IDEAS ABOUT THINGS TO DO IN & AROUND DUBLIN

You probably want to look into buying tickets in advance to many/most of these venues...

NEAR DUBLIN

-NEWGRANGE You can not tour Newgrange without purchasing an advance ticket. See tour websites, below. Cheapest ticket is through the OPW, but may only be booked 30 days before your tour date.

-Malahide Castle

-Glendalough (glacial valley, forest, monastic site)

-Tibradden Woods ("Pine Forest") (scenery; ropes course; Zipit zip line)

MUSEUMS

-National Museum of Ireland (Archaeology)

-National Gallery of Ireland

-Museum of Natural History

-National Botanical Garden (especially the Great Palm House)

-The Little Museum of Dublin

-14 Henrietta Street

MISCELLANEOUS

-Book of Kells Experience (book ahead!)

-Trinity College (student-led tours)

-Dublin Castle (reserve tickets online 14 days in advance)

-Drimnagh Castle (only Ireland castle with a moat - full!)

-Glasnevin Cemetery (with guide)

-Marsh's Library

-Kilmainham Gaol

-Guinness Storehouse (brewery)

-Windmill Lane Recording Studio

-Ha'penny Bridge (Dublin's first toll bridge)

-Dublinia (book ahead) (kids)

-The Ark (kids)

-Dublin Zoo, Phoenix Park

ON THE WATER

-City Kayaking (on the River Liffey, on sit-on-top kayaks)

-River Liffey Sightseeing Cruise

-Viking Splash (book ahead!)

-Dublin Bay Cruises

CHURCHES

-St. Patrick's Cathedral

-Christ Church

-St. Michan's Church (mummified bodies in vault)

-Shrine of St. Valentine, Whitefriar Street Church

PARKS

-St. Stephen's Green

-Iveagh Garden (carry-out sandwiches from nearby Green Bench Cafe)

-Merrion Square

SHOPPING

-Grafton Street (Bewley's Cafe)

-Hodges & Figgis Bookshop (great kids department)

SHOWS

-Gaiety Theater

-Irish Music & dance shows: Riverdance does not return to Dublin until June. Very different alternatives: The Irish Dance Party, Templebar; Belvedere Hotel Irish Night, dinner & show @ 6p; show only 8p-9:45; The Irish Dance Party dinner & dance 6:30p-9:30p; Murray's Bar, traditional music from 8p, dance show 10p

-Evensong service at Christ Church (choralevensong.org; book ahead)

TOURS

-getyourguide.com

-viator.com

-visitdublin.com

-irishdaytours.com

-Office of Public Works (OPW): heritageireland.ie/visit/

-Mary Gibbons, private tours: newgrangetours.com/book-a-tour

TRANSPORTATION

-Hop-On Hop- Off buses 2 hour, 1 day, 2 day passes.

-gocity.com Pass

-LEAP Visitor Card

-Bus Eireann - local, city, commuter, long-distance

-DART trains

-LUAS above-ground railway

-Taxis: Lynk, BetterTaxi, Dublin Dial-A-Cab

Registry