Holidays

[Don Johnson]

Anyone been to Trabolgan in Cork lately? Heard it had gotten bad reviews the last while but seen on their site they've put up a couple million in renovations.

Or is there any similar holiday village type places down south you would recommend? We have done a couple Eurocamps and loved them but looking a cheaper few days away start of June just down south.

[Fuzzman]

Flew into Naples with Aer Lingus in September. Stayed there couple of nights & then moved on to Sorrento, for rest of the week. Didn't spend a lot of time in Sorrento, to be honest. Took an ordinary bus service along coast road to Positano & Amalfi one day. Next day, train to Pompeii. Following day, boat out to Capri, so really ended up spending only 1 daytime in Sorrento & it was all serious thunderstorms & torrential rain. Sorrento's ok as a base, I got a hotel in the town centre, which claimed it was four star, but that was mainly based on its central location. There was an Irish bar on one of the main streets, showing the AI hurling final on the day I arrived from Naples.....Sorrento has reasonably good bus links & train / ferry services. Went back to Naples for 1 more night at the end, to get flight home the next day, hadn't realised that there was a direct bus from Sorrento - Naples airport. Naples is a bit run down & somewhat dodgy, had a pick pocketing attempt outside the main train station. Next stops - Vienna just before Xmas & then Chicago next Easter.

Was trying to PM you there lad.

A few of us lads are going over to Naples for 4 days in 3 weeks time and wondered what you thought of it and where would you recommend going to?

We were thinking of doing a day tour around Amalfi coast
Any good Irish bars there? Might set up a karaoke using chromecast and youtube if the owner would let us.

[playwiththewind1st]

Don't think I am set up for PMs! Was only there at start of holiday & v end. Was mainly in Sorrento. Stayed in Una Hotel, which is at top of a big square nr Central railway station.....watch out for the pickpockets. That area was like a construction site, as they are doing work on the metro system. It was pissing rain one day so we did an underground tour of the old subterranean water system, which was good. Did Pompeii, Amalfi coast & Capri, but all out of Sorrento. Herculaneum didn't look like it was too far out of Naples either. Didn't go far at night in Naples.....dodgy place during the day even lol. At least 1 Irish bar in Sorrento that I was in.

[Helix]

Anyone got experience of driving down the West Coast of the USA? It's in the frame for the family holiday this Summer probably,  take 12/13 days at it starting in Seattle and finishing in maybe SAN Diego..

yes. did the entire coast a few years back. you could camp all the way if you wanted
the road isn't actually along the coast in a lot of places

Washington - fantastic coast. Olympic national park area is brilliant. You can go inland to Mount Rainier NP too before hitting the coast

Oregon - great big beaches, though with not much along them. Portland is definitely worth a look. My favourite US city.

Northern California - redwoods are pretty cool. the road doesn't actually go along the coast for a lot of it
wine country - the mendocinno wine country is a lot less busy than sonoma or napa

ask away

Any of ye experience of driving from San Fran to LA coastal route. Staying in Monterey half way to break up trip(Heading to us for 3 weeks in May). Giving 2 days for coastal drive. Any bits for LA. Trying to convince herself to go down to San Diego for a day. Stayed by in LA for 4 nights and hear mixed reviews about LA. Staying in Santa Monica in Airbnb. Sound

[Rois]

Any of ye experience of driving from San Fran to LA coastal route. Staying in Monterey half way to break up trip(Heading to us for 3 weeks in May). Giving 2 days for coastal drive. Any bits for LA. Trying to convince herself to go down to San Diego for a day. Stayed by in LA for 4 nights and hear mixed reviews about LA. Staying in Santa Monica in Airbnb. Sound

Make sure you check the coast road is open the whole way or you'll have to double back.  It was closed part way down last year anyway. 

[Milltown Row2]

Booked to go to Iceland Tuesday week on a whim last night  . Only £200 return for three of us. Anybody got any useful info??

Daughter just back from Iceland yesterday. They had a blast and did the heap, photos are amazing and for my daughter to come back impressed is pretty impressive! If you have a 17 year old you'll understand!

But seriously expensive!

[galwayman]

Anyone been to Cornwall?
Considering going with the missus first week of September for a week with our daughter who will be 20 months old then.
I was looking at renting a place in St Ives for the week.
Any thoughts?
Thanks

[AZOffaly]

Anyone been to Cornwall?
Considering going with the missus first week of September for a week with our daughter who will be 20 months old then.
I was looking at renting a place in St Ives for the week.
Any thoughts?
Thanks

I wasn't in Cornwall, but I was in Devon, just south of Exeter. It's nice down there, weather is usually a bit better than Ireland,and beaches are nice. Sea side fish and chips are hard to beat too

If you're going to Saint Ives, look out for the man with seven wives.

[maddog]

Been to Cornwall a few times. St Ives is excellent. Plenty of good places to eat and have a few pints. Fresh seafood is a plus. I stayed up on the cliff top in camper van last time - place called Ayr holiday park. They do mobile homes etc. Facilities are top class. If you can head out to that Minack theatre. Its cut into the side of a cliff. Very spectacular.

[BennyCake]

Cornwall looks class.

St Ives looks spectacular. Would like to visit Port Isaac too, location for Doc Martin. Apparently you can't turn around in Cornwall in summer for the crowds.

[Owen Brannigan]

Anyone been to Cornwall?
Considering going with the missus first week of September for a week with our daughter who will be 20 months old then.
I was looking at renting a place in St Ives for the week.
Any thoughts?
Thanks

Been there a few years ago. Should be good in September after English go back to school.  Stayed near Look on the South side.  House was a distance down a lane but was a great house.  www.captainscottage.co.uk

[Dougal Maguire]

Cornwall seems class. It's on my to do list when I retire in a couple of years. Touring Croatia and Bosnia this summer. Does anyone here know the story as regards taking a rental car from Croatia into Bosnia and back out again?

[omaghjoe]

Anyone got experience of driving down the West Coast of the USA? It's in the frame for the family holiday this Summer probably,  take 12/13 days at it starting in Seattle and finishing in maybe SAN Diego..

yes. did the entire coast a few years back. you could camp all the way if you wanted
the road isn't actually along the coast in a lot of places

Washington - fantastic coast. Olympic national park area is brilliant. You can go inland to Mount Rainier NP too before hitting the coast

Oregon - great big beaches, though with not much along them. Portland is definitely worth a look. My favourite US city.

Northern California - redwoods are pretty cool. the road doesn't actually go along the coast for a lot of it
wine country - the mendocinno wine country is a lot less busy than sonoma or napa

ask away

Any of ye experience of driving from San Fran to LA coastal route. Staying in Monterey half way to break up trip(Heading to us for 3 weeks in May). Giving 2 days for coastal drive. Any bits for LA. Trying to convince herself to go down to San Diego for a day. Stayed by in LA for 4 nights and hear mixed reviews about LA. Staying in Santa Monica in Airbnb. Sound

There was plenty said the last few pages but for that stretch it would be:
Vineyards around Gilroy/Morgan Hill
Big Sur
Missions: Carmel, Santa Barbara probably the pick on that stretch
Hearst Castle kinda pricey
Pismo Beach
Solvang/Los Olivos: more wineries, more picturesque but more crowded

[gawa316]

Any of ye experience of driving from San Fran to LA coastal route. Staying in Monterey half way to break up trip(Heading to us for 3 weeks in May). Giving 2 days for coastal drive. Any bits for LA. Trying to convince herself to go down to San Diego for a day. Stayed by in LA for 4 nights and hear mixed reviews about LA. Staying in Santa Monica in Airbnb. Sound

Make sure you check the coast road is open the whole way or you'll have to double back.  It was closed part way down last year anyway.

Yeah it's still closed, so its going to hard to cram that journey all into 2 days. Loads of stuff to do, even between Santa Cruz and Monterey. Just back from Capitola which is a lovely wee spot on the beach. Take the missus to the Shadowbrook restaurant and ye won't be disappointed. If you are into hiking there is some great spots in the Santa Cruz hills. Big Sur is spectacular and not to be missed. The brother was over last year just after the road closure. We drove down Hwy 1 as far as we could then drove back up and around and headed to Pismo. Lots to do around this area as well, Avilia Beach is a must and then you have Oceano and Arroyo Grande. Heading south Solvang like Joe mentioned is very nice. Little Danish town with wineries and breweries. From there I head to Santa Barbara, just south of there is Carpinteria which is another nice beach town.

What's your plans for LA? We aren't too fussed on it and the traffic would drive ye mental. Definitely try to get down to San Diego...love the place and make sure to go to The Field pub and enjoy a few home comforts!

PM if you have any questions.

[omaghjoe]

Forgot to mention The Irishman in Huntington Beach for home comforts and gibbering Corkish