Our Ireland Adventure: Saying Goodbye to Ireland and Flying Home

Every adventure eventually comes to an end, and after two weeks exploring Ireland with our extended family, it was finally time to head home!

Our last morning started at the Hilton Dublin Airport, where we'd stayed after returning our rental cars the evening before. We were tired, full of memories, and ready to get home—but we had time for one more Irish breakfast before saying goodbye to this beautiful country.

One Last Full Irish Breakfast

Before leaving the hotel, we enjoyed one final full Irish breakfast in the hotel lobby. After all the places we'd visited and meals we'd tried, it felt like a fitting way to end our time in Ireland!

One important note for anyone considering a stay at the Hilton Dublin Airport: the full breakfast we enjoyed isn't necessarily included for every hotel guest. We are Hilton Honors Gold members, and our status entitled everyone staying in the rooms under our reservation to enjoy the breakfast benefit.

If you're planning a stay, check the terms of your reservation and membership benefits so you know what's included. It's always nice to start a travel day with a good meal before heading to the airport!

A Shuttle Big Enough for Fifteen!

One last practical detail deserves a mention: the hotel offered an airport shuttle, and it was big enough for all fifteen of us!

When you're traveling with a large group, even something as simple as getting everyone and their luggage to the airport can become a logistical challenge. Having a shuttle that could accommodate our entire group made that last transfer much easier.

After two weeks of coordinating transportation, managing luggage, and moving between accommodations, we were grateful for one less thing to figure out. It was a convenient way to get everyone to the airport together and start our journey home.

Flying Home with Aer Lingus

Our family flew Aer Lingus from Dublin to Chicago, while the rest of our family, who were returning to Florida, flew American Airlines.

Our flight was about seven and a half hours, so we had plenty of time to settle in and reflect on everything we'd experienced over the previous two weeks.

Aer Lingus was wonderful! The crew treated us so well, and we were genuinely impressed with the experience. We received almost two full meals during the flight, along with a sweet snack. Having that much food available on a long flight was a welcome surprise, especially when traveling with children.

After all the planning that had gone into our trip, it was nice to have such a positive experience on the journey home. The flight gave us a chance to rest, eat, and begin processing the fact that our Ireland adventure was coming to an end.

Customs Before Leaving Ireland

One detail that surprised us was completing U.S. customs and immigration procedures before leaving Ireland.

Rather than waiting until we landed in Chicago to complete that process, we went through the required U.S. entry procedures at Dublin Airport before boarding our flight. That meant we arrived back in the United States having already completed those formalities.

Travel tip: Plan to arrive at Dublin Airport at least three hours before your international flight. Between checking in, getting through airport security, and completing U.S. preclearance if you're flying to the United States, you'll want to give yourself plenty of time.

This is especially important when traveling with children or a large group like ours! You'll want time to get everyone checked in, manage your luggage, and make your way through the airport procedures without feeling rushed.

We were glad to have time to work through the airport process. When you're coordinating fifteen people, a little extra time can make a big difference!

Two Weeks We'll Never Forget

As we made our way home, it was hard to believe how much we'd packed into two weeks.

We explored Dublin, learned about the Titanic, visited castles and ancient monuments, walked along breathtaking coastlines, and saw places we'd previously only read about or watched videos of. We experienced new foods, navigated transportation in another country, and made memories with our extended family that we'll carry with us for years.

Traveling with fifteen people wasn't always simple. Coordinating accommodations, transportation, meals, and activities for four family units required a lot of planning and flexibility. But sharing the experience with our extended family also made it incredibly special.

This trip was especially meaningful because it began with my mother-in-law wanting to bring the family together after my father-in-law passed away in July 2025. He loved to travel, and the gift of those plane tickets gave us the opportunity to experience Ireland together as a family. I'm so grateful we had that time.

And as a homeschooling family, we came home with far more than photographs and souvenirs. We had spent two weeks immersed in Irish history, geography, culture, and archaeology. We had learned together in museums, at historic sites, and along the way from one destination to another.

I'm counting those two weeks as school—and I'm not going to feel guilty about taking a little time to rest and settle back into our normal routine before starting our regular lessons again! We essentially completed an intensive unit study on Ireland, and we have plenty of memories and conversations to show for it.

Slán, Ireland!

Our time in Ireland was a gift, an adventure, and an unforgettable chapter in our family's story. We left with tired feet, full hearts, and so many memories to share.

From ancient tombs and magnificent castles to dramatic coastlines and lively cities, Ireland gave us countless opportunities to learn, explore, and grow closer as a family.

Would I plan a trip like this again? Absolutely—but I'd also take everything we learned along the way and use it to make the next adventure even better!

For now, we were happy to be heading home, grateful for the time we'd shared, and ready to enjoy a little rest before returning to everyday life.

Slán, Ireland! Thank you for two wonderful weeks of learning, exploring, and making memories together.