Follow us on:

Ultimate Family Discovery: Cornwall and Ireland

  • Ireland
  • OVERVIEW
  • ITINERARY
  • HIGHLIGHTS


itinerary Map

Ultimate Family Discovery: Cornwall and Ireland

13 Days

This fabulous adventure presents you with the opportunity to experience the wonder and charm of Cornwall on the south coast of England before crossing the Irish Sea to the Emerald Isle – from stunning coastlines and sandy beaches, to the history of the Ireland’s capital city and the epic natural beauty of the rugged Wild Atlantic Way.

Specially designed with energetic families in mind, there are plenty of unique activities and experiences arranged which are sure to keep every family member entertained.

GET IN TOUCH
  •   
  •   
  •   
  •   

ITINERARY HIGHLIGHTS



This thirteen-day ultimate family Dream Escape could include the following experiences:

  • Coasteering with a  private instructor – an adrenaline-fuelled mix of swimming, scrambling, climbing and cliff jumping.

 

  • An exploration of the enchanting horticultural masterpiece hailed as “the garden restoration of the century” by The Times.

 

  • A visit to an internationally renowned site, considered by some to be the eighth wonder of the world. It is a global garden housed in enormous tropical biomes that nestle in a crater the size of 30 football pitches.

 

  • An amphibious adventure in the capital of the Emerald Isle in a vehicle which will take you from land to water and back again.

 

  • A visit to a picturesque, unspoilt Grade II Listed harbour  To this day, the port retains much of its Georgian character, and has featured as a filming location for an array of films and television shows, including the BBC’s Poldark.

 

  • A privately guided tour of the beating heart of the Irish thoroughbred industry which delves into the stud’s history which spans over one-hundred years. A source of national pride, the stud is the home of equine royalty.
  • Embark on an eco-friendly bike tour of Dublin led by a knowledgeable local guide. Discover both hidden gems and highlight attractions.

 

  • Commandeer a privately chartered luxury skippered cruiser to explore the spectacular Cornish coastline.

 

  • Discover Hurling and Gaelic Football, the two most popular sports in Ireland. This energy-filled, hands-on experience will keep everyone engaged as a private coach provides an introduction to the sports.

 

  • Depart by helicopter and head over to the west coast of Ireland where you will experience stunning views of the Cliffs of Moher.

 

  • Discover a private castle, set on its very own tiny island. Once a ruin, this 16th century building has been beautifully and painstakingly restored.

 

  • Sit down to a traditional Irish dinner with a local family at their farm house. Experience genuine Irish hospitality as well as live music and entertainment from an Irish singer or dancer.

 

Dream Escape’s hand picked accommodation choices include a designer Cornish coastal retreat and an elegant, luxurious castle stay in Ireland.

Contact our Creative Planners Now


HIGHLIGHTS

VIEW ALL HIGHLIGHTS


  •   
  •   
  •   
  •   

HIGHLIGHTS

VIEW ALL HIGHLIGHTS

THINGS TO DO

PRIVATE BOAT CHARTER

Set off aboard a privately chartered luxury skippered cruiser to explore the spectacular Cornish coastline. Your skipper knows the Cornwall coastline like the back of his hand, after many years on the water and will enjoy giving you an exhilarating and enjoyable time exploring some truly stunning creeks and coastline. You may also be lucky enough to spot a variety of wildlife which frequently make appearances, including basking sharks, dolphins, seals and sea birds.

IRISH NATIONAL STUD

is the beating heart of Ireland’s thoroughbred industry. HM, Queen Elizabeth II took a tour here as recently as 2011. Her fascination is understandable, as the farm and its stock were gifted to the Crown in 1917.

EDEN PROJECT

The Eden Project is internationally renowned and considered by some to be the eighth wonder of the world. Eden is a global garden housed in enormous tropical biomes that nestle in a crater the size of 30 football pitches. From exotic rainforest to Mediterranean olive groves and nearly two million plants, Eden is a true horticultural masterpiece.

POLDARK MINE

In 2006, the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape achieved World Heritage Status, recognised by UNESCO as a place of significance with outstanding value to the whole of humanity. Poldark Mine is one of Cornwall’s most historic tin mining locations and described as “the jewel in the crown” of the World Heritage site.

KAYAK EXPERIENCE

Enjoy an incredible kayaking experience. Your kayaks are fitted with LED lights, illuminating the water under you and giving a new dimension to travelling over the water! A privately reserved expert instructor will accompany you to ensure a safe and fun time for all! The experience is sure to leave you glowing!

 

SECRET IRELAND EXPERIENCE

Visit a private castle, set on its very own tiny island. Once a ruin, this 16th century building has been beautifully and painstakingly restored. It is now used as a private summer residence and is only accessible via water. In this atmospheric setting, savour a range of artisan food and drinks akin to those of the 16th century. Honey glazed ham, Irish Meade, and if feeling a little braver, Irish Poitin – once illegal Irish vodka made from potatoes. Make sure you head to the roof-top terrace and capture the panoramic scenic views.

PLACES VISITED

CORNWALL

jutting out between the wild Atlantic Ocean and the calmer waters of the English Channel is the county of Cornwall, without a doubt one of the most enticing regions of the country. Miles of magnificently varied coastline dominate this magical corner. There are vast Atlantic-facing strands of golden sand, popular seaside resorts, secluded coves and un-spoilt fishing villages rich in maritime history.  In contrast, there are lush exotic gardens, sustained by the mildest climate to found in the UK, and the wild terrain of the moorland interior, dotted with historic remains.

 

CHARLESTOWN HARBOUR

Charlestown Harbour is an unspoilt Grade II Listed Harbour. It was constructed between 1791 and 1801 by Charles Rashleigh, a local entrepreneur from who the port takes its name. To this day, the port retains much of its Georgian character, and has featured as a filming location for an array of films and television shows, including the BBC’s Poldark and Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland.

DUBLIN

Dublin is steeped in history, with Viking, medieval and Georgian influences all having left their marks. Since the time of the Vikings, Dublin has been the principal gateway to the Emerald Isle. The medieval city, with its intimate knots of small alleys and broad streets south of the river, was developed in Norman times around St Patrick’s Cathedral and Dublin Castle, and later came to symbolise British rule in Ireland. The 18th century was the “Age of Elegance”, a time of relative prosperity when the Irish gentry set about remodelling the city into one of elegance, replete with graceful terraces, wrought-iron balconies and fanlight doorways. The city became Ireland’s capital with the establishment of the Republic of Ireland in 1937, and today is regarded as one of the liveliest and most atmospheric in Europe.

CLIFFS OF MOHER

Selected as one of the Signature Experiences of the Wild Atlantic Way, the Cliffs of Moher are a breath-taking Discovery Point. They are the crowning glory of the Co. Clare coastline. Like a viewing platform for prehistoric giants who wish to peer over the edge of Europe, they provide an unrivalled view across the vast boiling wildness of the Atlantic Ocean

THE BURREN

The Burren is truly is a special place full of wonder, beauty and discovery. It is a karst landscape made up of an extraordinarily rich geological, botanical and archaeological heritage with parts of the region classed as a National Park. This limestone plateau resembles a lunar landscape; in the spring and summer months, great colour abounds against the stark landscape. Ruined forts and castles and numerous prehistoric sites dot the landscape; the region has been aptly described as ‘one vast memorial to bygone cultures’.

THE WILD ATLANTIC WAY

The waymarked Wild Atlantic Way claims to be the world’s longest defined coastal touring route and the longest island driving route – it stretches for 2,500km along Ireland’s western seaboard. It’s a place where the wild Irish landscape collides with the dramatic Atlantic seascape. From Donegal in the North, to Cork in the South, through regions like Connemara, Galway and Kerry, you’ll find the Ireland you’ve always imagined.

  • "Incredible service ! The BEST tour guides, tour options and always available to help smooth over any "snafus" that we ran across during our vacation. 5-star, A+ rating from us."

    Clients of Jessica Thompson, Fairway Travel, Virtuoso

  • "....their time in the U.K. was PERFECT – loved everything you guys did for them, and sang praises for everyone! Thank you!! "

    Connie Hanes, Herff Travel

  • "Everyone, from the Tour Guides to our excellent driver, were amazing. All aspects of the trip were beyond expectations. Even changing our day schedule for outside reasons (like the airline sending my bag to a city 120miles away) they were always happy to help and move the schedule around so we could keep enjoying our trip. Everyone made us feel at home and like family."

    Client of Leah Molinari, Molinari Travel, Gifted Travel Network

  • "Dream Escape was the trip of a lifetime. Excellent choice of hotels, tour guide was awesome, the planned tours were wonderful and very informative."

    Client of Trisha Rathke, VIP Travel Designs, Gifted Travel Network

  • "Dreamscape designed an itinerary that combined an exploration of Scottish history and culture and a visit to some of the filming locations for the hit TV show Outlander. The tour guides provided were personable and knowledgeable and responsive to our interests. Our driver who was with us for the entire trip was professional and pleasant and again, flexible and sensitive to our interests. The hotels were magnificent and the pacing of the trip, spending at least two nights in each hotel was perfect. The itinerary was everything we wanted!"

    Client of Susan Morley, Journeys around the World, Cadence

  • "Sally Strange was wonderful so knowledgable, friendly and fun. 100% would use her services again. We feel like we have a friend for life! We LOVED our tours, where we ate lunch, and spending the days with Sally......Thanks (once again!) for looking after our clients so well. We so appreciate you. "

    Lauren Ainsley, Black Tomato

  • "Rosie...thank you for giving us such a world-class experience in Scotland. Everyone had such a wonderful time and your presence was a large part of that. Your warmth and generosity in taking care of us on our little excursion is so beyond appreciated and I can’t wait to work with you again soon."

    Alex Martinetti

  • "Thank you so very much for the amazing trip to Scotland that you planned for us!! It was truly a once in a lifetime fabulous family trip!! Not only were the accommodations perfect, the activities were above expectations, given the people involved with so much knowledge and compassion for what they do....Many, many heartfelt thanks for making this trip so very special for our family. "

    Clients of Kristen Meckem, Kristen Meckem Travel, An Affiliate of Brownell

  • "I work regularly with Michael Davies, who I can not praise enough! Michael is a gem to work with and always delivers extraordinary client itineraries. "

    Jennifer McCrea, Boutique Travel Advisors

  • "We cannot thank you enough for all you did for us during our stay in Scotland! We loved every minute of it....and we loved you teaching us the history of each town and visit. "

    The Pogue Family - Clients of Amy Spence, Strong Travel

  • "We are so grateful for professionalism, expertise, and purely fun personality to entertain and educate our clients in all things royal! I do believe it was a smashing success. 😊"

    Pat Bowden, Red Letter Travel, an independent affiliate of Brownell

  • "Michael does such an outstanding job with making sure every itinerary he works on with me is well thought out. He is attentive to detail and always allows for the clients interest to be reflected in their tours. He makes sure that the perfect tour operator and chauffeur is paired with each client. I wanted you to know what a pleasure it is working with Michael and knowing my clients will always be well cared for when traveling with Dream Escape! "

    Jennifer McCrea, Boutique Travel Advisors

  • "Without a doubt, what made all of it so special and unforgettable was having the true pleasure of having Sally Strange as our guide. She was truly incredible..so full of life, energy, amazing historical knowledge anywhere we visited was extraordinary. Her sense of humor and fun personality made her extra special. Sally was a winner in every way."

    Clients of Betsy Talbot, Travel by Talbot (Brownell)

  • "Your team excelled on all levels! The execution of the itinerary was flawless!!! Well done. The clients LOVED Sally and this was just the second note from them about how exceptional she was. "

    Cathy Major, Cerulean World Travel

  • "I just wanted to send an e-mail to compliment the excellent service I have received with Susie Little. She has been absolutely wonderful to work with. She is quick to respond, easily answers all of our questions, and has had to be patient with my clients as we have made many changes and updates to the itinerary. I really appreciate all of her hard work and the beautiful itinerary she put together for my clients. They said they were in AWE and everything looked fabulous! Thank you for providing such excellent service and I look forward to working with you in the near future! Thank you so much!"

    Krista Boyles, Unique Romance Travel

  • "I want to extend my deepest gratitude for your incredible work on this project, we really could not have gotten it across the finish line without you and your team 😊"

    Marieta Carrrero, Boost Journeys

  • "I just wanted to take a moment to thank everyone at Dream Escape who helped in making the Gialamas' visit to London special. I know Dream Escape has many people behind the scenes that work on making an itinerary such as this flow seamlessly and I just wanted to say thank you for all of your hard work! "

    Jennifer McCrea, Boutique Travel Advisors

  • "Activities & Tours - All the events and guides were outstanding.- Guides - Simply the best. All of them. All outstanding! "

    Black Tomato Clients

  • "Thank you for everything you did to make the entire trip, special presentations and events so special. It has added a sparkle in my life!"

    Gretchen Ashworth Stewart, Client

  • "Dream Escape, to no one’s surprise, is the best in the business. I cannot begin to thank you for crafting a perfect vacation for these clients. They had nothing but fabulous things to say about each and every event."

    Nancy Ebel, Virtuoso Travel Advisor

  • "Couldn’t have asked for a better 1st trip to London!......The sites we saw were the best & Sally, you went above & beyond to make it memorable"

    Shannon Marie Long - Reed and Mackay

  • "Delightful to spend time and see the incredible city of London with you all. Dream Escape for a flawless job in seeing the best bespoke sites, Sally you are amazing. Thank you again as this was amazing"

    Josh Whitaker - Owner, Rudi Steele Travel

  • "Probably the best of the best in the UK and Ireland for organising amazing trips. They know their stuff, have fantastic relationships with suppliers and always go the extra mile."

    Rob Arrow, Al Tayyar Group

  • "Lovely suite. Fabulous private tours. Everything has exceeded our expectations. "

    William A Heim, Client

  • "I had the most wonderful time with you and learned so much...What you offer is rare and much needed in the truly exclusive travel world. "

    Jean Newman-Glock, Signature Travel Network

  • "You were the heart and soul of the trip….I truly admired your sunny personality, sense of humor, organization and professionalism.  You also demonstrated  that a guide’s work is never done as you were constantly researching….. Did you ever rest??? "

    Sharon Delano, Frosch

  • "We want to thank you and the team from Dream Escape.  All six of us in our group had a wonderful time, and we all agreed we owed that in large measure to the work of Dream Escape. From the onset of working with you, you demonstrated a tremendous knowledge about all the activities we wished to pursue —from playing golf to dining at excellent restaurants to seeing historical sites and the Tattoo and Fringe Festival.  And, then you executed "

    Thomas Cohen, Client

  • "THANK YOU a zillion times over for choosing/assigning Rosie to be with this family.  She MADE the trip for them – there’s no other way to put it! "

    Jill Jergel, Frontiers International Travel

  • "Our holiday in Scotland now tops their lists of best trips…… To their growing list of amazing and memorable first-time experiences, our sons may add fishing for trout and salmon on the River Tay; steering a motor boat on Loch Ness; and taking private guided tours on Culloden Moor Of the eight full days we were in Scotland, Alex and Mattie thought each and every day was the best"

    Michael Guadarrama & Trammi Nguyen, clients of Peter Carideo. CRC Travel

  • "All six of us were deeply moved by the whole experience. Bravo Dream Escape "

    Max Levy, Direct client

  • "Thank you Karen and all of the staff and guides affiliated with Dream Escape…..the Flemings are having an awesome tour of Scotland. You all have made me look like a star! "

    Joni Gerace, The Travel Society, LLC

  • "Thanks for all your help and we can chalk this one up as a big success!   Our anniversary celebration was all we could have hoped for "

    Clients of Courtney Regan, Affiliate of Brownell Travel

  • "Rosie was MORE than outstanding – she went out of her way to help us in every regard...She was so knowledgeable – we all loved her"

    Jill A. Jergel, Frontiers International Travel

  • "I cannot thank you, Nicola and all the Dream Escape “clan” for the wonderful care & attention you have provided, and are providing for my clients"

    Cindy Evans, Travel Consultant

  • "I hope I have another opportunity to work with Dream Escape in the near future. The company is so professional, yet approachable and easy to work with. It has been a pleasure!"

    Carole McFarland, Universal Travel

  • "Dream Escape is delivering in a superb manner. Jim Johnston is a great driver and one of the best guides we've had - I wish to very much thank the Dream Escape Team for fulfilling a Dream…"

    Donald M. Davis, President, Luxury Travel, Inc.

  • "Thank you all so much it's great to have trusted friends on the ground to take care of our clients!"

    Peter Carideo, CRC Travel

  • "The trip was great.... Dream Escape is the name of the game"

    Ann Lipschitz, Worldview Travel

  • "Your level of service is just outstanding"

    Debra Fini, VWTI

  • "Dream Escape don’t just organise trips – they create adventures"

    Financial Times, How to Spend it

  • "It was, without doubt, one of the most spectacular weekends I have ever had"

    Country Life

  • "David Tobin’s an ace at getting inside private castles and estates and he’s well connected.... "

    Conde Nast Traveller Magazine

  • "The level of service they provide is outstanding. They truly care about every aspect of the trip to ensure you have a fantastic stay. Rosie is a hidden gem of a tour guide. Just fabulous."

    Yvonne Malka, Signature Travel Network, April 2018