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A few well-chosen stops make the drive part of the trip.

Sightseer Athlone, Ireland 3 min read

Road trip stops: how to add great breaks to a long drive

By (Our writers) · Published

A few well-chosen stops make the drive part of the trip.Photo: Olliebailie, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

A long drive doesn't have to be a blur of motorway. A few well-chosen stops can turn it into part of the holiday: a viewpoint, a short walk, a good lunch or a village you'd never otherwise visit. The challenge is adding them without turning a three-hour drive into a seven-hour one. Here's how to strike the balance.

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Stop 1 · Co. Westmeath · Midway river stop

Athlone Castle & Shannon Bridge

Stretch your legs by the River Shannon halfway between Dublin and Galway.

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Plan breaks around your body, not the map

Road safety bodies, including Ireland's Road Safety Authority, recommend taking a break of at least 15 minutes every two hours of driving. Use that as your framework. Rather than stopping at the nearest service station, look for something worthwhile a short distance from the route at roughly the two-hour mark: a park, a historic town centre or a well-rated café.

Rule of thumb: keep a scenic stop's detour under about 10–15 minutes each way. Anything longer is a destination in its own right, so plan for it properly.

Choose stops that get you moving

Sitting for hours is tiring, and a short walk does more to refresh you than a coffee in the car. Good road-trip stops include a lakeside or riverside path, a castle or abbey with grounds to wander, a town square with a market, or a beach car park with a short coastal walk. Even 15 minutes on your feet helps.

Dublin to the west of Ireland

Driving from Dublin towards Galway, the motorway is fast but monotonous. Instead of a motorway services, consider Athlone, roughly halfway, where you can stretch your legs along the River Shannon and see the castle. A short loop through a forest park can also break the journey nicely. Choose Drive mode with the Sightseer or Greener vibe to see what turns up along your route.

Shannon River at Athlone
Shannon River at AthlonePhoto: Photogoddle, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Think about timing

Plan the most scenic stretches for daylight, and avoid arriving at popular viewpoints at peak times if you can. Early starts mean quieter roads and better light. Winter days in Ireland and the UK are short, so put your stops in the middle of the day if you'd rather not drive unfamiliar country roads in the dark.

Prepare the car and the passengers

  • Check tyres, oil, washer fluid and fuel or charge before a long trip.
  • Pack water, snacks, a phone charger, sunglasses for low sun and an extra layer.
  • Download offline maps in case you lose signal in rural areas.
  • In an electric car, combine charging stops with scenic stops. Many destinations now have chargers.
Irish country road
Irish country roadPhoto: Neville Goodman, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Share the driving and the planning

If you're travelling with others, let a passenger handle navigation and stop suggestions. Never use your phone while driving. Set the route before you leave, use voice guidance, and let your co-pilot update it if plans change.

Keep the plan flexible

The best road-trip moments are often unplanned: a farm stand, a local festival, a sign for a viewpoint. Leave some slack so you can say yes to them. Three planned stops with room for one surprise usually beats six tightly timed ones.

Athlone Athlone Castle
Athlone Athlone CastlePhoto: Olliebailie, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Respect the places you visit

Park considerately, especially in small villages and on narrow rural roads. Don't block gates or farm entrances, take your litter home and stick to marked paths. Many rural sights stay open to the public because visitors treat them well.

Reference & tools:

Athlone through the year

Athlone averages 16 rainy days in Oct and highs of about 13°C. The driest month is usually Apr.

010208°9°10°12°16°18°19°18°17°13°10°9°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Days with 1 mm of rain or moreAverage high (°C)

Show the numbers
MonthRainy daysRainAverage highSunshineSunset
Jan1481 mm8°C3.5 h/day16:41
Feb1592 mm9°C4.8 h/day17:40
Mar17100 mm10°C6.2 h/day18:34
Apr1366 mm12°C8.1 h/day20:30
May1374 mm16°C9.7 h/day21:23
Jun1582 mm18°C9.5 h/day22:01
Jul1698 mm19°C8.3 h/day21:54
Aug17118 mm18°C8.1 h/day21:03
Sep1486 mm17°C6.8 h/day19:51
Oct16103 mm13°C5.4 h/day18:38
Nov1490 mm10°C3.9 h/day16:37
Dec17107 mm9°C2.9 h/day16:13
Averages for 2015–2024 from Open-Meteo historical weather (CC BY 4.0); sun times calculated for the 15th of each month, local time.

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