Tomorrow is St. Patrick's Day when many of us are feeling just a wee bit Irish.

It's also the perfect time to think about planning a trip to the Emerald Isle to drink a pint of Guinness, kiss the Blarney Stone or search for your very own pot of gold.Lisa Boehm was given the chance of a lifetime to travel to Ireland early last month, and she loved it.Formerly of Nesquehoning, Boehm is a part-time concert photographer. She was sent to cover the London-based band Bear's Den in Dublin. She took her youngest son, Jacob, 13, with her. Boehm and her family currently live in Hellertown.Although her trip was short, only four days, Boehm said her favorite part of the trip was a bus tour from Dublin that bisected the country."It was the best experience, driving across the country on a bus tour. It was a long day, but we learned so much and saw so much."The tour took them from Dublin in the east, all the way to the western coast, stopping in Limerick, Galway and at the Shannon River."My favorite was the Cliffs of Moher," says Boehm."It was just absolutely breathtaking and worth the trek across the country."She thought her son might be bored with the long bus ride, but said it ended up being his favorite part of the trip as well.Boehm traveled mostly by cab while in Dublin, and said the cabbies were incredibly helpful."They were like tour guides. They were wonderful, really. The people are extraordinarily nice."Farrah Greenzweig, owner of Farrah's West End Travel in Brodheadsville, recommends taking a guided tour of Ireland, especially since traveling on your own usually means renting a car and driving on the opposite side of the road."That's a big adjustment," she says. "People don't realize that."While self-guided tours usually allow travelers to enjoy some of the many bed and breakfasts that populate the country, the trade-off is having to rethink the way you drive.Boehm was based in Dublin, and said it was a very clean city, and she never felt unsafe."Just walking through the back streets, going off the beaten paths, you got a better feel for it than the touristy places."No trip to Ireland would be complete without spending time in one (or perhaps a few) of their famous pubs."And you have to have a pint of Guinness," Boehm insists."I'm not a beer drinker, but I liked it."Greenzweig has also traveled to Ireland, and definitely concurs."Make sure to have a Guinness, because there is nothing like a Guinness in Ireland," she says."It doesn't taste anything like it does here in the United States. It's a really dark beer. I'm not a fan of it here, but there, it's almost like a black licorice. I almost didn't recognize it."Greenzweig says she even enjoyed the Guinness factory tour, but overall, the pubs were her favorite."Every town has unique pubs, and they are very friendly there and they love tourists. When you go in, whatever you're drinking, you'll get it in their glass, and you can take it."For example, she says if you order a Bulmer's hard cider, you get to keep the glass with the Bulmer's imprint.The same goes for Guinness, and even Budweiser, should you choose to drink that instead. And they don't even charge extra for the glass."The pubs are a big draw in Ireland," says Greenzweig.While visiting Ireland Boehm says she and her son also enjoyed Celtic dancing, which she says was "phenomenal."Some of Greenzweig's favorites also include Bunratty Castle, a medieval fortress built in 1425, and located in Shannon. She said the tour includes a re-enactment of a 15th century feast.She also suggests the factory tour at the House of Waterford in Waterford."They even let you touch the stuff," she says. "Here, if you go to a museum, it's hands off."And if you like horses, Greenzweig also recommends the Irish National Stud Farm in Kildare."That's kind of a cool place."Ready to go?If you think you may want to travel to Ireland, there's no time like the present."March is an awesome time," says Greenzweig, "because all month they do things for St. Patrick's Day, especially in Dublin. It's all basically bars. There's no parade, but all the bars are geared toward this holiday. One of my tour operators runs a St. Patrick's Day tour and it always sells out."If you're not ready to jump on a plane within the next couple days, the peak season to travel to Ireland is May, June and September, but just about any time is nice."That's when the weather seems most cooperative. I was there in October. It was a little chilly, but nice."And speaking of the weather, remember, it rains in Ireland, a lot."It rains almost every day," says Greenzweig, "so be prepared for that. Not that it downpours, but bring a light jacket. And it also may be quite sunny, so you'll want to have sunscreen, too."Greenzweig says her favorite tour operator is The Heart of Ireland, which offers six nights and touches on all the major draws, such as Galway, Killarney and Dublin.The approximate cost per person would run about $700 for the airfare and about $1,000 for the land portion, which would include tours, transportation and meals. Shorter and longer tours are also available."It's really a deal," says Greenzsweig. "And they welcome you as travelers. You feel comfortable when you're there. You feel welcome."Boehm says she's looking forward to going back some day. Next time, she'll make sure she stays more than just a few days."I wasn't there nearly long enough," says Boehm."It was probably the most beautiful place I've ever seen. If you ever get the chance, trust me, do it."