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Standard Time
• Ireland can have a mix of sun, wind, and rain on any given day. Irish temperatures are in Celsius.
  http://www.rte.ie/weather/index.html
• Temperatures are temperate year round with warmer summers and cooler winters.
• Between May and September, temperatures are in the 60s to low 70s (Fahrenheit) and a mix of sun and short periods of light rain.
• July and August tend to be the nicest months.
• The Gulf Stream comes along the southwest coast of Ireland, making this area somewhat warmer.
• Fall/winter temperatures can range from 35-50 Fahrenheit with rain, wind, and dampness.
  
  

• Make photocopies of your passport, airline tickets, write down the account numbers of items in your wallet along with phone numbers to call if lost/stolen. Bring a copy of this information with you PLUS leave a copy of this information with a trusted person at home.
• Minimize financial risks by leaving expensive jewelry, watches, and electronics at home.
• If carrying a purse, sling it across your chest or hold it close to your side with the clasp towards you.
• If wearing a backpack, swing it around to the front if in a crowded area.
• Keep your passport and other important items in a money belt that is under your clothing
• Carry small amounts of money on you.
• Don't put a wallet with money in your back pocket.
• Split up your cash. Only carry what you need for that day. If you're carrying a purse, put some money in your front pocket.
• When walking about town, take only the items you need - some cash, a credit card/ATM card, photo ID, etc.
• If using an ATM after dark, go to a well lit ATM with pedestrian traffic.