72 hours in Shannon and beyond
Where to stay
If you fly into Shannon Airport, the town of Shannon can become your gateway to the region. The Clare capital is Ennis, a city centrally placed where you'll find lodging options for all budgets. However, we suggest you head to Ballyvaughan, an hour's drive north, and check in at Gregans Castle Hotel, an 18th century manor house with contemporary rooms. It sits in the heart of the beautiful Burren, boasts award-winning food and is well positioned for exploring the region.
What to see
If you only witness one of County Clare's many natural wonders, make it the Cliffs of Moher. The county's most visited tourist destination, the cliffs rise as high as 700 feet in places. Climb a little higher by visiting O'Brien's Tower and you're guaranteed sweeping views of the Atlantic. If you're feeling energetic, the coastal walk spans just over 11 miles from Liscannor to Doolin and will reward you with more breathtaking views along the way, but if you choose to drive instead, the views are still impressive.
In Doolin, you can take a Doolin Ferry to the Aran Islands, home to many historic sites, including the prehistoric fort of Dún Aonghasa and the medieval ruins of the Seven Churches. If you explore Doolin itself, you're close to the 16th Century Doonagore Castle and Doolin Cave — the latter being home to the Great Stalactite, which is as large and impressive as its name suggests.
County Clare's second most visited attraction is the ancient monument Poulnabrone Dolmen, the oldest dated megalithic monument in Ireland. For the uninitiated, expect a large tabular capstone perched atop stone uprights — and have your camera at the ready.
From there, a short drive south brings you to the breathtaking, limestone covered Burren National Park. With more than 3,700 acres of walking, cycling and driving routes, this park can fill hours, an entire day or as long as you choose to set aside.
At some point during your stay, head south for Loop Head Peninsula, the slender finger of land that points out into the Atlantic, and County Clare's most westerly point. The drive itself is part of the attraction; a picturesque journey that can take you via Doonbeg and the seaside resort of Kilkee.
When you reach Loop Head, you'll learn why it was voted the best place to holiday in Ireland. Walking, cycling and pony trekking trails, snorkeling, windsurfing and seaweed baths merely scratch the surface of the attractions available, not to mention dolphin and whale watching. Indeed, there's so much to experience that you wouldn't regret spending one of your nights at Loop Head.
Where to eat
In a county perched on the Wild Atlantic Coast, it's hard not to find exceptional seafood with stunning views. Some of the best examples can be found at The Old Bake House Restaurant in Milltown Malbay, Barrtrá Seafood Restaurant overlooking Liscannor Bay, The Long Dock in Carrigaholt, Vasco at Fanore, and Lisdoonvarna's Wild Honey Inn. Whichever you choose, order the oysters which are exceptionally fresh.
But if seafood isn't to your taste, L'Arco in Ballyvaughan frequently wins awards for its Italian food, and the Burren Food Trail offers many great options, too. Held each Monday and ever changing, the trail celebrates the best local food experiences, taking you from smokehouses to cheese farms to cookery classes in local farm kitchens.
Where to drink
There are hundreds of bars to choose from, but the most distinctive are those that add to the county's reputation as the home of Irish music. Combine a pint with a band of fiddlers, flutists, banjos and bodhrans and you'll have found the Ireland you were looking for. Some of the best examples include Joseph McHugh's Pub in the harbor village of Liscannor and Durty Nelly's in Bunratty, where the thirsts of weary travelers have been quenched since the 1700s. Keating's Bar is supposedly the closest bar in Ireland to New York City – courtesy of its position way out west on the Loop Head Peninsula.
But if you only seek out one pub during your visit, make it Gus O'Connor's Pub in Doolin, the epicenter of traditional Irish music. It opened its doors in 1832 and the music has barely stopped since. Alternatively, Doolin Music House offers a more intimate setting, where its owner Christy Barry invites you into his home to play local Irish music and tell tales around the fire.
When to visit
Ireland's weather is known to change often, particularly on the windswept west coast, but it's not an island of extremes and rarely gets too hot or cold. July and August are the height of summer, with the longest daylight hours and, theoretically, the best weather. They also bring the biggest crowds and higher hotel rates, but to pack as much in as possible, that's a price worth paying. Whatever month you visit, make sure to pack for rain.
Getting there
United Airlines flies seasonal, nonstop flights between Newark and Shannon, Ireland until October 30. For more information and to book your next adventure to Shannon and the cities beyond, visit united.com or download the United app and share your story using #UnitedJourney.
What you see and where you go will depend on the length of your stay. A week is good, longer is better. But even a long weekend will give you a taste of 'The Six' — one of the city's many nicknames, reworked recently as 'The 6ix' by one of its most famous sons, Drake.
However long you stay, you can't hope to see it all. So, consider what follows a starting point for your first visit…
The checklist sites
No visit to The Six can be considered complete without ticking off several of Toronto's true heavyweight sights. All of the following are in or within easy reach of the city's compact, walk-able and very vibrant center.
The CN Tower is unmissable in every sense, a vast freestanding spire that looks down upon the city and takes its place as one of the 'Seven Wonders of the Modern World'. Head up for the city's best 360-degree views, or get your heart racing on the EdgeWalk — a journey around the circumference of the tower's main pod, 116 stories high and tethered by a harness.
Back on solid ground, Ripley's Aquarium is almost right next door to the CN Tower and is home to 16,000 aquatic animals and the Dangerous Lagoon. A moving sidewalk that whisks you through a long tunnel surrounded by sharks and stingrays is guaranteed to make your heart race all over again.
Also close to the CN Tower is the Rogers Center, home to Canada's only baseball team, the Toronto Blue Jays. Visit on game day for the full experience, or take the stadium tour to go behind the scenes and through closed doors.
In a city of so many museums and galleries, the Royal Ontario Museum stands out. Not just because it's home to a world-class collection of 13 million artworks, cultural objects and natural history specimens, but as much because it hosts exciting Friday night events that include dance, drink and top DJs.
Two other must ticks include the Art Gallery of Ontario, which houses 95,000 works of art and is free for visitors under 25, and the Hockey Hall of Fame, which taps into Canada's national obsession in stunning depth.
Casa Loma is a must-visit Gothic castle in the heart of the city. North America's only castle is filled with artworks and treasures from Canada and beyond, but its big pull is the network of hidden tunnels to explore as they stretch out beneath the city.
Toronto's multi-cultural makeup is visible all across the city but reflected best in its remarkable culinary scene (see Where to eat and drink). The city's 'fresh and local' mantra is perfectly showcased at St. Lawrence Market, one of the world's greatest food experiences. Pay it a visit and grab a peameal bacon sandwich — a Canadian staple invented in Toronto and now considered the city's signature dish.
Afterwards, walk off the calories by wandering the historic cobblestone and car-free Distillery District. Once a vast whiskey distillery and an important spot during prohibition, historians mention that even Al Capone would visit the Distillery to load alcohol destined for the States[9] . This iconic landmark now distils creativity within the 19th century buildings now home to hip restaurants, bars, independent boutique stores, galleries and theaters. Visit in December for the Toronto Christmas Market.
Finally, don't even think about returning home without having had a picture taken with your head poking through an 'O' of the multicolored, 3D Toronto sign at City Hall — the most Insta-worthy location in a city of so many. You'll need to head there early in the morning to avoid the crowds.
If you stay long enough, take a ferry and hop across to Toronto Islands, a chain of 15 small islands in Lake Ontario just south of the mainland. They're home to beaches, a theme park and a breathtaking view of the city's skyline and will very happily fill a full day of your stay.
The bucket list
You absolutely cannot leave Toronto without having witnessed the power of the Niagara Falls and its hypnotic mist up close. Trying to visit the Falls from the States is a trip on its own, but it's almost non-optional when you're less than two hours away in Toronto. Take the trip, buy the T-shirt and tick off one of the world's must-see sights.
Explore like a local
Away from the sleek, gleaming towers of downtown lie many of Toronto's less obvious but no less essential attractions. West Queen West is Toronto's hippest neighborhood and artistic heart, a one-mile strip of very chic galleries, stores, restaurants and boutique hotels. Kensington Market is a fantastically chaotic neighborhood and perhaps the best example of the city's famous multiculturalism. It's not a market as the name implies, but a collection of independent shops, vintage boutiques, art spaces, cafés, bars and restaurants from every corner of the globe.
The Bata Shoe Museum is one of the city's quirkiest collections, an unexpectedly fascinating exhibit that retraces the 4,500-year history of footwear. And as you wander the city, you can't fail to notice that Toronto's walls are alive with graffiti. Take a free 90-minute walking tour through the back alleys of Queen Street West and down Graffiti Alley to gain a better understanding of the city's street art scene. If you visit during the sunnier months, escape the hustle by heading just east of the center to High Park, the green heart of the city where forests, walking trails, picnic spots and even a zoo await you. Ideal to unwind after a long day of urban adventures.
The essentials
When to go With the sun shining, May through October is a great time to visit, but the city is alive through all four seasons. The Spring and Autumn months are ideal as the humidity and visitor numbers are lighter, while Toronto comes alive through the colder months through a wide array of winter celebrations. One of the most spectacular is the Aurora Winter Festival, a six-week celebration that sees the Ontario Place, West Island transformed into four mystical worlds. Whichever season you choose, plan to stay for at least five nights to get a true flavor of the city.
Where to stay To be at the heart of most of the attractions you'll want to see, aim for downtown. One of the best options is the Marriott City Center, not only because it's located right next to the CN Tower but also because it's attached to the iconic Rogers Center where the Toronto Blue Jays play and countless concerts and popular events are held.
Opt for a Stadium room and you'll look out onto the field. If you want to experience Toronto's non-stop nightlife, the Entertainment District is the place to be. If you're looking for a luxury experience, discover Canada's first St. Regis hotel in the heart of downtown.
Where to eat and drink Nowhere is Toronto's incredible diversity more evident than in its food scene — taste Toronto and you're tasting the world. The city is brimming with restaurants and cafés serving everything from high-end fine dining to comfort food from an informal neighborhood joint — plus every option imaginable in between.
For fine dining, consider Alo, Canis and Edulis. Book a table at Canoe, Lavelle, The One Eighty or 360 at the CN Tower and you're guaranteeing a view as spectacular as the food. Or experience the city's remarkable fusion food at DaiLo (French-Cantonese), El Catrin (Mexican-French) and the unexpected mashup of Rasta Pasta (Jamaican-Italian).
The above suggestions don't even scratch the surface of a food scene to rival any city on earth, with options to suit every taste and any budget.
How to get around Toronto is perfect to explore on foot or via a growing network of cycle routes. For a quicker journey, buy a Presto card to use the TTC, Toronto's subway, streetcar and bus system.
How to get there Fly into Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) with United and you're around 15 miles west of the city center. The most comfortable route in is via the Union Pearson Express, which runs every 15 minutes and gets you downtown in 25 minutes ($13).The TTC is a cheaper option at under $5, but it can take an hour and a half and involves a number of transfers, while a taxi will take around 30 minutes and cost $45.
United flies to Toronto from numerous U.S. cities including our Hub city locations. Book your trip via united.com or by downloading the United app.
