About two and a half years ago, I planned an extreme Europe trip with nothing considered besides where I really wanted to go. When it came down to actually booking this trip, and the logistics of it all, Ireland was cut off the itinerary. Ever since, I have been plotting ways to get myself there. As someone who frequently scrolls Google Flights as a form of social media, a good trip to Ireland was not going to go by unnoticed.

Social media is such an interesting place, and as someone who wants to travel, it also creates unrealistic expectations. That aside, a few months ago I sent my cousin, Nicole, a TikTok about traveling to Ireland. Nicole’s in an even more opportune position than me to travel, as she is a flight attendant, and I know Ireland is high on her list of places to go as well. This TikTok was sent pretty passively, as it wasn’t on either of our radars to plan a trip anytime soon. However, Nicole watched the video and called me to ask about my Spring Break. Why not just check flights for fun? As mentioned earlier, flights to Ireland were already on my Google Flights tracking list, so a quick search and two minutes later I was looking at the cheapest direct flight rate to Ireland I had ever seen. Five days and four nights over the course of my Spring Break, flying direct from LAX to Dublin on AerLingus, choosing my seats and bringing a carry-on, for (what came out to be with fees and taxes) $546.25. I’m not sure I have ever booked a flight more impulsively. Nicole and I decided that night, on the phone, we would make it work, and within two days, my flight was booked! By impulsively, of course, I mean with little to no planning or research or budgeting, just a genuine desire to go.

While I like to consider myself pretty outgoing and spontaneous, booking a trip with no plan is a little out there for me. But, I couldn’t and wouldn’t let this deal pass me by! Being that the trip is in March, I have declared it as a birthday gift for myself and left it at that. Now, this trip is less than two months out and it’s about time to start figuring out the itinerary. Being a teacher affords me ample time to travel, but, unfortunately, not excessive funds. I make it a point to save specifically with traveling in mind, but I still need to be reasonable when it comes to planning. So, here is how I planned an Ireland trip on a budget:

(Before I actually start, let me just say, it feels impossible to do everything you want to do whenever you travel. Honestly, the more research I do after I book a trip, I always find more and more stuff to do…)

Looking for accommodations is the most important step after you book your flight. Never write off hostels, they honestly can be great! After hostel-ing through Europe almost two years ago, I have seen my fair share of the good, the bad, the worth it, and the terrible. Luckily, I had some hostels saved from when I was originally planning on going to Ireland (again, on that trip two years ago). This trip, we didn’t end up booking a hostel because Nicole, being a flight attendant, has discounts on hotels. The most important thing to us, accommodations wise, was being close to the city center. Cities like Dublin are walkable if you do it right! Being unable, and not willing, to rent a car and drive in another country, walking is the absolute best. Websites/apps like HostelWorld often have “distance from city center” as part of the description of places to stay. Some of the best rated hostels in Dublin on HostelWorld are less than half a mile from the city center and are only 30 euros a night!

As much as I would love to try and appear as local as possible and avoid the tourist stigma, I am also very concerned with sightseeing! Especially as someone without a car, bus tours are often a great option to get out of the city for a day. Personally, Dublin has a lot I want to do, but is really serving as my base for a trip to Ireland. Viator does have some great options, but I found that Wild Rover Tours has just as good of deals and is locally owned and operated. As I have been researching for my trip, they even off discounts if you book more than one trip with them! For the five days I’ll be in Ireland, I am going to be doing two full day tours to the Western side of the island and the Southern countryside. Looking at something like that, it feels like it would be super expensive, but this package is only 99 euros!

Budgeting for food and souvenirs is difficult, as I always overspend and am really not sure what to expect. I like to treat myself to at least one splurge of a meal, bonus points if it is authentic and new to me! One helpful tip to gauge your expectations is to research some menus for local restaurants and check out the prices. Also, looking at regular grocery prices, like bread/milk/eggs, gives travelers a general idea what to expect price wise, in comparison to the United States.

Overall, I am thrilled to be traveling to Ireland soon! After cutting it out of my graduation trip, I have been dying to go. This will be the first time I take an international flight alone (and it’s 11 hours)! Plus, treating the trip like a birthday gift to myself makes it even more special. Enjoying the planning process of a trip is half the battle, so make sure to make it fun for yourself! The build up to a trip, especially one you’ve been dreaming about, can be almost as enjoyable as the trip itself if you do it right!