Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Teenagers can discover a classic by James Joyce, Brendan Behan,
or Sean O'Casey, or try out the king of contemporary Irish writing,
Roddy Doyle.
Your first goal will be to find truly child-friendly places to stay.
Hotels that
say
they welcome small children and hotels that really
provide for them are, sadly, not always the same. To sort the wheat
from the chaff, the most helpful website is
www.irelandhotels.com
.
Under “Find Accommodation,” click “detailed search” to choose the
options that are important to you: Kids' meals? Pool? Outdoor play-
ground? Babysitting service? Supervised playroom? The site churns
out a list of hotels and guesthouses that have exactly what you need.
If your kids are under the age of 6, consider staying a few days to
a week in one place with an Irish Tourist Board-approved farm stay
(www.irishfarmholidays.com) or a self-catered vacation home (www.
selfcatering-ireland.com). It's a lot more relaxing to have a home
base and make day trips from there than to have to pack and unpack
daily to stick to an on-the-go itinerary. Another plus is that your
children may have the opportunity to meet and make friends with
local kids.
If given 24-hour advance notice, most airlines can arrange for a
special children's menu. If you're renting a car, be sure to reserve car
seats if your kids are small—don't assume that the car-rental com-
panies will have extras on hand. Throughout the island, entrance
fees and tickets on public transportation are often reduced for chil-
dren under 12. Family rates for parents with children are also com-
monplace. In this guide, a “family” rate, unless otherwise stated, is
for two adults with two children. Additional increments are often
charged for larger families. Aside from all-too-familiar fast-food fare,
many hotels and restaurants offer children's menus. Some hotels,
guesthouses, and B&Bs provide babysitting, and others can arrange
it. Let hotels know in advance if you'll need a baby crib or any other
equipment.
FOR GAY & LESBIAN TRAVELERS
Gay Ireland has rapidly come out of the closet since homosexuality
became legal in the North in 1982 and in the Republic in July 1993.
Although the gay and lesbian community has received increasing
support over the past several years, some of (mainly rural) Ireland
continues to discourage its gay population. In cities such as Dublin,
Cork, and Galway, however, gay and lesbian visitors can find enthu-
siastic support.
