There are so many unique Dublin experiences to enjoy when you visit the capital of Ireland!

Dublin is a great city filled with friendly locals, a fun pub culture, beautiful nature, endless adventure and experiences, plus so much history.

In fact, Ireland itself definitely exceeded my expectations and became one of my favorite destinations in the world!

During October 2017, I traveled to Ireland with Crawford Concierge. From the moment I landed in “The Emerald Isle” I was in awe. I was exposed to the greenest nature I’ve ever seen, fresh Atlantic air and there was overall happiness.

Throughout my 10 days in Ireland, I had a blast in the capital city of Dublin and meandering around the beautiful fishing villages surrounding that area; chasing rainbows in scenic Killarney, Cliffs of Moher and Galway and experiencing a taste of royalty at Ashford Castle in the rural village of Cong.

In this article, discover all of the unique Dublin experiences to be had during your Ireland trip.

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Where to Stay in Dublin:

Ireland was definitely a luxury trip for me since I traveled with Crawford Concierge – a luxury travel agency.

Even though we traveled around the country, we stayed at the best of the best five-star hotels in Dublin, Killarney and Cong!

During our few nights in Dublin, we stayed at The Merrion Hotel.

What I loved most about staying at The Merrion Hotel was that it was conveniently located near all of the popular sites in Dublin.

Set in a restored, Georgian building, The Merrion Hotel is luxurious and absolutely beautiful. Even when I wasn’t out and about in the city, I thoroughly enjoyed relaxing in the lobby and savoring a cup of warm tea.

In addition, this lovely hotel has gorgeous gardens, a relaxing spa, infinity pool, a couple restaurants, a few bars as well as a fitness center. The Merrion Hotel is considered one of the top unique hotels in Ireland!

In addition to The Merrion Hotel, you could find a plethora of other luxury, mid-budget and budget hotels throughout Dublin. You could also find a range of hostels and if you want to rent a home, Airbnb and Vrbo have great options!

Getting around Dublin:

Nowadays, there are so many great ways to find affordable flights. I love using Skyscanner to get the best for my buck! I flew from New York Stewart International Airport in Newburgh/New Windsor, New York to Dublin Airport.

Since I traveled with a group, we took a private coach around Ireland, but other ways to get around is by renting a car, taking the DART train (Dublin Area Rapid Transit) and the Bus Eireann.

Unique Experiences in Dublin City:

Unique Dublin Walking Tour Experiences:

During my first full day in Dublin, it was only appropriate to do a city tour by a local. Crawford Concierge gave us the best tour experience in Dublin.

Below is everything we saw:

The National Museum of Ireland and the Oscar Wilde House:

Located on the same street as The Merrion Hotel, is where you could find The National Museum of Ireland and the Oscar Wilde House.

Around the corner from there is where you will find Merrion Square where you could see the Park Statue of Oscar Wilde chilling on a rock.

Trinity College:

Trinity College, also known as the University of Dublin is a beautiful university located in the heart of Dublin. It is here where you could find the Book of Kells.

The Book of Kells is an illuminated manuscript Gospel book in Latin containing the four Gospels of the New Testament with other pieces. In addition to seeing the Book of Kells, it is definitely recommended that you walk around and see the campus because it is beautiful. During the time I traveled to Ireland, it was autumn so there was a lot of beautiful fall foliage.

Dublin Castle and St. Patrick’s Cathedral:

Although we didn’t actually go into Dublin Castle, it was still beautiful to see the outside of it because of all the intricate architecture and stonework is something to admire. Nowadays, it is a major Irish government complex and conference center.

St. Patrick’s Cathedral, on the other hand, is a peaceful and amazing place that you have to go into. Known as the tallest church in Ireland, this beautiful Gothic cathedral was founded in 1191. 

Unique Dublin Pub Crawl Experiences:

During your time in Dublin, you definitely cannot miss out on a fun pub-crawl. You could walk around the city, get an Uber or travel around via traditional horse and buggy to get to all the pubs. (I recommend taking a horse and buggy. It is so much fun!)

Below are my favorite pubs in Dublin that are both fun with some character.

The Brazen Head:

The Brazen Head was the first pub I visited in Dublin and it is actually the oldest pub in the country, dating back to 1198.

Not only did I get to enjoy a few Irish brews, I also savored the country’s traditional fish and chips dish. During lunch here, my cousin and I met a group of Irish guys who we shortly became friends with. We had such a blast!

O’Donoghues Pub, Foley’s Bar and Rielly’s Bar:

Like I mention above, The Merrion Hotel is located in a prime spot in Dublin. There are so many great pubs to easily walk to and from, making it so convenient.

In Ireland, there aren’t as many nightclubs that you would normally see in big cities in the United States or Southern Europe. A traditional pub is where you enjoy a drink with friends (usually beer) and believe it or not, most of them only stay open until 12:30am.

O’Donoghues Pub, Foley’s Bar and Rielly’s Bar are great pubs where you could enjoy good brews, music and company!

Brannigan’s and Jack Nealon’s:

Located in the same area from each other and a little further from The Merrion Hotel, is Brannigan’s and Jack Nealon’s pub.

At these fun pubs, we got to enjoy live Irish bands and we even got to dance around and have a good time. It was a blast!

The Temple Bar:

Known as the most iconic and famous bar in Ireland, The Temple Bar is definitely worth visiting despite how touristy it is. In fact, it is also a “district” too!

The Temple Bar itself has several different bars within the building, each one setting off a different vibe. There were even some areas where you can sit outside in one of the bar’s courtyards.

Unique Dublin Bike Tour Experiences:

Another one of Dublin’s best experiences is taking a guided bike tour or doing one yourself.

One thing to note is that Ireland drives on the opposite side of the road from the United States, so when you are riding a bike, always keep in mind to stay on the left side.

We started biking through Oscar Wilde’s neighborhood and the corporate center of Dublin that hosts the European headquarters for Google, Facebook, Airbnb and InDeed to name a few.

As we continued on our bike tour, we went over the iconic Samuel Beckett Bridge and then we entered into the old part of the city where we got to see the Irish Potato Famine Memorial where we learned about the depressing history behind that tragedy.

To change up the mood, we rode our way over to the Temple Bar area. I love all the cobblestone streets and colorful quaintness this area features!

We also got to see the adorable Ha’penny Bridge, also known as Dublin’s version of the love-lock bridge. It is one of the most educational Dublin experiences.

Best Dublin Restaurants:

Ireland had some of the best food I’ve savored during my travels. I absolutely loved the seafood, soups and breads that I ate when I was in the country.

I also enjoyed their coffee, tea, lattes and of course alcoholic beverages. Besides the delicious food I had at the pubs, I also went to the below.

The Riddler:

A fairly new restaurant in Dublin with fresh, Irish farm-to-table dishes is The Riddler.

My lunch there started off with a delicious caramel-spiced latte and the best potato soup I ever had! On top of all things potato, the meal came with my other favorite Irish specialty – soda bread! (Gosh, I could have a whole loaf in one sitting, it’s that good.)

To follow along with the soup, we were served fish and chips (again). Dessert was a molten chocolate cake served in a mug – one of my favorites. This lunch definitely did not disappoint!

St. Anne’s Park and Bull Island in Dublin:

Right after our lunch at The Riddler, we spotted a mysterious-looking bus that we were getting on to go to St. Anne’s Park and Bull Island.

I had no idea what was in store for us next, but when we stepped on the bus, it was definitely the coolest moving vehicle I had ever been on and also one of the most unique experiences one could do in Dublin.

The first thing I saw was a bunk bed with a fireplace and these freaky-looking mannequins. As we made our way up the staircase, there were seats for us to sit in during the show and more bunk beds in the back. A few minutes later, our tour guide, who was also our “storyteller”, made his way onto the bus. (Make sure to contact Crawford Concierge for these fun Dublin experiences.)

As we started driving east towards the coast, our guide began the story. It was a typical Irish folklore story, but he made sure that we would laugh throughout it.

Our first stop was to beautiful St. Anne’s Park that features a serene duck pond with lily pads, woodland paths and trails, fall foliage and of course, greenery.

After spending some time at St. Anne’s Park, we made our way onto Bull Island, a beautiful coastal area featuring endless plains of green sea grass and overall peace and quiet. This is actually the area where Dubliners will go to get a beach day.

Located on Dublin Bay, Bull Island, with its sandy beach that is known as Dollymount Strand running its entire length, is relatively recent as a result of human intervention in the water. It is absolutely beautiful there!

Visit the Irish Whiskey Museum:

Besides beer, whiskey is also a popular staple in Ireland. A great place to visit if you enjoy tasting different whiskeys and also one of the best unique experiences in Dublin is the Irish Whiskey Museum.

This fun and interactive museum features several exhibits that allow you to journey back through time and discover the intriguing history and origins of Irish whiskey. At the end of the tour, we did a tasting of five different Irish whiskeys.

I am not a big whiskey drinker, but it is fun to learn about the history of this beverage and do a tasting where you can enjoy the natural flavors that are crafted in each glass. It is one of the most fun Dublin adventures!

Prior to this whiskey tasting in Ireland, I had also done one at Jack Daniel’s Distillery near Nashville, Tennessee. Both were a lot of fun! (Click here to also read about our whiskey tasting experience in Midleton.)

Visiting Howth from Dublin:

If you are traveling to Dublin, I highly recommend making your way to Howth – a charming fishing village that is located a half-hour east of the city.

Since we got to Howth in the morning, we walked around and admired the breathtaking views. We also got to enjoy some Irish coffee or Bailey’s coffee (something you MUST have in Ireland) at some of the charming cafés there.

One of the gems that Howth holds is the original fish and chips restaurant called Leo Burdock. (I had fish and chips for lunch everyday during my time in Dublin and had no regrets!)

This amazing place first opened in 1913 and has been rocking with the best fish and chips in Ireland since!

After our amazing lunch, we enjoyed a great beverage at Bloody Stream Pub. I loved how warm and cozy this place was and the owner and workers were so sweet!

Do a Guinness Storehouse Interactive Experience

Experiencing the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin is one of the most exciting things to do!

The journey at Guinness Storehouse begins at the bottom of the world’s largest pint glass and continues up through seven floors that are filled with excitement and interactive experiences that showcase the heritage of the dark Irish beer.

The inside of Guinness is so cool! When I visited, it was October and they already had a beautiful Christmas display up. There was even a pretty waterfall inside as well.

After our tour, we went up to do the Guinness Academy, where we learned how to pour the perfect pint of Guinness. There is a six-step ritual and it takes 119.5 seconds to pour and settle.

At the end of the Academy, I got a certificate and then was able to take my freshly poured beer and enjoy it.

When we left the Academy, we were able to take the escalator up to the top floor where the famous Gravity Bar was located.

This amazing bar offers 360-degree views of Dublin’s historic rooftops and you can even catch views of the mountains from afar. It was a gray day when I visited Guinness, but the views were still amazing!

I hope you all enjoyed reading about my best experiences in Dublin with Crawford Concierge.

If you have any questions about my time in the capital city of Ireland or the country in general, please feel free to email me at info@browneyedflowerchild.com.

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Basic Facts of Ireland:

Currency: Euro, Capital: Dublin, Time Zone: Greenwich Mean Time

*Anything could happen during your travels. Always make sure you are insured in case there are unforeseen circumstances such as lost luggage/theft, natural disasters, personal liabilities and more. Click here to get insured for your next trip.

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