The Rocky Road to Dublin: Dublin, Ireland Travel Guide

As I mentioned here, getting to Dublin proved to be a bit of a hassle due to a last minute flight cancellation. Once we arrived though, we had about three of our ten travel days to spend exploring this beautiful city. Here is a list of my favorite things to see, do, and eat around the largest city in Ireland...

Accommodations:
We used Airbnb and stayed in a home in Dublin. The house was well-located, charming, had a beautiful garden out back, and bikes for us to borrow.

Eat:
Fish and Chips at Leo Burdocks
The Cellar at the Merrion Hotel: We stopped for lunch and it was the perfect respite from a morning of walking
Chapter One: Found in the basement of the Dublin Writer's Museum
Cake: Our absolute FAVORITE place for lunch. Difficult to find, but well worth the wandering, the food was delicious and the atmosphere was perfect! From kitschy mismatched teacups to organic, sustainable food, to the tiki garden that surrounded you as you ate in the middle of an urban area, this place offered much to love.

The Stag's Head: We loved this place because, since it was a little tucked away, it seemed to be filled with relatively few tourists and lot of Dubliners meeting their friends for drinks after work. We felt very authentically Dublin!
The Limetree Cafe: Across from the gaol, this place was delicious and a healthy counterpoint to the traditional Irish breakfast

See:
The Guinness Factory: We loved the tour, but if that is not your thing, at least go to the top floor bar for an amazing 360 degree view of Dublin

The "Doors of Dublin"
The Dublin Writer's Museum
National Gallery
Window shop and people watch on Grafton Street
Take a tour of the impressive Trinity College Library 

Phoenix Park (I recommend biking it!)

The Memorial Gardens
Wander the cobblestone streets

Walk along the River Liffey
Dublin Castle
Listen to traditional Irish music at one of the many Irish bars
St. Stephen's Green
Merrion Square
The Kilmainham Gaol (or "Jail" for you Americans out there!)

Shop:
Kilkenny
Avoca
Brown Thomas
Daintree Paper Store: Continue through the garden in the back and you will stumble upon Cake!

A Note on Packing:
Should you find yourself traveling to Dublin, or Ireland for that matter, be sure to pack for fickle weather. At one bed and breakfast where we stayed, we overheard a couple saying that they were hoping for better weather to which the owner replied: "Just wait twenty minutes." This response really captures the essence of Irish weather; pouring one minute, the sky will open the next to reveal the most spectacular sunshine. Summer in New York City brings 90 degree temperatures, while Ireland seems to hover at or around the lower 70s, but can also dip into the 50s. Be prepared with scarves, blazers, and rain gear!