11 days in Ireland's West Coast Itinerary

A major hub for visitors exploring Ireland's western regions, Galway serves as a city of art and culture, renowned for its vibrant lifestyle and numerous festivals.

Get some historical perspective at The Cong Heritage Trail and Galway Arts Centre. Get some cultural insight at Galway City Museum and Galway's West End. Venture out of the city with trips to Ballina (The Irish Potato Famine Exhibition & The North Mayo Heritage Centre), Doughmore Bay (in Doonbeg) and Ashford Castle (in Cong). And it doesn't end there: see the interesting displays at National Museum of Ireland - Country Life, stop by Liam Garvey Galway Bay Gifts, look for all kinds of wild species at Burren Birds of Prey Centre, and kick back and relax at Fanore Beach.

For traveler tips, ratings, other places to visit, and tourist information, go to the Galway trip planner.

Fort Lauderdale, USA to Galway is an approximately 17-hour combination of flight and bus. You can also do a combination of train, flight, and bus. Traveling from Fort Lauderdale to Galway, you'll lose 5 hours due to the time zone difference. Traveling from Fort Lauderdale in October, expect Galway to be cooler, temps between 54°F and 44°F. Cap off your sightseeing on the 18th (Fri) early enough to go by car to Dingle.

Located on Ireland's western coastline, Dingle sits between scenic mountains and the Atlantic Ocean.

Your cultural itinerary includes sights like The Great Blasket Centre and Island and St.James Church. There's much more to do: see majestic marine mammals with a dolphin and whale watching tour, tour the pleasant surroundings at Inch Beach, kick back and relax at Clogher Strand, and sample the tasty concoctions at West Kerry Brewery.

To see ratings, photos, more things to do, and other tourist information, read our Dingle trip planner .

Getting from Galway to Dingle by car takes about 3.5 hours. Other options: take a bus; or do a combination of train and bus. Expect a daytime high around 58°F in October, and nighttime lows around 48°F. Cap off your sightseeing on the 21st (Mon) early enough to go by car to Kinsale.

Located at the estuary of the Brandon River, the historical fishing town of Kinsale nestles against hills that act as a natural shield against the open sea.

On the 22nd (Tue), take an in-depth tour of Kinsale Regional Museum, look for gifts at Stone Mad Gallery, steep yourself in history at Charles Fort, then brush up on your military savvy at Irish Veterans Museum, then get engrossed in the history at Old Head Signal Tower and Lusitania Museum, and finally tee off at Old Head Golf Links.

To see photos, where to stay, and tourist information, you can read our Kinsale sightseeing planning tool .

Getting from Dingle to Kinsale by car takes about 2.5 hours. Other options: do a combination of bus and train; or take a bus. In October, daytime highs in Kinsale are 56°F, while nighttime lows are 46°F. Wrap up your sightseeing by early afternoon on the 23rd (Wed) to allow time for travel back home.