A Day in Dublin

Everything that we read about Ireland said that to really experience the country, you must get out of Dublin. With that in mind, we only planned a day and a half in the city (1 full day upon arrival, then another 1/2 day at the end of our road trip). Like it is in most major cities, parking can get expensive in Dublin. Since we didn't want to waste money, we decided to park the car in an overnight garage and see what we could experience on foot during our time there. We booked an Airbnb in the Temple Bar area, so getting to most of the major sites in Dublin wasn't too much of a challenge since a lot of things I wanted to see were already close by.

My first stop was the famous Temple Bar. I didn't go in, but I did have a wonderful time checking out the iconic red bar that I've admired for years while watching the live streaming of St. Patrick's Day celebrations held out front.

I did listen in on a tour group, and the guide said that Temple Bar district is what the locals call a "tourist trap." You won't find any true Irish folk in the area except for the people who work there, so I understand now why they say get out of Dublin to really experience the country and culture.

After we left Temple Bar, we came upon Christ Church Cathedral. You do have to buy tickets to tour, which run a little under $10 USD for a full day pass. We didn't go in, but we did walk the perimeter to marvel at its beauty. I was a little sad to see that there was some graffiti and even feces on some of the doors, which happened to be the filthiest thing we saw during our Ireland travels.

We made our way across the bridge to check out the smaller shops before heading over to Grafton Street for the more pricey, name brand shops.

The family got hit with a nasty head cold, and since I was the only one who didn't get sick, I thought I'd venture out at 5am by myself to soak in more of the city while everyone else caught some much needed sleep before starting our road trip. Jason wasn't thrilled with the idea and brought his sick butt along, but later admitted that had he realized how safe the area was, he wouldn't have felt uneasy about letting me go off on my own for a few hours. That morning, I walked over to St. Patrick's Cathedral. It wasn't open to the public yet, but again, I was able to walk the perimeter to admire the gorgeous architecture and landscaping.

Marsh's Library, the first public library in Ireland, is located right around the corner. I would have loved to have toured it, but it was also closed since it was so early when I set out exploring.

And Jason's favorite, stopping by the Guinness Brewery. I mean, what's a trip to Ireland without indulging in a Guinness!?

One thing I really wanted to do but didn't get the chance was explore the Trinity College Library, but when we go back, it will be the first stop on my itinerary. Some of our best eats were in Dublin, so be sure to stop back next Monday and I'll spill the tea on my favorites. Also, be sure to follow me on Instagram for more travel related content!

What touristy stop would you like to make in Dublin?