CIE offers escorted and independent tours. Some trips fly into Dublin and fly out of Shannon (or vice versa), and those can save time and gasoline money. Escorted tours to hit Irish highlights like Bunratty Castle, a liquor distillery, Muckross Gardens, and a chance to kiss the Blarney Stone. There are flexible hotel choices so the budget-conscious can select a more modest category if preferred. Prices for one week start at $850 (and include many dinners, unlike most other tours). Self-drive packages including car rental and overnight accommodations start at $400 per week. Self-drive packages typically include lodging vouchers that allow travelers to stay at their choice of bed and breakfasts and small inns.
CIE Tours International
10 Park Place, Suite 510
P.O. Box 1965
Morristown NJ 07962-1965
800-243-8687
cietours.com/us
Brendan offers escorted tours ranging from six days to two weeks. All vacations visit Dublin, and depending on the tour length also cover favorite sites like Blarney Castle, Waterford, Killarney and Connemara. The "Irish Pubs and Folklore" specialty tour allows travelers to visit distilleries and literary sites. Land-only tour prices start at $115 per person, per night. The company also has tours that cover Ireland and Great Britain.
Brendan
21625 Prairie St.
Chatsworth, CA 91311-5833
800-421-8446
brendanvacations.com
Sceptre Tours has traditional escorted tours and self-drive car rental and lodging packages. Land-only tour prices for both escorted tours and self-drive packages start at $120. Although a bit more expensive than traditional sightseeing tours, Sceptre has affordable golf vacations at different courses around the country. Golf prices depend on the exact location and the level of overnight accommodations chosen.
Sceptre Tours
875 Sunrise Highway
Lynbrook, NY 11563
800-221-0924
sceptretours.com
Brian Moore International has a large selection of escorted and independent tours, including two affordable golf vacations that cost a little more than its other trips. Staying in a castle sounds like an expensive splurge option, but Brian Moore organizes an "Irish Castle Experience" self-drive package with a one-week car rental and six nights in Irish castles starting for $699.
Brian Moore International Tours
3303 Monte Villa Parkway, Suite 200
Bothell, WA 98021
800-982-2299
bmit.com
My Guide Ireland is Irish-based but has a U.S. office, and it offers a quick "Irish Jaunt" tour that covers some of the country's most popular sites in just six days for less than $100 per person, per day. The tour is fully escorted, starting in Dublin, ending in Shannon, and includes visits to the Rock of Cashel, County Cork, the Ring of Kerry, Muckross Abbey and the Cliffs of Moher. Other options include longer tours and self-drive packages.
My Guide Ireland
100 Spring St.
Boston, MA 02132-0005
800-727-2024
myguideireland.com
Shamrocker Irish Adventures organizes low-cost tours geared toward young adults (college-age and 20s). A weeklong escorted tour covering the Burren, Giant's Causeway, Derry, traditional pub music and other highlights costs $519 for adults, $485 for students but does not include overnight accommodations. The company does guarantee bed reservations in shared dorm accommodations, but they must be paid for directly (at approximately €20 per person per night; upgrades to private rooms are available). There are also three- and five-day tours, and Shamrocker can arrange low-cost lodgings in Dublin. Discounts are available for booking multiple tours, including affiliated trips throughout the British Isles, and groups of four or more save 5 percent.
Shamrocker Irish Adventures
Kinlay House , 2/12 Lord Edward St.
Dublin 2
Ireland
+353-0-1672-7651
shamrockeradventures.com
