Things to do in/around Dublin?

[nikkitodhunter]

Thinking of heading to Dublin this summer with the boyfriend for a much-needed holiday - did a smidge of googling last night, but the result were mostly for restaurants, SO, anyone got good suggestions for things to do there? (Not horsey activities, really - he doesn't ride much, though his family is very horsey so he's not averse to them )

We probably won't have a car with us, could maybe do it if it turns out we'd need one quite badly, but ideally things that can be reached without driving too far (public transport is fine by us.)

Things on a budget would also be appreciated, as I at least will be a pauper by that point in the year!!

Thanks in advance

 

[Mooseontheloose]

Loads of things actually in Dublin, museums and so on, or take the DART railway down the coast if the weather is good. Go to Powerscourt - don't go inside the house or you have to pay but you can get into the grounds free, walking in the Wicklows is lovely. I think you could get to Glendalough by public transport, lovely site and good walking.

 

[sasquatch]

depending on when you're down, you could always go to Dublin Horse Show on one day, and spend the rest of the time horse free.

i've never been down apart from the horse show, there's a lot of fun to be had at Temple Bar, and the book of Kells is worth a visit.

 

[missmatch]

http://irishnationalstud.ie/home

http://www.heritageireland.ie/en/kilmainhamgaol/

There's the Guinness brewery, trinity college, Phoenix park, beaches all along the dart line, harbours, bray - climb bray head and loads more.

Have fun x

 

[Evie91]

Just come back from a fab long weekend in Dublin. We stopped at the Croke Park hotel, chatted briefly to a man in the lift as we arrived - he turned out to be chairman of the Gaelic football association and gave us free tickets to the game the follow night ( premium seats!!).

Would definitely recommend the hotel - 15 min walk to town. Food fab, staff friendly and free drink for each night of our stay - cocktails were fab.

We had gone to watch my husband's friends son play rugby, so didn't have loads of spare time. I did the bus tour of dublin which was really interesting - you could get on and off to explore places further. If I'd have had more time I'd like to have gone to the jail, to explore the park and tour of the Jameson and Guinness factories and gone to Temple bar.

We went to Howth on the train - station 15mins from hotel and twenty min train journey to the seaside.

We had wanted to hire a car as I wanted to visit national stud but we didn't have a credit card - required for hiring a car in Dublin!
We enjoyed it so much our family are planning a holiday in Cork in the summer, stopping at the Croke Park hotel in Cork.
I even came back with a horse dealers number!

 

[catroo]

Recommend the bus tour, Guinness factory, goal (jail) is very interesting, cycle round the park, zoo was quite good as well

 

[Ali2]

http://www.stmichans.com/index.php/the-crypts/about. Was really interesting

 

[moodymare_1993]

I went for a long weekend in january. The guiness factory is amazing but get there early as it gets full fast! We went on the bus tours around Phoenix park, the jail, saw the book of kells at trinity college. The ghost bus was a good laugh aswell!!
If you want a day away from Dublin I highly recommend one of the wild rover day tours. The one we went on was amazing. You can google them on wild rover tours. I am going back at the end of the year with my friend to do the rest of the day tours. X

 

[Abby-Lou]

If you want to see the real Irealand I would get out of Dublin. Having said that the Dublin horse show was really good some wonderful quality animals. But seriously head west to Conemmara the people are lovely and scenary is amazing you can ride on the beach across to Omey Island my favourite place to visit.

 

[nikkitodhunter]

I even came back with a horse dealers number!

Oh god, I can just imagine me doing this - maybe this trip isn't such a good idea, haha!

Thank you so much for all the suggestions - these sound great! I have a nice list of things to investigate

 

[Pipsqueak!]

I didn't like the Guinness Factory at all. I much preferred the Heineken Experience in Amsterdam. Guinness is very expensive for what you get compared to Heineken. But that's just my opinion.

The Sandemans New Europe free tour of Dublin is brilliant. Very insightful few hours and best of all it's free (plus the tip for your guide)!

The old library at Trinity College is beautiful and well worth a visit. Kilmainham Gaol is really fascinating too.

I stayed in a beautiful boutique hotel near Trinity College called the Trinity Lodge. Highly recommend!

 

[albeg]

There's also the Botanic Gardens in Glasnevin, and Glasnevin cemetery and museum.

The Viking Splash tour is a bit of fun and interesting too.

If you're interested in walking, Howth Head is really nice for a walk, and as Evie said, a 20 minute DART ride.

If it looks like you're going to be using public transport a bit, it could be worth picking up a Leap visitor card at the airport, it gives you unlimited travel for 72 hours for €19.50, and can be used on the Dublin Bus Airlink (€6 single), regular Dublin buses, the Luas and the DART.

 

[soloequestrian]

I love Cafe en Seine - it's a huge art deco pub in the city centre. I think it may be a club at night too, but have only been at lunchtime. Lovely building and decor!

 

[nikkitodhunter]

Love all these, thank you guys!! Walk recommendations are great, keep 'em coming - we're both keen walkers (well, I like things on the gentler side, but with plenty of tea breaks I can be persuaded up most things!)

Thank you all so much!

 

[forelegs]

the national leprechaun museum!

sounds ridiculous I know, I expected it to be super corny, but its the best 'museum' experience I've had, so clever and innovative, and interactive but not just for kids!
Won't spoil it by saying any more but really really recommend (went there on a uni trip in January)

 

[Annagain]

The hop on hop off buses are a really good way to get around. They give you a good commentary and stop at all the good places to visit. My friends and I still laugh about the number of people we were told about by the commentary who died in Kilmaonhaim(sp?) Jail. Almost every person they mentioned died there! The writers museum is good if you're into literature, but a bit specialist and the mediaeval Dublin museum is good. The Jameson distillery and Guinness brewery are both excellent. I've been to the Guinness brewery 4 times now and never get bored. I went to a fascinating bodies exhibition last time I was there, which showed real human bodies, but not sure if it was temporary. It sounds gruesome but it's not.
Enjoy, I love it there.