Ireland Revealed: Landmarks, Landscapes, and Local Hospitality

A gentle wind from the North Atlantic playfully tousled my hair as my husband, Ryan, and I reached the Giant’s Causeway, a wild, honeycombed stretch of coastline in Northern Ireland where the ocean meets basalt columns forged by ancient volcanic fire.

It didn’t take long to understand why storytellers once imagined giants at work here. According to folklore, this is where the 54-foot-tall legend Finn McCool supposedly built a path in the sea to Scotland to outwit his Scottish rival. Standing among the weathered stones, the landscape seemed to whisper this tale as Ryan and I listened, breathing in the salty air under a sun that felt like an Irish blessing. We were road-tripping across the Emerald Isle, weaving through a tapestry of windswept coasts, rolling hills and ancient lore spanning the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Our stop at Giant’s Causeway is just one vivid memory among many that have pulled me back to Ireland over the past few decades. And I’m far from alone in my love for Ireland; it consistently ranks high on AAA members’ bucket lists, welcoming more than 1 million US visitors each year—and often inspiring first passports.

But while stops such as the Causeway, the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin and Titanic Belfast remain must-sees for first-timers, Ireland overflows with experiences that form lasting memories.

Dramatic landscapes

Ireland’s landscape is more than simply green. There are islands shaped by storms, brooding mountains steeped in legend and cliffs that seem to perch at the edge of the world. Perennial favorites such as the Cliffs of Moher and the Ring of Kerry draw travelers with quintessentially Irish vistas, yet lesser-traveled corners, such as the Dingle and Beara Peninsulas, can offer a more intimate experience amid wild beauty.

Indeed, one of the best days of my life was spent exploring the beehive huts and fishing villages of the Dingle Peninsula, followed by an hour perched on a grassy rise overlooking the ocean, listening to sheep higher up the slope, their soft bahs drifting on the breeze, with hardly another tourist in sight. Beyond Dingle, the Aran Islands, a short ferry ride from Galway, move at a gentler rhythm, their rugged, windswept terrain feeling almost untouched by time, while the 45-minute boat trip to Skellig Michael—a remote monastic island with Star Wars ties—adds a jolt of adventure.

Storybook castles

Ireland is home to more than 3,000 castles—some of which you can sleep in for your own fairytale fantasy. A castle stay makes a dreamy base for immersing yourself in landscapes
that have stirred poets for centuries.

For me, a splurge stay at Ashford Castle in County Mayo brought Ireland’s fairytale castle lore to life. I wandered quiet gardens in bloom, watched falcons soar during flying sessions, and enjoyed a sommelier-led wine tasting in the castle’s centuries-old wine cellar.

Some guided tours, such as those from AAA travel partners CIE Tours and Brendan Vacations, feature stays at castles such as Dromoland and Kilronan, each set in its own story-rich scenery, with additional options—from Ballynahinch in Connemara to Lough Eske in Donegal—available on customized or self-drive itineraries.

But you needn’t spend the night in a castle to feel its magic. In Northern Ireland, Ryan and I explored the ruins of Dunluce Castle overlooking churning Atlantic waters. We wandered largely alone, imagining ourselves as king and queen of this dramatic, windswept fortress—a reminder that Ireland’s history feels alive in every stone.

Pub culture

From a quiet pint in a centuries-old snug to a lively night filled with the unmistakable craic, no trip to Ireland is complete without ducking into one of its 7,000-plus pubs.

Many organized tours include The Merry Ploughboy and The Temple Bar on their itinerary, but it’s also rewarding to seek out off-the-beaten-path gems that offer an authentic taste of pub culture.

CIE Tours guests often feel as though they’ve been welcomed into a family home when they visit Crosskeys Inn—30 minutes from Belfast and a highlight on select tours. It has low ceilings and uneven floors warmed by a peat fire, the music is spun by locals, and the buffet dinner that’s served includes homemade fudge brownies that have won local awards.

Don’t hesitate to ask residents for their favorite haunts, too. When Ryan and I were in Dublin, we asked a Dublin-based friend to guide us to her preferred pubs—and soon found ourselves clinking glasses of Guinness without another American accentin earshot.

Food and farms

Ireland’s food scene is gaining international acclaim, now with 25 Michelin-starred restaurants across the island, including Chapter One in Dublin, Ox in Belfast and House Restaurant in Ardmore, where inventive chefs highlight fresh, local seafood, grass-fed meats and seasonal vegetables.

You needn’t make an upscale dining reservation to experience palate-pleasing flavors, however; cozy, homespun meals of seafood chowder and fresh-made soda bread are easy to find at pubs. Another memorable way to experience Irish cuisine is to go straight to the source: book an intimate visit to a farm, fishing boat, smokehouse or artisanal bakery. Good Food Ireland (goodfoodireland.ie) is a great starting point—you can build an entire day around spending time with locals who pride themselves on crafting authentic, seasonal Irish fare.

One day, at the English Market in Cork, a covered, iron-trussed maze of food stalls that has fed the city since the 1700s, I let colors and scents pull me along. I passed towers of artisanal cheeses, then rounded a corner to the warm, buttery aroma of fresh pastries, then another to crates of just-picked produce—a diverse spread that handily dispelled Ireland’s potato stereotype.

The Irish people

While many themes can shape an Irish vacation, one stands above all: the people.

Leave room in your itinerary for moments when you can wander into a shop or pub and strike up a conversation with locals.

I’ll never forget my very first trip to Ireland as a 20-year-old when my father and I dedicated a day to our namesake town of Bray, less than an hour from Dublin, with no real agenda. We stopped into a pub for a pint and a meal and ended up befriending the bartender and a lively group of locals who, upon learning our last name, welcomed us like long-lost relatives. Moments like this remind me that Ireland isn’t just about landscapes and landmarks; it’s about the people who make the land come alive.

Mostly, though, the moments that have stuck with me are the quiet ones. Waves breaking against ancient cliffs, laughter and the sounds of fiddles spilling from a pub, or the landscape whispering its folktales at Giant’s Causeway. Together, these memories have left me with something simple yet enduring, a feeling woven through the island itself: joy.