Get More for Less in Ireland

Vacationing in Ireland for a few days, a week, a few weeks or even longer is an adventure everyone will enjoy. And why not? The overnight flight to either Dublin or Shannon Airports can deliver you to a Magical Island where you'll be enchanted with warm and friendly people, untraveled roads, and hauntingly beautiful natural scenery – you'll wonder why you didn't visit sooner.

What Time of Year is Best to Travel to Ireland ?

While many people opt for the pleasant days of summer for their Ireland vacations, fall, winter, and spring offer their own magical charms and are much more affordable times to travel. The landscape in varying shades of emerald green, rust and mustard is still breathtaking; the people are still friendly (and possibly more so, now that the urgency of the tourist deluge has passed); and little is better than the camaraderie found in a welcoming Irish pub, especially to dispel the chill of a winter's night.

The most popular season, from mid-June through mid-September, is the prime time for Irish vacations. The weather is warm without being miserably sticky and hot, skies are sunny and travelers flock to the small country from the United Kingdom, continental Europe, the United States and afar. Prices are highest, both for accommodations and airfare. As the weather starts to change, with cooler temperatures and many cloudy days, many vacationers return to their homes and pricing begins to decrease.

The "shoulder season" for Ireland vacations is April, May, early June, mid to late September and October. "Low season," when the weather has a distinct chill and some shops, small hotels and B&Bs close, is the winter months from November through March.

Because the Gulf Stream in the Atlantic Ocean runs along the coast of Ireland, temperatures in winter are more moderate than other countries at a similar latitude. Ireland's winter weather is much more temperate than in the northern regions of the United States, and even warmer than in most of continental Europe. Ireland's average winter temperature rarely goes below freezing and typically hovers around a relatively mild 45 degrees Fahrenheit. However, the wind in winter can be quite strong, and rainfall – a must for keeping the Emerald Island a a vibrant and stunning green – is more prevalent in winter and fall.