IRELAND

At the end of last year, I decided I wanted to add more travel stories to my blog. Whether it’s a quick staycation in our own city of Chicago, a weekend getaway to Union Pier, Michigan or even a trip overseas, travel is a behind the scenes glimpse into what inspires my life with Mike and as a photographer. It’s about leaving the familiar, experiencing something different and bringing that newfound perspective, idea or inspiration back home with me. Let’s go to Ireland.

Visiting Ireland with Mike was one of those trips that opens your eyes to the beauty of the world around you. We landed in Dublin and rented a car so we could explore different towns at our own pace. We decided to head north and took the coastal route to Belfast, stopping for lunch at The Lobster Pot along the way. Our stay included wine at OX Cave, dinner at Mourne’s Seafood Bar and breakfast at St. George’s Market. The rest of our northern exploring included Ballycastle and Derry. In between each town, we would find a cozy spot for lunch and sit near a coal, peat or wood burning fireplace. We explored Giant’s Causeway, which was one of the most rugged and peaceful places I have ever seen. We braved an extremely windy hike to the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge and also stared in awe at The Dark Hedges. Then there was Harry’s Shack, a spot we had been so excited to not only see, but eat at. It’s located on a giant beach that goes on forever and serves some of the freshest seafood we’ve ever tasted.

From Derry, we traveled down to Galway so Mike could show me the dramatic Cliffs of Moher and take me to lunch at Moran’s Oyster Cottage – an oyster farm that has been around since 1797. We also got to experience a really intimate, delicious dinner at Ard Bia at Nimmos which is tucked away near the water, but unmissable with their bright red door. We stopped into The Bunch of Grapes both nights because Caroline has some of the best wines in town. It’s true, pubs don’t just serve beer anymore. We spent our last night in Dublin and camped out at Klaw, a tiny crab shack that luckily had two chairs facing their open kitchen. We ate oysters with a variety of toppings, lobster rolls, crab and shrimp and waddled onto the plane the next morning.

Ireland is a country where the light is always changing. From soft clouds and lush landscapes at 10am to blue skies and 360 degree views of water at noon. It’s a place with wonderful people who fed us incredibly well. Take a peek into our trip, see where we stayed and where we ate – all listed below. I hope it inspires a trip of your own, near or far.

See where we ate, where we stayed and what we did below!

Saturday: Dublin to Belfast

Sleep:
Bullitt Hotel, Belfast

Eat:
The Lobster Pot, Strangford
OX Cave, Belfast
Mourne Seafood Bar, Belfast
St. George’s Market, Belfast

—–

Sunday-Monday: Belfast to Ballycastle

Sleep:
Marine Hotel, Ballycastle

Eat:
Londonderry Arms Hotel, Carnlough
Central Wine Bar, Ballycastle
O’Connor’s Bar, Ballycastle
Fullerton Arms, Ballintoy

Sights:
Torr Road, Bridge of Weir
The Dark Hedges, Ballymoney
Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, Ballycastle

—–

Tuesday: Ballycastle to Derry

Sleep:
City Hotel, Derry

Eat:
Harry’s Shack, Portstewart
Browns in Town, Derry

Sights:
Giant’s Causeway, Bushmills

—–

Wednesday-Thursday: Derry to Galway

Sleep:
Park House Hotel, Galway

Eat:
Knox, Sligo
Sheridan’s Cheesemongers, Galway
Ard Bia at Nimmos, Galway
The Bunch of Grapes, Galway
Moran’s Oyster Cottage, Galway
The Seafood Bar at Kirwan’s, Galway

Sights:
Cliffs of Moher, Clare

—–

Friday-Saturday: Galway to Dublin

Sleep:
Wynn’s Hotel, Dublin

Eat:
The Fatted Calf, Athalone
The Port House Pint, Dublin
Klaw, Dublin

—–

Home.