Dublin Travel Guide
Dublin is most likely the city you will arrive in when visiting Ireland as the airport has flights arriving from all over the world. While there is so much to see around the entire country, be sure to take a few days at the beginning or end of your trip to experience the capital city of Ireland. 🍀
ARRIVAL
The Dublin Airport sits north of the city. You can rent cars there or take a cab into the city but the least expensive way (especially if you are staying in the city center or heading to the train station) is to take the Airlink bus. It travels between the airport and Heuston Train Station making several stops along the way. You just buy your ticket at the machine by the bus stop outside the airport. You’ll want to reference the map (or confirm with your hotel/Airbnb owner) to determine which stop to get off at if your final destination isn’t the airport. You can purchase a single ride ticket or one that also includes your return. If you’re staying in Dublin upon your arrival then you’ll want to consider the Leap Visitor Card. You can purchase this at the airport as well (or online) in one, three or seven day increments. It includes the Airlink bus travel as well as unlimited travel on Dublin city buses, the Luas Tram/Light Rail and even the Commuter Rail for some regional day trips. When it’s time to head back to the states, one different thing about the Dublin Airport is the fact that you’ll go through US Customs there and not in the states. This means once you arrive in the states you don’t have to go through any screening there nor do you need to re-check any of your luggage. My husband and I have Global Entry but it didn’t help us with lines until the very end when we were getting our passports checked for the last time. So, be sure to arrive at the airport with enough time to go through security twice - once for the Dublin airport and once for US Customs.
STAY
During our visits to Dublin we’ve stayed in hotels near the city center and an Airbnb. Our first time we stayed at the Academy Plaza Hotel and our second time was at the Morrison Doubletree. The rooms were clean with everything we needed and both had friendly and helpful staffs. They also have nearby bus and Luas stops and are walking distance to O’Connell Street, the Temple Bar area and the River Liffey (the Doubletree sits on the river). The Airbnb we stayed in is no longer listed but there are dozens of options near the city center of Dublin. You can read more about how I decide on what Airbnb to stay in the beginning of this blog post.
The Morrison Doubletree sits right on the River Liffey close to everything in Dublin.
SEE
Obviously the more popular things to see are the Guinness Storehouse and the Jameson Distillery. Both will be crowded and full of tourists but that’s because they are fun stops. Both locations have areas that can be accessed for free, so you don’t necessarily have to take a tour. However, it was quite cool to learn how to properly pour a Guinness and then drink it in the Gravity Bar with panoramic views of Dublin. If you are a fan of Guinness marketing like me, you’ll love the giant store there with all sorts of Guinness merchandise. And at Jameson you can buy some whiskey to take home that can’t be found in the states (a lot of distilleries throughout the country have these options so that is what we would purchase to take home). Another famous spot in Dublin is the Temple Bar area. While this name describes an area of Dublin full of pubs, there is also THE Temple Bar in that area that you’ve more than likely seen a photo of online. The area is just as fun to walk around and people watch as it is to stop in one of the pubs for a pint.
Jameson Distillery in Dublin.
There are plenty of other things to do around Dublin that don’t revolve around drinking. For sites to visit you have Trinity College, Dublin Castle and Kilmainham Gaol. Trinity College is famous because their library houses the Book of Kells. Tours of the library do cost money but you can wander the campus grounds for free. The same goes for Dublin Castle. Kilmainham Gaol is an historic former prison constructed in 1796. If the weather is decent there are plenty of outdoor sites including the River Liffey, the historic Ha’Penny Bridge and St. Stephen’s Green. The river runs through the center of Dublin so it’s hard to miss. You can take boat tours on the river or even explore in your own kayak. The river can be crossed by several bridges but the Ha’Penny is the most iconic of Dublin. It was built in 1816 as the only other means of crossing the river except ferries. There was a toll to cross the bridge of penny-ha'penny (1½ pence) which is where the bridge got its name. St. Stephen’s Green is a large park in the middle of the city and great for wandering around or enjoying a picnic.
Dublin Castle
If you’ve purchased the Leap Card for travel you can take the train to other towns around Dublin for some day trips (just be sure to double check the region of travel allowed so you don’t get charged extra for traveling outside the included area). We chose to head south to Bray, a seaside town with a much slower pace than Dublin. We walked along the water and visited the Harbour Bar, established in 1872, and then had lunch with views of the water. Another close by option is to visit Tullamore. It’s not included with the Leap Card so you’ll have to buy a separate ticket but it’s only about an hour by train and home to the Tullamore DEW distillery. The town is quite lovely and the distillery sits along a scenic canal.
Bray is a short train ride away from Dublin and a great place to walk along the coast.
FOOD & DRINK
Dublin is a major metropolitan city so you will find every type of cuisine and restaurants in every price range. Plus the typical American spots like Starbuck’s and McDonald’s. The largest number of spots are around O’Connell Street and the Temple Bar area. We had a traditional Irish breakfast at The Quay’s and have had great Italian and wine on two separate visits to Wallace's Taverna. You can also get some traditional food or just a pint in popular spots like the often photographed Temple Bar Pub or the oldest pub in Dublin, the Brazen Head Pub (which dates back to 1198!). If you want some modern craft beer options take the Luas Tram out of the city center to Rascal’s Brewery. You’ll find great craft beer options alongside some delicious food. You pretty much can’t go wrong in Dublin - if something looks interesting, head in!
