Hi Fodorites and Ireland experts --
My DH and I decided on the spur of the moment this past weekend to go to Dublin instead of being with family on Thanksgiving weekend. In a moment of generosity we invited his parents to come along, who agreed in 2 seconds. None of us know anything about Dublin but it sounds like a great way to spend 3 days. Plus, there's Guinness.
About us -- DH and I in early 40s, his parents are (energetic) 72-year-olds. We are all veteran travelers in our own ways, and we know Dublin will be dark early at the end of November, possibly rainy and probably damp. But it doesn't matter. DH and I feel like we gotta get out of NYC for the weekend, and flying anywhere in the US will be impossibly expensive. After Googling around it seems that Dublin is the cheapest destination from JFK that is doable for a weekend where we don't have to lie on a beach and be bored.
We are not interested in staying in Tourist Central Area where it could be super-crowded and super-noisy. What might be a good, quiet, residential neighborhood for a hotel -- nothing fancy, but definitely clean and safe. Up to 120 euros ($150-ish) per night would be our limit. Breakfast included if possible.
In a 3-day visit, we're happy to sit in a pub or two, see the Book of Kells, a museum, take an interesting walking tour. Guinness. Maybe some theater. We all love photography and would love to find a view or a place that looks quintessentially Irish. Can we see a castle at that time of year? How would I find out about hearing some music? Is Dublin doable in 2 days and then we can take a day trip by bus or train somewhere?
Thanks for any advice. My next mission is to the bookstore for a guidebook.
Help for 3 days in November -- Thanksgiving weekend -- in Dublin
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Now that Labor Day weekend's over, I'm bringing this to the top. Anyone have any suggestions for me?
Thank you!
Some highlights on our trip:
Literary Pub Crawl (like theater but on a pub crawl)
National Museum of Archeology and History (especially the Celtic history and artifacts)
Kilmainham Gaol (Jail)
Dublin Castle - with Viking foundations on up - is located in the center of Dublin.
If I had a day trip I would do Newgrange (prehistoric site) - which is fascinating but doesn;t look like anything from the outside.
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1. If you want to stay in a small Irish town close to Dublin, you might look at Malahide. We have stayed there on both of our visits to Dublin and enjoyed it very much. You can take either the DART or the bus to get to Dublin. It's also close to the airport which, if you have a rental car, is great for the day you return to the States. Malahide Castle re-opens tomorrow (Sept. 12) after a year's refurbishment.
http://www.visitdublin.com/Asset/See_and_Do/Malahide_Castle
2. If you want to experience Irish music, a fun and easy way to do so would be to take the Traditional Musical Pub Crawl. (BTW, it's really about the music and not so much about the pub crawling). If you are not late-night people, this program is especially good because is over by around 10pm, when most traditional music sessions are just beginning. http://www.discoverdublin.ie/musical-pub-crawl/
Should you prefer to go to a tradtional music session on your own, the Cobblestone Pub is often-recommended, including by some of the musicians that perform for the Traditional Musical Pub Crawl: http://www.cobblestonepub.ie/
3. I think you could easily tour Dublin in two days and do a day-trip on the 3rd day. My recommendation would also be going to Newgrange. If you can rent a car for this trip (in lieu of an organized tour), I would add a stop at Trim Castle, the largest Anglo-Norman castle in Ireland (and the site for scenes from "Braveheart"). Note that Trim Castle is only open only on weekends in November. http://www.heritageireland.ie/en/midlandseastcoast/TrimCastle/
Hi there, you have made a great choice in deciding to come to Ireland! 2 days is kind of short, but you will at least get a flavour of Dublin, and sample its unique atmosphere! If you dont want to stay in the city, check out citywest hotel(http://www.citywesthotel.com/) it is about 10 miles out of the city but served by the Luas (light rail) which will get you in to the city in about 45 minutes. This hotel is lovely, has plenty of facilities and parking and lovely grounds. It is not expensive at all and should have some deals for november.If you are hiring a car, getting to this hotel will be pretty handy as it is all motorway. As stated in other posts, there are plenty of pub/music/culture tours you can take once you have reached the city. The hotel is also very close to Wicklow, also known as the garden of Ireland, so you could drive from the hotel and be in wicklow in under an hour.
If you need any additional advice, feel free to contact me here or at aidan@epop.ie
I am a born and bred Dubliner who has travelled all over this country.
p.s. Yes it will get dark at around 4.30pm each evening, yes there is a good chance you will have some rain and a big Yes it will be damp so bring warm clothes!!
We stayed at Trinity College Hotel. They treated us like kings (our luggage didn't arrive until next day - they went above and beyond duty to provide for us). Its within walking distance to most everything and the buses have stops nearby. Breakfast was satisfying. There is a bus that runs to the airport nearby but I would probably take a Taxi to get back and forth to airport. The Temple Bar is about 3 blocks away so you are far from the noise. A energetic bar with great music and good food is O'Neills -- near Grafton Street. Its crowded but we spent 2 nites there (We're 50ish)