3 Days of Discovery, Flavor, and Natural Wonder
Dublin’s charm reaches beyond its rich history and vibrant culture. It extends to its world-famous whiskeys, beers, and gins, mouth-watering local cuisine, and the breathtaking Cliffs of Moher. Here’s a 3-day guide for families eager to experience the best of what Dublin has to offer.
Itinerary
Day 1: Dublin City Delights & Local Flavors
If it’s a particularly rainy day, this can be a good day to do a Hop of Hop off bus. We did the DoDublin one as there are many but that one was the best rated and felt most local. There was even signing by the bus driver! Included in your Do Dublin ticket is the The Little Museum of Dublin, where you can learn about the city’s past quickly and in an entertaining way. I highly recommend waiting for the actor guided 29 minute tour— it’s one of the best tours I’ve been on, and certainly the highest ROI one! Even if you don’t do the bus this day, you should absolutely do the Little Museum. After the museum visit, enjoy lunch at a nearby café and try local dishes like fish and chips, Irish stew, and cottage or Guinness pie with some soda bread of course. I particularly like the Irish ciders- give one a try!
I usually like to keep either the mornings or afternoons free with kiddos for rest/naps or playground time. But if you don’t feel you need it, some additional options would be to visit the Dublin Castle and Chester Beatty Library.
In the evening, head to Celtic Nights (reservation required) for a very touristy, but still great introduction to Irish dancing and food. Kiddo friendly.
If you have a built in babysitter on the trip, you can also make a run to the touristy Temple Bar area for fun pubs and a few pints. But even better would be to go on a musical pub crawl with a local musician! We loved this experience, definitely one of the best for getting out of the touristy areas. Not kiddo friendly.
Day 2: Exploring Nature’s Marvel – Cliffs of Moher
Fans of Princess Bride or Harry Potter? Dedicate the entire day to the Cliffs of Moher. To get there you can drive it at 3 hours each way, but driving on the left side of the road with a stick shift can be tricky. Alternatively you can join a guided family tour, including stops at Burren National Park and Gallway City. Here is a tour link as a great option (get 15% off with this link). Note that weather can be finnicky, and the cliffs are best seen on a clear day (sprinkles aren’t a problem- in fact very likely).
Day 3: A Day for the Little Ones & Culinary Exploration
This is a great day for Trinity College and the book of Kells. The library is nicknamed the Harry Potter library because it looks like it belongs in Hogwarts. Reservations are highly recommended ahead of time, they sell out! It can be quite busy and crowded.
Spend the afternoon at the Irish Whiskey Museum, shopping and enjoying the local food, including a scoop of ice cream at Murphy’s.
If you have littles you might opt for the Dublin Zoo (9:00 AM to 12:30 PM), followed by the Science Gallery Dublin, where kiddos can engage with interactive exhibits (1:30 PM to 4:00 PM). In the evening, treat the family to a true Irish dinner experience at a pub. If you are located centrally, I can recommend The Winding Stair and Wollen Mills for a more modern Irish take, or any Irish pub above a 4.3 of Google is a safe bet. Google Maps and Atmosfy were the most helpful for me to pick restaurants near my location.
Gastronomical Highlights:
A huge highlight of the food in Ireland was that all sheep and beef are grass-fed and free range, so one can feel much better about the quality of the dairy and meat (and you can absolutely taste the difference). Throughout your trip, indulge in traditional dishes like Irish stew, Guinness or Cottage Pie, and Fish and Chips. The Irish Whisky Museum was one of our favorites tours, and I don’t even like Whisky! But it really made me appreciate the historical context. I’ve heard great things about the Guinness Storehouse Museum as well, I’m just not a huge fan of beer generally, so I can’t speak for it. Irish Ciders are absolutely delicious, a must try. As a gin lover, I really enjoyed some of the award winning gins, like Dingle Gin, Gunpowder Gin, and Glendalough Wild Autumn Botanical Gin. I really liked the Ha’Penny pink gin named after the bridge. There’s even a lovely Gin Palace Bar where you can sample them all, or even have a pot of Gin tea!
Tips & Recommendations:
Be sure to reserve ahead for specialized tastings or family dining experiences, consider weather when planning for the Cliffs of Moher, and utilize the hop-on-hop-off bus service for easy navigation around Dublin especially during rainy days (which seem like most days!).
I don’t recommend a car in Dublin- traffic is dense and the city is very walkable. Ubers are very available as well (though might take you longer than walking!). But for Cliffs of Moher if you chose to drive instead of a tour, search here for the right size car for you. Make sure you’re thinking of your bags as well, cars are smaller in Europe (another reason to go carryon only!). Keep special attention to automatic vs manual- most cars in Europe are manual (and cheaper).
Prepping
I always love to get into the local mood before traveling (the kids call it homework :P), so here are some recommendations (not all child friendly):
Derry Girls on Netflix
Peaky Blinders on Netflix
Round Ireland with a Fridge: Tony Hawks
Irish Pub song playlists
Irish pop songs playlists (all of those amazing artists, like U2, Sinead, Cranberries)
Final Thoughts:
Dublin’s blend of cultural landmarks, natural beauty, culinary delights, and world-class gins creates a family getaway that’s both enriching and exciting. Let this itinerary be your guide to an unforgettable Dublin experience. Please share this post with fellow travelers looking to savor Dublin’s diverse offerings, and let the sparks of adventure fly!
Sources:
- Dublin Castle: Website
- The Little Museum of Dublin: Website
- Cliffs of Moher Tour: Website
- Dublin Zoo: Website
