Well, I made it back to Ireland and was finally able to visit the city of Dublin! As planned, we set aside three days to experience the city and I have to say, I absolutely felt at home. It was easy to get around and the people were warm, friendly and always helpful. My family loved it! If you haven’t been you should go. You’ll enjoy the genuine Irish hospitality and culture and learn so much about the country’s history. It’s one of those places you should visit at least once in your lifetime. We can’t wait to return!

Getting There

We flew to Dublin on Aer Lingus (love that airline) out of JFK-New York. We used our Southwest Rapid Rewards points to fly from Atlanta to JFK. You can use Skyscanner to find a good deal on your plane ticket.

Where to Stay

We stayed at Jurys Inn – Parnell Street, which to us, was the perfect location. This hotel is just a quick walk from O’Connell Street, which means it’s very central. It’s a few minutes walk from the first stop of the DoDublin Hop-on Hop-off bus as well. There’s a Tesco supermarket right across the street (bonus for family travel) and numerous restaurants around the area.

In addition to being in the perfect location, the customer service was outstanding and the staff was extremely friendly. I must say that everyone went above and beyond to make our stay comfortable and enjoyable. Special thanks to Leticia, Catalina, and Anna, you ladies are amazing!

There are several other accommodation choices in Dublin, including the Holiday Inn Express (budget friendly), RIU Plaza (if you want something a little more fancy), or Temple Bar Inn (if you’re there for the nightlife). There’s also a  Jurys Inn – Christchurch across the street from Christ Church Cathedral, if you prefer to stay on that side of town.

How to Get Around

If you find accommodation in a good location like ours, you can pretty much walk to many of the nearby sites. Walking is a great way to see Dublin (weather permitting, of course).

When asking for directions around the O’Connell Street area, you’ll likely get some reference to the Spire of Light (located on O’Connell Street). What’s that you ask? You’ll know when you see it. You simply can’t miss it. Although I really can’t recall anyone actually calling it the Spire of Light. The Irish like to refer to it as: the “Stiffey at the Liffey”, the “Stiletto in the Ghetto”, and the “Erection at the Intersection.”

If you have limited time or if you’re traveling with a baby or a toddler (like us), you may want to explore other options for transportation. The Hop-on Hop-off bus is a great way to see Dublin and learn about the city. We used the  DoDublin Hop-on Hop-off bus and loved it.

Not only did it help us to see Dublin within a short period of time, but the drivers were informative and entertaining. It’s a very efficient way to see Dublin, especially for first-time visitors. The stops included all of our site choices, such as Trinity College, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and EPIC Museum (to name a few) so it worked out perfectly for us.

We chose the 48 hour tour. Tickets are  €21.60 for adults (for the 48 hour tour). The 24 hour tour costs €18.00. It’s free for children under 14 (it’s also stroller friendly). The one down-side with the DoDublin Hop-on Hop-off bus is that it’s route is one way so the buses only go in one direction. Depending on where you’re headed, it may make more sense to walk.

Other transportation options include the LUAS, the DART (Irish Rail), buses, or taxis. You don’t need to rent a car when staying in Dublin (unless of course you plan to drive to other parts of Ireland).

What to See and Do in Dublin

Day 1

Breakfast was included with our stay at Jurys Inn (we paid a little extra for this option, but it’s worth it), so we enjoyed a hearty Irish breakfast before heading out. We walked to DoDublin stop #1 on O’Connell Street and started our adventure in Dublin. Our first stop was by Custom House Quay (stop #5).

Jeanie Johnston

We started with viewing the Jeanie Johnston tall ship on the River Liffey. This ship is an exact replica of the original Jeanie Johnston, which was built in 1847. The original Jeanie Johnston made 16 emigrant journeys to North America between 1847 and 1855.

You can take a 50 minute guided tour of the Jeanie Johnston to see what life was like for passengers on those voyages and learn about the challenges faced by emigrants as they fled from poverty and famine. Make sure you check their schedule  for daily tour times and prices.

After visiting the Jeanie Johnston, we took a walk along the River Liffey and enjoyed the view.

The Famine Memorial

We then walked towards the Famine Memorial, a set of bronze sculptures of emaciated men, women, and children, walking along the bank of the River Liffey.

This memorial commemorates the people who suffered and fled from the Irish Famine and is dedicated to those Irish people who were forced to emigrate as a result during the 19th century.

The memorial is built on the site where “The Perseverance” (one of the first famine ships) departed from Ireland.

EPIC – The Irish Emigration Museum

The EPIC – The Irish Emigration Museum is a must-see in Dublin. The museum takes you on an interactive journey where you learn about Irish emigration around the world throughout the years. This was one of my favorite sites because in learning about emigration from Ireland, I also learned a great deal about the Irish culture and its influence around the world.

After visiting the EPIC Museum, you can grab lunch at one of the many restaurants in the area, such as Seven Wonders, Ely Bar & Grill, or J2 Sushi.

After lunch, we hopped on our bus and headed to our next stop – St. Stephen’s Green (Stop #12).

St. Stephen’s Green

St. Stephen’s Green is a beautiful public park in the center of Dublin. This is one of the largest and most beautiful (and greenest) parks I’ve ever seen.

St. Stephen’s Green is the ideal place to take a restful moment from the hustle and bustle of Dublin and just enjoy the beauty of nature.

I couldn’t help but think of it as a magnificent green oasis in the middle of the city.

This was by far my son’s favorite place in Dublin. We found the playground and he wasted no time in having fun. If it were possible, we probably would’ve spent most of the day here.

You can learn about some of the history of St. Stephen’s Green (or at least the area) if you take the Little Museum tour across the street.

The Little Museum

Across the street from St. Stephens’ Green (and from the DoDublin stop #12) is the Little Museum.

The Little Museum is based in a Georgian townhouse and provides a 30-minute tour during which you’ll learn about Dublin’s 20th century history. The tour is €8.00, but if you’re using the DoDublin bus, you just need to show your ticket and the tour is free.

The Little Museum was quite an interesting experience. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable about the history of Dublin and took us through the city’s entire history while touring the different floors of the house. Short, sweet, and very informative.

Tips:  Many people (myself included) waste time searching the little DoDublin green book for a Little Museum coupon for free admission). There’s no such coupon. The Little Museum tour is included with your DoDublin Hop-on Hop-off bus ticket, so show your receipt or tickets from the DoDublin bus to get in free.

Also, the house is not stroller friendly, and honestly it isn’t the best place for kids (especially toddlers), so if need be, you can do what I did – hubby was very happy to stay with our son on the playground in St. Stephens’ Green and I met back with them after the tour.

Trinity College

We then walked towards our next stop, Trinity College. Trinity college is Ireland’s oldest and most well-known college. Some of the college’s famous alumni include Oscar Wilde, Bram Stroker, Samuel Beckett, Jonathan Swift, and Ireland’s two female presidents, Mary Robinson and Mary McAleese.

Trinity College is also the site of the Book of Kells, one of my major must-sees. We headed straight towards the Old Library building where the Book of Kells is kept and purchased our tickets for a self-guided tour. Tickets are €14 for adults (children under 12 are free). You can purchase tickets on-site or online. 

Book of Kells

The Book of Kells is a 9th Century manuscript that contains the four Gospels of the life of Jesus Christ. The entire exhibition was beautiful, and well-worth the experience.

You aren’t allowed to take any photographs of the manuscripts, but I was happy to simply view the beautiful illustrations and script, as well as the rest of the exhibition. 

Housed in the magnificent Long Room of the Old Library (along with 200,000 of Trinity College’s oldest books), the Book of Kells is “Ireland’s greatest national treasure” and the “world’s most famous medieval manuscript”.  Another Dublin must-see checked! 

After viewing the Book of Kells exhibition and visiting the Long Room in the Old Library, we walked around the beautiful campus of Trinity College.

Dinner and Drinks – Temple Bar 

There are quite a few pubs and restaurants in the Temple Bar area, but if you are up for it, why not stop by The Temple Bar for dinner and a drink? It’s a few minutes walk from Trinity College.

Grafton Street

We finished our day by strolling along and taking in Grafton Street on our way back to our hotel. Grafton Street is a trendy shopping street full of people and full of life. It’s apparently the fifth most expensive shopping street in the world. We enjoyed the festive atmosphere while strolling along this street. We of course had to stop for some mango gelato while listening to one of the many entertainers play his tunes on the street.

After a full day, we went back to the hotel by simply walking on Grafton, towards O’Connell Street (look for the erection at the intersection), turning right on O’Connell Street, and finally turning left on Parnell Street. It was a wonderful day but we were tired and ready to hit the sack. If you’re in party mode, you can simply recharge at the hotel and head back out to Grafton Street or the Temple Bar area for a guaranteed night of Irish fun!

Day 2

After another hearty breakfast at Jurys Inn (which was pretty good by the way), we headed out to the first hop-on hop-off stop to catch the bus and start our second day in Dublin.

Dublin Castle

We started Day 2 with visiting the Dublin Castle (stop # 19). Don’t laugh, but we got a little lost trying to find Dublin Castle. I guess we thought we couldn’t miss it, being a castle and all. Well, it was right there in front of us. We just kept walking by because it didn’t look like what we expected – a castle. Cheers to the nice Irish folks who showed us where it is!

Dublin Castle was built in the early 13th Century on the site of a Viking settlement. The castle is now a major government complex and also serves as a popular tourist attraction. You can either do a one-hour guided (€12 ) or self-guided tour (€8).

We did a self-guided tour because of limited time, but if you can, try and do the guided tour to learn all about the history. Dublin Castle has been the site of some of Dublin’s most historical events so the guided tour may just be worth it.

Christ Church Cathedral 

Christ Church Cathedral is a beautiful church on the outside, and even more stunning on the inside. Founded in 1028, the Cathedral was initially a Viking Church, but was later incorporated into the Irish Church. You definitely want to do the tour here. At first, you may think it’s just a Church, no need to pay for a tour. But there’s so much more!

You’ll get to explore the medieval crypt below the Church, where Ireland’s first copy of the Magna Carta is located. You’ll also get to see the “cat and the rat” apparently called Tom and Jerry by locals. Of course with the guided tour, you’ll hear more about the Church’s history and how it has changed over the years from being the original Viking Church to now an Anglican Church. Guided tours are €11.00 for adults and self-guided tours are €6.75. Combination tickets with Dublinia are €15.00.

Dublinia

If you want to learn about the Viking and medieval history and background of the city of Dublin, this is the place to go. I didn’t even know about the Viking influence in Ireland until I started planning this trip. Dublinia is right beside Christ Church (see option for combination tickets above). The regular admission price is €10 (for adults).

Dublinia has three exhibitions: Viking Dublin; Medieval Dublin; and History Hunters. Viking Dublin was probably my favorite of the three, providing an interactive experience and an inside look of the life of Vikings in Dublin.

If you are up for it, you can climb the stairs to the tower where you’ll have a nice view of the city.

We were pretty hungry after touring Dublinia, but did not feel like eating in their cafe. We ventured outside and walked to the nearest restaurant we could find – Copper Alley Bistro (a very short walk from Dublinia and Christ Church Cathedral). This was a family friendly restaurant and the food was pretty good.

St. Patrick’s Cathedral

After lunch, we went back to stop #19 and took the Hop-on Hop-off bus to St. Patrick’s Cathedral (stop #20). Everyone knows St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the national Cathedral of the Church of Ireland, built in honor of Ireland’s patron saint – St. Patrick. The building itself is 800 years old and is said to be built on the site where St. Patrick baptized the first Irish converts into Christianity.

The cathedral consists of absolutely magnificent medieval architecture and decor. We walked around the entire cathedral, admiring the stained-glass windows and the various monuments. My husband did brass-rubbing for a cross (which I plan on framing and hanging in our sun room).

We were there until about 5:30 p.m., so we were able to hear the choir for a bit during the Cathedral’s Choral Evensong. Definitely a beautiful evening. Keep in mind, you will not be able to tour the Cathedral during mass, so be very careful when planning your visit. Admission is €7.

Kilmainham Gaol

High on my Dublin must-see list. Imagine how pissed I was that I didn’t get to see it? 

Kilmainham Gaol provides a very real account of Irish history through exhibiting the harsh life that prisoners experienced in the gaol. The gaol apparently held leaders of 5 different Irish rebellions between 1916 and 1798. Some of these leaders were even executed at the gaol (pronounced jail).

So how did I screw up and miss out on the Kilmainham Gaol experience? I was told that I would have to purchase my ticket in advance to be able to visit Kilmainham Gaol. I tried to book tickets two weeks in advance, and they were sold out … for the entire period I was in Ireland. Didn’t realize they meant WAY in advance. I was beyond pissed. Oh well, next time.

Entrance to Kilmainham Gaol is by guided tour only. You can apparently book your ticket online up to 60 days in advance. It’s advised to arrive 15 minutes before your tour time.  *Please note that Kilmainham Gaol is not suitable for young children and strollers are not permitted. I had planned to do this tour by myself. Make sure you check the website for closing times and more info.

Since I didn’t stop to visit Kilmainham Gaol, we took the hop-on hop-off bus straight to our hotel after visiting St. Patrick’s Cathedral and went out for dinner.

Dinner – Church Cafe, Bar, and Restaurant

One of my faves in Dublin – the Church Cafe, Bar, and Restaurant is a place where you can enjoy a delicious meal and experience Irish culture. It was about a five-minute walk from our hotel. 

We were given the option of dining in the Main Bar or the Tower Bar. The Main Bar is recommended if you want a casual yet lively evening. The menu consists of traditional pub food. You’ll get to experience live Irish music and dancing up close if dining in the main bar (Sunday to Wednesday). Here’s a photo of the Main Bar (looking down from the Tower Bar).

The Tower Bar is located upstairs and offers a quieter, more upscale ambiance and menu. It has its own entrance via the spiral staircase or elevator. We opted for the Tower Bar (we had our kid) and loved it. We were still able to experience the live Irish music and dancing (just not up close and personal) which was great. I guess I enjoyed myself so much I forgot to take a photo of the Tower Bar.

The food was great and the service was top notch. I had the surf and turf, hubby had the salmon, and our son had fish and chips. We will definitely visit Church Cafe, Bar, and Restaurant next time we’re in Dublin.

Day 3

Day Trip Tour from Dublin

Most people when asked what to do in Dublin will say take some time to get out of Dublin. I have to say, I thoroughly agree. Not that anything is wrong with Dublin (I absolutely love it and will be back), but there are so many other parts of the magical island that are right at your fingertips.  It wouldn’t hurt to set a day apart to go on a day trip.  So I did a day trip to Belfast, Northern Ireland, which was awesome because I got to see an entirely different country. This was my first solo trip and I loved every moment. Belfast is only two hours away (via bus) so it was an easy journey and well worth it. I learned a lot about the History of Northern Ireland during this trip.

I used Paddywagon tours and recommend them for your day trip tours out of Dublin. Belfast isn’t the only place you can go. There are so many beautiful places to visit (within the Republic of Ireland itself) – Howth; Kilkenny; Wicklow; Galway; and Kerry. The Cliffs of Moher and Giant’s Causeway are also very popular and magnificent sites to see. I will definitely do a day trip to the Cliffs of Moher during my next visit. Keep in mind, we had also visited Balbriggan on the East coast. 

Our tour guide taught us a few Irish words on the way back to Dublin (Irish is the first official language in the Republic of Ireland). You can check them out in my Day Trip to Belfast post. I find it very impressive that the Irish preserved their traditional language over the years. 

The Paddywagon day trip tours usually start early in the morning and return to Dublin around 7:00-9:00 p.m. in the evening. If you didn’t have dinner during your tour, you can grab some at The Kingfisher Restaurant (when you return to Dublin), which is right across the street from Jury’s Inn-Parnell. This is another amazing restaurant in Dublin.

They are casual and family friendly and serve traditional Irish food! I loved their grilled cod and halibut (fresh seafood of course as Dublin is on the coast). Not to mention, their service is great. It’s apparently a great place to stop for breakfast too.

If you don’t feel like going out after a long day, you can just relax, kick back and eat at Jurys Inn bar and restaurant (or wherever you decide to stay) for your convenience.

A few more things

Depending on how much time you have, you may want to spread this itinerary out over four days. Next time, I will definitely visit Kilmainham Gaol and also go on a Dublin Cruise (perhaps to Howth). I wasn’t really interested in the Guinness Storehouse tour, but some of you might be. It’s stop #22 on the DoDublin hop-on hop-off bus.

If you need souvenirs, Carroll’s gift shop is the place to go. We felt completely safe during our stay in Dublin. Not that we ever felt the need to call them, but there were Garda (Irish for police) everywhere. As always you should be alert wherever you go. Finally, the temperature in Ireland can be quite chilly, so if you can, avoid traveling there during the winter. We went in May and it was cool but comfortable (although rainy).

Dublin was an amazing family adventure! We learned a lot about the city and about Ireland – the history, the culture, and the people. Ireland has a very rich history with many layers of cultural contributions over the years, which make it the unique country it is today. I have to say, I absolutely love the Irish. They are some of the warmest, nicest, funniest, and most magical people I’ve ever met – full of life, strength, and resilience. They seriously played a huge role in our wonderful experience in the country.

Our visit to Dublin (and Ireland on a whole) will always hold a special place in my heart. We enjoyed bonding as a family as we explored Dublin and of course, built lasting memories along the way. We will definitely be back.

 – Slán Éire