Send us Fan Mail Ireland Trip Plan: Dublin to Wicklow, Teelin, Clifden, Dingle & Guinness (We Leave Tomorrow!) Brittany and Josh preview their Ireland trip departing the next day, chosen by listener vote over Finland. They describe a slower, nature-focused itinerary with lots of free time for exploring and hiking, using AllTrails and new hiking boots fitted at REI. They share a flight-booking tip—stay flexible with dates and book flights before submitting PTO—highlighting a round-trip $800 total fare for two from Appleton and flying midweek. They fly into Dublin, rent a car immediately, and drive to the Wicklow Mountains for two nights at the Heather House in Laragh, prioritizing local B&Bs/inns with included full Irish breakfasts. Next is a long drive north to Teelin near Slieve League Cliffs to stay at the Rusty Mackerel, with plans for hikes, pub time, and a possible distillery tour in Northern Ireland; they expect February weather to be cloudy, rainy, and windy. They then plan a one-night stay at Lough Rynn Castle in Mohill (booked with a winter sale and dinner at its highly rated restaurant) as a mid-trip break, followed by Clifden at the Ben View Inn in the Connemara area for pubs, music, and the Sky Road, and then Dingle at Heaton’s Guesthouse, including an experience to hold baby farm animals. The trip ends back in Dublin at the Clayton Hotel near Trinity College for the Guinness Storehouse, a bar tour focused on local spots (not Temple Bar), and a food tour. They also plan to use new wireless mics to interview locals and Americans who moved to Ireland for future episodes and social videos. Throughout, they reflect on what they’re “researching” for the podcast—community vibe, connection to each other, and whether Ireland gives them the same feeling as Scotland and other favorite places—and mention that current events in the U.S. are accelerating conversations about potentially moving abroad. They close with pre-trip to-dos (packing, cleaning, cats) and tease next week’s episode about Laragh. 00:00 Welcome to the Podcast + Tomorrow We Fly to Ireland 00:48 Why Ireland Won the Vote (and the Trip Style This Time) 02:18 Gearing Up: Hiking Boots, REI Fitting & Getting Trail-Ready 03:05 Scoring Cheap Flights: Flex Dates, Google Flights & PTO Tips 06:01 Landing in Dublin: Rental Car, Jet Lag & Heading to Wicklow 07:18 Wicklow Mountains Basecamp: Local B&Bs, Cozy Pubs & Irish Breakfast 09:39 Hike Planning + Photo Goals (and Beers on the Trail?) 12:00 Road Trip North to Teelin: Slieve League Cliffs & Rusty Mackerel Stay 15:42 New Content Plan: Wireless Mics, Interviewing Locals & Podcast Growth 18:03 Castle Night Stop: Lough Rynn Castle Splurge + Dinner Included 20:25 Clifden & Connemara: Pub Hopping, Live Music + The Sky Road 23:17 Travel Awe: Leaving Pieces of Your Soul in Places 24:15 Next Stop Dingle: Foodie Town Plans & Off-Season Reality 25:46 Why Winter Ireland Fits the Podcast: Living Like Locals 27:24 Where We’re Staying: Heaton’s Guesthouse Breakfast + Dublin Hotel Pick 28:41 Dublin Experiences: Guinness Storehouse, Local Bar Crawl & Food Tour 31:13 Dingle Must-Do: Petting Baby Lambs & Goats 31:52 The Heart of the Trip: Nature, Hiking, and a Healing Reset 33:10 What We’re Researching: Community Vibes, Connection, and Comparisons 37:54 What We’re Most Excited For: Time Together, Pubs, Cliffs & Beer 39:32 Bigger Picture: US Politics, Leaving Conversations, and Finding “The Feeling” 44:04 Final Countdown: Pre-Trip Anxiety, Cat Chaos, and What’s Next @WSMHtravels
