Ireland - Week in a camper van with a Toddler

cherylwales

My husband and I have recently invested in a Ford Freda camper van and are planning our first outing in it with our 18 month old. We can get ferry crossings to Ireland with Tesco clubcard points and as we have never been to Ireland before we think this would be a great way to start our campervan adventures.
We will arrive in Rosslare on Thursday 31st July and leave from Dublin on Thursday 7th August (one week).
What are the essential things to see along this side of Ireland?
Can anybody recommend good sites to stay along the route? Ideally we would like sites with a play area / something to amuse Little Miss.
Are there any attractions which would be especially suited to visiting with a toddler?
Are there any good camp sites near Dublin to allow us to visit during the day?
I have googled things, but there is so much information I just don't know where to start so any advice would be greatly appreciated :-)
Thank you!

PeteDoff

Ireland - Week in a camper van with a Toddler :eek:

[Deleted User]

cherylwales wrote: »

My husband and I have recently invested in a Ford Freda camper van and are planning our first outing in it with our 18 month old. We can get ferry crossings to Ireland with Tesco clubcard points and as we have never been to Ireland before we think this would be a great way to start our campervan adventures.
We will arrive in Rosslare on Thursday 31st July and leave from Dublin on Thursday 7th August (one week).
What are the essential things to see along this side of Ireland?
Can anybody recommend good sites to stay along the route? Ideally we would like sites with a play area / something to amuse Little Miss.
Are there any attractions which would be especially suited to visiting with a toddler?
Are there any good camp sites near Dublin to allow us to visit during the day?
I have googled things, but there is so much information I just don't know where to start so any advice would be greatly appreciated :-)
Thank you!

You only have one week so the most important piece of advice is don't try to do too much.
Go to this website,find the camping and caravanning section and plan a journey that you think will allow you enough time to explore what you want.
www.discoverireland.ie
If you're arriving in Rosslare there are some nice beaches and towns on the coast road down to Cork - from there the Ring of Kerry is easily reachable before heading towards Dublin but that really is about the limit of what you'd feasibly want to do in a week.
My only other piece of advice is forget Dublin - not the best city in the world to be taking a toddler with you.

pogofish

More or less the above - Ireland is a great place for youngsters but Dublin itself is one of the last places I'd want to go with a toddler. Its also best to slow-down and not try to cam too much into your time - You will be going back!

Along the south coast is great - Off the top of my head I've stayed in good/good value sites Near Kilkenny, Waterford, Dungarvan, Ardmore, Bantry and Kenmare on several visits over the years and there are plenty of great and very family friendly towns all along the way - In fact one of the things I've most liked about visiting Ireland over the years is just how good it is for young families.

Mr_Wang

I was at a bar in Dublin and just about to get served. Some ancient guy puts his hand on mine and says "in Ireland we let ladies go first" I looked to my left and there was a woman waiting, personally I believe in equality and queuing, but to stave off a conflict I smiled and let her go first.

Whilst waiting the bloke said to me "If you come to Ireland you better respect the Irish way of doing things".

So let me expand on the Irish way of doing things (considering I lived in the North for 3 years)
The Irish by and large think they are the end of the earth. Nothing exists beyond their shores and nothing comes close to their emerald isle. The reality - It is gorgeous, genuinely. Quaint little villages set to rolling moors dotted with dry stone walling, it does at times feel like you are the only person there which adds to the draw of the countryside.

The Irish think they are the friendliest people on earth and many of them are, but equally many of them are arrogant, ignorant and racist to any belief but their own insular centuries olde outdated stance on life.

Ireland has spectacularly failed, despite warnings about joining the Euro, Irish arrogance prevailed and the country is now !!!!ed. Prices are ridiculously high and despite propaganda, things are getting worse as everyone puts aside their beliefs and bails to the UK thus taking more money from the economy and making things much worse. What this means for the traveler is that you will have some of the most expensive costs in the whole EU. The only consolation is that the citizens themselves are paying what you are.

Ireland is the expedited version of what I expect the UK to be years down the line. Little more than a tiny island in the Atlantic that no one really cares about, but filled with people that think the only way is the way they have been doing things since time began.

No doubt about it, Ireland is gorgeous and you will likely meet many people who will give you memories for years to come. But I urge you to not scratch beneath the surface, for if you do you will find a desperate nation spiraling into economic disarray propped up by the old gentleman I discussed earlier and the 'Irish way of doing things' who is too arrogant to realise that the emerald isle is some fifty years behind the rest of the world.

[Deleted User]

Mr_Wang wrote: »

I was at a bar in Dublin and just about to get served. Some ancient guy puts his hand on mine and says "in Ireland we let ladies go first" I looked to my left and there was a woman waiting, personally I believe in equality and queuing, but to stave off a conflict I smiled and let her go first.

Whilst waiting the bloke said to me "If you come to Ireland you better respect the Irish way of doing things".

So let me expand on the Irish way of doing things (considering I lived in the North for 3 years)
The Irish by and large think they are the end of the earth. Nothing exists beyond their shores and nothing comes close to their emerald isle. The reality - It is gorgeous, genuinely. Quaint little villages set to rolling moors dotted with dry stone walling, it does at times feel like you are the only person there which adds to the draw of the countryside.

The Irish think they are the friendliest people on earth and many of them are, but equally many of them are arrogant, ignorant and racist to any belief but their own insular centuries olde outdated stance on life.

Ireland has spectacularly failed, despite warnings about joining the Euro, Irish arrogance prevailed and the country is now !!!!ed. Prices are ridiculously high and despite propaganda, things are getting worse as everyone puts aside their beliefs and bails to the UK thus taking more money from the economy and making things much worse. What this means for the traveler is that you will have some of the most expensive costs in the whole EU. The only consolation is that the citizens themselves are paying what you are.

Ireland is the expedited version of what I expect the UK to be years down the line. Little more than a tiny island in the Atlantic that no one really cares about, but filled with people that think the only way is the way they have been doing things since time began.

No doubt about it, Ireland is gorgeous and you will likely meet many people who will give you memories for years to come. But I urge you to not scratch beneath the surface, for if you do you will find a desperate nation spiraling into economic disarray propped up by the old gentleman I discussed earlier and the 'Irish way of doing things' who is too arrogant to realise that the emerald isle is some fifty years behind the rest of the world.

You make some interesting points,some of which I agree with,but as usual your spittle-flecked,attention-seeking rant obscures them.

I live here and trust me Ireland is open for business this summer and there are more tourists than I have seen in years.

And yes,certain things can be expensive but others are not - the OP is travelling in a campervan and staying in camp-sites.Prices are reasonable and there are Aldis and Lidls everywhere.

I have no doubt they'll have a great time among very friendly people.

Perhaps the attitude you display on this forum accounts for the reception you were given by some of them

holidaysforme

pogofish wrote: »

More or less the above - Ireland is a great place for youngsters but Dublin itself is one of the last places I'd want to go with a toddler. Its also best to slow-down and not try to cam too much into your time - You will be going back!

Along the south coast is great - Off the top of my head I've stayed in good/good value sites Near Kilkenny, Waterford, Dungarvan, Ardmore, Bantry and Kenmare on several visits over the years and there are plenty of great and very family friendly towns all along the way - In fact one of the things I've most liked about visiting Ireland over the years is just how good it is for young families.

Couldn't have out this any better. I love Dublin, but it's a grown up city Would give it a miss with young children. You will have a fantastic time. So many gorgeous places to visit in Ireland, and fab for young families.

holidaysforme

Perhaps the attitude you display on this forum accounts for the reception you were given by some of them.
This x100.

holidaysforme

holidaysforme wrote: »

Perhaps the attitude you display on this forum accounts for the reception you were given by some of them.
This x100.

This was aimed at post number 5, who very obviously likes the sound of his own voice.

Delree

Personally I would have toured Devon and Cornwall.

holidaysforme

Delree wrote: »

Personally I would have toured Devon and Cornwall.

Did the op ask about Devon and Cornwall, or did she ask about Ireland? Good grief, how hard is to to answer the question that has actually been asked!!
Fwiw, I think Cornwall is hugely overated and ridiculously expensive, and would never spend a summer holiday there again, having felt ripped off big time the last time we went.