American tourist spends $900 on day trip to Irish cliff
No, we've never done that either.
However, a man called Kevin Droniak did just that. The American travel influencer went on a day trip to Ireland from New York, and filmed it all for Instagram.
In a video breaking down the cost of his trip, Kevin revealed he paid close to $900 to spend a few hours on the Emerald Isle — with time for just one activity.
After taking a direct flight to Shannon Airport in Ireland's west ($457 return), Kevin rented a car for $48 and drove to the Cliffs of Moher, one of the country's most iconic attractions.
While he was there, he had a few minutes to scoff down a sandwich and a cappuccino.
Fuel your wanderlust with our curated newsletter of travel deals, guides and inspiration. Sign up here. https://www.instagram.com/p/DMn0T9wSDdo/
Having spent an undisclosed amount of time at the cliffs, he ran into trouble with a flat tire.
He paid a mechanic to change the wheel, but incurred a $275 fee from the rental company because he hadn't paid for insurance.
After that headache, Kevin said he headed straight back to the airport.
The average flight time between New York and Shannon is around six and a half hours, which means he spent around 13 hours of the day in the air.
We contacted Kevin to clarify his exact flying time and learn more about the trip, but didn't hear back.
Including buying an Irish polo shirt (presumably from the airport), Kevin said he ended up spending $898 for his few hours in Ireland, which even he admits might not have been worth it.
For most people, the idea of a holiday abroad involves packing a suitcase and being away for at least a weekend, if not a week or more.
But for some, like Kevin, a single day is enough to fly to another country, explore, and be home in time for bed.
It's part of a growing trend known as 'extreme day tripping'. Yet despite the popularity, 'EDTs' have drawn criticism over their environmental impact and lack of engagement with local economies.
While we don't have an Oxford definition of the phrase, Extreme Day Tripping generally involves travelling an extraordinary distance to a destination, only to spend no more than a day there before flying home.
In practice, you wake up stupidly early, get to the airport, catch a red-eye flight (hopefully in time to get there at a reasonable time in the morning), and then pack as much into your trip as you can before catching a very late flight back again the same day.
In theory, it allows you to get a very brief flavour of another country, without the cost of accommodation or taking chunks out of your annual leave.
We asked Irish economist Jim Power about the benefits of having holidaymakers visit Ireland, even if only for a short time.
'Having visitors come to Ireland on any pretext is generally good for Ireland,' he told Metro.
'A visitor will spend a significant amount of money on food, transport, fuel, souvenirs, and so on, so it represents a significant financial investment into the important tourism sector.'
However, Jim acknowledged that the economic benefits of extreme day trippers could be small.
'Over just one day, there is a limit to how much the accommodation and food services sector will benefit, and it is also the case that a visitor will not get any real idea about what Ireland or any other country is like.
'In addition, the environmental implications of flying into a country for just one day are not positive.'
Jim concluded: 'Despite these reservations, the more one-day trippers that come to Ireland, the better for the valuable tourism sector. '
A common criticism of extreme day trips is the impact they have on the environment.
According to climate research, flying is now responsible for 2.4% of global greenhouse gas emissions and 8% of the UK's emissions, specifically.
Campaigners have called for limits on flights taking off to address environmental concerns.
Speaking to the BBC, Extreme Day Trip enthusiast and travel blogger Monica Stott acknowledged the impact the practice might be having. Would you consider an Extreme Day Trip?
'I think if it means people are taking way more flights, and airlines are putting on more flights, then I do see that as a negative impact,' she said.
However, Monica went on to say: 'But a lot of people doing extreme day trips are doing it because they either can't afford to take a longer holiday or don't have time.
'I don't think it's fair to say one person's holiday is more important than another person's holiday, because they're going for longer.' https://www.instagram.com/reel/DF8sxyqB9i0/?igsh=MWdmbmxyOXB2czQxdQ==
Metro's Travel Editor, Alice Murphy, who was born in Dublin, had this to say about Kevin's day trip to her homeland. More Trending
'It's great to see people with large followings shouting about Ireland, but Kevin spent so little time there that he missed out on things that, in my opinion, take a visit to the Cliffs from great to exceptional.
'If he asked me to plan a trip, I'd tell him to start with coffee and a pastry at Hugo's in Lahinch, then head to the Cliffs to do the hike from Doolin to O'Brown's Tower (around 12km all in).
'Alternatively, he could do the Burren hiking trail (white is easiest). After that, I'd direct him to Clahane shore, where you can swim in the rock pools at high tide, followed by a short drive to refuel with lunch at Homestead Cottage and explore the gorgeous village of Doolin.
'If he still has room after that, cocktails and a seafood dinner at Russells is always a good choice.'
Do you have a story to share?
Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk.
MORE: Venetians are up in arms after tourists expose 'secret' €2 gondola rides
MORE: I've been going to the Algarve for years – try day trips for dodging tourists
MORE: Ibiza Final Boss's rise to fame shows no sign of slowing down after releasing track on Spotify
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Times
2 hours ago
- Times
My epic cross-Africa train ride to the Victoria Falls
So there's me and all these rich folks sitting in fancy dining cars — drinking coffee and smoking big cigars — and yet the landscapes we're crossing are among the poorest on the planet. Today we're lunching on springbok loin with wilted spinach and plum jus, accompanied by a nagging awareness of social imbalance. 'Everybody waves,' my American dining companion notes. 'These people, who have so little, seem so joyful.' That starts a debate on the false relationship between wealth and happiness, and it passes the time until the liqueurs arrive. We're in Botswana now, after a mildly dramatic border crossing in which a young official, whose demand for a 'special payment' had been refused, forced all 53 guests to carry their luggage to a disinfection station and wash their shoes before being allowed into the country. 'Like refugees,' a prickly British guest mutters, but Botswana, it seems, is a thorny nation. The route north from Gaborone, across the Tropic of Capricorn, is basically a 490-mile journey through a hedge. The thickets of mopane and wait-a-while thorn are so dense that they scratch the train as it passes, and the only hints of human habitation are the dusty footpaths crossing the line. • Read part one of Chris Haslam's Rovos rail trip here The absence of wildlife surprises many guests, but that's a recent development. When David Livingstone came this way in 1849, he saw lions, buffaloes, hyenas, rhinoceroses and herds of elephants so great that the Batswana people fenced cattle pens with tusks. In his Victorian bestseller Missionary Travels he also mentions how this was 'a region of terror' due to 'the numbers of serpents which infested it'. The snakes are still there, but there's room no more for other beasts. Africa's human population has grown from about 140 million in 1925 to 1.4 billion in 2025 — and all those people need room to live. Consequently habitat has shrunk and the vast majority of Africa's so-called wildlife is restricted to about 7,800 protected areas (PAs), covering roughly 17 per cent of Africa's land surface. Many of these are badly managed, underfunded and of little conservation value; a recent report by the African Parks Network identified just 162 playing an 'outsized role' in biodiversity protection. But for better or for worse, the African species tourists expect to see roaming wild are now confined to PAs, like zoo animals. • More luxury train journeys The line we're following north is a rusting legacy of the scramble for Africa. A single track takes the shortest route across Botswana to Zimbabwe — the African equivalent to the Somerset section of the M5, taking travellers across a place where no one wants to stop to destinations where they do. The 400-mile line between Francistown and Plumtree opened in November 1897. It was built in just 400 days, and you can tell. The train rocks and rolls like a trawler in an Atlantic storm, and from up in the cab you can see why. The railway stretches to the horizon like a straight line drawn by a drunk, with more kinks than a Conservative Party conference. 'I'm authorised to do 30km/h [18mph] but I don't go much above 25km/h,' says the driver Wikus Meingies. 'Otherwise the guests spill their wine.' Or fall out of bed. At times the dream of being rocked to sleep is only true if you imagine it's Motörhead doing the rocking. Hence the need for the 3,848 bottles of wine on board. Plumtree is the Zimbabwean border, so we stop to get our passports stamped. Kids in smart green uniforms wave as they walk to school, then wave again as they head home for lunch. Zimbabwean immigration is taking its own sweet time, but no one's bothered. As I sit writing in the observation car, I can see guests jogging, shopping, trainspotting and chewing the fat with Plumtree's residents. Most visitors to Africa come on safari. They fly into the bush and stay in luxury lodges where the only Africans they meet are driving the vehicles, mixing the drinks or cleaning the rooms. Here, guests see the continent at its poorest, ugliest, friendliest and most beautiful, and all at 15mph. This is slow travel at its finest. • Europe's best rail journeys The next day we roll into Victoria Falls. We've seen the Mosi-oa-Tunya — or 'the smoke that thunders' — from ten miles southeast, rising in great rolling plumes towards the tourist helicopters that buzz like wasps above the cataract. The winter rains have left the Zambezi high, and the falls are as magnificently terrifying as I've ever seen them. 'Imagine a river a mile broad, suddenly tumbling over a precipice 400 feet deep,' the British hunter Frederick Selous wrote in 1874, 'and perhaps from these naked facts [one] may picture how grand a sight must be the Victoria Falls.' As tourists watch from the 16 viewpoints on the cliffs opposite in the Victoria Falls National Park (No 5 is the best), they're chilled as much by a sense of mortality as the spray. We're staying the night at the Victoria Falls Hotel, which has offered Edwardian elegance, pith-helmeted porters and unbeatable views of the Victoria Falls Bridge since 1904. • Explore our guide to Africa Stanley's Bar in the hotel is one of the world's greats, and the following day, when I find myself in a climbing harness and a safety line on a catwalk beneath that bridge, the roar, the spray, the rainbows and the miracle of engineering to which I cling prove a swift and effective hangover cure. Cecil Rhodes's unfulfilled dream of a railway running from Cairo to the Cape was detailed enough that he specified the Zambezi bridge should be close enough to the Falls that carriages would be soaked by the spray as they crossed. The design job fell to the Leeds-born George Hobson. His measurements — made with chains, tapes and theodolites — and his hand-drawn plans were sent to the Cleveland Bridge & Engineering Company in Darlington, where the components were fabricated, shipped to Beira in Mozambique and then brought by rail to Victoria Falls like a full-scale Meccano set. It was perhaps not surprising, then, that when the builders tried to join the north and south sections, they overlapped by 1¼ inches. But as the construction crew — described by one diarist as 'the most extraordinary collection of cosmopolitan toughs I have encountered anywhere' — drowned their disappointment in the bar at the Vic Falls Hotel, the steel cooled and contracted, and the next morning the bolt holes aligned. As I emerge from the dark side, the train is waiting on the bridge, dripping from the spray. There's time for a final glimpse of the smoke that thunders, then the diesels rev and we enter Haslam was a guest of Distant Journeys, which has 20 nights on the Grand African Rail Journey— with 13 all-inclusive onboard, three all-inclusive in a hotel or lodge and two B&B in hotels — from £12,995pp, including flights (
Metro
4 hours ago
- Metro
American tourist's £660 ‘extreme day trip' to Ireland raises a lot of questions
Have you ever flown for more than six hours, only to eat a snack and look over a cliff before heading home again? No, we've never done that either. However, a man called Kevin Droniak did just that. The American travel influencer went on a day trip to Ireland from New York, and filmed it all for Instagram. In a video breaking down the cost of his trip, Kevin revealed he paid close to $900 to spend a few hours on the Emerald Isle — with time for just one activity. After taking a direct flight to Shannon Airport in Ireland's west ($457 return), Kevin rented a car for $48 and drove to the Cliffs of Moher, one of the country's most iconic attractions. While he was there, he had a few minutes to scoff down a sandwich and a cappuccino. Having spent an undisclosed amount of time at the cliffs, he ran into trouble with a flat tire. He paid a mechanic to change the wheel, but incurred a $275 fee from the rental company because he hadn't paid for insurance. After that headache, Kevin said he headed straight back to the airport. The average flight time between New York and Shannon is around six and a half hours, which means he spent around 13 hours of the day in the air. We contacted Kevin to clarify his exact flying time and learn more about the trip, but didn't hear back. Including buying an Irish polo shirt (presumably from the airport), Kevin said he ended up spending $898 for his few hours in Ireland, which even he admits might not have been worth it. For most people, the idea of a holiday abroad involves packing a suitcase and being away for at least a weekend, if not a week or more. But for some, like Kevin, a single day is enough to fly to another country, explore, and be home in time for bed. It's part of a growing trend known as 'extreme day tripping'. Yet despite the popularity, 'EDTs' have drawn criticism over their environmental impact and lack of engagement with local economies. What is Extreme Day Tripping? While we don't have an Oxford definition of the phrase, Extreme Day Tripping generally involves travelling an extraordinary distance to a destination, only to spend no more than a day there before flying home. In practice, you wake up stupidly early, get to the airport, catch a red-eye flight (hopefully in time to get there at a reasonable time in the morning), and then pack as much into your trip as you can before catching a very late flight back again the same day. In theory, it allows you to get a very brief flavour of another country, without the cost of accommodation or taking chunks out of your annual leave. Do Extreme Day Trips benefit the host country? We asked Irish economist Jim Power about the benefits of having holidaymakers visit Ireland, even if only for a short time. 'Having visitors come to Ireland on any pretext is generally good for Ireland,' he told Metro. 'A visitor will spend a significant amount of money on food, transport, fuel, souvenirs, and so on, so it represents a significant financial investment into the important tourism sector.' However, Jim acknowledged that the economic benefits of extreme day trippers could be small. 'Over just one day, there is a limit to how much the accommodation and food services sector will benefit, and it is also the case that a visitor will not get any real idea about what Ireland or any other country is like. 'In addition, the environmental implications of flying into a country for just one day are not positive.' Jim concluded: 'Despite these reservations, the more one-day trippers that come to Ireland, the better for the valuable tourism sector. ' What about the environmental impact? A common criticism of extreme day trips is the impact they have on the environment. According to climate research, flying is now responsible for 2.4% of global greenhouse gas emissions and 8% of the UK's emissions, specifically. Campaigners have called for limits on flights taking off to address environmental concerns. Speaking to the BBC, Extreme Day Trip enthusiast and travel blogger Monica Stott acknowledged the impact the practice might be having. 'I think if it means people are taking way more flights, and airlines are putting on more flights, then I do see that as a negative impact,' she said. However, Monica went on to say: 'But a lot of people doing extreme day trips are doing it because they either can't afford to take a longer holiday or don't have time. 'I don't think it's fair to say one person's holiday is more important than another person's holiday, because they're going for longer.' What else could you do on a day trip to Ireland? Metro's Travel Editor, Alice Murphy, who was born in Dublin, had this to say about Kevin's day trip to her homeland. 'It's great to see people with large followings shouting about Ireland, but Kevin spent so little time there that he missed out on things that, in my opinion, take a visit to the Cliffs from great to exceptional. 'If he asked me to plan a trip, I'd tell him to start with coffee and a pastry at Hugo's in Lahinch, then head to the Cliffs to do the hike from Doolin to O'Brown's Tower (around 12km all in). 'Alternatively, he could do the Burren hiking trail (white is easiest). After that, I'd direct him to Clahane shore, where you can swim in the rock pools at high tide, followed by a short drive to refuel with lunch at Homestead Cottage and explore the gorgeous village of Doolin. 'If he still has room after that, cocktails and a seafood dinner at Russells is always a good choice.' Do you have a story to share?
Daily Record
4 hours ago
- Daily Record
Historic cave in Scotland where a 6th century saint once stayed
The cave in Argyll and Bute is a hidden historic site where an Irish missionary is said to have worshipped on his journey to Scotland Hidden away in the wild and rugged landscape of Argyll and Bute lies a site steeped in legend and early Christian tradition. St Columba's Cave, on the northern shore of Loch Caolisport, has long been considered an important landmark in Scotland's spiritual history. Tradition holds that the Irish missionary who helped bring Christianity to Scotland stayed and worshipped here during his journey from Ulster to the west coast. The cave is not easy to stumble upon. Travellers must take a minor road off the B8024 at Achahoish, following the lochside for several miles before reaching a signposted path. A short walk leads visitors past the overgrown ruins of a 13th-century chapel before arriving at a natural cave beneath an upturned rock face. According to local tradition, Columba stopped here in the 6th century while waiting for King Conal's permission to establish his monastery at Iona. Though there is no firm evidence he stayed in the cave, its association with the saint has endured for centuries. The cave itself is striking. Measuring around 18 metres deep and five metres across the mouth, it contains a raised rock shelf along the east wall. On the shelf stands a drystone altar, above which is carved a small cross in low relief, just 17 by 14 centimetres. To the north lies another Latin-style cross, framed by a curious series of five pits in the rock face. A third, much fainter cross is said to exist further north, though difficult to spot. Excavations outside the cave revealed two ancient burials of indeterminate date, alongside evidence of human use stretching back to the Mesolithic period. To the west, a smaller cave shows signs of being used as a dwelling. The site has inspired many local traditions over the centuries. The font at nearby Achahoish church is said to have been taken from the cave, further strengthening its connection to early Christian practice. Whether or not Columba truly stayed here may never be proven, but the setting and the view over the loch make it easy to imagine why such a story took root. The surrounding area is rich in related landmarks. Between Kiel Cave and St Columba's Chapel lies the mysterious St Columba's Footprints. These stone impressions sit atop a rocky outcrop, reached by a small flight of steps. One footprint was carved in 1856 by a local mason, but the other is much older. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Some believe it is Columba's own, though historians suggest it was more likely used during the coronation of kings in Dalriada, or even earlier by the southern Picts. A similar footprint can be found at Dunadd in Kilmartin Glen. Close by is St Columba's Well, a rocky basin carved into the slope where water collects from a spring. The waters are said to have healing properties, and a rough Latin cross has been cut into the overhanging rock face above the pool. Further along stands St Columba's Chapel within Keil Cemetery. Though often linked to the saint, the chapel was almost certainly built centuries later. Its east end dates to the late 13th century, with extensions added between the 14th and 15th centuries. Overgrown with ivy, the ruined structure can still be entered through a partially buried doorway. Inside lie medieval grave slabs, two of which are thought to have been carved at Saddell Abbey.
