Naturally, when it comes to holidays we tend to book a hot climate country as far from Ireland as we possibly can but have you ever considered staying a little closer to home?
This year, why not make it your mission to make a bucket list of things you want to see and do on the Emerald Isle and make it a staycation to remember.
Here is our version of Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson's bucket list but Irish style - how many cliffs, caves and world heritage sites can you tick off your list?
Fungi the Dolphin
First spotted in the sparkling waters of Dingle harbour in 1983, Fungi is Europe's most famous bottlenose dolphin. Fungi has been welcoming visitors for over thirty years and regularly performs flips and twists for hundreds of fascinated visitors daily out at sea.
Visit the Blarney Stone
Located in Cork, thousands of tourists flock to Blarney Castle year in year out to kiss the famous stone which was set into a tower of the castle in 1446. As the legend goes, if one kisses the stone they are said to be bestowed "the gift of the gab". While kissing the stone may not be advisable for health reasons, it is still a very special place to visit.
Powerscourt Waterfall
Situated in a stunning Wicklow Valley, Ireland's highest waterfall and beautiful natural attraction stands at 121m (398ft) and makes a great family day complete with picnic areas, woodland walks and a wooden adventure playground.
Visit Father Ted's House
Ah go on, go on, go on, go on. Father Ted is a much loved Irish sitcom but for many, the fictional Craggy Island is a bucket-list must. The iconic house is located in a remote location off Ireland's west coast and if booked well in advance, you can enjoy house tours for as little as a tenner per head and kids go free too.
Cliffs of Moher
Another spectacular and award-winning site at the southwestern edge of the Burren region in County Clare. The famous sea cliffs run for about 9 miles and rise 120 metres above the Atlantic Ocean.
Winter Solstice at Newgrange
Newgrange is a site that can be visited daily but each year thousands enter a raffle in hope of being one of the lucky 60 people chosen to gather at the famous heritage site in hope of catching a glimpse of the sunrise creeping through its passage and chamber. This year, over 30,000 people entered and the names have already been drawn. Are you one of the lucky few?
The Giant's Causeway
Declared a world heritage site, it is one of the very few natural wonders left on earth located in County Antrim. The popular tourist attraction in Northern Ireland consists of about 40,000 interlocking basalt columns which are the results of an ancient volcanic fissure eruption.
The Burren
Another hotspot located in County Clare with cracking cliffs, caves, rock formations, fossils and world-famous archaeological sites. It is a place of natural beauty with free admission complete with seven walking trails with hundreds of woodland animals including otters, mink and even lizards.
