rajchat1265

We (family of 3 - daughter 21) are visiting Dublin for 3 days but only have one full day for a day trip. Other two half days we will spend in Dublin and vicinity. Any tips on what to do at Dublin will be welcome too. We are huge foody and love unique local things to try out - not a huge fan of indoor museum etc.

I am trying to make a decision between the following two trips - any suggestion will be very helpful as they both look great but unfortunately have just time for one. We will be back in Dublin next year for a wedding so will get another chance.

1. https://www.viator.com/tours/Dublin/...03-5300TITANIC

2. https://www.viator.com/tours/Dublin/...in/d503-7572P3

Misco60

With only one full day and two half-days in Dublin, I'm a little surprised that you want to take a full-day tour at all, as there is more than enough to keep you busy for that short time in Dublin itself.

Of the two tours you mention, I would certainly go for the Giants Causeway, as both it and the surrounding scenery are glorious. You could do it yourself very easily in a rental car, which would give you the benefit of being able to spend as long as you wanted at Giants Causeway and on the drive along the Antrim coast. It's a long way, though - 3 hours direct, and at least twice that if you follow the scenic coast all the way back, including the lovely car ferry across Strangford Lough - and I really would recommend finding something to do in or near Dublin instead.

NWIFlyer

The first tour is a long day, but I can't imagine that you're going to end up with enough time to do each attraction any sort of justice. Last time I visited Giant's Causeway I self-drove from Belfast, was still out for the entire day, and spent a long while walking round the Causeway. I had time for a pub meal on the coastal route on the way back down, and that was because Carrick-a-Rede was closed due to Covid.

I spent another half day plus at the Titanic Museum.

I would leave these until you are based closer and can drive yourself at leisure.

In terms of Dublin, even though you don't like indoor museums The Book of Kells at Trinity is a must-visit, and I'd also add in a whiskey distillery (Teeling is excellent) and the Guinness Storehouse. Oh, and lots of pubs, of course.

allset2travel

+1 for these recommendations. I won't mention the very touristy Temple Bar Pub.

ieChicago

I agree with the other responses here. In the case of both of thee tours, you will see some spectacular scenery (especially if the weather is good) but they will be so fast-paced that you will have no time at all to really explore, and the only food you'll be able to try is a rushed lunch at a (probably pre-determined) pub or restaurant that was primarily chosen for its ability to feed a busload of visitors in a short period of time!

Both of these areas, especially around the Giant's Causeway, Carrick-a-Rede bridge, etc. would be a vastly better experience if explored on your own time.

I'd recommend a slightly different approach that also involves staying around Dublin. Get a Leap card for each of you from almost any newsagents in the city center, put around EUR10 credit on each one in addition to the EUR5 deposit, and use the DART train to hop on/off at a few places around the coast. Some suggested stops:

• Howth and Dun Laoghaire both have long piers that provide a unique way to see the city
• You can walk to the top of Howth Head if the weather is good, and it provides some great views
• Malahide village has a fantastic selection of restaurants, cafes, etc.
• The stretch of coastline from Bray to Greystones is impressive - on the train, usually I'd suggest this as a walk but it's temporarily closed
• Just south of Dun Laoghaire, towards Sandycove, has a number of areas where you can easily swim in the sea (depending on your tolerance for cold - you'll be surprised how busy it is)
• The walk back to the city center from Lansdowne Road station, along Baggot St and back towards St. Stephen's Green is great, with some excellent pubs on the way

Overall you could spend a very enjoyable day doing this. The benefit of using a Leap card is that you can have as many journeys as you want in a 90min period for a fixed fare, so it makes it extremely cheap to do.

Arctic Troll

On either of those trips you'll spend most of your day sitting in a bus. Ireland is a big island, it's 275km from Dublin to either Giant's Causeway or the Cliffs of Moher. In a bus that'll be 3 hours + in each direction.

I'd just stay in Dublin.

Kgmm77

If you want to get outside the city I would consider a tour to Glendalough. Much more manageable distance wise. If you are determined to do one of the two tours, I’d be inclined to do the northern one as Titanic will at least be unaffected if there’s a washout. But you’re talking 7-8 hours minimum in a bus. Not my idea of fun.

lwildernorva

Agree with the other posters regarding the length of time you'll be on a bus on either of those tours. I generally find three days a good amount for Dublin alone. I'm a fan of the Guinness tour because it's totally self-directed--meaning that unlike Jameson or Teeling, you won't have a guide but you also won't have a fixed amount of time you must devote there. The Gravity Bar at the top of the Guinness Storehouse will give you unparalleled views of all of Dublin and the surrounding countryside as well as your complimentary pint (for those of drinking age).

St. Stephen's Green is a very nice urban park, nearby Grafton Street generally has decent shopping and a street scene (performers, etc.), and Dublin offers a history lesson because of many landmarks from Ireland's war of independence a century ago, traditional music in its pubs, and a rich literary/theater background. Add on a tour at Teeling or Jameson or spend an afternoon wandering around Phoenix Park (more than double the size of Central Park), and you've got enough to do in Dublin for the length of your trip.

Ireland has also developed a decent dining scene as well. I've had several excellent dinners at The Winding Stair, a restaurant above a bookstore of the same name (be prepared to walk up that winding stairway if you eat there), some of the pubs also have excellent food, and places like The Queen of Tarts and Beshoff offer good examples of sweets (the former) and fish and chips (the latter), although both probably are overrun with tourists.

If you want to an easier day trip from Dublin, although not as dramatic as the Causeway Coast or the Cliffs of Moher, take the DART from O'Connell Street to Malahide, north of the city. It's about a 30-minute trip, Malahide is a cute little town with a castle, a coastal walk, and several pubs and restaurants near the train station. You could leave after breakfast and easily be back at your accommodations by late afternoon.

You didn't mention when you're traveling although it's implied your trip will occur relatively soon. Keep in mind that although days are long now (15 hours of daylight as of August 11), they get rapidly shorter as the fall progresses. I've been there in late November, and by that time, there's barely eight hours of daylight--which might also affect a decision to travel outside the city.

pbiflyer

Bumping this for advice. In early April, I have a weekish Dublin - Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday morning & early afternoon, then Tuesday night, Thursday afternoon, night.
Other than Trinity College, the Jail, Guinness tour I don't have any other major objectives in Dublin itself.
Was toying with the idea of a day trip on Monday. Have always been fascinated by Belfast. Would taking the 9:30 train, getting in at 11:45, taking a black cab tour, then heading out on the last train at 20:05 back to Dublin. Is 7ish hours enough time? Worthwhile for a long trip?
Also, rail ninja shows it at $67round trip, while the Irish train site shows it as ~32 euro. Same train/tickets, right? Just a service charge by rail ninja?

Or are there other places perhaps closer to visit? May have a couple coworkers in tow, so have to convince them of the effort.

lwildernorva

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Nothing wrong with your plan and have done similar but with a car. A possible alternative, Malahide. A seaside suburb of Dublin, reachable in less than 45 minutes by DART from central Dublin. There's Malahide Castle, a seaside boardwalk that runs several miles, and several very good restaurants and pubs. I've also used Malahide as my night before airline departure location rather than staying at the airport.

michael_v

Similar to Malahide is Howth, but instead of a castle, you will find a cliff hike there.

pbiflyer

That's an interesting thought, as I am done Thursday around noon and don't depart until Friday morning. Perhaps spend the afternoon, evening in Malahide and depart from there Friday morning.

lwildernorva

Also a good plan. Walk down the seaside, come back and have dinner in the center of town at McGovern's, and then a nightcap a couple of blocks away at Gibney's Pub. Pretty easy drive to the airport the following morning, and exactly what I intend to do the last night of my upcoming April Ireland trip.

pbiflyer

Any particular lodging recs?

lwildernorva

There are only a few lodging options in Malahide as it's much more of a suburb than a tourist destination. Within walking distance of the town center is the Grand Hotel, which has some touches, especially in the lobby area, that live up to the name. If you have a car then a few miles away is the Portmarnock Hotel, which is built on the old Jameson (of Irish whiskey fame) estate. A really nice and exclusive hotel--apparently you must be a registered guest to eat in their restaurants--it's located along the shore, has an attached golf course, and can be had for reasonable rates at times. The White Sands Hotel is pretty good, but be aware that on weekends, one of the rooms in the hotel turns into a disco/club that is extremely loud. Not so bad if you're on the other end of the hotel but awful if you're in the floors above the club.