Guest Post: Dublin – a great family destination
Written by Karen Bryan
In this guest post Lindsay Sydenham illustrates why Dublin is a great location for a family trip.
“One of the best family destinations in Europe is Dublin, Ireland. Anyone looking for family vacation ideas should strongly consider a trip to Dublin. The city of Dublin is rich in culture and offers a delightful experience for travelers at every age. There is something to do for everyone!
Temple Bar, Dublin by Australia photos
Temple Bar:
Temple Bar is the cultural hub of Dublin. This is where the hustle and bustle of the city occurs. There are many restaurants and activities to choose from in this area. Take the family and stroll through the area to get a good feel of what the locals love in Dublin.
Ghost Bus Tour:
Interested in getting spooked? Dublin is a haunted city. Purchasing tickets and going on the Ghost Bus Tour will give you an insight to haunted Dublin. You will travel to the school and home where Bram Stoker, the author of Dracula, conjured up the story of a murderous vampire. You will visit a graveyard and learn about grave robbings in the medieval times as well as see the untouched sites where witches were burned at the cross. Taking the Ghost Bus Tour might be a little spooky for young children, but teenagers will certainly enjoy the ride.
Take a Day Tour:
There are a few tours to take during the day that will give a great overall impression of what Dublin is all about. One of the most recommended tours to take is the Wild Wicklow Tour. For a reasonable price, their full-day tours will take you on a short city tour, a gorgeous costal drive, a visit to Glenalough (an older Irish city), a view of mountain lakes and an opportunity to eat lunch in a traditional pub and shop in a nearby craft market. Taking a day tour is the perfect opportunity to discover the overall feel of Ireland.
Dublin Castle by infomatique
Visit a Castle:
Go back in time and visit an old, Irish castle. You can start with the Dublin Castle, which is located in the heart of Dublin. See the interior of the castle, but be sure to spend time in the beautiful gardens that resemble a maze. If you and your family enjoyed the visit to the castle, know that there are hundreds of other castles to visit in Ireland. It is possible to spend an entire trip to Ireland just visiting the beautiful, historical castles the country has to offer.
Visit a Pub:
A night out for the adults should consist of pub hopping. Dublin offers some of the most impressive pubs in the whole world. Try different brews that have been created all over Ireland. It will be especially fun if you are a connoisseur of beer!
Howth by infomatique
Take a Ride to Howth:
Howth, Ireland is a gorgeous coastal city that really gives visitors a different feel of Ireland. Walk the Irish cliffs and view the blue water. Each fresh fish and chips and be sure to order the “catch of the day.” Explore the marina area where there are old fishing boats. The locals in this city are kind-hearted and love to help visitors find their way around.”
Best of Dublin Tips
Read our Best of Dublin Tips, to help your get the most from your visit to the city.
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This is a great post, thanks Karen. My husband and I were thinking of visiting Dublin for a romantic weekend away (I’ve never been before) but it sounds like it might be worth taking a family trip instead.
Gemma – thanks for your comment. Although Dublin is a great destination for familiies I think it’s also great for couples, we spent a wedding anniversary there.
As a native Dubliner, you’re saying some really nice things about the city!! Can I add the Phoenix Park, with Dublin Zoo?The zoo’s fantastic and the park is enormous. Farmleigh house is in there too it’s definitely worth a visit.
Also if you venture a bit further north, Malahide is great, as is Skerries.
Finally for a quick visit in nice weather, the Iveagh Gardens behind the National Concert hall are a well-kept secret. They are superb and open to the public for free. As are the Botanic Gardens in Glasnevin.
Just thought you might appreciate a few more spots to see!!
Sue – Thanks so much for your tips on places to visit in Dublin. It’s great to have input from a local, it can really help visitors see beyond the usual tourist attractions in a destination.
went to dublin this weekend for our anniversary great place but very very expensive,most bars in temple bar put prices up from 5.50euro to 6.50euro for a pint at 10 pm.the best meal was chips and fish from Leo Burdocks at christ church,the taxi drivers were great ,lots more expensive than london and thats a rip off,they cant blame the euro because i went to amsterdam the weekend before lots cheeper.still loved dublin
Des – thanks for your ccomment and glad to hear that you loved Dublin and your anniversary celebrations.
I don’t know what to say about prices in Dublin as i haven’t been there for years but 6.5 euro sounds a lot for a pint. I was in Amsterdam last June and found it rather expensive, as did our son when he visited last Summer.
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aside from really nice places, more about nice things in the capital city of Ireland…it has a pride of place as a rather good location for being a shutterbug. The McCall brothers, the perennial favorites of advertising executives and fashion designers, have a photo studio here. This is the same for Angela Halpin, another stalwart of the fashion photography scene. These two aren’t the only photographers based here – the city has quite a few photographic studios spread out within its limits. Of course, that’s par for the course for any city, since every city needs its visual chronicler, but Dublin is special for the highly skilled group of photographers who work there and for their good eye for striking visual images.