Holidays in Ireland

I was wondering what suggestions anyone might have for a fun couple of days in Ireland, just me and my best friend.  We're thinking of spending 3 - 4 days there, and she has been looking into Dublin, in particular, the Temple Bar area (she prefers city breaks for nightlife, restaurants, shopping, etc.) Can anyone give any advice?

We were in Dublin in October, and loved the Literary Pub Crawl. Just show up at the Duke at 7pm and go upstairs. 
Don't bother with the Dublin Night Fright Bus.  It was lame.
Have a good time.

If you're just coming for a couple of days, then you should be able to find things to do in Dublin. Not sure how much you're into museums, but I highly suggest Kilmainham Gaol. The Guinness Storehouse is also okay (it's better than Jameson Distillery). Trinity College offers a guided tour in conjunction to seeing the Book of Kells. Both are pretty interesting. Dublin has those hop on/hop off tour buses, which are a great way to see the Phoenix Park. Not sure what time of the year you're going to be there, but if you have time (and if it's open) Farmleigh, which is on the far side of the park, is totally worth a visit. I'm pretty sure the hop on/off bus goes up that way. Dublin has no shortage of pubs, so you should be okay there (I recommend the Stags Head and the Longstone). You can walk around St Stephen's Green and take a walk around the Georgian squares (Merrion and Fitzwilliam). If you're still short on things to do, you could take a day trip to the Wicklow Mountains, Malahide, or Newgrange. 

As for shopping, the main areas are around Grafton Street and Henry Street. Both are city centre, they're just on opposite sides of the Liffey. If you wanted an American-style mall you could get the LUAS (the tram) to Dundrum Town Centre. It's worth the trip out if you're really into shopping. Avoca is good for Irish goods and the restaurant upstairs is pretty tasty.

Kilkenny, which is a total tourist shop, has a pretty great breakfast. Fallon & Byrne will have some American goods if you have room in your bag! They also have a restaurant, but I've never eaten there. The Porterhouse is our favorite place to drink (they have an awesome selection of Irish and international beers) and their food is pretty tasty. There are some good Chinese restaurants on Capel Street. I would NOT recommend going to The Church even though it looks cool and is very handy to Henry Street shopping. The drink is expensive and the food is not good. Oh, and of course there is Boojum where you'll find huge burritos and Dos Equis beer!

Hope that helps! Let me know if you have any specific questions! If you have time and I'm still here, I'd love to meet up for a pint! 

pop into cafe en seine on dawson street:

http://www.cafeenseine.ie/

possibly the single most beautiful place you'll ever have an over-priced cup of tea.

Not sure how much you're into museums, but I highly suggest Kilmainham Gaol.

This.  It was definitely the highlight of my weekend in Dublin 5 years ago and I recommend it everyone heading that way.  I was really doubtful that it'd be worth it but the birthday girl wanted to go so we did.  And it was really fantastic. 

Hope that helps! Let me know if you have any specific questions! If you have time and I'm still here, I'd love to meet up for a pint! 

Yay! I'd love that, too! 

Well, we are planning for the week of February 20-27. My BFF is now thinking it would be cheaper to just fly in and out of Dublin and stay for a week. (The flight here is $1,000, but she can fly there RT for $750 and it looks like a nice hotel is running a special (I'll message you about that in a minute, don't want to post that here considering I just posted when we were going. Just in case there are any stalkers reading this... LOL.) But it looks like we may be going for a full week. Do you think there will be enough for us to do? Are there any easy day trips to the countryside that you would recommend where we could just hop on a bus from the city centre and then get out and see some castles or other stuff? Just think if we are there a full week, it might be good to change it up. 

How about the Blarney stone?  You can take this day-trip from Dublin.

It would be a LONG day trip, but kissing the Blarney stone is exhilarating... and terrifying (for me anyway), but a good one to cross off life's to-do list!

How about the Blarney stone?  You can take this day-trip from Dublin.

It would be a LONG day trip, but kissing the Blarney stone is exhilarating... and terrifying (for me anyway), but a good one to cross off life's to-do list!

Thanks, but the link makes it look like they don't do the tour until April, and we will be there in Feb. 

If you're going to be there that long, I'd suggest getting the train to Galway for one or two days. Since you can drive on the left, you might feel comfortable renting a car, but not sure if you want the additional expense. There are some longer bus day-trips up to Northern Ireland and the Giant's Causeway if you're interested in doing that.

I'm just trying to think of things using public transportation. If you're going to rent a car I could suggest a load of other things. Oh, and don't bother renting a car for when you're actually in Dublin. You don't need it and driving here will completely do your head in!

If you're going to be there that long, I'd suggest getting the train to Galway for one or two days. Since you can drive on the left, you might feel comfortable renting a car, but not sure if you want the additional expense. There are some longer bus day-trips up to Northern Ireland and the Giant's Causeway if you're interested in doing that.

I'm just trying to think of things using public transportation. If you're going to rent a car I could suggest a load of other things. Oh, and don't bother renting a car for when you're actually in Dublin. You don't need it and driving here will completely do your head in!

Yeah, skip the car, please! I'm not even comfortable driving to new places out here where we live, much less in a totally different place!  The bus will be fine! We will look into some of these things you suggested and see if we can make a plan!

We used this company for the Wicklow Mountains tour. http://www.daytoursunplugged.ie/  It was nice because it wasn't a huge tour bus, so you really get out into the middle of nowhere. And Glendalough was beautiful!

There is a visitor's centre on Suffolk Street in the city centre and there's another one just across the street from the main gates of Trinity College (also city centre). If you have an idea of where you'd like to go, you can go in to either of these places and book a bus trip once you arrive in Dublin. 

And Glendalough was beautiful!

Ooh I couldn't remember how to spell it (pronounced "Glenda-lock") but yes, this was gorgeous! My husband's family are all Irish so his cousin took us out there for a trip when we visited Dublin for a week in Feb 2008. The area around there is just breathtaking!

And while you're in Dublin, you must get a hot chocolate at Butler's - it looks like any old Thornton's-esque chain from the outside and their website, but their hot chocolate is like pudding. So decadent!

But other than that, when I was over a few months ago on business I was shocked at how many restaurants and bars have shut down in the last few years. My cousin-in-law was telling me that a lot of the bars and restaurants can't afford to stay open during the week as no one's eating out anymore, so they only open on the weekends. It seems like the only restaurants  still doing a roaring trade are the Chinese - I got so sick of bland chinese food after three days!

And everything is ferociously expensive there - take London prices and add a good 15% on top. Even the UK magazines had a price markup on them...

And everything is ferociously expensive there - take London prices and add a good 15% on top. Even the UK magazines had a price markup on them...

Yes, this will probably be the hardest thing for you to get used to. In Dublin you should expect to pay, on average, 5 euro for a pint. Prices have gone down a tiny bit with the recession, but it's only really noticeable to the locals. You're going to be in for quite a shock coming from the north of England!

Yes, this will probably be the hardest thing for you to get used to. In Dublin you should expect to pay, on average, 5 euro for a pint. Prices have gone down a tiny bit with the recession, but it's only really noticeable to the locals. You're going to be in for quite a shock coming from the north of England!

Yes, I pretty much expected this because my MIL and FIL went there for a drinking weekend last year and said they spent a bundle!  That's interesting to know about the restaurants... I wonder if many will be closed? I guess we can always eat in our room or something, would save money anyway. Thanks for all the great suggestions, keep them coming! 

Yes, I pretty much expected this because my MIL and FIL went there for a drinking weekend last year and said they spent a bundle!  That's interesting to know about the restaurants... I wonder if many will be closed? I guess we can always eat in our room or something, would save money anyway. Thanks for all the great suggestions, keep them coming! 

I wouldn't worry about the restaurants. We eat out a lot and haven't encountered anyplace being unexpectedly closed, especially in the touristy locations and city centre.