I'm planning a trip at the end of October to Dublin.
1.I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions for places to stay that weren't too pricey. Is staying near the airport too far from City Center to walk?
2.Where is a good place to visit outside of Dublin but not too far? Are there any bed and breakfasts you'd recommend? Is renting a car necessary for traveling outside of the city? Any other comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Check out Jury's Christchurch in the Dublin city center. It's very convenient and I found that it didn't suffer from a great deal of party noise outside the window. It is one of the less expensive hotels. Be warned, you should jump on this now, especially if you are staying there on a weekend. Rooms book up quickly and you may have a problem finding one.

Bed and Breakfasts in Dublin City tend to be expensive, but if you stay just outside the city, there are some options. Many have suggested Ballsbridge area as a nice option that has relatively easy transport into town. Never stayed there myself.

As far as touring outside the city, if you are staying in Dublin the whole time, don't rent a car, but rather, take a tour. There are some good day tours to areas like Newgrange, Glendalough and the Wicklow mountains.

How long will you be there?

Bill

OK, it would have helped if I looked back at the message title. Don't rent a car, just take tours. CIE and Mary Gibbons are good choices.

Bill

You do not want to stay near the airport. It's pretty much like an large city--the airport isn't exactly downtown.

Cheapest way into the city centre is the bus, but I don't have details. Others have posted the relevant information.

whoops-
"any large city"

It would probably be cheaper to stay in the city. What price range are you talking? The airport is miles outside and taking a bus is still a nightmare with traffic. Even with bus lanes it took me almost over an hour to get to Swords (Town) beside the airport last night. Doing tours is a good idea, what are you interested in seeing. Give us some more info and we can guide you to some places

S

Take day tours out of Dublin on a tour bus. Go to the tourist window at the airpost for brochures or find a tourist office in Dublin. Don't even THINK about renting a car. Left side driving is very difficult for Americans and the Irish drive like bats out of hell! But I love them! Some people don't even feel comfortable crossing streets in Dublin. It is a very fast-pased city, not the quint town of decades ago. Have fun and check out the smaller towns in the area.

Thanks for the advice everyone. I would really like to stay in a mid sized town on the coast. I like some scenery and I hear the coast is beautiful. Maybe somehwere with a few pubs or maybe I should go and see a castle. Are there any train rides from Dublin that are worth trying then I would not have to rent a car.