Ireland - a magical land that has been in my heart and in my dreams for so many years. For some, traveling there seems like such a distant dream, but I can tell you it is not out of reach. I often get asked how I can fly to Ireland so frequently on such a tight budget and also have an incredible time rich with experiences. With costs rising over the last year around the world, it's hard to imagine anything you do for leisure these days being budget friendly. Contrary to what most people believe, flying from the East Coast across the Atlantic to Ireland isn't as expensive as you'd think, it's all about timing.
There are a few tricks I've learned along the way I'm going to share with you on how you can make the most of your precious vacation time and take in some of the most gorgeous land in the world.
Book off-peak season airline flights.
Book privately owned Air BnB versus hotels in the off-season
Budget-friendly dining and eating for a week.
Ditch the expensive, tourist-saturated sites for off the beaten path.
Airfare
To save money on flights to Ireland, I have always booked well in advance and for the off-peak times. People love to travel to Ireland in the late Spring and throughout the Summer. This is when you're going to travel to the Emerald Isle at its peak in tourism. Not only will the costs of flights skyrocket, but you'll likely be waiting in long lines at popular tourist spots. I have booked flights in January, October, and November with much success.
January was such a beautiful time to visit Dublin. The temperature didn't dip much below 40 degrees Fahrenheit when I visited, and I found the weather very pleasant for walking around the city. If the cold temperatures don't bother you, this is such a great time to see Dublin if it's the only destination you have time for. I booked a flight for under $300 round trip in 2020 flying from Philadelphia International Airport to Dublin Airport. I found the flight through AAA - if you currently have a membership with AAA I suggest checking their travel site before booking any flights elsewhere. If you don't have AAA, I suggest paying the $65 yearly membership fee for access to discounts on just about everything imaginable.
October was the very best time to visit. It is off-peak and highly underrated - the weather is fantastic, and the leaves are just starting to turn on the trees. The grass is still glowing brightly, and the skies are very blue. I didn't find I had to contend with crowds the way I would have if I had traveled in the summer. In October of 2023, I purchased airfare for two people one year in advance and paid $400 per person round trip through my Capital One Venture card travel portal. Booking through Capital One not only gave me peace of mind but also allowed me to track prices before purchasing. You can start your search at any time and sign up for alerts when prices start to drop - they will tell you when the best time to book is. At the time of the search, it will even tell you to wait if it thinks the prices will go down. It's smarter to book through a service like a travel credit card or a club like AAA, rather than going directly to the airline itself. It's also smart to watch trends in travel and how prices increase and decrease during certain times of the year. When you're traveling on a budget, it's important to get the best deal on the cost of your tickets.
County Wicklow Airbnb
Airbnb in Ireland
To save money on lodging in Ireland, I find private Airbnb accommodations to be more budget-friendly than hotels - particularly those with kitchens where you can prepare home-cooked food and save money on dining out at a pub or restaurant.
I have read a lot of comments on travel pages from people who haven't had the best experiences with Airbnb. I'm not sure what these people are basing their decisions on when booking. Fortunately, I have had nothing but great experiences on Airbnb, particularly abroad. Some of the most hospitable people I've ever met in Ireland are Airbnb owners. The most important thing is reading reviews. A place can look incredible on the surface, but getting the overall impression of what a stay is like through reading the reviews is key to having an experience that goes above and beyond just okay. You must do your homework - and if you have questions, reach out to the owner. They are more than happy to serve you and make your stay as enjoyable as possible. Scouting out an Airbnb that is centrally located where you plan to do your touring and one that also comes with a kitchen is very important. Understanding how far the Airbnb is from a market and from the places you wish to visit is also important in a country like Ireland. We are spoiled by the convenience of having everything close by and available in the United States. In Ireland, you have to drive a bit to get to markets and they don't have giant shopping plazas like we do here in the States. When you leave the vicinity of Dublin, you're pretty much out in the country unless you are traveling to another city.
We scored the wee cottage pictured above for $117 per night in October. It is a single family one-bedroom, two-story cottage with a full kitchen, living room, bathroom, Wi-Fi, television, and privacy. This is in Wicklow, which is known as the 'Garden of Ireland' because of its lush landscape and mountains. Roughly an hour drive from Dublin takes you to a completely different setting and pace and to this Airbnb. All of the Airbnb accommodations I rented for the October trip to Ireland cost under $130 a night for a single-family home (Irish cottage) with a kitchen- one Airbnb I reserved was as low as $98 a night!
Dining in Ireland
The other money saving practice I have implemented in all of my travel experiences is preparing my own food throughout my stay. Dining out for two meals a day for two people can be quite the expense and drain your bank account quickly. I allow myself a few authentic pub experiences and meals during my time in Ireland, but for the most part I eat in to save money. After I have prepared my own dinner, I head down to the pub for a pint of Guinness and to listen to the live music.
It doesn't take much planning or imagination to whip up some quick and easy meals in your Airbnb kitchen. I find that I absolutely love the experience of shopping in markets outside of the States. It gives me an opportunity to truly immerse myself in the culture and try new things. I have a great time looking at all the different products on the store shelves and taking a few nonperishables home with me on my return flight. Not to mention, the quality of the food over in Ireland far surpasses the food here in the States. Nothing beats buying quality meat that tastes better and preparing it yourself. It is highly satisfying after a long day of walking and touring. My favorite markets in Ireland are Tesco and Aldi. Because we have Aldi in the States, it's not a huge culture shock. Tesco is my favorite of the two - I enjoy all of the unique things they have to offer, in addition to the flash frozen vegetables that taste fresh. Their bread, meat, and produce are incredible too.
Poulnabrone Doleman - County Clare
Low & no cost experiences
One of the best experiences I've ever had in Ireland was when I rented a car in October and explored the countryside instead of stopping at the popular tourist traps. An automatic car rental at the airport for one week cost around $450 plus taxes. This was much more cost effective than relying on buses and tours. Not to mention, buses do not bring you on the tiny Irish one lane roads and out into the countryside like a compact car can. My driving experience around Ireland was incredible - I covered over 600 miles of driving and was able to truly take in all that the land had to offer.
One of my favorite places to drive and explore was County Clare. Specifically, The Burren which means the "rocky place". This is a highly scenic ride in addition to being an enriching day that doesn't cost a thing. This place is littered with prehistoric sites, unique geology and plant life, and plenty of castles. My favorite stop was Poulnabrone Doleman, pictured above. It looks like a stone table, but it is in fact a 5000-year-old burial chamber. There is no admission fee to walk around the site and take in its rich history as well as unique geological landscape. There is a park service person in attendance to watch over the site as it has drawn in a number of different groups who want to use the site for their magical or spiritual purposes. The park service man attending the day I stopped was a very friendly Irish local and told us many stories of the site and spoke of Irish living in general. One tip - if you strike up conversations with the locals, make sure you aren't in a rush. They have the gift of gab!
Driving around The Burren and making walking stops as well as unplanned stops can eat up an entire day and teach you the history of this one tiny corner of Ireland. The only money spent the day I drove around The Burren was to stop for a bottle of water at a petrol station. This is one example of the many places in Ireland that you can have a full day without spending a small fortune.
My best advice is to pick an area of Ireland you would like to truly explore and drive around that area for a few days' time. (A little sidenote on driving & navigation - the rental car Garmin was pretty useless. I wound up using google maps on my phone and for the most part it worked all over Ireland for me.) Ireland is rich with photo-worthy stops everywhere, as well as interesting ruins, old churches, castles, gravestones, natural wonders, and of course, holy wells. I can't get enough of the holy wells. With a little foresight and an adventurous spirit, you can create an incredible time just exploring what Ireland has to offer without having to pay a fortune on tourist traps with long lines and wait times.
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