10 Things You Do Not Want to Miss in Dublin Ireland

Dublin city is by far one of the best cities I’ve visited especially as a solo female traveler and I’ve put together a list of my top 10 things you do not want to miss in Dublin, Ireland.

When talking to people before visiting, they either loved it or hated it and there wasn’t much room left in-between. I don’t know if I was already determined to love this place or if it just happened so quickly when I arrived. Regardless of the ‘how’ it didn’t take long at all for this city to win me over.

If you google things to do in Dublin you will come up with some very obvious activities but don’t be too quick to dismiss them because they are famous and popular for a reason however there are a couple of places that may be a bit lesser-known or newer and they will be a great addition to your time in Dublin. 

Guinness Storehouse Tour

Yes, this is a must-do. If you are visiting Dublin, you simply have to. Guinness is Irish, tastes better in Ireland and as someone who has now made it a point to try Guinness in almost every country I visit, please take my word for it. Give yourself plenty of time to explore because this warehouse is massive and the tour can take you all day if you wanted. There is a ton of information, things to see or experiment with, learn, and of course, you can’t miss out on the top floor bar with amazing views of the city.

The Book of Kells & Trinity Library

Another classic place to visit in Dublin and for good reason. While the book itself was interesting along with the history behind it, my favorite part was the library. Floor to ceiling wall-lined books, it looks like something from a fairy-tale, Beauty & the Beast maybe? I love seeing different libraries around the world and this one easily made my top 10 list for most beautiful and interesting. 

Kilmainham Gaol

This prison holds a heavy past and I left carrying the weight of it for a while. I recommend making a reservation online. I took the first available booking in the morning mid-week and it was still a decent-sized tour of about 20 or so people. It’s an intense walk-through while the guide shares a bit of Ireland’s bold, proud and not so proud moments. Regardless of where you stand on political issues, a visit to this jail will give some perspective and maybe even draw a tear or two.

Whiskey Tour – Roe & Co Distillery

I’m sure you’ve heard of Jameson Whiskey or the Whiskey Museum or even Teeling’s Whiskey tour but based on the input from a local friend we decided to try a newer different distillery, Roe & Co. Now for a photographer like me, this place was a dream to photograph. Everything was insanely aesthetically pleasing and I couldn’t get enough photos but that wasn’t the only thing I loved about this place. The tour guide was hilarious and kept things interesting while explaining the process and the whiskey itself was delicious! I have never really enjoyed mixed drinks but during my own cocktail making class here, I found a couple of salty and umami recipes that I really love.

Croke Park

Irish football! Not knowing what I was getting myself into, I decided to buy a ticket to a game and go alone; I cheered when the crowd cheered and booed when the crowd booed. lol Let’s be real I am not much of a sports ball fan however in-person sporting events always carry amazing energy and I love getting to check out the local sports craze in most places I go.

After having visited a few different games in different countries I figured I knew the routine, so as soon as I got in I grabbed a pint of Guinness only to realize about 5 seconds later that you can’t actually take the beer to your seat with you soooo… I chugged it. I recommend you go a bit early, enjoy your beer then take a seat and come back out for an additional pint about midway through during half-time. 

Have a Pint & Listen to Some Trad Music

Visiting a good pub is an absolute must and while the tourists tend to flock towards Temple Bar, where you can find a pint of Guinness for almost $10, I recommend venturing outside of that area just a bit and visiting Kehoe’s Pub near Stephen’s Green (Not to be confused with the Deli). If you would like to wander just a bit further outside of the touristy area you can visit Thomas House for a good pint for about $5.

Some of the pubs will have Trad music and if you start talking to some of the locals you will hear that many people see it as a touristy thing and in Dublin, it does attract mostly tourists but you shouldn’t let that deter you. Head to The Cobblestone for some great music. Regardless of where you choose to spend your night out in Dublin, make sure you find some cheeky late-night snacks. My personal favorites are DiFontaines for pizza or Zaytoon’s for a Kebab.

The Plaque honoring Father Pat Noise

This plaque was put up by a couple of young men several years ago as a practical joke. The city removed it once and the men simply replaced the plaque with another identical one. The city came together and decided to leave it as a way to honor the Irish sense of humor. A local told me about this story over a few pints of Guinness and apparently, his cousin was one of the men who initiated the practical joke. I’ll never know if he really was related to him but I did find the plaque and have a good laugh. It’s right on O’Connell Bridge so it’s easy to stop and admire while wandering about town. 

The Little Museum of Dublin

Museums can be a huge hit or miss for me. Sometimes I LOVE them and can spend all day wandering around a single museum and sometimes I’m just not into it. Recently there has been a rise of more interactive and story-telling museums and I have taken a lot of interest in those. The Little Museum of Dublin was in fact exactly that. There are time-slots that you book and then basically go through Ireland’s history by decade with a tour guide and tons of fun & interesting visual representations all along the walls. Overall it was only a couple hours but definitely a fun thing to do while there. 

Epic, The Irish Emigration Museum

This museum tells some of Ireland’s history but it focused much more on the famine and overall diaspora of the Irish people. This museum was much larger than I even realized and wish I had a bit more time to roam around it as there were plenty of interactive stations and activities. It was visually stunning and artistic. 

The Gaiety Theater

The Gaiety Theater has been showing a variety of plays, musicals, operas, and dramas for almost 150 years. I love a good live show and while I was there I was super lucky that Riverdance was in town for a couple of weeks. I’ve seen Riverdance and Lord of the Dance a few times in different countries and it has always been an amazing experience. I could hardly contain my excitement to see it while actually visiting Ireland! Maybe it was even a bit of a bucket list item that I didn’t know I had. Regardless of the show, you see the theater is beautiful and worth checking out.