Ireland

Two Christmas's ago, my mom decided instead of giving presents, she wanted to take the family on a vacation. We hadn't done a trip together since high school and she thought giving us an experience that we could all enjoy together was way more valuable than any material goods. My sisters and I totally hated this idea and demanded new socks instead.

Just kidding :)

It took us a year and a half to align our schedules and plan the logistics but we finally made it happen! We originally tossed around several possible destinations for where we would go but it didn't take long for all of us to agree to Ireland. None of us had been there before and a quick Google search of Irish landscapes quickly convinced us that we definitely wouldn't regret going. 

Our Irish adventure was a 10 day road trip that went counter-clockwise around the whole country (including Northern Ireland) beginning and ending in Dublin. Along the way we saw medieval castles, drove through beautiful countryside, relaxed along stunning coastlines, met friendly locals, and listened to traditional Irish music while enjoying a few pints in a pub.

Outside of the few big cities, the majority of the country feels like a bit like going back in time. It isn't hard to imagine that a lot of the sights we saw have looked very similar for hundreds of years. Hopefully they will remain that way for hundreds more. Overall it was a fantastic trip. I would recommend Ireland to anyone who is thinking about a European vacation.